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Switchfoot, a San Diego-based fivesome, is comprised of Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass guitar, backing vocals), Chad Butler (drums, percussion), Jerome Fontamillas (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), and Drew Shirley (guitar). They’ve earned nine ASCAP San Diego Music Awards including "Best New Artist," "Best Pop Artist," "Album of the Year" and "Song Of The Year," and eight Dove Awards including “Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year."

Known for their energetic live shows, the three guitarists often operate simultaneously, building on the pop sensibilities of Foreman's songwriting, and, rounded out by Fontamillas's work on the synthesizer. Bringing his industrial roots to the sound, the band works up "the Switchfoot sound"-- a melodic crunch of densely layered sound featuring some electronic experimentation, and often driven by hard-charging guitar riffs, while throwing in a few softer ballads as well.

Switchfoot first gained mainstream recognition after the inclusion of four of their songs in the 2002 movie A Walk to Remember starring Mandy Moore. This recognition led to their major label debut, The Beautiful Letdown, which was released in 2003. It went on to sell over 2.6 million copies and produced the band's best-known singles, "Meant to Live" and "Dare You to Move." Since that time, they’ve released Nothing is Sound, Oh! Gravity and Hello Hurricane. Their upcoming release Vice Verses is expected in 2010.

Big Daddy Weave, the five-piece Christian rock band formed on the campus of the University of Mobile almost a decade ago, set out on their latest album “to create a collection of songs that might somehow communicate the word placed on their hearts to the hearts of those who hear it.” Since their college days, the band has released six studio albums and been a part of “WOW Hits” multiple times. The band has also enjoyed honors at ASCAP’s Christian Music Awards twice and the 2002 Dove Award Nomination for New Artist of the Year.

Started as a Bible study, Group 1 Crew, is quickly becoming a genre-breaking Christian hip-hop/rock/funk/soul group unlike any other. The Latino group from Orlando is passionate about making their mark on both the mainstream hip-hop and the Christian scenes, while sending a message of encouragement and hope through Jesus to their peers. After two full-length albums, the band was nominated for the Dove Award for New Artist of the Year, and won the Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year for their self-titled debut album.

Two former dc Talk choreography members form GRITS (“Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit”), a veteran, southern style pop-rap group that has changed the face of positive and spiritual hip-hop. Currently working on launching their own indie label Revolution Art, the band has released eight full-length albums and celebrated over a decade of music. Their songs have been featured in numerous television shows and movies and the band has received numerous Dove Awards and Rap/Hip Hop Performer of the Year at the Visionary Awards Show.

Other artists rounding out the schedule include Plumb, Pocket Full of Rocks, Article One, Manic Drive, Darling Parade, Salient, Two Cent Offering, Live Fish, Remembering Venice, and other local talent acts.

Tickets will be available starting July 14 through iTickets.com and through the MVNU Cougar Corner Bookstore. Price is $15 for groups in advance, $20 for individuals in advance and $25 for everyone at the gate. There will be no group discount at the gate.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students and working adults. U.S. News & World Report ranks MVNU in the top 50 Best in the Midwest (Baccalaureate) institutions for the sixth year in a row. With a 400-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and eight additional satellite Adult and Graduate Studies sites throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,500 students from 25 states and six countries/U.S. territories.