Concert
Review 6/30/00 ~ by suzan
Brad,
Mitch
&
Joe
Concert
Review 6/30/00 ~ by suzan
Brad,
Mitch
&
Joe
Background
The Concert was awesome. By the time this event rolled around, I had seen Mitch in concert three times. Introduced to his music in Feb. 2000 was the start. After listening a few spins, I had to do the unexpected and write a music review. Then I thought I'd let it rest. But there was a fluke first meeting March 25 followed by an intentional meeting March 26. Oh boy I was hooked. The web site was up and running 3/31/00. Discovered he was going to be in Eau Claire 6/9-6/10 opened up him coming to our small town that does Thursday night concerts. Yeah we got him!
Before The Concert
This bonus concert 6/30/00 was a have to go, because I figure it's the last one of the year, and a good way to celebrate enjoying his music with friends and family. The concert was at the living room music cafe.. the place interesting. My country girls got a bit nervous. Not about being in the cities, but because I left them alone while I got a change to visit with the guys. They reported back that they were being stared at by some odd and strange kinda people. I tried to convinced them afterwards it was because of the comfortable couch we had secured, being there an hour early. I said they probably wanted it. Well they didn't buy that story, but just went with the adventure of it all.
The concert for Mitch started about 45 minutes late, so the girls were parked almost two hours waiting. Oh they were troopers though. No comment on the bands before. I first went outside to just say hi, but then my eardrums wanted to hear Mitch's concert so I stayed. Mitch, Brad and Joe, are just fun to be around.
Ok, so it cost me bringing 3 teens into the cities. But even as strong Christians, they need to be feed some exposure so it was a good event. Two of them are leaving July 5th for their third church mission trip. This concert was a wonderful send off.
The Concert
The impact on the girls was spectacular. They had front row seats in Osceola, and really, enjoyed them there. When the guys did the acapella and sing along songs at the end they talked about it on the way home. Do you know how wired kids are at 1:00 in the morning?
They are new to his music, I had picked them up the EP in Osceola, so were thrilled to add the first solo CD to their personal collection. Hannah, my niece who's been listening to Mitch for a few months, was given the Canticle Album. It is so awesome to feed energy of the Gospel into kids and Mitch sure makes that job easy.
Well, I was fortunate to not get seated until just before their first song back on that couch. So I missed some of their adventure stories 'till afterwards. I taped Mitch's concert to review the effect of it all. Didn't need it because the effect was imprinted solid in permanent save memory land. He really doesn't encourage concert quotes, a quote I got from Mitch about that in an email stated " I think that a lot of it takes away the impact of the live communication that happens at concerts. I would encourage people to review concerts and maybe talk about how it impacted them or their own personal perceptions. Even some short paraphrases of what I say would be fine. But, the verbatim reports of talks and sayings that I repeat from time to time seem to be a hindrance to me." Well I took those words to heart, and want to add to his ministry mission. It's an angle others who do concert reviews might want to adopt in the future.
The sound quality of the speakers, not as good as Osceola, but that is no reflection on how they delivered them. I found out later the company that covered their sounds in Osceola, also covered the Republican convension and an Andrew Lloyd Webber event. So small towns do have connections. The trio were as always, just amazing. I picked up a conversation with the next couch, and those two girls were in the same boat. Mitch is a new guy to them, they saw him once, and just had to do it again. It was very easy convincing them to get the EP. They left the event high, fulfilled, entertained, and joyous.
Some of Mitch's songs really did a number on me that night. My soul was unwoven and exposed during a few of them. Followed by a couple of his stories, well he just completely got to me. It was a great cleansing, and unshed tears just started to flow. Kinda special being WOWed like that. Of course then when Brad did Tinman, he had to give it more than Osceola's version so again, there was just no holding back on the emotions. I'm a certified pro at not crying and the place was dark, and yeah, the Spirit was a comforter, so even with a crowd of ~125 it was very private.
I hope some of you get the change to be moved by their music. Maybe it will happen at home, in a car, or at a concert. All of the elements are in the songs to give you much more than just melodies. It might of been me, and maybe he was just tired, but Mitch seemed so, so, so into it also. I really didn't feed off of his body gestures as much as the delivery of the messages.
