PITTSBURGH – With its 18th CD in the works, the award-winning rock group ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) performs in concert on Friday, Aug. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at Crystal Springs United Methodist Camp, 3774 Crystal Springs St., Dowagiac.

Tickets cost $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

The band’s 2010 anniversary tour follows an ambitious year.

Its most-recent CD, “The Boys Aren’t Backin’ Down,” was released in December 2009 and includes 18 parodies.

In the fall of 2009, the band also released its CD “Recovery.”

The 2010 tour will feature songs from both of the new CDs and more.

ApologetiX played more than 1,200 concerts in 2009 in more states than ever before in a single year – 40.

Over the years the band has played in all 50 states.

ApologetiX specializes in biblical parodies of classic and modern rock songs.

Lead singer J. Jackson, who also writes the band’s lyrics, says, “ApologetiX is best described as ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic meets Billy Graham. We appeal to both the Christian and secular audiences.  I think we’re the only band that’s been featured on the radio shows of both Billy Graham and Howard Stern, not to mention ‘The 700 Club’ and ‘The Dr. Demento Show.’

Yankovic’s longtime drummer, Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz, played seven tracks on an ApologetiX album and checks in with the band from time to time.

For the band’s 15th anniversary, they received a special video greeting from Weird Al himself.

ApologetiX’s repertoire covers the gamut of rock and roll from Elvis to today’s artists, with an occasional rap or country song thrown in for good measure.

Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” becomes “Enter Samson.” John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane” becomes “Iraq and Iran.” Green Day’s “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” becomes “The Boulevard of Both Extremes.”  Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” becomes “Learn Some Deuteronomy.”

The band’s name comes from the word “apologetics,” which originally meant “the defense of the Christian faith.”

Just as the members of ApologetiX adapted that word for their own purposes, they adapt the words of famous songs through parody to convey a biblical message.

“We take our lead from the great theologian Mary Poppins,” Jackson adds. “Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. We take the Bible seriously. We just don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

In 2004, ApologetiX received the American Christian Music Award for Alternative Artist of the Year and Alternative Song of the Year.

In 2005, ApologetiX was named Favorite Indie Artist in the CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) Magazine Readers’ Choice Awards and also won the Best Album award in Christianity Today’s 2005 Readers’ Choice Christian Music Awards.

ApologetiX CDs are available at Christian bookstores throughout the United States and internationally.

They are also available through the band’s Web site (www.apologetix.com) and as downloads through iTunes, amazonmp3 and other major providers.

The band has a fast-growing online fan club with more than 65,000 members, but Jackson says the band members don’t measure success in terms of numbers.

“Our mission is the same as it’s always been – to reach the lost and teach the rest. Every week, we receive hundreds of e-mails from people all over the world who’ve been touched by our CDs or concerts and are learning more about the Bible or are using our CDs to reach and teach others. And that’s what it’s all about for us.”

For concert tickets and more information, visit www.apologetix.com.