Were you at the Guide You Home Tour show with Remedy Drive, Sixteen Cities and Made Avail? If so, you know it was an awesome night of music at CrossRoads Garage in DeMotte, IN. If not, what were you thinking??? You should have been there!
Local band Once Ascended kicked off the night with some rockin' worship and got the crowd ready for the bands that followed. Chicagoland boys Made Avail took the stage on the first night of the national tour which was sponsored by World Vision. Portland, Oregon's Sixteen Cities and Nebraska rockers Remedy Drive filled out the evening's line-up.
The Count Me In Concerts team has partnered with Remedy Drive several times in the past (one of our very first events, in fact!) and we love the Zach brothers David, Phil, Dan and Paul. There's a new Zach on the road: Paul and his wife very recently adopted an adorable little girl! We also recently hosted Sixteen Cities (at The Hub with Chasen), who are now a four-piece band. Since last time they were hear, lead singer Josiah Warkening has gotten married (and taken a 3 week honeymoon!).
Since this was our first time with Made Avail, I wanted to focus on them in this blog.(Just trust me that the music played by the bands was amazing, and you should buy all of their cd's.)
I asked lead singer Tyler Hawx what I should know about the band, and I was pleased that what followed was not the standard "we've been together since blah blah and are working on our next blah blah." Instead, he shared with me several fun band facts.
Jon the bass player is homeless... by choice. When the band is not on the road, he might be found sleeping in his car or camping out under the stars. He is rumored to have been well-trained as a Boy Scout, so he has excellent survival skills.
Drummer Josh, the band's newest member (this was his 4th show with Made Avail), is still finishing high school. The guys promised his mom that they'd be sure he does his chemistry homework on the road. He was seen with a large backpack in the Green Room.
Guitar player Luke has a penchant for "Angry Birds." (While we were talking, he discovered the 'large print' edition on the iPad.) He also shared with me about a trip to England where he visited the town of Maida Vale and loved the name. (hmmm... see a connection?)
Tyler is an artist, as well as a musician. He draws (I peeked over his shoulder at something he was working on... AMAZING!), designs tattoos, and is a partner in a clothing company. (Check out grottomadrid.com for some cool stuff)
I had a great time talking to these guys; I feel like we're old friends now. And, oh yeah, their music was terrific! I listened to them again on my (2-hour) drive home; check out their self-titled EP. And you can see their smiling faces on their new music video for "Right Direction" at youtube.com/madeavail.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Hometown Music
Count Me In Concerts celebrated Chicago-area roots by bringing in two Chicago-area bands for a hometown show at The Underground in Naperville. The western suburbs are home to all of the members of the David Yeager Band, and The Least of These hail from Judson College and the Elgin area. The two bands have solid local followings and are hoping to continue to grow their fan bases. This joint show was a step forward in introducing their music to new audiences.
The David Yeager Band opened the show with "Sound" which allowed Yeager to bring out his violin, one of the standout elements of a DYB set. His improvisational skills add a richness to any of the songs that feature this.
A series of "love songs" followed, emphasizing different kinds of love." "Love Rules" speaks of God's love, "Jill" is a song about a crush, and "Won't Let Go" tells of the unfailing, unconditional love God has for His people. This quiet acoustic song featured a beautiful violin interlude (ok, I admit it: I'm partial to the violin riffs!).
The DYB cover of "40" by U-2 caught the attention of those not familiar with the other songs, and showed the band's ability to make a famous song their own.
The band followed up with "Tom Bombadill," which Yeager called "a song about being a dork." (The title refers to a character from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy) The crowd fed on the energy of the band; perhaps we all could related to the dork concept! The David Yeager Band wrapped up their set with "Free Time" which featured an awesome violin/bass jam that could have gone on several more minutes as far as I was concerned.
The Least of These has opened for many big name bands like Superchick and the Newsboys, but tonight was their chance to headline. This was also the first time I had seen their new band mix: new drummer David Blascoe replaced Josh Calhoun, who has moved up front on guitar, and this new blend has added another layer of richness to their music. Their brothers, Ben Calhoun on lead and vocals, and Ben Blascoe on bass, round out the foursome.
The band opened their set with "One," a high-energy song that brought a group of fan-girls to the stage to sing along with every word.
TLOT covered "Umbrella" by Rhianna, and it's always interesting to me when a Christian band covers a secular song. I listen to the lyrics with different ears, and I love the spiritual truths I discover. "So go on and let the rain pour/I'll be all you need and more" is infused with a different, deeper meaning.
