Music Spectrum

I traveled to Orlando, Florida, with 14 youth and 2 other adult leaders for the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) National Youth Gathering, July 24-28. We joined 35,000 other youth and leaders for Bible studies, speakers, mass events, and CONCERTS!

Today’s review features the Gathering Worship Bands. Part 1 features the Gathering Headliners, and a final review will look at the Workhorse Bands.

American Band Rock: Echelon

I first saw Echelon at the 1997 Missouri District Youth Gathering (LCMS) in Springfield where they were the Gathering Band, supporting our speaker, Bob Lenz. That touring partnership had led Echelon’s bass player, Todd Miller, to pen a new song based on Lenz’ theme: “When the world says, ‘No way!,’ we say, ‘Yahweh’ (‘Yah, way!’).” A play on the Hebrew personal name of God the Father, this became a great song in the hands of Echelon, available on their Core CD. Miller and the band debuted the song at that Gathering, which is one of those ways to really make a connection with a band. I feel invested in Core, feel like I was part of it in some small way.

Echelon’s drummer Lowell Michelson sported long hair at the time, and inspired me to grow out my hair later that same year. Then when I saw Echelon play Lifest in 2001, they surprised me: 1) they announced they wouldn’t be touring anymore; only playing a select number of youth events, and 2) Michelson cut his hair!

That same summer they were selected as the Gathering Band for the 2001 LCMS National Youth Gathering in New Orleans. The 2004 Gathering marks their second time as the Gathering Band, the band that leads all of the music during the Mass Events. I wasn’t at the 2001 Gathering, but I was incredibly pleased with Echelon’s performances/leadership at this year’s Gathering.

Echelon called on many friends to round out the band and add to the sound. Salt Lady Records owner and artist Jonathan Rundman helped with guitars, vocals, and dancing. Beki Hemingway (Salt Lady recording artist), Gianna Jessen, and Tim Dorsey added vocals (lead/backup/worship leading). Long-time Echelon collaborator Scott Malchow added keyboards. Norm Blagman played some mean percussion while also doing a great lead vocal on the Gathering Band’s rendition of Lincoln Brewster’s “Everybody Praise the Lord.”

Echelon had the right balance between praise & worship songs, some well-chosen covers (including The Proclaimers’ “500 Miles”), and some action-heavy, get-to-know-you type stuff.

For A.J. the Illusionist’s drama at Monday night’s Mass Event, Echelon took Tears for Fears’ “Woman in Chains,” transforming it into “Keeps Us in Chains” to work very well with the drama’s themes of the trap of sin. Beki Hemingway’s lead vocal on “Chains” really gave this cover some added passion.

For Twila Paris’ praise & worship song, “Sanctuary,” guitarist Lloyd Gartels and Malchow laid down an intro that could’ve easily been the Doors’ On this and other songs, Hemingway and Jessen combined for harmonies that brought Gillian Welch and Allison Krauss to mind.

Echelon’s selection of praise songs was a mix of covers and popular tunes along with introducing many of their own songs. Many of their own songs are available on their newest album, Lifted Up, including “We Are Not Empty,” “Seize My Heart,” and “Lord Jesus, My Redeemer.” The album also include Echelon’s version of the National Youth Gathering theme song, “More.” The song was originally recorded by Christian boy-band True Vibe, but Echelon with Dorsey on lead vocals gave it a much more American Band Rock feel. As the theme song, this kicked off each Mass Event while the convention center floor was dotted with stunt bikers, stilt walkers, repelling section leaders, and extreme sports of all kinds on the giant video screens. That American Band Rock sound really rounded out the huge stadium feel of each night’s opening.

Echelon continues to be a band that can lead worship without sounding fake, can bring a refreshing approach to Christian rock while still being the approachable, youth ministry leader kind of band, adds their own quirky flavor while not being too cynical for most of the participants. That balance is what makes them continue to be a great band for youth events, but a band that’s also worthy of watching, enjoying, and seeing in concert.

American Band Rock: Jonathan Rundman

Helping out Echelon with extra guitars, vocals, and leading the crowd in a dance was Jonathan Rundman. Rundman has been hugely supportive of Music Spectrum and his double-CD album, Sound Theology, was the inspiration for my companion site and brick-and-mortar MonDevotions. After serving the Gathering Band, they turned around to support Rundman for his own concert on the Edge Main Stage on Tuesday afternoon.

It is such pure joy to hear music that you love played live. Rundman has supported me as an artist and as the owner of Salt Lady Records. It was so incredible to finally meet him in person, and then to watch him play his music—singer-songwriter American Band Rock. While Rundman usually tours alone, here he got to flesh out the songs with Echelon’s Gartels, Miller, and Michelson, Hemingway’s vocals, and Malchow’s keys.

