As part of my son’s Christmas gift this year, he and I attended the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Winter 2010 concert in Duluth, GA, last evening. (Okay, I was not part of the gift; I was just the driver.)

Smartphone shot from the TSO concert, 12.10.10

We noticed immediately a very complex stage set up, but neither of us was prepared for the lights, screens, snow and fire that was to follow. Not to mention the amazing music that has made TSO a Christmas crowd favorite. They use enough spots and strobes to kill anyone prone to seizures, enough fire to give a pyromaniac a ten year rush, enough lasers for everyone to receive a free Lasik procedure, and have enough hair onstage to rival any three 80s bands combined. The 2:45 program made it well worth the price of the tickets.

TSO was introduced to me a number of years ago while standing in the middle of a Disney Store. A large music screen featured the video of ‘Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24).’ I was captivated by the music more than the content of the video. It remains my favorite work of TSO, and, in my judgment, the best contemporary contribution to the Christmas genre in the last 25 years or more. While I personally do not prefer most of their vocal arrangements, I love their instrumental compositions. [Continued below video...]

The concert experience is much more theatrical than I expected. TSO is nothing if not about presentation. If you enjoy symphonic rock, and have never heard the Trans Siberian Orchestra, give them a try. It is likely that you will not be disappointed. You can check tour dates here.

One public persona of Jared Leto. Image: Wikipedia

The following video was made from footage shot during 30stm’s worldwide tour and was directed by Leto (under the pseudonym “Bartholomew Cubbins,” a character from Dr. Suess). I cannot help but like the song and the energy both in the band in the crowd. It reminded me not a little of a P.O.D. concert I attended in Atlanta.

What stands out for me, as a follower of Christ and watcher of culture, is the interview snippets before, during and after the concert footage. Kids who want violence to end, kids who are confused or dead in the eyes, kids who’s entire life’s meaning is wrapped up in their ability to listen to music. “Some people believe in God; I believe in music. Y’know? Some people pray; I turn up the radio,” says one young lady. “Music is. Ev. Ry. Thing. To. Me.,” emphasizes a young man.

The desire to completely immerse one’s self in music is at least as old as the first instrument. You’d be hard pressed to find a person who has never just turned up the radio to drown out the pressures of the day, or to join singing with whoever is resounding through the nearest speaker system. More than could be counted attended Woodstock, dropped acid and did things they certainly did not want their kids to find out about. Ever. And the parents of those 60′s and 70′s rebels were the sock-hopping kids of the 50′s.

What I see in this video is not new; but it reveals what is still true. People of all ages are looking for something with which to identify. Somewhere to hang their hat. A tribe to call their own.

This video should be shown at every conference for pastors and youth pastors for the next year. Forget about the pink mohawk or whether you prefer your lead singer to wear a shirt that fits. Or a shirt. People everywhere need to know the peace and grace of God.

Last night on Larry King Live, recording artist Jennifer Knapp discussed her recent coming out as a lesbian. This likely would have made about as big a splash as Wanda Sykes recent announcement, which is to say almost none, except that Knapp was for several years, before taking a five year hiatus, an artist in the Christian music industry. The above clip was the longest that could be found this soon and, apparently, is well short of the entire interview which also featured former pastor Ted Haggard. The three, including King, teamed up on San Diego pastor, Bob Botsford, of Horizon Christian Fellowship, who ostensibly was there to question or challenge Knapp.

What makes Knapp’s announcement, which was also featured in Christianity Today, newsworthy for Christians is that she, like Ray Boltz, is holding to her “faith” rather than renouncing Christianity altogether. She does not claim to justify sin, but that her lesbianism is part of her faith. Consider this from the CT interview:

CT: What about what Scripture says on the topic?

Knapp: The Bible has literally saved my life. I find myself between a rock and a hard place—between the conservative evangelical who uses what most people refer to as the ‘clobber verses’ to refer to this loving relationship as an abomination, while they’re eating shellfish and wearing clothes of five different fabrics, and various other Scriptures we could argue about. I’m not capable of getting into the theological argument as to whether or not we should or shouldn’t allow homosexuals within our church. There’s a spirit that overrides that for me, and what I’ve been gravitating to in Christ and why I became a Christian in the first place.

Admittedly, I am a heterosexual male and, admittedly, don’t share the feelings of any woman, whether heterosexual or gay. So if we were merely talking about feelings or loving relationships, then I would just go cut grass or eat some Corn Flakes and not be writing this article.

The issue that puzzles me in this is that, though Knapp makes clear that she cannot argue the theology surrounding her decision, she continues to do just that. In the Larry King Live clip, she badgers Botsford (who is totally overmatched) with questions like, “What separates that particular sin [homosexuality] out from the fact that I’m angry or mad at someone or that I cheat, or maybe, uhm…What separates that out as so grievous to you that we have to sit here and have this type of conversation?” She goes on to ask Botsford, who agreed that “sin is sin,” this question:

Then why aren’t I in that seat and you’re in the other seat condemning you on national television?