"Things I've Learned" followed, and perhaps some of the audience had heard their live rendition a few days prior on Shine.fm The band had visited the radio station for an interview and live performance, as well as recording an interview for the internet station, ShineRock.
Another cover, Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" included an AMAZING drum solo where new member David Blascoe showed off his skills and won over the crowd.
Slowing down the music a bit, Ben Calhoun soloed on "Sing, Sing, Sing" which the band had written for a movie, Furious Love (www.furiouslovethemovie.com) This was followed by special guest, singer-songwriter Becca TenHaken debuting her song "Love" from her EP. She's a worship leader at Harvest Church who brought a folk vibe to the show and was well-received by the audience.
A bluesy couple of tunes followed, the first a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" with Josh Calhoun and "his sultry voice" (according to his brother!) taking on lead vocals. His vocal quality is different from his brother's, and the two harmonize and blend beautifully.
As their set came to a close, frontman Ben shared his heart with the audience. "We truly believe what we sing about. My life has been changed by a guy named Jesus. Music doesn't fulfill me...Jesus makes a difference in my life." He encouraged people to "tell me your story," saying he might even write a song about it because inspiration comes from many places.
This was a great evening showcasing some of the local talent that deserves a broader audience. Be sure to check out both bands on itunes.
The David Yeager Band opened the show with "Sound" which allowed Yeager to bring out his violin, one of the standout elements of a DYB set. His improvisational skills add a richness to any of the songs that feature this.
A series of "love songs" followed, emphasizing different kinds of love." "Love Rules" speaks of God's love, "Jill" is a song about a crush, and "Won't Let Go" tells of the unfailing, unconditional love God has for His people. This quiet acoustic song featured a beautiful violin interlude (ok, I admit it: I'm partial to the violin riffs!).
The DYB cover of "40" by U-2 caught the attention of those not familiar with the other songs, and showed the band's ability to make a famous song their own.
The band followed up with "Tom Bombadill," which Yeager called "a song about being a dork." (The title refers to a character from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy) The crowd fed on the energy of the band; perhaps we all could related to the dork concept! The David Yeager Band wrapped up their set with "Free Time" which featured an awesome violin/bass jam that could have gone on several more minutes as far as I was concerned.
The Least of These has opened for many big name bands like Superchick and the Newsboys, but tonight was their chance to headline. This was also the first time I had seen their new band mix: new drummer David Blascoe replaced Josh Calhoun, who has moved up front on guitar, and this new blend has added another layer of richness to their music. Their brothers, Ben Calhoun on lead and vocals, and Ben Blascoe on bass, round out the foursome.
The band opened their set with "One," a high-energy song that brought a group of fan-girls to the stage to sing along with every word.
TLOT covered "Umbrella" by Rhianna, and it's always interesting to me when a Christian band covers a secular song. I listen to the lyrics with different ears, and I love the spiritual truths I discover. "So go on and let the rain pour/I'll be all you need and more" is infused with a different, deeper meaning.
"Things I've Learned" followed, and perhaps some of the audience had heard their live rendition a few days prior on Shine.fm The band had visited the radio station for an interview and live performance, as well as recording an interview for the internet station, ShineRock.
Another cover, Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" included an AMAZING drum solo where new member David Blascoe showed off his skills and won over the crowd.
Slowing down the music a bit, Ben Calhoun soloed on "Sing, Sing, Sing" which the band had written for a movie, Furious Love (www.furiouslovethemovie.com) This was followed by special guest, singer-songwriter Becca TenHaken debuting her song "Love" from her EP. She's a worship leader at Harvest Church who brought a folk vibe to the show and was well-received by the audience.
A bluesy couple of tunes followed, the first a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" with Josh Calhoun and "his sultry voice" (according to his brother!) taking on lead vocals. His vocal quality is different from his brother's, and the two harmonize and blend beautifully.
As their set came to a close, frontman Ben shared his heart with the audience. "We truly believe what we sing about. My life has been changed by a guy named Jesus. Music doesn't fulfill me...Jesus makes a difference in my life." He encouraged people to "tell me your story," saying he might even write a song about it because inspiration comes from many places.
This was a great evening showcasing some of the local talent that deserves a broader audience. Be sure to check out both bands on itunes.
Ooh Ahh!
Count Me In Concerts hosted our first hip-hop show on April 8 as GRITS came through the Chicago area. GRITS is preparing to release a new CD, Quarantine, in June. This will be the group's 11th CD, showing their staying power in the volatile music industry.
