Concert Review & Commentary: The Black Eye Tour, Derek Webb w/ Sandra McCracken, The 930 Listening Room, Louisville, 9/17/09

Derek Webb.  The founding member of Caedmon's Call launched solo with She Must and Shall Go Free, an album about the Gospel and the Church.  I See Things Upside Down and Mockingbird began to make people squeemish, though, as Derek's Gospel exposition led to Gospel application, tackling topics ranging from evangelical hypocrisy to poverty to politics.  There was only one more boundary to cross, and with The Ringing Bell, Derek committed the unpardonable sin and started playing rock and roll.

Well, actually, most of D. Webb's reformed constituency dig rock, so no harm no foul.  One must admit, it was a Dylanesque step: turning up the heat while turning up the volume.  They say that a conflict of interest disclosed is no conflict, so here's my disclosure: I've enjoyed every twist and turn of Derek's career, often taking cathartic joy from his blunt confrontation of truth.  I dug his rock sound in part because 1), I like rock music and 2) I like Derek Webb.  I was expecting to hear more of the same for a while, but there are no wheels in music so we might as well embrace reinvention.  A few months ago, the interwebs began to blow up about a new Derek Webb controversy.  I didn't really give a sh*t that he said sh*t, honestly, but I was surprised to hear him crooning over trip-hop dance pop beats and loopes.  Enter Stockholm Syndrome.

I thought the title was brilliant, for evangelical Christianity is truly afflicted by the neurosis.   Stockholm Syndrome, as you know, is a condition in which a captive begans to identify with their captor.  The cultural captivity of the church is something that seems to happen on a generational basis, only for the most part, evangelical Christianity is captive to a culture that is dying - traditional, moralistic, Judeo-Christian America.   More liberal strains of Christianity (especially the ones that begin to drop the "Christ" out of the Christianity) are double captive, one could argue, as they embrace the postmodern ethos, so blatantly determined to build a pluralistic, pagan culture.  The great tragedy of reformed evangelical Christianity, though, is that many commentators understand the biblical world well, and usually understand philosophical concepts well, all while doing a bad job of interacting with the way the culture expresses itself in art, fashion, trends, etc.  These segments lambasted Webb, with my friend Denny Burk writing a hot button blog post, that by-and-large missed the gist of Webb's zeitgeist.  (Specifically, the track in question was "What Matter's More," which calls evangelical fervor/furor over gay marriage onto the carpet.)  One particular comment (from a reader) was cringe-inducing for me: "I have loved DW’s music … up until now. He used to be prophetic. In this song, he’s simply pandering to his audience. You’re not prophetic, if your audience likes what you’re saying. And his listeners are the tattooed hipsters who sip Guinness and hide their Liberty University diplomas behind their U2 LPs."

To me, the great appeal of Derek's music is that it is prophetic: Edgy, unsettling words set to honey-sweet music. Having seen Derek perform back "in the old days" and having seen the launch of his previous tour at this same venue, I knew I could expect one thing from the headliner. Rather than wearing sackloth or a camel skin belt, Derek would be wearing a plain white t-shirt. To my delighted surprise, the plain & tee remained, but the color had switched from blank to dark.  Derek dressed in the style he had often come previously, in the spirit and power of Cash.  Derek took the stage as a man in black.  With Stockholm producer/Caedmon's alum Josh Moore laying down loops and beats, and phenomenal drummer bringing the noise, Derek proceeded to play all of Syndrome straight through, stopping in the middle to just push pause and pick up the ole' axe for a buy-request accoustic set.

Although the difference in musical styles was severe, it was good to see the same old Derek playing the old ballads without a hint of irony. Despite allegations that prophets cannot have approving audiences, it brought back memories of times when I cheered him on previously, or watched my more-reformed-than-me friends cheer his taking down of the Arminian establishment.   He closed the by-request sub-set with "Reputation" a song written to his wife and opening act, Sandra McCracken, who was phenomenal.  (Don't tell anyone but I like her more than Derek and I like Derek a whole whole lot.)  This segued well into another song about Sandra, only this one electric: "I Love/Hate You," which resumed the Syndrome set.  His dance club-synth pop made the 930 feel cooler than it ever has before, including sexy, UPC-like lighting that flashed in rythym to the beat. I really wish that the chairs had been swapped for hard wood because Derek's bass lines made me want to dance, but oh well.  As it was the first night of the show, small mess-ups occurred at times but that only added to the authenticity in my book.

