What I've Been Up To: Concerts

In my last post I tried to get as much of what's been going on in my life as possible, but "life" gets in the way.  There's plenty to keep me busy, which is a good thing, but I still want to document a few more of the goings-on of the past few months.

A dear friend and I have been enjoying the concert circuit.  It wasn't not often that Christian bands made it all the way down to South Florida; it's a long way away from everything, and if there's only one venue to perform at, it might not be to their advantage.  Lately, though, we've seen more acts willing to make the trek, especially in the winter.  When everywhere else in the country is freezing or under a ton of snow, South Florida looks and sounds really appealing!

Back in January we had the Extreme Music Concert in South Florida, and thanks to my daughter's job at a church office, we got a couple of free tickets.  That concert was, in the words of our younger generation, off the chain!  The tickets were for one day, but we got to see multiple acts that day.

For one, we got to see Mandisa who is A-mazing in concert!  She is so full of energy!  And so inspiring!  Being on a show like American Idol could have given her a big ego, but instead she gives all the glory to God.  She was great to hear!

Switchfoot was incredible too!  They were the main band that night.  We also saw Israel and New Breed and Michael W. Smith.  It was a great night, but it got even better when we were told tickets to the next night's concert were selling for $20 for those who had tickets that day!  We rushed to get our tickets because we knew the bands for the next night were going to be worth hearing as well!

The night started off with a band I love, MikesChair.  They are from Central Florida and their music is great.  Then we got to hear Kutless.

They were amazing as well.  Unfortunately, by the time the last band came on, the band I wanted to see most, Hillsong United, I had a full-blown migraine and I could hardly think straight.  I'd prayed the headache would go away, but I felt God speak to me.  "Can you praise Me even in your pain?"  And I answered yes.  The headache was awful, but the worship was intense.  I tried taking pictures but none turned out right.  Once I closed my eyes and just let the Spirit take over, I was elevated to that sweet place that only worshiping God can get you to.  It was beautiful, and worth the pain.

In March we went to the Dade County Youth Fair where we got to enjoy another couple of concerts...sort of.

Two bands, free admission.  Couldn't get better, right?

SonicFlood went on first, singing lots of oldies-but-goodies.  Coming to the end of their set, their name became very appropriate:  we got hit with some monsoon-type rain, a real sonic flood!  Because there was lightning as well, we had to seek shelter quick and hope the rain would stop, otherwise Matthew West's concert would be cancelled.

Thankfully, the rain stopped and we were able to listen to Matthew West, which we were so excited for!

April came, and we were once again blessed.  My friend had given my daughter, son E and I tickets to ReachFest in Boca Raton for Christmas, and we were finally gonna be able to see 5 bands perform that night!

Citizen's Way started the night.  I'd heard a couple of their songs but I had no idea how they'd be in concert.  They did not disappoint!  We were so impressed by their music and love for God.

Colton Dixon was on next.  Whoa!  What's up with these American Idol alumni?  They are so high energy!  This guy was all over the place!  That's one way to do a concert!

Jamie Grace was sandwiched in between.  I love her music, but now I love her even more!  What a heart, what a sweetness to her, what a fun time listening to her speak as well as hearing her music.

We were really looking forward to hearing Britt Nicole, even though the boys weren't, LOL!!  She is wonderful!  The little girls were waving their Britt Nicole posters which was cute to watch.

The evening ended with MercyMe.  They need no explanation.  Every song they did was a great song.

I have to be honest, though.  If I were to pick my favorite act of the night, it would be Jamie Grace, hands down.  Not only was her music great, but everything about her was fantastic.  I'd see her again in a heartbeat.

If that weren't enough, we found out from our local radio station that a nearby church was hosting another concert at the end of April, so off we went.

Tim Timmons not only gave an amazing concert, his story is incredible.  You can read about him here.

When Group 1 Crew came on, I forgot I was a 50 year old woman.  I started jumping up and down and screaming like a teenager!  I typically don't like hip-hop music.  At.  All.  But there's something about this band that makes me wanna get up and worship!

If you don't recognize this gentleman, it's a native of our fair state of Florida:  Big Daddy Weave.  He was headlining that night and they did an awesome job, but once again, if I had to pick a favorite, it would have to be Group 1 Crew.  They were electric.

I'm sure our concert days are far from over.  As a matter of fact, my daughter and I will be attending the Women of Faith conference next month, and we'll get to hear Matthew West again.  Music is just one form of worship, but for us, it's one of our favorites!