Stacy "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter have been performing together for 15 years, and DJ Manwell joined the duo several years ago. The guys showed that, even though they are parents of college and high school students, they still bring it when they perform.
They opened with "High" and its catchy phrase, "Let the fire burn!" This was followed by Tennessee Bwoys, (yep, I spelled that right!), where the song asks "Where you from?" GRITS made it "personal" by asking the audience to shout where they were from, and they moved into a chant of "Where you from?" "Indiana." "Where you from?" "Illinois."
As if it hadn't been obvious, Bonafide told the audience, "We like crowd participation" and encouraged the people to loosen up, dance, and move around. The crowd obliged and remained energetic for the rest of the set.
Classic GRITS songs "Ooh Ahh" and "We Don't Play" had the crowd singing along. "Ooh Ahh" has enjoyed repeated marketing success, having been featured in The Fast and the Furious/Tokyo Drift, and as the theme song for M-TV's hit, "The Buried Life."
The guys launched into "Changes," hip hop with a twist: it finishes with spoken word. Unusual, yes, but the crowd was transfixed as Bonafide spoke: "I'm tryin' to understand God's plan for this man/ I'm happy with these changes/ Still I wonder what's gonna happen with these changes." The truths of these words rang true with all in the room; who hasn't questioned the details of God's plan as it unfolds?
GRITS wrapped up their show with "Here We Go," which seemed to be known by everyone in the audience. After the show was over, the guys graciously hung out to meet fans, talk with people, and swap stories.
Stacy "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter have been performing together for 15 years, and DJ Manwell joined the duo several years ago. The guys showed that, even though they are parents of college and high school students, they still bring it when they perform.
They opened with "High" and its catchy phrase, "Let the fire burn!" This was followed by Tennessee Bwoys, (yep, I spelled that right!), where the song asks "Where you from?" GRITS made it "personal" by asking the audience to shout where they were from, and they moved into a chant of "Where you from?" "Indiana." "Where you from?" "Illinois."
As if it hadn't been obvious, Bonafide told the audience, "We like crowd participation" and encouraged the people to loosen up, dance, and move around. The crowd obliged and remained energetic for the rest of the set.
Classic GRITS songs "Ooh Ahh" and "We Don't Play" had the crowd singing along. "Ooh Ahh" has enjoyed repeated marketing success, having been featured in The Fast and the Furious/Tokyo Drift, and as the theme song for M-TV's hit, "The Buried Life."
The guys launched into "Changes," hip hop with a twist: it finishes with spoken word. Unusual, yes, but the crowd was transfixed as Bonafide spoke: "I'm tryin' to understand God's plan for this man/ I'm happy with these changes/ Still I wonder what's gonna happen with these changes." The truths of these words rang true with all in the room; who hasn't questioned the details of God's plan as it unfolds?
GRITS wrapped up their show with "Here We Go," which seemed to be known by everyone in the audience. After the show was over, the guys graciously hung out to meet fans, talk with people, and swap stories.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Worship and Rock
I've kind of stolen my title from a current tour, but the words aptly describe the Chasen and Sixteen Cities concert this past weekend. Both of these bands began as worship ensembles, but they sure can rock too!
Sixteen Cities, anticipating the release of their first full length CD on Centricity, hails from Portland, Oregon. The group began playing together back in their high school days (which aren't too long ago!) when they led worship events for teens at their school. Their hearts for music and ministry are rooted in worship, and the guys enjoy teaching kids how to praise our God.
The band opened their set with "Undivided," an energetic song that allowed frontman Josiah Warkening to work the crowd and draw them in to their music. His humble and engaging personality is the same on stage and off.
Warkening introduced the moving "Come As You Are" by sharing with the audience, "In our brokenness we can still come to God. He wants to heal your broken heart." "Moonlight Serenade," an upbeat, harmony-filled song followed, and they closed out their set with their first radio single, "Sing Along." This catchy tune inspires praise of God for His amazing creation. And additionally amazing, this song has received substantial airplay in Hollister stores! God shows up in such unusual places!
Sixteen Cities offered a tasty appetizer for the main course, Chasen. The South Carolina foursome took to the stage and was off and running. Opening with "Castaway," a track from their newest CD, That Was Then This Is Now, the band shared about second chances. Next was the familiar guitar strum that introduces "Crazy Beautiful," and the band played through their hot radio hit from their first CD, Stars Are Meant to Shine.
