Since 1996 |
  
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Builds Tour
Third Day Switchfoot Robert Randolph and the Family Band Jars of Clay Saturday, August 23, 2008 By Linda LaFianza The third stop of the Music Builds Tour found itself near downtown Chicago in a tidy, new, concert setting right off a Lake Michigan beach with a spectacular view of the downtown skyscrapers and Soldier Field. Under clearing skies, Jars of Clay, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Switchfoot, and Third Day gave solid performances for a light, but very appreciative audience. Anyone who follows Christians in music would appreciate the lineup and its many accomplishments. The platinum sales were as bright as the lighting systems. Jars of Clay as the opening band was a bit jarring, but their entrance to the chorus of "Flood" quickly dispelled any audience shock as they quickly settled into their louder, rock-based identity with the softer, acoustic-based version briefly appearing for "Love Song for a Savior, a key track on a new $5 EP. Robert Randolph and the Family Band seemed more spiritually centered than at appearances the past few years at mainstream venues where young ladies were invited on stage to, "shake, shake, shake." The Family Band is still as tight and exciting as they were when they first stepped onto the national scene from their home church. Meanwhile, out in the audience, pockets of excitement kept interrupting as Third Day's lead singer Mac Powell walked from section to section, graciously signing autographs and posing for pictures with fans. Speaking of fans, Switchfoot seemed to have as many as headliners Third Day and frontman Jon Foreman's forays into the aisles were handled with as much grace and majesty as U2's Bono. No longer a scrappy start-up from San Diego, Switchfoot is an established headliner who dug deep into their playlist for their appreciative audience. A quick changeover brought Third Day front and center for a powerful, meaningful hour. While the other artists emphasized their mainstream, feel good, but not necessarily because of something special God's done for them hits, Mac Powell's opening lines of Rich Mullin's "Creed," ("I believe in God the father, and in Jesus, His only begotten son. . .) immediately established his band's basis for existence and assured that the audience would leave on a spiritual high. The Music Builds Tour was originally intended to promote and highlight the work of Habitat for Humanity and other social policy NGOs have climbed aboard including non-partisan voter registrars headcount.org, Hollywood Habitat for Humanity, and most conspicuously, The One Campaign, whose eager clipboard carrying volunteers were eager to sign up concert-goers in exchange for a still oh-so-fashionable white rubber bracelets. This 23-city tour is covering the coutry; go to www.musicbuildstour.com for the location closest to you to hear this quartet of powerhouse groups. Linda LaFianza
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