Twila Paris mixes music with message

If it were up to her, Twila Paris would have her life planned out, with a calendar where she could check off the “right” time for reaching milestones in her life.
Get married by 25, have a child by 29, be the department manager by 35, that kind of thing.
But when she passed the age she figured she would have her first child, she said she reminded God she was getting a little behind on her calendar.
Paris said, during a concert here Friday night, that experience taught her a lesson. Paris, who performed for about 2,000 people at Manheim Township’s Calvary Church — and, now in her early 40s, had a son in April.
The lesson was, God’s calendar is “a lot bigger and more accurate than ours,” she said, which we should remember when we wonder why we’re not married, don’t have kids or don’t get that job promotion when we think we should.
The ministry was just as moving as the music Friday evening as Paris, the writer and performer of no less than 32 No. 1 Christian radio songs, left an indelible message on people with a diverse and powerful concert at the huge Landis Valley Road church.
She sat at the piano and performed her moving, look-behind-the-armor signature song, “The Warrior is a Child,” her first hit from back in 1982. She then hopped up front to lead the funkier, up-tempo “Run to You.”
The writer of some of the best-known current worship songs, she led an interlude featuring “He Is Exalted” and other worship standards.
There was even a pleasant surprise at the start of Friday’s nearly three-hour concert, with Paris herself emerging on the darkened stage to sing a powerful and respectful version of the national anthem.
The concert at Calvary also featured singer Michelle Tumes and husband-and-wife duo Out of the Grey, comprised of singer Christine Dente, who is a 1982 Conestoga Valley High School graduate, and her guitarist husband, Scott.
Both of the other acts also have topped the Christian charts and both played short-but-sweet sets before rejoining Paris for hers.
And like Paris, what they said was just as impressive as what they sang.
Tumes, from Adelaide, Australia, was painfully shy growing up and was told to forget about a music career, she said after performing her ballad “Healing Waters.” But she believed God had a plan for her to keep with it, and she encouraged others to go and do likewise.
Christine Dente, during Out of the Grey’s 45-minute set, reminded the audience that “you don’t have to have it together to come to God, you don’t have to get your tie on straight and come to church twice a week and all that.”
People just need to take the first step of faith, she said. The Dentes then performed “Shine Like Crazy” from their newest album, “All We Need” from the mid-1990s and “Nothing’s Gonna Keep Me from You” from 1992, at the start of their career.
The concert also was a rebuttal to one of the criticisms of Christian music, that the level of singing and playing isn’t up to popular music standards.
That wasn’t true Friday, with three excellent female singers and, in Scott Dente, a guitar virtuoso along the line of Stanley Jordan, Pat Matheney and other guitar cleanup hitters — at about a third of the price.
A visual player, he drew an extended hand for a finger-tapping solo on his black guitar.
Also impressive was how Paris, with her 19 years of experience in the music business, seemed to be mentoring the younger Tumes, and how the artists stayed on stage most of the night to help with the others’ music.
One fan at Friday’s concert, Eugene Blank of Paradise, was impressed by how approachable the performers were.
He got a CD autographed by Tumes during the show’s intermission, and then said, “With Christian shows, it’s a lot different than some other (secular) concerts, where they don’t let you get close to the singers.”

Newsboys entertain while delivering timeless message

HERSHEY — Inside a big dome that looked like the Martians had landed and needed chocolate, the mirrored ball on the ceiling and the white suits of the guys on stage were vintage New York Disco, 1978.
But the message the Newsboys’ Peter Furler shared here Saturday with the mostly teen-and-younger audience was not retro or futuristic, but timeless.
And that message was, if you’re not one of the beautiful people at your high school, or if you feel misunderstood, like you sometimes don’t fit in, know that “everyone’s someone” to God.
The Newsboys, the multiplatinum Christian rock band, then launched into “Someone,” from their newest album, “Love Liberty Disco,” which was the theme of the band’s concert tour that came here for two shows on Saturday.
Inside a big tent pitched in the Hersheypark parking lot, the Newsboys were tremendously entertaining for the several thousand people who came in out of Saturday’s cold rain to see them — displaying their trademark strong mix of the guitar-fueled and the funky, along with a downright beautiful ballad or two.
As they’ve grown to become one of the biggest acts in Christian contemporary music, the band’s five members have not departed from their true love — using their songs and fun-loving image to share their faith in Christ.
That was clear at the end of Saturday’s show, when Furler slowed down the screaming of the crowd and the thunder of the band to talk for a minute.
“We’re not here to talk you into OUR message,” he said in his Australian accent, but instead the message that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life.”
All appropriate for a band that once made an album called “Hell is for Wimps,” and whose best-known song talks about there being no breakfast in hell.
The entire audience sang along on that one, the sing-songy “Breakfast,” and pantomimed the toast-has-burned, milk-has-turned, Captain-Crunch-is-waving-farewell lyrics.
Everyone then bopped along to other well-known Newsboys songs, such as: “I’m Not Ashamed”; runaway-teen-angst ballad “Reality”; the tremendously catchy hit, “Shine”; and “Take Me to Your Leader,” the title song from the Newsboys’ 1996 hit-filled, grunge-heavy album.
The disco theme of Saturday’s shows was just the latest riff for a fun-loving band that, over the years, has come onstage via everything from motorcycles to space ships.
The Newsboys also have a loyal legion of fans across all age ranges, and that was seen here in Saturday’s crowds — lots of school-age youngsters, but also lots of moms and dads trotting out their 25-year-old dance-floor moves, even without their kids’ permission.
The Newsboys — whose members come from Australia, New Zealand and the United States and are now based in Nashville — are getting as much attention for the airdome they’re traveling in as for their music.
The building holds up to 4,000 people, and the sound was great, or at least better than you’d find in an ancient hockey hall.
The Newsboys airdome tour is being watched carefully by many in the music industry, and there were pluses and minuses with the structure Saturday. The first show was delayed because of fears about the heavy wind and rain, but with the theater-in-the-round setup, there also wasn’t a bad seat in the place.
Actually, “seat” is the wrong term, because few sat during the Newsboys’ hour-and-a-half set.