Chasen Callahan, who started as a worship pastor at his home church (a position he maintains today), had many encouraging words for the audience. He introduced "If It Comes Down" by reminding the audience that all denominations fade away and "we are one body here tonight."
About midway through their show, the band unplugged and pulled drummer Aaron Lord out from behind his kit for a beautiful acoustic set. I loved their version of "Drown," which was filled with tight harmonies from Evan Silver and Jared Barber, while Lord provided some simple percussion accompaniment. This song has never sounded better!
Callahan took some time to share with the crowd. "What we do we do because of Jesus. We hope you take pictures and get autographs and buy our merch, but we want you to know for sure the Jesus that we serve. We are missionaries," he continued, "and God has called us to music ministry."
The crowd instantly recognized the opening notes of " On and On," Chasen's current radio hit which stayed atop the charts in the number one spots for several weeks. "Your Name" followed and we were drawn into a time of praise as we sang, "It's all about you/it's not about me."
The band plugged back in for their remaining songs, which included "History Tonight," "Airplanes," and "Bullet." They finished up with "Eyes of a Rescue," during which Callahan came down in the crowd and fed off their energy.
Chasen Callahan has really grown into his role as frontman for the band bearing his name. He engages the crowd, tells stories, shares his heart, and gets everyone involved. The quartet is fresh off a tour with big names like Jeremy Camp and The Afters, and they head out again next week with Kutless.
Keep an eye on these bands. Both were coincidentally featured in the April edition of CCM Magazine, the online version of the former industry publication. (www.ccmmagazine.com)
Sixteen Cities, anticipating the release of their first full length CD on Centricity, hails from Portland, Oregon. The group began playing together back in their high school days (which aren't too long ago!) when they led worship events for teens at their school. Their hearts for music and ministry are rooted in worship, and the guys enjoy teaching kids how to praise our God.
The band opened their set with "Undivided," an energetic song that allowed frontman Josiah Warkening to work the crowd and draw them in to their music. His humble and engaging personality is the same on stage and off.
Warkening introduced the moving "Come As You Are" by sharing with the audience, "In our brokenness we can still come to God. He wants to heal your broken heart." "Moonlight Serenade," an upbeat, harmony-filled song followed, and they closed out their set with their first radio single, "Sing Along." This catchy tune inspires praise of God for His amazing creation. And additionally amazing, this song has received substantial airplay in Hollister stores! God shows up in such unusual places!
Sixteen Cities offered a tasty appetizer for the main course, Chasen. The South Carolina foursome took to the stage and was off and running. Opening with "Castaway," a track from their newest CD, That Was Then This Is Now, the band shared about second chances. Next was the familiar guitar strum that introduces "Crazy Beautiful," and the band played through their hot radio hit from their first CD, Stars Are Meant to Shine.
Chasen Callahan, who started as a worship pastor at his home church (a position he maintains today), had many encouraging words for the audience. He introduced "If It Comes Down" by reminding the audience that all denominations fade away and "we are one body here tonight."
About midway through their show, the band unplugged and pulled drummer Aaron Lord out from behind his kit for a beautiful acoustic set. I loved their version of "Drown," which was filled with tight harmonies from Evan Silver and Jared Barber, while Lord provided some simple percussion accompaniment. This song has never sounded better!
Callahan took some time to share with the crowd. "What we do we do because of Jesus. We hope you take pictures and get autographs and buy our merch, but we want you to know for sure the Jesus that we serve. We are missionaries," he continued, "and God has called us to music ministry."
The crowd instantly recognized the opening notes of " On and On," Chasen's current radio hit which stayed atop the charts in the number one spots for several weeks. "Your Name" followed and we were drawn into a time of praise as we sang, "It's all about you/it's not about me."
The band plugged back in for their remaining songs, which included "History Tonight," "Airplanes," and "Bullet." They finished up with "Eyes of a Rescue," during which Callahan came down in the crowd and fed off their energy.
Chasen Callahan has really grown into his role as frontman for the band bearing his name. He engages the crowd, tells stories, shares his heart, and gets everyone involved. The quartet is fresh off a tour with big names like Jeremy Camp and The Afters, and they head out again next week with Kutless.
Keep an eye on these bands. Both were coincidentally featured in the April edition of CCM Magazine, the online version of the former industry publication. (www.ccmmagazine.com)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
My New Favorite Band!