I guess the moral of the story is that prophecy in the lower-case "p" sense does need to come from us sinners with much humility but the Scripture warns us to not despise them.  Logically, this includes tattooed, Guinness-sipping prophets like Derek Webb.  The show was strong in its own right, but when the content of Derek's ethical musings and rebukings are weighed in the balance, they are not found wanting. It was a great evening, and if you happen to be in a town in proximity to the Black Eye tour, I highly recommend that you take the punch.

(All) that said, here's Derek's set. 


Stockholm Syndrome, pt. 1

• Opening Credit
• Black Eye   
• Cobra Con  
• Freddie, Please   
  
• The Spirit Vs. The Kick Drum   
  
• What Matters More   
• The State   
  
• The Proverbial Gun  

Acoustic, By Request, Interlude  

• Lover
• I Want a Broken Heart
• Savior on Capitol Hill
• Wedding Dress 
• Reputation

Stockholm Syndrome, pt. 2

• I Love/Hate You   
• Becoming A Slave   
• Jena & Jimmy   
• Heaven   
• What You Give Up To Get It   
• American Flag Umbrella   

Attack of the Random Thoughts: '09 Innaugeral Edition

I hate the feeling when you wake up restless and unable to get back to sleep. Oh well. I guess this gives me a chance to thought process.

I'm excited to be a groomsman today. Maybe it's a dorky desire but I don't care. I've known Jonathan "Biggz" Owens a long time, the same for Lindsey Wilson. That the Lord has brought them together is a testament to his great grace and his sovereignty over the story lines of our lives. We had the bachelor party on Friday night (Mongolian + bowling), rehearsal/dinner last night, and now, "the bells are going to chime." (Side note: you can know Biggz too! Please watch the aptly titled YouTube video, "Biggz Kicked In the Face," below.) It's been a blessing to celebrate so thoroughly with them, but my confession is that my Christological reflection has been weak. In other words, I know that marriage is of the clearest pictures of how Jesus relates to his church, who is his bride. I haven't been chewing on that though. I haven't been drawing joy from this, one of the most joyful of truths.

I'll put it another way. I've been re-reading C.S. Lewis's last and greatest novel, Till We Have Faces. The novel is a re-working of the Greek myth of Cupid & Psyche, set in ancient England. The thrust of the story resonates deeply with me - the fight to believe and know the gods. From ol' Jack's and my perspective, this is really about the fight of any human being to believe in Christ. I won't spoil the story for you, but in midst of a charged exchange, a believer in the gods entreats another with the words, "Why should our hearts not dance?"

Look, this world is a world of sin. I was reminded in Chicago, where despite the beautiful buildings and rich culture, corruption is king. Gov. Rod Blagojevich tried to sell a Senate seat. A Senate seat! I'm reminded in Louisville, be it driving in Germantown or making an infrequent trip to Mall St. Matthews. In both of those contexts, I see people walking around, almost in a daze. They are trapped in cycles of poverty and/or greed, worshiping idols who cannot help. Even so, I feel my heart straying away from the only reason I have to rejoice: Jesus Christ. In spite of all this, because of all this, we must must must must must rejoice in Christ all the more. As Poe said, "Ours is a world of sweets and sours."

So, I guess I'll close with some Sandra. This about says it perfectly for me. Oh, this world is beautiful and tragic, oh my sin constantly shocks me, oh how I fight to keep clutching my idols, and oh how none of this will be fully rectified until kingdom come. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Rock of Ages,
When in want or rest,
My desperate need
For such a Savior I confess
Pull these idols out
From my heart embrace
Rock of Ages, I need your grace.

