Thursday, August 24, 2006

Christian Rock Festivals, Oh My!


OK, so now you all know that I have lived in another world. Now I can tell you about the fabulous Christian rock festivals and the fact that Christian and rock probably don't really coincide. I've done the youth group thing. I did for years. I had a lot of fun. Most of that fun had very little to do with the church and more to do with the fact that we were a bunch of teenagers hanging out together.

So every summer one of the "sanctioned" activities was Cornerstone. This was a huge music festival held at the Lake county fairgrounds at the time. To me, it was another chance to hear loud music and to behave badly. Not so much what I think they had in mind. I could sit here and list all the things that were on the "banned" list for Cornerstone and then I could site examples of how myself and my friends probably broke each and every rule. Use your imagination here, people.

There were a handful of bands that I actually liked. Pictured above is Daniel Amos. Probably the only band I could say I truly respect of the bunch. They really did rock. Their live show was superior and I was always a sweaty mess from dancing the whole time. I miss them. The whole "Christian Rock" thing seems to have morphed over the years. At one time, it was a bit fringe and exciting, at least for those of us who were desperate and stuck in youth groups. Somewhere along the line, record companies figured out that this was yet another money maker and it has all been downhill from there. Just like the Prez, this image seems to sell these days and it is a sad commentary on how anything, apparently including your soul, can be sold.

6 comments:

echo said...

Didn't go to any Christian rock festivals, but my Uber-Catholic friends always had the best booze and... um... herbs... They also got bi-zay alot sooner than anyone else... Must have been all that pent up tension of hearing "no, no, no" all day...

...Damn! I should have spent more time drinking the "no, no, no" Kool Aid...

Tenacious S said...

I had so much fun at Cornerstone. I am sure it was a sin! It's amazing what can be done in tents and the back of station wagons.

lulu said...

What about Pedro the Lion and Detholz and the Danialson Family?

Tenacious S said...

I mentioned Detholz earlier today. I think they deserve their own category.

echo said...

They're definitely not...Creed-y...

Tenacious S said...

No, they are twitchy and nerdy and when they play,.. very very sweaty.