It's been a while since I've been excited about seeing a new band play a show, but I couldn't wait to see The Wrecking on Friday night. They've been together about 2 years but I've only just recently discovered them, thanks to my friend Amber.
The band opened with "Breakthrough," from their first album, A New Abolition, followed by "Sound of the Resistance", off of the Catalyst EP. I've heard this song on Air One...sure wish I'd been hearing it on some local Chicago radio too (hint hint!). There were also a few new songs from their upcoming CD, including "Fire" and "About To Fall." (You can find these tunes on their myspace (myspace.com/thewrecking) until the CD hits shelves later this year.)
The moment that captured me during this show was when the band moved into an instrumental segment. I noticed that drummer Darren Elder had slipped quietly out from behind his kit, and was in prayer on his knees off to the side. At first I simply enjoyed the beautiful instrumentation, but then something began to change. I felt there was something more than just music happening; I sensed God's presence in the room, being poured out on each note that was played.
There was a beautiful synergy as they all worked together, building the energy and power in this song. At various times the guys were moving about the stage, switching instruments without missing a beat, working together to create some amazing sounds.
When I discovered the song was called Prayer Language, I knew that the presence of God that I had felt was what they intended with this song. God calls us to deep relationship with Him that requires more than just words; sometimes He calls us to simply be in His presence and listen.
It was so appropriate that they followed this holy time with their song "Breathe," currently the most played song on my iTunes. "Breathe in, breathe out, touch the words that leave my mouth/Breathe in, breathe out, speak to me without a sound" is exactly what the previous song had called me to. "Breathe in, breathe out, hold me closer to your heart/ I gave you breath right from the start, so breathe in, breathe out, breathe" is a great reminder to take time to simply be in God's presence.
Before the show, I had been fortunate to spend a portion of the day with the guys, getting to know them and their hearts for ministry. It was a privilege to see how that came through in their performance. Yes, they were playing a show, but they were worshiping and enjoying themselves in the process.
They shared from the stage about Love 146, an organization that combats child sex slavery and exploitation with the desire to protect, defend, restore and empower those who have been hurt by these crimes. (Check out Love146.org)
I'm already planning when I can see these guys again. (I think I'm going to have to go to Cornerstone Festival once more!) This night was special. God was present, and He used the music to call me to sit at His feet, to breathe Him in, to draw closer to Him.
The band opened with "Breakthrough," from their first album, A New Abolition, followed by "Sound of the Resistance", off of the Catalyst EP. I've heard this song on Air One...sure wish I'd been hearing it on some local Chicago radio too (hint hint!). There were also a few new songs from their upcoming CD, including "Fire" and "About To Fall." (You can find these tunes on their myspace (myspace.com/thewrecking) until the CD hits shelves later this year.)
The moment that captured me during this show was when the band moved into an instrumental segment. I noticed that drummer Darren Elder had slipped quietly out from behind his kit, and was in prayer on his knees off to the side. At first I simply enjoyed the beautiful instrumentation, but then something began to change. I felt there was something more than just music happening; I sensed God's presence in the room, being poured out on each note that was played.
There was a beautiful synergy as they all worked together, building the energy and power in this song. At various times the guys were moving about the stage, switching instruments without missing a beat, working together to create some amazing sounds.
When I discovered the song was called Prayer Language, I knew that the presence of God that I had felt was what they intended with this song. God calls us to deep relationship with Him that requires more than just words; sometimes He calls us to simply be in His presence and listen.
It was so appropriate that they followed this holy time with their song "Breathe," currently the most played song on my iTunes. "Breathe in, breathe out, touch the words that leave my mouth/Breathe in, breathe out, speak to me without a sound" is exactly what the previous song had called me to. "Breathe in, breathe out, hold me closer to your heart/ I gave you breath right from the start, so breathe in, breathe out, breathe" is a great reminder to take time to simply be in God's presence.
Before the show, I had been fortunate to spend a portion of the day with the guys, getting to know them and their hearts for ministry. It was a privilege to see how that came through in their performance. Yes, they were playing a show, but they were worshiping and enjoying themselves in the process.
They shared from the stage about Love 146, an organization that combats child sex slavery and exploitation with the desire to protect, defend, restore and empower those who have been hurt by these crimes. (Check out Love146.org)
I'm already planning when I can see these guys again. (I think I'm going to have to go to Cornerstone Festival once more!) This night was special. God was present, and He used the music to call me to sit at His feet, to breathe Him in, to draw closer to Him.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
ABANDON rocks Chicagoland
February 4 didn't end like a normal school day at Covenant Christian High School in DeMotte, Indiana. Instead, the students, along with the junior high classes of DeMotte Christian School, were treated to a concert by Christian band Abandon.