After a soundcheck warm up with the new song, “Falling Down,” Rundman started things a little early, trying to fill the Cabana floor by calling attention through a break-through-the-front-door rock, “Only If,” a song from the out of print Recital available now on the Salt Lady Records compilation, Extra Credit. Gartels’ guitar solo added to the breaking and entering with a little extra distortion. It was true: the music on CD was taking flesh right before my eyes.

“Wide Awake” from Sound Theology kept on rocking with Michelson’s drums matching the lyrics. Rundman then took a solo turn at “747s” from the new album, Public Library. A love song based on living near Concordia University—River Forest, Illinois, in the flight path of O’Hare.

Hemingway then joined Rundman for some songs from their album of duets, Tennasota. “Hometown” is based on the passage from Luke 4 where the people of Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, try to throw him over the cliff. Michelson added some brushes to the snare for the Country/Bluegrass strains of “You Never Last Where You Land.” The Tennasota selections then finished up with the bluesy, harmonica-drenched “Easy Chair.”

“Celebrating the romantic attraction of the intellect,” Rundman’s new song “Smart Girls” is the same message of Superchic[k]’s ministry albeit in a completely different style musically.

Rundman then took a poll of everyone’s favorite season of the church year, leading to the song appointed for the First Sunday of Christmas on Sound Theology, “Behind the Old Hotel.” Commenting that “Lent is the most rock ‘n’ roll of the seasons,” Rundman with full band again went into the Ash Wednesday rocker, “Ashes.” (Give it up for Rundman! I mean, after all, what other artist has an “Ash Wednesday rocker”?). On the Third Sunday in Advent’s “Workin’ My Committee,” the band really worked that blues rock with Hemingway and Rundman trading Gospel-like shout outs.

“Carol of the Bells” is a great turn of phrase and beat, a song about being in love with Carol who plays in the church bell choir. The song causes you to want to dance like they do in the Peanuts cartoons. Hearing the song live made my friend Emily so happy! Rundman then played “Janesville” for a group of youth from Janesville, Wisconsin, which made that group very happy!

In contrast to my growing concern about this connection between Christianity and America and Republicans/George W. Bush and the Iraqi War, an expectation that all Christians are supportive of the war, Rundman introduced the next song saying, “This is a prayer for peace in Iraq.” “Serious Kind” from Public Library is a cautionary air to what I’ve been calling “jingoism” in the United States generally and in the Christian Church specifically. The song calls us back to the first and foremost message of Christ: love not war. Even if the cause of peace has been usurped by groups that Christians don’t agree with, how can we as Christians be praying for anything less than peace, peace that gives people a chance to hear about God’s love in Jesus before they die?

With that, all I can say is buy Rundman’s albums. Support Salt Lady Records. Discover a truly honest, gifted, approachable, and faithful singer-songwriter.

American Dance Rock: Fusebox

Morning worship during the Mass Gathering Bible Studies was led by Fusebox. Fusebox is part of a plethora of worship bands who are basically church bands in concert. However, Fusebox makes worship music electrifying, rocking, funky, and still very much a concert-type experience. My problem with most worship bands in concert is that they really don’t belong in a concert setting. If it’s worship music, if they’re leading worship, let’s call it worship and make it a service. Fusebox transcends this problem by blending elements of leading worship with a full-on rock band performance. You could join in and sing to praise God, but you could also watch a great band play your socks off.

Fusebox stepped forward as a separate band after originally being the lineup of the backup band for Rebecca St. James. They took the worship music world by storm with their single, “Every Move I Make.” The track is an infectious funked-up vibe which really combines the idea of praising God and dancing.

On “More Love, More Power” (written by Vineyard Worship’s Jude Del Hierro), lead singer/bassist Billy Buchanan lays down a funky bass line, but then they came back to an anthemic chorus. There’s that problem I’ve noted elsewhere about Christian rock: if you don’t break out of the anthemic choruses, all of it sounds very similar. Without that bass line and funk, Fusebox’s version of this praise song would be unremarkable.

Thankfully Buchanan’s voice is a joy in itself. I might be a little uncomfortable jumping to make a comparison to Lenny Kravitz and Seal, hoping that comparison isn’t just due to Buchanan’s skin color. However, the official Website biography makes that same comparison. With Buchanan’s funkiness spilling out through his bass and voice, cover version of contemporary praise songs and Fusebox originals take on the low down and dirtiness of soulful music, the low down dirty shame of this life.

Buchanan certainly isn’t the only adding funk to the praise choruses. Dual guitars from Ben Rodriguez and Justin Mackey plus the drums of Guy Roberts keep this band from falling into the straight-ahead, snare-cymbal boredom of most praise bands. That lands them in the Spectrum nearby other worship bands attempting to stretch the mold, such as deliriou5?, the David Crowder Band, and All Together Separate.

I hope to have the chance to review Fusebox’s albums in the future.

The final part of the National Youth Gathering reviews will take a look at the Workhorses: thepoolboys and Right Lane Vacant.