New Android & IOS Apps Are Coming / New Roku App Is Here

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Pictured above is a preview of current progress on the 2023 major upgrade of TheBlast.FM Android and iOS app.

Here is a preview of the current progress to the top part of the 2023 major upgrade to the TheBlast.FM Android and IOS app.

TheBlast.FM app is getting a MAJOR upgrade to its Android and iOS apps.

The apps will soon be compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, which means the full dash experience will be available in the dash!

You will be able to see what is playing on TheBlast.FM stations in the dash…and not have to look at your phone for metadata!

And there will be other extra add-ons that we don’t have now.

But this major update isn’t free.  Our app developer is upgrading TheBlast.FM app for Android and iOS for $5,000.

Like we did with the Roku app weeks ago, we said yes to the work before the funds were raised because we know we can count on TheBlast.FM donors to fund this important project, just like you did with the Roku app upgrade.

So…who wants to help pay for this upgrade???

Are there five of you called to give $1,000 each?  Are there two of you called to give $2,500?  Or is somebody called to give the whole $5k?  Or maybe a whole bunch of you are called to give $100-$500 to fund this.

Whatever the case may be…

You can make your donation here:

https://www.theblast.fm/home/donations/

Thank you!

And by the way, regarding TheBlast.FM Roku app, if it is not working on your device, you need to uninstall and re-install from the new app store.  If you have a Roku TV and you already had TheBlast.FM app downloaded, it will automatically update to the new app.

 

 

How To Keep Blasting On Older Roku Devices

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For those of you Blasting on older Roku devices, you may have noticed that TheBlast.FM app is no longer supported on those units.   Roku has updated some of its standards, which makes TheBlast.FM app no longer usable on those old Roku units. 

Our Roku app developer says There is no way to make the app backward compatible… and a new app has to be developed.”

 He also says “The new app will still work on the older Roku 3 (from 2013) devices… not sure about anything before that.  This is more than just a minor update and tweak.  This will be a brand NEW app and I will have to charge some development fees.

 It would cost $1,500 one time for Roku channel development. 

 Here are a couple of other ways you can listen to TheBlast.FM on your television if you are using an older Roku device:

 1) You can still listen to TheBlast.FM’s four radio stations via the Tune In Radio aggregator app.  The Tune In Radio app is free in the Roku store.  Search for TheBlast.FM or for whichever of our radio stations you are looking for by name and you can listen for free in the Tune In Radio app. 

 2) Are you using a smart TV?  If so, keep in mind that the HTML5 players on our website work in the browsers of smart TV’s. 

If you’d like to contribute to the radio stations’ efforts to upgrade its Roku app to make it compatible across all Roku platforms, click here and give via MyWell if you live in the USA and via Givengain if you live outside the USA:  https://www.theblast.fm/home/donations/

How To Blast Everywhere On Older Vehicles Using Bluetooth FM Transmitters

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If you are in an older vehicle that does not have in-dash internet access and you want to Blast in your vehicle, you sure can do that.  Our own Colin Cruz has been been doing that since 2008 with a Bluetooth FM transmitter.  Here is how:

1.  Go to an electronics store or an online electronics vendor and buy a “bluetooth FM transmitter”

2.  Plug that Bluetooth FM transmitter into your car’s “cigarette lighter slot”

3.  Go to your phone’s settings and turn on Bluetooth

5.  Connect the Bluetooth of your phone for audio and calls to your Bluetooth FM stereo, the name of which will pop up as an available device

6.  Hit play on TheBlast.FM stream of your choice in TheBlast.FM app or on our website.

7.  Your Bluetooth FM stereo will…or should… find an open FM stereo channel to use on your vehicle’s FM stereo and it will, or should…display that frequency on the face of the Bluetooth FM stereo.

8.  Tune your FM stereo to that frequency and turn up the volume, and you are Blasting on your FM car stereo!

Long Live 80’s Hard Rock And Metal! The Blastozoic Era Does First All 80’s Weekend

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The Blastozoic Era is doing an all 80’s weekend (Saturday through Monday) in honor of the Immortal Rock Festival which is happening at the same time in Ohio.  See the separate story for that here:

 

https://www.theblast.fm/home/2022/07/17/theblast-fm-co-sponsors-immortal-christian-rock-festival/

 

 

TheBlast.FM Co-Sponsors Immortal Christian Rock Festival

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It could easily be called the Immortal Christian metal and hard rock festival as that is what’s on the menu.