Knapp’s erroneous conclusion is that if homosexuality is sin and all sins are equal, then Botsford has no business questioning her life unless he would subject her to the same scrutiny over anger, greed, hate, etc.

Unfortunately, at least from this clip, Botsford missed the easy answer. If I announced on public television that I was a professional thief and a Christian, or that I lived a life of unabashed greed and a Christian, or that I had a sexual partner on the side and enjoyed prolific adultery as Christian, then anyone would have every right to challenge both my accuracy and my understanding of Christ, the Bible and righteousness. I have not burned my Jennifer Knapp cd’s, in fact, I wish Kansas didn’t have scratches on it. But that is a far cry from saying, “Aww, she finally got up the nerve to come out.”

Knapp’s muddled attempt to justify homosexuality (since no one keeps the laws about shellfish or mixed fabric clothing) are only further evidence of a Bible that might have “saved [her] life” but has not helped her thinking. If the only verses that had to do with homosexual behavior were in Moses’ law, then she might have a point. As it is, however, the whole of scripture points toward heterosexual relationships as ordained by God. The creation of Adam and Eve did not primarily set a pattern of relationships, it reflected the pattern of relationships set in eternity past with God’s plan for His Son to have a bride. If Knapp wants to live her life in a “loving relationship” with another woman, I’m not going to stand in her way, but to accuse some conservatives of using “clobbering verses” while appealing to an overriding spirit to reject a primary biblical theme does not demonstrate either spiritual growth or biblical fidelity.

I do agree with Jennifer Knapp that Pastor Botsford is not a spiritual leader in her life and, realistically, she should not give him any more time of day than I would Joel Osteen were he to call and castigate me for having bad neckties and yellow teeth. For her, though, I am troubled that those she calls her spiritual authorities seem to have given her a green light for her lifestyle in spite of the scriptural admonition against calling evil good and good evil.

Knapp also refers to “what she has been gravitating to in Christ” as part of her decision. This is a most puzzling statement to me; simply because someone makes an assertion and assigns it to Christ or believes their assertion about Christ to be accurate does not make it so. Jesus warned against “false Christs” and it seems likely that a “Christ” who affirms what the Bible rejects would probably, if not certainly, fall into the realm of the false.

I am not condemning Knapp or any person who is trying to seek Jesus and, simultaneously, working through issues of their own sexuality, especially in the time in which we live when many lines are less defined than in the past. What I do condemn is the idea that each of us can invent, create or imagine our own theology, call it Christian and expect other Christians to accept it uncritically. Some lines are blurred, but there still are lines and we do ourselves nor our culture any good by trying to move them or obliterate them altogether.

Ennio Morricone (Image: wikipedia.org)

Though there are certainly many movies with outstanding scores (not “soundtracks”), three that always come to mind are the “Dollars Trilogy” directed by Sergio Leone and scored by the brilliant Italian composer Ennio Morricone. In one segment that comes to mind, Morricone, composer and arranger of more than 500 movie and television scores, wrote and arranged a musical piece so perfectly matched to the visual that one can hardly imagine one without the other. The music alone is so rich, so well conceived and executed that it has been covered live in concert, complete with film excerpt, by the band Metallica, used as a concert closer by the Ramones and recorded by cellist Yo-Yo Ma and orchestra leader Hugo Montenegro.

The music in mind comes near the end of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly when the long-searched-for-gold is close at hand. Blondie (Clint Eastwood), who harasses Tuco (Eli Wallach) through the entire film, begins firing cannon shots at him as he rides on a horse. Tuco is thrown from the horse and rolls into a headstone marking the cemetery which holds the gold. Tuco’s subsequent search is the visual accompanying Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold.” Enjoy.

No one in music has impacted my life like Rich Mullins. Very few people that I’ve ever met have impacted me as much in any way and I never so much as spoke a word or shook his hand.

But his songs. His music. His life.

With others I have sung a chorus written by his friend Beaker (David Strasser), “Oh God, you are my God and I will ever praise you and I will seek you in the morning and I will learn to walk in your ways and step by step You’ll lead me and I will follow you all of my days,” with tears on my cheeks and a throat so constricted it would hardly utter a sound. More than once my vehicle has been filled with a Rich and Marty duet that surely was pleasing to no one but God and times too frequent to remember my eyes have brimmed salty with the thought of what we had and all we’ve lost.