Not So Infinite Playlist: The Music of Hall Ball IX

Martin Luther once said that after the Word of God, music was the greatest gift ever given to humanity. The years have seen my musical tastes refine a bit, but nevertheless, I still look back on many genres, sounds, and songs with a touch of nostalgia. Presented with the opportunity to craft a musical accompaniment to Boyce College's premier club sporting event, I took some golden earrings, threw them in the fire, and out came this playlist.

1. Interstates, "Uniforms Forever," (Run Run)
2. Andy Hunter, "Go," (Exodus)
3. Andy Hunter, "The Wonders of You," (Exodus)
4. Andy Hunter, "Radiate," (Exodus)
5. Flight of the Conchords, "Inner City Pressure," (Flight of the Conchords)
6. Json, "Let No Man - Colossians," (13 Letters)
7. Dillon Chase, "Take 'Em Back - Philemon," (13 Letters)
8. Lecrae, "Break It Down - 1 Corinthians," (13 Letters)
9. Sho Baraka, "This Is My Heart - 2 Corinthians," (13 Letters)
10. Trip Lee feat. Lecrae, "Get Loose," (13 Letters)
11. Bleach, "We Are Tomorrow," (Again, For the First Time)
12. Sigur Rós, "Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur," (Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust)
13. Bleach, "December," Astronomy
14. Through A Glass, "How to Impeach a King," (Tragedy Vs. Comedy)
15. P.O.D., "Rock the Party (Off the Hook)," (The Fundamental Elements of Southtown)
16. Eddie Vedder & The Million Dollar Bashers, "All Along the Watchtower," (I'm Not There)
17. Coldplay, "Lost!", (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends)
18. Switchfoot, "New Way to Be Human," (New Way to Be Human)
19. Relient K, "Devestation and Reform," (Five Score and Seven Years Ago)
20. U2, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," (The Joshua Tree)
21. Five Iron Frenzy, "Handbook for the Sellout," (Our Newest Album Ever)
22. Further Seems Forever, "The Moon Is Down," (The Moon Is Down)
23. Copeland, "Pin Your Wings," (In Motion)
24. Relient K, "In Love With the 80s (Pink Tux to the Prom)," (Two Lefts Don't Make a Right (But Three Do))
25. Europe, "The Final Countdown," (The Final Countdown)
26. Flight of the Conchords, "Au Revoir," (Flight of the Conchords)

The trick to making a playlist or set-list be it for the radio or your dorm room is to pick music that works together. This sounds obvious but it can be a bit difficult when one wants to thread various genres together. This playlist starts with electronica/techno, goes into hip-hop, continues into alt. rock, next to hard rock, into an alt. rock, rock, emo rock mix (with a dash of ska), finally ending in total cheese: faux 80s rock, 80s rock, and comedic rock. In constructing the set, I took time to listen to the end and beginning of each song, just to make sure that it would flow naturally from one to the other.

Quickly, then, here is some commentary on the tracks. Interstates is a locally based group that augments their techo-underpinnings with live guitars and drums, played in sync with an overhead projector showing homemade films. In fact, you should come see them live this week when they open for Wovenhand at The 930. The next three tracks on the list come from a slightly more known source. "Go," "The Wonders of You," and "Radiate" are the first three tracks of European sensation Andy Hunter's Exodus album. Andy Hunter spins his wax as worship leader, not just as a performer. The next five tracks are crafted by rappers from the 116 Clique. This specific album, 13 Letters, takes Paul's 13 letters and sets their message in the language of urban America, welding top-flight theology with top-flight rhymes.

It's here that the music goes on a wild ride. Ranging from the light hearted social commentary of the Conchords to Eddie Vedder's high energy cover of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," the tracks take us throughout the world of rock. I could not pass up the chance to end the party with the geographically eponymous Europe and "The Final Countdown," which is a guilty favorite of mine, thanks in part to Arrested Development. I hope that you all have a chance to take a listen, especially if you have need for an uber-cardio workout mix. Regardless how good iTunes gets, friends, a "Genius" function can never replace the human ear for music.