Uptown Praise Band was selected by Free Spirit Ministries to open the main worship stage on June 24, 2011 at their annual mega Christian Music Festival. The festival is expected to draw over 20,000 and will feature over 100 bands on 7 stages over three days June 23-25 at Ionia State Fairgrounds, Ionia MI. Major Christian artists will include Toby Mac, Skillet, Newboys, Sanctus Real, 33 Miles, Leeland, Building 429, Phillips, Craig, and Dean, Sidewalk Prophets, Natalie Grant, The Afters, Chris Sligh, KJ-52, Me In Motion, Chris August, Icris, Kerrie Roberts, Matt Maher, Pocket Full of Rocks, Stellar Kart, Tye Tribbett, Heather Williams, Remedy Drive, Sargent Avenue and others. The band will be playing "Because You Made Me" a radio ready Christian rock ballad released by its own independent label SpiritFilled Productions. The song is an uplifting ballad about hope and faith with crystal clear vocals, beautiful soaring harmonies and strong lyrics and musical dynamics. The song is part the bands debut "Testimonials" album, available on iTunes.com, cdbaby.com and Amazon for $8.99. It is also available at over 300 Christian book stores across the country via the myMEDIA BurnBar platform. Uptown Praise Band is #1 on ReverbNation’s Christian/Gospel local charts and is hovering at the #350 spot on their National Christian/Gospel charts. In August, the band was selected to play A-stage at 2010 Unity Music Festival in Muskegon (that drew over 50,000!) and recently was chosen as a top ten finalist in Best of the Blessed competition, broadcast live on TBN TV during the 2010 Christian Music Awards hosted at Trinity Music City in Nashville, TN. Uptown Praise Band is a church band dedicated to leading their church congregation in worship every Sunday and Wednesday at inner city church Uptown Church, 1470 Lake Drive, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 The bands desire is to reach the lost with their music and lead them to the church for healing, restoration and revival. Uptown Praise Band - West Michigan Praise Worship Christian Music