I just got back from the International Christian Retail Show (formerly "CBA") in Atlanta, where I had a few good Jellyfish meetings but also spent a lot of time helping Big Idea promote the Pirate movie. The highlight was a big event for the film at the Georgia Aquarium, the new $200 million gargantuan aquarium that houses everything from beluga whales to not one, but two adult whale sharks. The event was in the ballroom, which features one huge glass window looking into the beluga tank, and another looking in on the monstrous whale sharks. Very cool!
Big Idea asked me to get up and talk, setting up the film, then they showed about 22 minutes of finished footage, which looks really, really good. (Kudos to Mike for everything he's done up in Toronto over the last year, as well as the rest of the team at Big Idea for helping out.) One of my very favorite singer/songwriters of all time, Steve Taylor, wrote a song for the film which is being recorded by the Newsboys, so after the footage ran on the big screens (which the whale sharks really enjoyed, I think), Steve Taylor and the Newsboys came out in tuxedos and performed "Yo Ho Heroes," a really rockin' tune that brought the house down.
The Newsboys had agreed to perform a few more songs, but the aquarium folk said one song was all the beluga whales could handle.
I kid you not.
As soon as Kurt Heinecke sends me some of the pictures he snapped at the event, I'll post them here. A good time was had by all. Even the belugas.
Yaaaayy!! I just found out the newsboys were doing a song! Yess! All us fans on boards.newsboys.com are freaking out we’re SO happy! Yess! Thanks Phil! I’m excited! Yes! Why must we wait so long?? Agh!
*cough*
sorry 😛
Well… it’s probably a good thing that Steve Taylor and the Newsboys didn’t do another song. Don’t get me wrong, those guys are some of my favorites. However, considering the walls of the whale tank probably aren’t as strong as Scotty’s “transparent aluminum” from vintage Star Trek days, it might have been a little scary in the ballroom if the beluga whales decided to start “rockin’ out” with the music. Can you imagine the shockwaves? I can see it now: one too many whale tail flips which would have put too much stress on the tank, and it would have flooded the room with excitement! (oops, bad pun…. sorry…)
But other than that, according to some websites, beluga whales are extremely vocal, and vocalize more loudly when they are exposed to higher noise levels. So, another good reason to not extend the concert would be that the beluga whales might have joined in on the next chorus… (and everyone would have had a “whale” of a good time then, huh?) (ooops, pun again…. my bad…)
Now, you wanna know what’s curious? Their ability to vocalize more loudly at increased noise levels is called the “Lombard Vocal Response.” So, I wonder: do those beluga whales take singing lessons near Chicago? But how would they travel there? Certainly not by bus or plane. I guess it would have to be by….tank!
YOW… three puns… and I’m out! (bailing out, that is…)
🙂
Can’t wait to see the pics…
Are you planning to write more books for Jellyfish?
Any chance that video was taken? Please say yes!
Awesome! Haven’t heard anything from Steve Taylor since “Squint”, and I’ve missed him. Sounds like a great time.
This has the makings of a great soundtrack!
please, yo ho heroes lyrics? even the chorus or 1 verse? i would love that, and so would all of us at bordes.newsboys.com! hi, beth! i have to hear more, being a newsboys freak! lol. i’m outta here.
hey cool! i love the song Steve Taylor wrote for Jonah (the rap he did at the end was my favorite part)
I am really happy that they recorded yet another cool tune to be used for the new Veggie movie
I can’t wait for the pirates Movie!!!!!!!!!!! I even made a pirate movie Facebook group! GO PIRATES!!!!!!
Hey, I’ve been out of the Phil Vischer loop since February – right after I read your book. That book meant a lot to me in a lot of different ways and in a different context I’d love to tell you about it.
Anyway, I live and work in Mariupol, Ukraine and so I just found out that there was going to be another VeggieTales movie and I am so excited! I actually saw the first one here in its Russian translation – songs and all, which was awesome. (It was a little funny when Jonah would take the Lord’s name in vain, but other than that it was great! :o)
I’m glad things are still moving along with VeggieTales and I am very excited to see what the creator (I was going to put “creator” in caps to stress the point, but it seemed a little extreme) of VeggieTales will bring the world.
I’ve put your site on my feed reeder so now I won’t get as behind as I have been.
Thanks for your heart, Phil!
Man, I would’ve driven to Atlanta and pretended to be a christian bookseller in order to get into that whale-shark-rock-out thing.
Any pictures? Videos?
P,
ive been a fan of your work for a long time. my two kids love your creations. id love to get in contact with you about maybe working on something. heres my email if you’re interested. all the best and Godbless,
cheers>oVi
ovined@yahoo.com