Northern Ireland /Christian News Wire/ — GOD TV is to broadcast one of Northern Ireland’s leading music festivals, Fuel 10, from Friday June 11 through Sunday June 12.

Featuring the international bands Switchfoot, Leeland and Downhere, this is a music event not to be missed and will include inspirational messages from Scottish evangelist and comedian Mark Ritchie.

The three-day event will be beamed LIVE from Ballymena, where a mass crowd of young people will be camping out for an action-packed weekend. In addition to the main stage performances covered by GOD TV, the festival includes sports tournaments; songwriting, drama, and dance workshops; an art and craft exhibition and fringe music performances.

Fuel is all about the best Christian music gathering in Northern Ireland to offer a weekend of the finest and most exciting musical talent, whilst impacting the youth of the region. It aims to reach and introduce as many people as possible to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music. GOD TV viewers can watch Fuel 2010 LIVE in the USA as follows:

• Friday June 11 at 2pm (EST), with a replay at 10pm, featuring: the popular UK nu-metal/rap group, thebandwithnoname; award-winning Canadian pop/soul band, Newworldson; and the alternative rock band, Switchfoot, from San Diego, CA, which has seen multi-platinum success.
• Saturday June 12 at 2pm (EST), with a replay at 10.30pm, featuring: Northern Ireland’s own Rend Collective Experiment; acclaimed worship leader, Brenton Brown from Malibu, CA, best known for his song ‘Everlasting God’; and modern rock band, Downhere from Canada.
• Sunday June 13 at 2pm (EST), with a replay at 8.30pm, featuring: Nathan Jess & the New Irish String Quartet; the Australian rock ensemble, Planetshakers; vocalist/songwriter/guitarist Phil Wickham from San Diego, CA; and the ever-popular rock band Leeland from Baytown, TX.

The founder of the 73rd Trust, Mark Ritchie is devoted to sharing the Gospel in an innovative, contemporary way. He delivers his messages like a stand-up comedy routine, telling story after story — some funny, and some poignant and is sure to connect powerfully with the crowds at Fuel 2010, as well as viewers watching at home.

“We’re pleased to have such an amazing line-up of artists at Fuel 2010, along with Mark Ritchie who will be speaking,” said GOD TV Co-founder and Director of Television, Wendy Alec. “Mark is a great communicator with a real sense of fun, but able to hit you right between the eyes with a powerful message of how God can change lives. Fuel 2010 is a good opportunity to share the Gospel with the unsaved, especially with young people, who would not ordinarily go to church.”

GOD TV recently received awards from the Broadcasting Council of the UK for the ‘Best Music TV Program’ and ‘Best LIVE event coverage’, which included a commendation for ‘Fuel 2009′. GOD TV can be viewed worldwide and all across the USA on channel 365 of DIRECTV as well as on select local cable stations in certain cities. Online viewers can watch at www.god.tv/live or at www.god.tv/video via video on demand.