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D.C. Talk Better Together
Aire Crown Theatre- Chicago, IL 
January 21, 2001 
Story and Photos by Andy Argyrakis 

The members of D.C. Talk have never been afraid to wear their musical influences and personal faith on their sleeves during their decade long, Grammy-winning career. They went from a trio of soulful rappers on their Free At Last project to the risky alternative rock found on their groundbreaking Jesus Freak and their subsequent success story Supernatural

But the make up of D.C. Talk over the last year has been a lot different than what both the band and their fans are used to. Instead of hitting the road in support of a new D.C. Talk disc, members Michael Tait, Toby Mac, and Kevin Max are touring the country billed as three separate acts, showcasing the material found on their debut solo albums. 

Michael Tait's set was the first of the solo outings that night as he plowed through cuts from his Empty disc. Thankfully, the powerhouse backing band breathed extra life into Tait's selections, which on record verge on blandness. Interpretations of "Bonded" and "All You Got" showcased Tait's Lenny Kravitz-meets-Seal style, but also left room for his own charisma to take front and center. The band's most gritty rock and roll trailblazing came during "Spy" and with the inspiring heights of D.C. Talk favorites "Supernatural" and "Day By Day." 

Toby Mac expanded on Tait's hard-driving rock sounds but mixed things up considerably, thanks in part to a DJ and backing musicians that cranked out a rap/hip-hop/alt-rock hybrid (think Kid Rock meets Linkin Park). Mac's Momentum project had no trouble making its way to the stage, especially given the strength of his Devil Without a Cause-inspired hit "Extreme Days." Mac also kept audience members on their toes during "Somebody's Watching," which liberally sampled Rockwell's same-titled smash, and was backed by a stunning female vocalist, who could easily join the ranks of India.Arie or Jill Scott. 

Kevin Max's set was by far the most intricate of the three, due to his mostly-solid album Stereotype Be, which features producing credits from Adrian Belew and bass by Tony Levin. His David Bowie-influenced "Return Of The Singer" along with the emotionally driven "Angels With No Wings" were quite noticeable, especially during the latter when Max broke into a chorus of Queen's "We Are The Champions." 

But not to fear, those three solo sets were piggybacked by the group uniting for three rounds of greatest hits. The vibrant alternative sounds of "Mind's Eye," "In The Light" and "Colored People" were enough to get even the last row of concert goers on the upper balcony out of their seats, while you could hear a pin drop during acoustic renderings of "The Hard Way," and "My Will." Granted, songs like "Just Between You And Me" and "Since I Met You" were missed, but an extended rendition of "Jesus Freak," with Mac singing from a packed opera box on the upper level more than made up for those absences. 

Like pieces of a puzzle being dumped out of the box prior to putting them together, it's obvious that Tait, Mac, and Max just needed some time away from the group to assemble their own artistic visions. However, like the end result of piecing together the puzzle, the components of D.C. Talk are much more forceful when united. 

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