Mitch uses his music to help us grow in our faith. The gospel is planted in it for us to seek and explore. These songs are a means that help us grow in our walk with God. The way Mitch shine reflects God's light is by rubbing shoulders with us. He communicates to us with his music, ministry and walk of life. He clearly conveys that Jesus Christ is the one who is making a difference in his life, and can make a difference in ours.
Joe was simply spectacular. It is a gift when you can get percussion to add and not dominate music. It really added to the effect, the music seemed fuller and he blended his work to perfection. I noticed for one song, Brad picked up some of Joe's equipment and just used it for effect on a song he didn't need guitar. So cool the three of them together.
You could see their energy merging together and their harmony of it all was an art form. They had to contend with some mikes and sound problems, but it all worked out. It's heaven hearing the dulcimer. It's exciting when they do guitar together. And when their voices blend.. watch out. And then when Mitch just does one alone, and pulls it off to levels above comprehension and leaves you exhausted by your muscles being chilled to the bones with wow waves.. well just soak it in.. let it fill your soul.. let your heart unfold.. in the Gospel Rain.. I hope and pray something in life takes you to that place someday. Mitch and Rich recapture that feeling when they wrote "in the air I breathe And It reaches deep and somethin' moves inside of me"
The off quality of these pictures does not convey the excellence of these guys delivering the Gospel. The camera was out of tune for some reason and the lighting not ideal. I'll probably be trimming this page and review.. but decided not to wait and just write it.
The stories they delivered were unmatched by any I had heard. I'm sure they have done other nights on the same level, but none higher. The hearts and souls were poured out by both Mitch and Brad, and it made the way to long trip (15 hrs ) they took to get there worth it. It's amazing that they will go out of their way to do different material when they know their audience has repeat visitors.
The captions on the photo's were done for fun.. again they may change.. this is just draft #1.. of the event. Mitch has finished his interview!!.. Bad news with the computer down and being sent to Danl, he's sent it to his mom to type! What a guy, I gave him way to much to answer and address, so it will be fun to see it. I told him that it won't get posted live 'till he has a chance to see the finished product, but hopefully you'll get it shortly after the Thailand trip.
Words from the Guys:
Joe was given an interview at the concert and wow! I just got It back from his girlfriend! It's my next project for the unofficial site look for it soon! When the concert was delayed, he went next door and bowled a few game, kinda cool.
Brad said he's gonna be working on the christmas album during Mitch's Thailand tour. I didn't realize what he was talking about at the time, because I was thinking about his solo album. But now I'm thinking awesome, two projects from him near the end of this year, early next!
Mitch is ready to get into the Thailand trip. This trip to the Twin Cities wasn't ideally planned, 30hrs round trip for less than 200 people. But you never know what impact you may make on just one. They were all excited to be there, even though we were bummed the concert was bumped back 45 minutes.
Mitch, I've got to laugh at my question to you before the concert.. I asked, are you going to sing any songs I haven't heard before? You thought about it.. said nothing for a while then said no.. I'm staying away from unrecorded material to keep it fresh and not get tired of them. Yeah I've got to laugh.. my memory was treated to many unrecorded versions of songs like My Deliverer, Only Love Will, Take Hold of Me.. New Mexico.. just to name a few. They made me yearn for a remake of the Mitch McVicker Album. Yeah I love the first recorded versions with a fevered passion.. but every time you deliver them with a new tempo, beats, and renditions, you renew and refresh our passions to worship God. I am simply awed by the effect and impact created. The messages are the same, lyrics unchanged, but they are like burning the fields, renewed, and rekindling and refueling our praises to God. The harmony and mixes are like seeing the Rockies for the first time every morning on a trip to Colorado. The wonder, and diversity and power imprinted on your memory canvas leave you breathless from wows.
Voices in harmony.. that could be the title of a collection of hymns if Brad and Mitch ever recorded more like, Solid Rock.. and sing alongs.. How two voices can blend and melt and soar to perfection is a witness to God's presence. Yeah you can feel the warmth of God's smile when they deliver ballads in harmony.
If
you get a change to see them in concert go! Be awed, be moved by
the Spirit. The Spirit comes to us too and uses us as a vehicle to
get it where it wants to go. Hitchhiking from one person to another,
then another, spreading the little seeds of faith all over the place.
We have all been called by God to spread his Gospel. This music is
a powerful tool you can use to do that.
After
Concert Photo 6/30/00
After
Concert Photo Album B/W
Concert
Photo 6/30/00
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