The Immortal Christian Rock Festival will definitely rock your face, with Blast band Chaotic Resemblance rockin’ at the fest as are newcomers to The Blast playlist:  Fear Not, which just put out quite a modern song called Fields Of Sorrow.

While Chaotic Resemblance is a blend of new rock and classic rock styles, Fear Not is an 80’s hard rock/metal band whose heyday was in the early 1990’s.  Fear Not garners significant airplay on The Blastozoic Era.

You’ve heard the band Gale Force on The Blast.  Their lead singer Michael Drive (fka: Mike Lee) is also the lead singer of legendary Christian metal band Barren Cross, which plays at the festival with all their original members.

Several other fabulous 80’s Christian hard rock and metal bands play at the fest, including (Classic) Petra, Whitecross, Daniel Band, and Saint.

Go here for more details:  https://www.bmieventcenter.com/christian-rock-festival/#ARTIST

 

 

Kingdom Come Festival 2022 Thurs-Sat June 16-18, 2022 In Indiana

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Kingdom Come Festival 2022 happens Thursday through Saturday June 16-18 at the Howard County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Grounds Healing Field near Greentown (next to Kokomo, Indiana).  It is free and features 51 bands, many of whom receive airplay on The Blast; some on The Implosion; and some on The Blast Blender.  Oh, and a few have been around long enough to also play on The Blastozoic Era.

Here is a link to the Main Stage schedule:  https://www.facebook.com/kingdomcomefestival/photos/pcb.5122090454501955/5122085367835797/

Here is a link to the Redemption Stage schedule:

https://www.facebook.com/kingdomcomefestival/photos/pcb.5122090454501955/5122085854502415/

 

Skillet’s New Video Surviving The Game / Interview Continues Friday On The Blast

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Skillet’s interview with TheBlast.FM Program Director Colin Cruz continues this week on the show Friday at 12 Noon (USA/Canada Central Time).  Here is the video for the debut single off the upcoming album Dominion, called Surviving The Game which we play on The Blast:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IpP6j7je5A

 

TheBlast.FM’s Colin Cruz Interviews Skillet’s John Cooper Friday Sept 24 2021 + Next Week

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TheBlast.FM founder and Program Director Colin “Cruz” Strombeck and John Cooper met in 1999 during Skillet’s Hey You, I Love Your Soul tour.  That was Skillet’s second album.  Colin Cruz, then known as Colin Cruise, was the music director and an on air personality on what was at the time, an Albuquerque FM Christian Hot CHR radio station called K-LYT.

Colin was an early adopter of Skillet music on the radio…he played songs from their first album at his previous Christian rock radio shows before moving to Albuquerque and under Colin’s direction, K-LYT played so much Skillet music that the band took notice and thanked Colin Cruise on their 3rd and 4th albums in the liner notes.

TheBlast.FM equally believes in Skillet.   Skillet has always been a core band here and it is always a pleasure to talk to Cooper.    We are airing the first three segments of our recent interview we recorded with him, on Friday September 24th in the 2 pm hour, USA/Canada Central Time, with more segments airing next week.

The Colin Cruz Skillet John Cooper Barren Cross Mike Lee Gale Force Connection

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“Huh?” most of you are thinking, after reading the subject line of this article.   “What’s that all about?!” Well, you’ll find out in Colin Cruz’s interview with Michael Drive (fka: Mike Lee), lead singer of the band Gale Force, which airs Wednesday September 15th in the 11 AM hour and Thursday September 16th, 2021 in the 2 pm hour (USA/Canada Central Time).

The interview is in 6 segments, some will air on Wednesday and the rest will air on Thursday.

Pictured above is Michael Drive sporting the Gale Force Subhuman t-shirt.

The Protest Interview On The Blast Wed Thru Fri Sept 1-3, 2021

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The Protest just released its new 6-song EP called Death Stare via Rockfest Records, featuring the #1 smash hit Greater and the new follow-up single which we also Blast (of course): Show Up To The Showdown.

While some radio stations have just suddenly discovered this is a good band, they are no strangers to TheBlast.FM, as we have played The Protest since 2012, when they were called Protest For Pluto!

If you think that name is comical, wait until you hear what this band was called in middle school!

Colin Cruz interviews the band in 5 segments, spread across three episodes of the Colin Cruz Radio Show: Wednesday at 12 Noon; Thursday at 1 PM; and Friday at 12 Noon.  All times, USA/Canada Central Time.