Category: Updates

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withLove competing at Creation Fest 2018

We are so excited to announce that we have earned a slot to compete in the band competition at Creation Fest this year! We’ve been turned down by a lot of festivals that we applied for in the last 8 months and just when we only had an ounce of hope left, this HUGE opportunity came to our inbox! Many bands apply to compete, but only a few get selected and I was so excited to see that withLove was chosen. At the beginning of every year, we set goals for the band and one of them was to play at a major festival. We’ve set that goal year after year, only to find ourselves playing at smaller festivals hoping for the right opportunity to come our way. Well THIS IS IT. Our first of many…hopefully.

We strive to bridge the cultural and ethnic divides that so readily exist especially in the music community. And now we have an opportunity to extend our diverse sound to a larger audience that needs to hear our much needed message. That message is: God is love. And He exists everywhere that there is love, no matter the culture, ethnicity, gender, or background. We just want to be an example of God’s love even as a diverse band in a largely mono-colored festival. I really can’t wait to hear all the various sounds of the different bands that will be there and make some great connections with other musicians and community at large.

My heart is that people would connect with God through our music, and that our passion to worship would overflow from our hearts in a way that is refreshing and inspiring to love in the midst of a world of hate. And to simply enjoy what we do! Have fun. And build relationships with everyone we encounter. I want to keep my mind open to whatever God has in store for us at Creation Fest from the possible to the seemingly impossible. Please pray for us that we go far in this tournament and that most of all, that people would get experience LOVE through what we do in a powerful, intimate way!

If you’re coming, please scream as loud as you can for us! We love you!

withLove,
DW

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Local Band Surprises Local Foster Kids At Holiday Party!

unnamed-1withLove put on a surprise 1-hour show for the foster kids and volunteers at an annual holiday party put on by KidsPeace – a Foster and Community Program in Maryland. withLove played tunes off their most recent album – self-titled “withLove” as well as a few Christmas jingles as well.
Ms. Virginia Callahan, a member of Bridgeway Community Church in Columbia, MD, with a big heart for the local community – helped opened up the church doors to host the holiday party and asked withLove to be a part of this joyful occasion as a way to bring a smile to the kids faces. They sang, clapped, ate, and were smiling with their brand new Christmas toys they received as wonderfully-wrapped presents from donations to the program. Truly a sight to see when kids are inspired by generosity, music, and love.
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Local Band Helps West Baltimore Youth Stay Warm For The Winter With Clothes Drive At Annual Holiday Party

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Withlove has leveraged a holiday party for West Baltimore kids to run a winter clothes drive for the local youth this past Saturday December 2. From the Love Sessions to this Love Project, a group of 20 young adults volunteered their time to spend with a group of 40 kids through a hot meal, nail-care, and cool arts and crafts projects. The price of admission? Love and if able, donate clean, gently-used kids winter clothes. They raised over 40 large bags of winter clothes for the kids of Agape House in West Baltimore. In their 3rd year, withLove has quietly but consistently been putting on this holiday party. When asked why, Amber – the Love Project director shares “We love building relationships with the local community, especially the kids that regularly attend this community center and are always excited to see us come back because most volunteers rarely do. To put a face to a name over the year goes farther for these kids than you think. They remember you when you come back. The kids may be a few inches taller, maybe a few teeth missing, but those kids smiles are enough to show that their is hope in the midst of less-than-ideal surroundings.”

agape-withlove-2These kids are special because they get special attention from Agape House being under-resourced due to problems in the home, malnutrition, out-of-pocket parents, etc. So being able to get a hot meal over the weekend and something positive to do to avoid violence in the local area is life-giving for these kids and their families. And to have young adults spend time with them means a great deal to these kids. You can see it in their eyes as they laugh and spend time painting and glueing cotton balls for a snow man, or painting the “accent nail” on their ring finger, or getting the biggest little hug from 2 to 3 kids at the same time!

 

withLove leverages their event “The Love Sessions” where they highlight their music in the local community through illustrious concerts to attract people. The Love Sessions are so inspiring that they want to take this message of love into action by serving their local community in a following Love Project. The two events are strategically planned together so that The Love Sessions can bring people together through LOVE and the arts, and The Love Projects can leverage those people to take action in their own communities in positive tangible acts of love. It sends a powerful musical message to the local community that this young generation cares too and if brought together for the right cause, they too can impact positive change to their local communities far and wide.

Now the Love Sessions and the Love Project over the years has become a movement of young adults that just want to bring more love and beauty into a world that is overflowing with hate and violence.

Next time, maybe you can join them on one of these adventures and find out what the next Love Project will be at the next Love Sessions, which is on February 24, 2018. Find out more details on our shows page!

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Artists and Community Come Together at the Inner Harbor

On Saturday, November 11, 2017 from 3:30-7pm, “The Love Sessions” is happening!

This concert will not only feature live music from several locally acclaimed artists such as withLove, but also bring art, spoken word, and dance to the stage as well. No matter what happens, the Love Sessions is about one thing: Love. It’s intention is to collaborate with the local community to bring more love to the streets and less forms of hate such as violence and social injustice.

The Love Sessions has been happening at various venues across Baltimore and Columbia since 2014. November 11th will be the last Love Sessions of this year and will be happening on its largest platform yet – the McKeldin Square at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.

What makes this event so popular is it’s nature to connect art and people together from diverse backgrounds into an interactive experience with music. It’s a Christ-centered event, meaning that this is a concert intended to help people connect with God on deeper levels through the arts, but is not intended to obligate or pressure anyone to believe in God or practice their beliefs.

David Warren, the leader of withLove and organizer of the event, expresses excitement about the the Love Sessions because he focuses the event on “accepting everyone as they come – no matter their beliefs, color, or orientation – in an environment where people are loved for who they are and set free to channel their raw emotions and thoughts through the abundant atmosphere of art and music”. He simply requests everyone to do one thing when they come – that is to Love – whether that’s loving God, loving one another, or doing everything with love.

So much happens at the Love Sessions in only 2.5 hours – live music if being performed on-stage, leaders that are appointed to facilitate different forms of art, facilitate painting, writing, dancing, and prayer. This creates a fascinating chain reaction of people responding to this energetic atmosphere through paintings, poems, dance-offs, and prayers – while inadvertently building relationships with one another.

In a nutshell, the Love Sessions provides the tools and platform for people to love and create, and ask people to simply come as they are to enjoy themselves, and the company of the local community.

November 11th is just around the corner and you can find out more information about the Love Sessions on our ticket site here. Make sure to dress warmly (and bring a chair) for this outdoor event!

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Going for Gold at the Grammys 2018!

We have submitted their music for Grammys 2018! We are watchfully awaiting announcements for nominated artists on Nov 28, 2017. Our debut album self-titled “withLove” and our most popular songs “Worth It All” and “My Heart Cries Out” have been accepted by the Recording Academy in the Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Field for the following categories this year: “Best Gospel Album”, “Best Contemporary Christian Music Album”, “Best Gospel Song”, and “Best Contemporary Christian Music Song”.

As we rally support from the DC Chapter Voters in the Recording Academy, we hope to make history by representing the DC-Maryland-Virginia area (DMV) as a nominated artist at the Grammys 2018 in New York City come January. Getting nominated or even winning in a category would help our cause all the more. If you’re a Chapter member, please consider their music submissions in the the Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Fields. And if you are a fan, please spread the word by sharing our FYC posts on all social media outlets! Voting closes Oct 29, 2017!