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Mark Schultz may not be a household name just yet, but this modern day piano man could be the perfect opener for Elton John and Billy Joel's current trek through the states. Schultz's stage demeanor bears similarity to Christopher Cross and he sits with confidence behind his piano while belting out a wide range of notes behind brilliantly crafted lyrics. 

The only problem is he talks too much in the live concert setting. Although most of the tracks from last year's self-titled disc have deep meanings behind them, fans seemed to get restless as Schultz sought to give the life story behind a lot of his tracks. All talking aside, Schultz's stage presence was captivating and his crafty lyrics earned the attention of the crowd. For the upbeat tracks, like "Let's Go" and "When You Give," it was impossible not to stand up and dance. Such movement was inevitable for the latter in which Schultz and his band worked in a bit of Al Green's anthem "Take Me to the River." Throughout the course of the evening, Schultz also covered the classic oldies "Shout" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band."

The more poignant moments of the performance were the songs "Fall in Love Again" and "He's My Son," a heart-wrenching epic about a family experiencing the long-term illness of their child. Dry eyes were a minority in the crowd during that one.

The most triumphant piece of the evening was Schultz's first hit single "I Am the Way," which was not only one of the most catchy songs of the last year, but also spreads the message of surrender to God in all of life's troubling situations. Indeed Schultz's music can help fans turn their eyes on their ultimate prize, it just would be better if he could let more of his music, rather than constant dialogue, do most of the talking.