I read that when he first moved to Nashville he lived in a tent in Pam Mark Hall’s backyard. When filming videos in Ireland he forgot to take a coat and ended up having to wear one belonging to Steve Taylor (it’s the coat in the video below). How he didn’t keep up with how much money he had or made; he lived on $24k a year and, when he wanted to give some away, had to call his accountant, find out if he had enough and have it sent. How he went back to school to get a music degree, then moved to a Native American reservation to live so he could teach kids. How at a musician’s banquet where he was a guest, the other guests were surprised to find him behind the table serving.

I was broken the day he died, unbelieving. The first time I saw him in concert was in support of the project below, a true worship service. If Philip Yancey is the conscience of evangelicalism, Mullins was surely the conscience of its music. I marveled at a little known Andrew Peterson song called “3 Days Before Autumn” that was uncanny in its ability to capture what so many of us felt when Rich Mullins died:

And I take comfort in knowing that this ain’t my home
and I know when I’m lonely that I ain’t alone
and I know that he’s singing at the foot of the throne;
but that don’t seem to matter down here.
‘Cause the winter came early this year.

I think A Liturgy, a Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band is the best musical project to have ever been released in the history of the medium. Pure poetry, amazing music, with profound explorations of simple themes. From “Hold Me Jesus” comes a lyric that never ceases to invade my soul:

Surrender don’t come natural to me
I’d rather fight you for something I don’t really want
Than take what you give that I need.
And I beat my head against so many walls
Now I’m falling down
Falling on my knees.

Mullins’ admiration of St. Francis of Assissi gave birth to many songs praising God for His creation, perhaps none so beautiful or so poignant as “The Color Green,” featured in the video below. In this deeply insightful song, he managed not to simply invoke Genesis 1 and Psalm 19 but to channel them.

Be praised for all your tenderness
by these works of your hands.
Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless
and bring to life your land.
Look down upon this winter wheat
and be glad that you have made
blue for the sky and the color green
that fills these fields with praise!

Like Keith Green, Rich Mullins knew worship before the birth of the modern worship movement; I believe it is fair to say he midwifed it by his demonstration that the entirety of God’s creation was to bring Him praise. Sometimes I miss Rich more than others and this week I’ve missed him a lot. I love Rich Mullins and his music.

Anyone else have any Rich Mullins reflections or remembrances?

You can sample every song and download A Liturgy, a Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band through this widget.



Or you can purchase through iTunes at this button:

I think I first heard this on a Jaguar commercial a few years back. This is History Repeating by Propellorhead w/Dame Shirley Bassey. Purchase History Repeating on

This song was used on an L.L. Bean commercial a couple of years ago. This is a fan video but looks almost good enough to be the real thing–Fountains of Wayne’s Valley Winter Song. Warning: This song is habit forming. Purchase Valley Winter Song on

Jordan Burk opens the Acoustic House Show All Photos: Donna Chapman

Andy Zipf

Damion Suomi

Lauris Vidal

The Samsonite drum kit of American Standard

Lauris Vidal on MySpace and on .

Andy Zipf on MySpace and on

Damion Soumi on MySpace and on

Jordan Burk on Facebook and on You Tube

American Standard online and on on Facebook

You can keep up with Acoustic House Show now on Facebook and here beginning in February.

Hello Hurricane is the most recent release from Switchfoot, a group whose music spans genres and whose fans span generations. Those fans will not be disappointed. Little new ground is broken here, but the ground covered is covered very well. ‘Hello Hurricane,’ also featured on the recent Blackberry Storm 2 television commercial, is one of the few unapologetically Christian bands to have successfully broken into the mainstream music scene and seen critical success there.

The first into give a window into the project’s composition: melodic, strong rock with lyrics have come to know and expect from Switchfoot. “Needle and Haystack Life” explores the theme of living life as the person you were created to be while “Mess of Me” acknowledges the damages that we’ve done to ourselves in trying to live life our own way, ie, apart from God, but includes the plea “I want to live the rest of my life alive.” This idea returns in “Free” a song that should receive continuous airplay if the music industry is paying any attention at all. The messages present in Switchfoot’s music echoes in all hearts. They are meaningful and true songs, that will reach all listeners. Whether you are young or old, with perfect or impaired hearing (www.miracle-ear.com) you will resound with the strength of the songs. “Your Love is a Song” explores love in musical terms: “Your love is a symphony/all around me/running through me/your love is a melody/underneath me/running to me/your love is a song.”

“The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues)” returns to a thought that plays often in Switchfoot history: the condition of the country. As with “Not My American Dream” (Oh, Gravity) and “Politicans” (Nothing is Sound) the residence of Christians in this country is subjugated, as it should be, to our higher calling as citizens of the kingdom of God. If all of those churches hosting “Love Out Loud” campaigns are looking for a theme song, this is it.

With all 12 songs written or co-written by the prolific Jon Foreman (ten feature help from brother Tim) Hello Hurricane is another worthy release from Switchfoot and good addition to any collection.

The Hello Hurricane CD can be purchased below through either Amazon.com or downloaded via iTunes.