Christian Old School
April 30th, 2008 in Uncategorized. No Comments Yet
OK, who can remember the first concert they ever attendeed? Or better yet, the first Christian music concert you ever attended? I can remember the first Christian concert I went to – in Tulsa, OK at the Mabee Center, which is the basketball arena on the campus of Oral Roberts University- Carman and Farrell and Farrell in concert together. It was sweet! The song Let the Whole World Know by Farrell and Farrell was a favorite during my fifth grade year.
First general concert was Alabama- at the Tulsa Civic Center, with my family. I was around 8 years old. I remember them playing the song “Old Flame” and everyone in the entire arena got out their lighters and were waving them back and forth. It was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. Growing up in a small town in Oklahoma – it’s easy to be entertained!
Plus, can anyone remember the cheezy cover bands that used to do tours in schools/communities across the country, and would play cover songs from the popular bands of the time. Many of them were sort of undercover Christian evangelists, and would do some sort of a low level alter call at the end of their service. Some of these guys were actually pretty good musicians. I remember a wanna be Van Halen group coming through Bristow, OK and we all thought these guys were incredibly cool. I got to go backstage in their dressing room and meet them because my dad was the principal of the school and the concert was at the school gym. They had bandanas everywhere, terrible mullets, and spandex tights galore. I actually signed up to be part of their fan club, on the spot! My first real look at the behind the scenes world of entertainment!
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tkwi
April 30, 2008 at 12:16 pm
The first Christian concert I went to was to a Gaither Homecoming at Notre Dame University.
There, I saw Mark Lowry, Chonda Pierce, The Martins, The Talley Trio and others.
I’ve also been to see Ray Boltz in concert.
I’ve been to several world Pulse festivals, and saw the Newsboys, Third Day, Toby Mac, Big Daddy Weave, By the Tree,
Zoe Girl, and Point of Grace… theres more but I don’t remember who all they were.
j4man
April 30, 2008 at 1:04 pm
First concert was Mylon and Brokenheart – man those were the days – alittle “Gospel Ship” and “Trains up in the Sky” action.
I went to Liberty University and there I saw a ton of great concerts (not so many the first year or two cause the school was still in the hyper-fundi phase but later they brought them all in). I remember Falwell himself brought in Carmen after hearing him in concert somehwere.
I also remember the cheesy bands when I was in high school. Do not forget that the Pizza Blast would happen that night then they would throw out the gospel.
Travis Thompson
April 30, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Wow. Just thinking about this killed me.
First concert of any kind – Roy Clark of HeeHaw fame at the Plant City Strawberry Festival – it was packed. I must have been 6-7.
First Christian concert: Al Denson, when I was in 6th grade. He played some local church before a Dawson McAllister conference. The first Christian concert I chose to go to was PFR when I was in high school.
As far as cover bands, we had a few – they’d always do the old bait and switch – play a song or two we knew, then switch to, like, a totally different genre and start leading worship. It freaked me out. It wasn’t until I was a youth pastor that I realized that these bands were kinda creepy (yes, we still have them floating around)
dustinahkuoi
April 30, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I did not attend church until I was 16…so the very first concert I ever attended was MC Hammer…with Jodeci and Boys to Men as the opening acts. My first christian concert was in Gatlinburg, TN at a youth convention…and it was none other than Newsong! The opening act was a Christian rap group called “True 4 U” – classic!
Emily
April 30, 2008 at 8:47 pm
First Christian Concert: DC Talk @ Carpenter’s Home Church in Lakeland, circa 1995 ish. I was so in love with one of them…the blonde one I think.
First real concert: Garth Brooks. holler! I wanted to marry him, and I have my diary at the time to prove it. I’m waiting for him to go on tour again, I will pay any amount.
bradlomenick
May 2, 2008 at 12:57 am
Emily- I saw Garth at Oklahoma State University in 1991, when he first started touring. It was an unbelievable concert- that is where he went to school, so it was a rowdy crowd. He was climbing on speakers and swinging from ropes- the first time any country singer had ever done that. Maybe the best performer i’ve ever seen.
Michael
May 2, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I think my first concert was also an Alabama concert at an amphitheater in Alabama where I grew up. I was 5-8 years old, I think.
My first Christian concert was Stryper, I guess. Either them or Michael W. Smith. Could have been Newsong at a state youth event.
The cover bands I remember from high school were the military show (rock/pop) bands on recruiting missions.
Chris Ediger
May 3, 2008 at 2:53 pm
OMG – I just have to say that I about spit out my coffee hearing “Let the Whole World Know” again!
I can’t remember what my first concert was. In the small town/home that I grew up in it was all Christian. I do remember begging my parents to let me go to a Winger concert (so sad).
Andrea & I went with some friends to a kind of Christian “Legends” concert at the turn of the century. Farrell & Farrell were there, as well as Bryan Duncan, the Ragamuffin Band (I think Rich Mullins had died the year before), 8:28, Greg X. Volz, Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, David Meece, & Dana Key. A lot of it was really sad, but fun overall.
dsh
May 3, 2008 at 6:47 pm
The first concert I would have gone to with my family I’m sure was either Larnelle Harris, Sandy Patty or Steve Green. However, the first concert I wanted go to was Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant. I begged my parents to let me go with a bunch of kids from the youth group but they were concerned it was too much like rock n roll. Finally, we compromised and I got to go but my dad came with me. We sat in the very last row at The Palace of Auburn Hills in MI. After 20 minutes of complaining of how loud it was my dad couldn’t handle it any longer and we left … I’m still seeing a shrink about the whole episode even today!
loranlichty
May 9, 2008 at 8:14 am
First Christian Concert was the Imperials circa. Russ Taff days. My dad though it was “devil music”….I thought it was groundbreaking. They were so cool.
Farrell & Farrell…I totally remember them!
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