I’ve had this blog roughly 18 months now, and one thing I haven’t really discussed in any sort of depth is music.
Most people have certain musical genres they enjoy. Those genres can give the world a sneak peek into who you are. No matter what type you favor, music can give insight into the soul — and transport you back to a time and place that other art forms simply can’t match.
I’ll admit I have eclectic musical tastes. I grew up as part of the “Star Wars Generation” in the late 70s and early 80s. As a result, I love the classical stylings of John Williams and his contemporaries. I wore out many cassettes listening to movie soundtracks as a kid.
I also enjoy pop, rock, R&B, country, and a whole host of other genres. I’m the person in the buffet line that chooses a little of this, and a little of that.
The one genre that has been the most prevalent in my life is “contemporary Christian music.” I don’t know if they even use that label for it anymore. But that’s what it was called in my youth. I even had a subscription to CCM Magazine (which stood for Contemporary Christian Music Magazine) back in the 1980s — it is like Rolling Stone for Christian music fans.
My brother got me into the music. He worked for a large Christian bookstore chain for many years — from part-time employee to handling advertising at the corporate headquarters. The first album he gave me was “Meltdown” by an artist named Steve Taylor. The second was Amy Grant’s “Unguarded” album.
The first concert I saw was Amy Grant. It was 1985 at the Nebraska State Fair.
Over the years I have seen many Christian artists in concert. Dozens of shows. I have experienced the creativity these artists have to offer in massive arena productions, and I have listened to these artists perform intimate acoustic sets in church sanctuaries.
To understand how my wife Bridget and I ended up together in 1990, you have to understand our love of Christian music. It was one of the shared interests we had at that young age. Something out of the norm for teenagers at the time. It was how I knew the girl was someone I wanted to spend my time with...
As a result, it is a special occasion when we have the opportunity to see one of our favorite artists live.
We had one of those opportunities last night when we got to see MercyMe (with guests Tenth Avenue North and Tim Timmons) at Baxter Arena as part of the "Lifer" tour.
It is the third concert we have seen at our favorite hockey arena (since Baxter Arena opened in 2015). The previous shows were Newsboys (another favorite Christian artist) and Boston (a terrific guitar-laden-70s-era rock show).
We’ve seen MercyMe in concert four times. The last time was several years ago in Council Bluffs at the Mid America Center.
The band’s mix of uptempo pop songs and power ballads have proven a popular combination in Christian music. Their breakthrough hit was the introspective ballad “I Can Only Imagine” — which is said to be the bestselling Christian song of all time.
Hard to believe that song was released almost two decades ago. Many of my friends have seen the new movie about MercyMe founder Bart Millard called “I Can Only Imagine” (I have yet to see the film, but expect a full review on this blog when I do).
MercyMe’s show at Baxter Arena was enjoyable. The set featured a mix of new and old songs. I will admit that I haven’t followed MercyMe as closely as I did in the early 2000s. My favorite songs come from the band’s first four studio albums. Those songs — which are still favorites today — were largely addressed in a retrospective medley during the show.
The group’s encore number was “I Can Only Imagine” — a staple at all the MercyMe shows I’ve attended. Here is a video I took of that song's performance:
Opening acts Tim Timmons and Tenth Avenue North were also fun. I wasn’t familiar with Tim Timmons, but I’ve heard a number of Tenth Avenue North songs on K-LOVE and KGBI.
Timmons — along with his acoustic guitar — played a set of songs to open things up.
Tenth Avenue North lead singer Mike Donehey was born in Omaha. He was the most energetic performer of the night — walking out into the crowd, posing for selfies, and walking precariously along the covered hockey dasher boards in the arena.
(That's him standing on a seat in the middle of the crowd in the above photo.)
Donehey talked about how the band had to scale back a few years ago as family took priority in their lives. Tenth Avenue North reduced the amount of time they toured — which meant less revenue coming into the operation. As a result, he wasn’t sure if the band would survive.
Donehey talked about how the band had to scale back a few years ago as family took priority in their lives. Tenth Avenue North reduced the amount of time they toured — which meant less revenue coming into the operation. As a result, he wasn’t sure if the band would survive.
Donehey expressed his gratitude that the band has continued to make ends meet. His gratitude was evident in the band’s fun, interactive pop set that had the audience moving.
Depending on the artist, the “shelf life” for contemporary Christian songs isn’t always as long as their secular counterparts. Which means concerts aren’t necessarily “greatest hit retrospectives” — such as the Garth Brooks and Bon Jovi concerts I’ve attended. Instead, Christian acts often focus on more recent hits.
If you haven’t been to a Christian concert, it is a unique experience. In addition to the music, you will typically hear testimony from the artists, and there will often be speakers from groups like Compassion International and World Vision (child sponsorship ministries working to hook pledges for charitable work in Third World nations).
Many of these artists started off in churches — some as youth or worship pastors. As a result, the feel of a show is sometimes more akin to a church service at the more modern churches. Videoboards will typically feature lyrics, so attendees unfamiliar with the tunes can sing along.
It is definitely a unique vibe.
Over the past three decades I have put together a collection of around 300 albums by various Christian artists. Some of the artists continue on today. Others have become mere footnotes in history.
One thing remains constant. The music is filled with messages of hope, pain, loss, understanding, and redemption. Many of these songs have been important to me during my life.
While Christian music might be a genre that sits off the beaten path, it is part of my path... an important accompaniment to have had along the way...
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