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AN NRT EXCLUSIVE CONCERT REPORT
A Night At The Rock & Worship Roadshow 2012
NRT contributor Mary Burklin joins new event photographer Bryan Smoak in covering the 2012 Spring Rock & Worship Roadshow.
 


For the past few years, The Rock and Worship Roadshow has boasted one of the most impressively diverse line-ups of any Spring tour. After an additional Fall leg of the event focused in the western states in 2011, January saw the show back on the road again, hitting cities throughout the east and south.
 
I caught the show in Dallas, at the famous (and enormous) American Airlines Arena. The show sold out somewhere around 18,000, and the anticipation in the room was tangible. This year’s lineup is particularly strong in each genre, and it definitely brought the crowds.
 
The first band on the evening’s bill was the recent Irish import, Rend Collective Experiment. The ensemble mostly drew from their recent release, Homemade Worship by Handmade People. Their performance style was infectious, unabashed, and perfectly drew in an audience not familiar with their music. Highlights included the use of a stump fiddle on the enthusiastic “Build Your Kingdom Here.” The set felt much too short, but it was a good way to start the evening.
 
Sidewalk Prophets took the stage next with a solid mix of songs from These Simple Truths (including radio hits “The Words I Would Say” and “You Love Me Anyway”) as well as a glimpse into the future with “Live Like That” from their upcoming release. They seamlessly carried on the worship vein of the evening, successfully keeping fans singing along with frontman Dave Frey’s confident declarations It was already apparent that the night would be something special.
 
Apparently taking it on themselves to single-handedly bring the “rock” portion of the Roadshow, Disciple stormed the stage with a blistering segment of “Watch it Burn.” Disciple packed a lot of energy into their four song set, boosting up the energy levels with their aggressive rock and roll. Their set was not lacking in the area of worship however. Lead singer Kevin Young led the crowd in the urgent, heartfelt “Invisible” before offering encouragement to endure. They wrapped up with 2010 radio hit “Dear X (You Don’t Own Me)” and the older searing rock tune “Rise Up.”
 
Hawk Nelson’s infectiously energetic set continued to build on the rock portion of the evening, kicking in with their classic “Friend Like That.” Hawk Nelson’s sets tend to be structured as one third worship, one third party, and one third rock, and this evening’s contribution was no exception. Despite the recent announcement of lead singer Jason Dunn’s fast-approaching departure, he still gave the evening his all, backed by the eternally energetic Daniel Biro on bass and the solid riffs of Jonathan Steingard. Hawk Nelson drew on classics such as “Bring Em Out” and the cathartic ballad “Everything You Ever Wanted” (inspiring a sea of waving cell phones like drifting stars in the darkened arena) as well as worship tracks such as “Crazy Love.”

 Exclusive Live Photo Galleries From The 2012 Roadshow
Click Here To View More Exclusive Photos From This Concert!

 
After a brief intermission, the first act I have ever seen who managed to get 18,000 concert attendees of all ages moving at once took over the arena. Lecrae has always had a pretty solid fanbase in Dallas, but by the end of his dynamic set it had probably doubled. Backed by some friends on drums and on vocals (including fellow Reach Records rapper Tedashii), Lecrae’s hard-hitting hip-hop beats were surpassed in intensity only by the radical presentation of the gospel in his lyrics. His well-known tracks “Go Hard” and “Don’t Waste Your Life” warmed the crowd up before he launched into some more recent numbers. The set ended on a note of humility and reverence offered through “Background” from Lecrae’s 2010 release Rehab.
 
The pace changed when Tenth Avenue North took the stage, though the intensity of the evening definitely didn’t diminish. Mike Donehey sent the refrain of their lament “Hold My Heart” drifting into the air before soaring into their recent single “Strong Enough to Save.” Tenth Avenue North has a unique flavor that grows richer as the band matures, and the Roadshow set was a perfect example of that. With raw, poignant lyrics punctuated by Mike Donehey’s earnest speaking, the Tenth Avenue North guys connected with the audience on a wholly different level than the previous few sets. Their set culminated with Mike Donehey leaving the stage to join the audience in the crowd for the affirming declarations of “You Are More.” He stayed in the crowd to talk about the concept of grace, the gospel that states that “we are far worse than we ever could have imagined, and in the same moment more loved than we’d ever dared dream.” His words served as the perfect transition into the worshipful “Love is Here,” followed by their best-known song, “By Your Side.”
 
A brief break allowed time for Bart Millard to come out and encourage giving in support of the Roadshow as an act of worship. Mike Donehey stepped back on stage again to lead us in worship with simple acoustic guitar tunes while the deep white buckets made their way through the auditorium. It was a powerful moment to put action to what we were singing.
 
Headliner and host MercyMe took the stage last. The band pulled from tracks throughout their impressive discography to craft a setlist that climbed through both highs and lows. They kept energy levels high with classics like “So Long Self” or the more recent “Move,” drawing on a seemingly endless array of lighting techniques that kept the show interesting ever for those in the nosebleed seats. The band also treated us to the single from their upcoming release, “The Hurt and Healer.” Halfway through they slowed down and moved to the end of the walkway for a semi-acoustic set. The more personal feel of the acoustic setting was the perfect framework for the band’s soaring rendition of “I Can Only Imagine.” 
 
Overall, this year the Roadshow boasted a sampling of artists as strong as they were diverse. With indie worship, hard rock, pseudo-punk, hip-hop, and adult contemporary all blended together under the common banner of advancing the name and work of Christ, the evening was deeply meaningful and memorable. Every artist approached the stage with a no-holds-barred passion that bled into every corner of the massive arena. The 18,000 concert attendees filed out of the arena that evening satisfied by a good show, and on a deeper level carrying the reality of a spark of hope, the presence of grace. And that is a truth worth singing about.

 Exclusive Live Photo Galleries From The 2012 Roadshow
Click Here To View More Exclusive Photos From This Concert!

View More Photo Galleries With The Following Artists On The Roadshow:

Mary Burklin is a college student who loves Jesus and seeks to echo His love in everything she does. She loves art in just about all forms, but music is her passion and where she feels most at home. Bryan Smoak makes his home in Colorado Springs, CO and owns FactorPhotography.com.

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