What They Knew...

My parents and your parents (and maybe even your grandparents) have a tremendous lead on us when it comes to music.

Those who came before us saw and heard some of the greats. No auto-tune. No performance on a stage in sync with a music video of that very same performer.

No, our parents saw something different - folks who captivate a crowd with a microphone and a guitar. A solo piano. A jazz combo.

In these days, we don't see many of these performers. But when we do, we're blown away; we're captivated by the power of well-written song and a brilliantly-shared story.

Jon Troast is one of those people.

I love Jon Troast because he's humble enough to cut through all the pretense of performance; he's mischievous enough to know that songs should surprise us; he's honest enough to realize that faith and everyday life are obviously connected...not some off/on switch between sacred and secular that all good Christians know how to do.

I couldn't be more excited that Jon is coming to Tyler next week! My pal Garrick is bring Jon to Young Life Tyler next Monday, April 20th at Accelerate Enhancement Center. The show kicks off at 8:57 and I think folks are going to love Jon's tunes. If you dig great songwriting, you'll want to be there!

GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

Okay, you all have left so many great comments lately that I had to throw another little survey out there.
IF YOU COULD ONLY ATTEND ONE CONCERT BEFORE YOU DIE, WHO WOULD YOU GO SEE? AND WHY?

By the way, I think I picked an awesome picture for this post.
Yes, that's a band of dudes wearing red shirts and white tail tuxedos.
And if you look closely, you'll find that there's a violin player with a mullet and the drummer is playing electronic drums.
And they appear to be jamming.

CONCERT REVIEW...

Andy Gullahorn, 2/24/08
ComChurch / College Station, TX

Krist and I dropped off the kids and left Lufkin a little after 4. I wanted to listen to non-stop Gullahorn on the way, but Krist said she wanted to be surprised by the songs and didn't want to listen to Andy's whole catalog. So, she powered on the radio and we listened to some country and then some 106.9 out of Houston. (The Point!)

Closer to Bryan/CS, I finally got control of the iPod and managed to play some of Andy's "Room to Breathe" record. We got to College Station about 6, ate dinner and then set out to find Ross' church. (Not the easiest place in the world to locate, but we made it just in time.)

The concert was fantastic. Most of you know I'm a freak about setlists - asking most of my friends to remember each and every song from concerts you go to. I forgot to bring something to write with, so here's what I can remember of the set, in no particular order.

1. Nobody Wants To Work
2. Roast Beef
3. Holy Flakes
4. Desperate Man
5. Alright Here
6. That Guy
7. If I Were
8. (New song he co-wrote w/ Jason Gray)
9. Give Me Grace
10. Never Let Me Down
11. Wrecking Ball (Jill Phillips tune)
12. How Precious Life Is

It was a fantastic show - one of those rare opportunities to see someone so at home and in control of his craft sharing stories and songs from his life and family. The only complaint is that he didn't do Green Hills Mall, More Of A Man, or Beginning Of The End...but the show was so good, I didn't even mind. (I'll tell you this...Wrecking Ball is awesome. That one's going in the iPod, gang.)

Monday Night Concert

Saw Baloche in Tyler tonight. The set was sadly familiar with a couple of new things thrown in. Here are the songs as best as I can remember it.

1. O Come Let Us Adore Him (G)
2. Hosanna (G)
3. Because of Your Love (G)
4. Praise Adonai (C) extended jam, ending with Bb chord, then transitioning to F
5. All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises (F)
6. Offering (F)
7. I Will Give You All My Worship (F) chorus only
8. Here I Am To Worship (F) holding Bb
9. Your Name (Bb)
10. Rock of Ages (A?)
11. Our God Saves (D)
12. Above All (A)
13. Draw Me Close (A) chorus only
14. Open the Eyes of My Heart (E)
15. How Great Thou Art (A) CD version
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What Worked: the chance to sit back and get my praise on, hearing three songs from the new record, watching Ben Gowell nail every single electric guitar part, hanging with friends, worshipping beside my dad, eating food that was oh-so-delicious and yet oh-so-un-nutritious, getting excited about my own record (I don't know why...) and impressive, yet relatively invisible tech production by the church.

What Didn't: set felt a bit phoned in, sound wasn't balanced very well, flow could have been better paced, Carl Albrecht overplaying (a rare thing) and no words on screen!