28.01.12 Mystery Creek's 92 hectares have been transformed into the country's biggest campground, the sun is high in the sky - it's Parachute 2012!

We're halfway through the Most Magnificent Musical Mishmash of the summer. Over 100 bands have descended upon the Waikato countryside and tents are sprawled as far as the eye can see. It's Rock n' Roll City and you're all invited.

A few highlights so far:

ZU
If you missed it, you haven't missed out just yet.
Auckland-based hip hop artist, Zu, had the crowd jumping at Parachute Festival this afternoon.
Playing the Palladium to a small but intense crowd, the Zimbabwe-born musician combined fast-paced lyrics and a room-shaking bass line for a truly bouncing set. East of Eden front man Hugh Ozumba made a guest appearance and Zu wrapped the show up with his new tune Smokers Lung.
However, if you didn't make it to today's show, all is not lost. Zu will be back at the Palladium at 6:20 on Sunday evening. Check it!

PARACHUTE'S GOT TALENT
Deluxe stage was packed out this afternoon as crowds gathered to watch the Parachute's Got Talent auditions.
"Around 100 people auditioned today," says judge Nic Manders. "I think they were all exceptionally brave."
Midnight Youth lead vocalist, Jeremy Redmore, is also a guest judge at the festivals third talent quest.
2011 finalist Fiona McIntyre was back to give it another shot singing an original song. "It's a song that I wrote based in Isaiah. I want to write music that it glorifying the Lord and that is contemporary," she says.
Saxophonist Matt Bizzle, no, that's not his real name, is also not a stranger to the competition. "I auditioned one other time playing the guitar but it didn't go so well so I thought I'd try a different instrument. It's trumpet next year," he says. "I'm just going to bust out a bit of a tune, toot a bit on stage and see how it goes. It'll be good fun."
Although Matt played his saxophone while spinning on his back, Manders says the most interesting act of the day was some Samoan dancing.
The Parachute's Got Talent finals can be seen tomorrow at 2:15 in the Palladium. The winner will get the chance to perform their act to 20,000 people at Mainstage on Saturday night.

HELPING THE POOR
The Helping The Poor seminar is taking place in the Palladium this morning. Darlene Zschech, John Kirkby from Christians Against Poverty, and World Vision Australia's Tim Costello will be talking about what Kiwis can do to help those in need.
Leading by example is 17-year-old Katie Smith who spent 12 days in Mali last month as a Youth Ambassador for World Vision New Zealand.
"I got involved with 40 Hour Famine at my school and I went to a Global Leadership conference. Dan, who was a Youth Ambassador last year was there. He talked about his trip to East Timor last year and he was really inspiring and I decided I really wanted to do that," she says. "I applied to be a Youth Ambassador. It was a big process and I was so nervous but it was worth it. They chose three of us."
While in Mali the team visited World Vision's Area Development Projects or ADPs, where they were able to experience firsthand the difference that partnering with World Vision makes. "Our main thing was going to visit the Area Development Projects (ADPs) that World Vision takes on. We saw some that had just begun, so where World Vision had only been working in for two years and then we would go to ones that had finished their time with World Vision. It was really interesting to see the progression. You see some quite hard stuff but it's uplifting to see what can be done," says Katie
"What really stood out to be, and it's something I brought back to New Zealand with me, is the whole community feel they have. We value our families and communities heaps but there's something different about the way they do. They talk about how their children are their wealth and they really value that."
The Youth Ambassadors will be at the World Vision tent over the weekend. You can also catch the Going on a Mission? seminar in the seminar space at 1:30pm on Sunday to find out how you can get involved.

DESPERATION BAND
Colorado Springs-based worship group is making it's debut at Parachute 2012 before doing a tour around the country.
Led by Jon Egan, Desperation Band was born around ten years ago at an event called...Desperation. "We just gathered to lead worship for that event and I really love that part of our story. I think it's great to start a band but we just wanted to serve the young people," says Jon.
The band are set to release their latest album Centre Of It All later this year and are pleased with it as a collaboration. "We believe God is doing something significant with collaboration, with people coming together," says Jon. "We're all pretty excited about Centre Of It All because there's a richness and a depth to the songs."
Catch Desperation Band on the Palladium stage at 9:50 tonight and on Mainstage at 6:50 pm on Sunday.

FISTFUL
Ascend the Hill front man Joel Davis showed off some solo songs at the White Elephant this evening.
Under the name Fistful, Davis has produced some deep and meaning tunes of the indie/folk persuasion and tonight filled the Deluxe with a relaxed and romantic vibe. Joel also donated part of the slot to his younger brother Seth, who performed a vulnerable but challenging song which is close to both of their hearts.
You can see the boys when they perform as part of Ascend the Hill on Mainstage at 7:35pm on Sunday, or at the Sunday morning meeting at 9:30.

TIM COSTELLO
"I think Parachute is absolutely extraordinary. The fact that there are 20,000 people without fights, drugs and drunkenness is a counter-cultural phenomenon."
CEO of World Vision Australia, Tim Costello, says Parachute Festival is an amazing rite of passage, and the fact that so many young people come together is incredibly hopeful for the church of this nation.
Mr Costello led two seminars on Saturday and was asked some very challenging questions. "It's been great. It's impossible to be a disciple without taking poverty seriously and that's been my message."
"My dream is very simple. Not knowing that Jesus loves you, and not having medicines and not having enough food, are all things that cripple the image of God. But salvation is all that restores the image of God. My dream is really for the gospel and salvation to be expressed in the full sense that God and Jesus intended," he says.
You can hear more of Tim's inspiring message at tomorrow's morning meeting, 9:30am on Mainstage.

Reporting by Gemma Margerison