The band came out ready to rock, and the kids were immediately on their feet. They opened the set with "Be Alive In Me," from their CD Searchlights. "Safe In Your Arms," which has received lots of airplay on Shine.fm (89.7 fm) was familiar to many of the kids. Always a hit with the crowd is "Atmosphere," a song that features drummer Dave Vela moving to the front of the stage to showcase his skills. Bass player Bryan Fowler picks up drum duties, guitarist Stevan Vela takes on the bass, and no one misses a beat, even when lead singer Josh Engler launches himself off one of his bandmates.
Allowing everyone to catch their breath, the band slowed it down with "Hero." Josh reminded the kids that "the hero is our savior, who came to give all He had."
The band started "Hold On" with the familiar keyboard phrase, and a few energetic sophomores took it upon themselves to be "hype men" and get the crowd worked up. And the band appreciated the crowd's reaction. "This was a great group to play for, and the kids were really enthusiastic," said Bryan Fowler.
The students also clearly enjoyed the band's performance. According to one, "I think this concert was a great opportunity because it was something different from a normal day of school. And the music was awesome!"
The band left DeMotte for a quick trip to Minneapolis to play an Acquire the Fire conference on Friday, then hustled back to Chicago for an outreach event at The Underground in Naperville on Saturday. Thank goodness for no snow delays!
The Saturday night show included several youth bands opening for Abandon, with the hope that their friends and fans who might never have been in church before would enjoy Abandon and be inclined to return again on Sunday morning as the band led worship.
As expected, the Saturday night show was great, and Sunday offered us a peek at another side of the band. The guys have hearts for worship and story-telling, but they don't always get the chance to at regular concerts. Besides leading the congregation in some standard worship tunes, like "Mighty to Save," they also played some of their original songs and shared the stories behind them. Josh Engler told how the song "Providence," (my personal favorite!) emerged from Dave Vela's thoughts and journals about the story of Peter's denial.
Abandon will continue to travel the US with "Acquire the Fire" as they also gear up for what will surely be a busy summer festival season. Rumor has it that we may see them at Ignite Chicago. Stay tuned!
The band came out ready to rock, and the kids were immediately on their feet. They opened the set with "Be Alive In Me," from their CD Searchlights. "Safe In Your Arms," which has received lots of airplay on Shine.fm (89.7 fm) was familiar to many of the kids. Always a hit with the crowd is "Atmosphere," a song that features drummer Dave Vela moving to the front of the stage to showcase his skills. Bass player Bryan Fowler picks up drum duties, guitarist Stevan Vela takes on the bass, and no one misses a beat, even when lead singer Josh Engler launches himself off one of his bandmates.
Allowing everyone to catch their breath, the band slowed it down with "Hero." Josh reminded the kids that "the hero is our savior, who came to give all He had."
The band started "Hold On" with the familiar keyboard phrase, and a few energetic sophomores took it upon themselves to be "hype men" and get the crowd worked up. And the band appreciated the crowd's reaction. "This was a great group to play for, and the kids were really enthusiastic," said Bryan Fowler.
The students also clearly enjoyed the band's performance. According to one, "I think this concert was a great opportunity because it was something different from a normal day of school. And the music was awesome!"
The band left DeMotte for a quick trip to Minneapolis to play an Acquire the Fire conference on Friday, then hustled back to Chicago for an outreach event at The Underground in Naperville on Saturday. Thank goodness for no snow delays!
The Saturday night show included several youth bands opening for Abandon, with the hope that their friends and fans who might never have been in church before would enjoy Abandon and be inclined to return again on Sunday morning as the band led worship.
As expected, the Saturday night show was great, and Sunday offered us a peek at another side of the band. The guys have hearts for worship and story-telling, but they don't always get the chance to at regular concerts. Besides leading the congregation in some standard worship tunes, like "Mighty to Save," they also played some of their original songs and shared the stories behind them. Josh Engler told how the song "Providence," (my personal favorite!) emerged from Dave Vela's thoughts and journals about the story of Peter's denial.
Abandon will continue to travel the US with "Acquire the Fire" as they also gear up for what will surely be a busy summer festival season. Rumor has it that we may see them at Ignite Chicago. Stay tuned!
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