1 ) October 1998

Michael W. Smith demonstrates his diverse appeal for near-sellout crowd
CONCERT REVIEW

HERSHEY - The man in the stylishly baggy jeans stood in the spotlight, quietly remembering how his goal when he entered the music business had been to simply make a record - ONE record.
Twelve records - five of them gold, one platinum - a slew of oft-played radio hits, two Grammy awards and lots of other accolades later, Michael W. Smith said he still feels like “a weak man He (God) decided to use” to reach people through his songs.
A Christian contemporary artist, Smith’s appealing voice and knack for crafting catchy pop-rock songs like “Place in this World” and “Friends” (no relation to the TV show) have brought him a massive audience.
But he still wants everyone to know where he gets his strength, Smith said during a diverse, entertaining and uplifting show at Hersheypark Arena Thursday evening.
That strength was evident all through Smith’s 90-minute show, which gave the near-sellout crowd of 4,700 everything - Elton John-ish piano, full rock ’n’ roll sounds and theatrics, love ballads, and a quiet time of praise and worship.
After softer songs with just “Smitty” on piano, you got thunderously catchy ones like “Secret Ambition.”
But moments later he switched gears with tender ballads like “Never Been Unloved” and “In My Arms Again,’’ which he wrote for “Titanic” - it didn’t make the movie’s soundtrack.
He often kidded with the diverse audience during his 90-minute show - he looked out at the many moms and dads and quipped, “It looks like my demographics have changed!” - told a few jokes on himself and good-naturedly played Christmas music two months early.
Smith then led worship for a spell, and when at the end most of the audience was standing, he himself stopped and led a period of quiet, respectful applause - for God.
Backed by a thumping six-member band that included the two members of opening act Wilshire, Smith started with a bang with the guitar-driven “Missing Person” from his newest record, “Live the Life.”
The title is a reference to Smith and other Christians, living the life and walking the walk instead of delivering sermons.
The likeable 40-year-old Smith, whose boyish good looks got him named one of People magazine’s 50 most beautiful people a few years ago, looked like a natural on stage.
And few people are able to appeal to his mix of Boomers and Xers, children and parents, people who like ballads and would-be grungers.
At home, he told the Hershey crowd, he’s just a dad to his five children, someone who tries to imitate Michael Jackson - his kids tell him he can’t do it.
After the show, a dad on his way out asked his grunge-looking teen-age son how he had liked it. “Awesome,” the son said.
Opening were up-and-coming acts on Smith’s Rocketown label. The first was Wilshire, a husband-and-wife duo who ended with their rousing, up tempo “Closer Still,” the “ah-AH-ah-AH-ah” refrain filling the old arena.
Opening the evening was folk singer/guitarist Chris Rice, who sounded like James Taylor and mesmerized the crowd all by himself.

2 ) December 2000

’Smitty’ concert is a sweet holiday treat

CONCERT REVIEW

HERSHEY — The sharp-dressed man at stage center looked like he was conducting a symphony, smiling and emoting and waving his arms like a Leonard Bernstein wannabe.
Then, a moment later, he was over at the piano a la Elton John, feet stamping and mouth singing “An-gels we have heard on high… Gloria, Glor-Gloria,” with his trademark gusto.
It’s Christmastime in Chocolatetown, U.S.A., and you didn’t need a trip through the nearby brightly-lit Christmas Candylane here Monday night to realize that.
Instead, you just had to take a gander and give a listen to singer Michael W. Smith — the Christian music superstar who has crossed over to broad popular success — performing a concert of nearly all Christmas music.
And he brought a new joy of the holidays home for several thousand people in the old HersheyPark arena Monday.
Joined by Christian music acts the Katinas and Anointed, Smith — known for mass-appeal catchy songs like “Friends,” “Place in this World” and “Cry for Love” — left most of the hits behind as he sang a variety of carols and holiday classics during his two-hour-plus show.
Backed by a six-man band, Smith led the audience in singing the timeless carols like, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Silent Night” and (Smith’s personal favorite) “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
Helped by the several thousand voices in the audience, Smith didn’t have to sing much. “Y’all sound real good out there,” the Kenova, W.Va. native, who has relocated to Nashville, told the crowd.
The idea of a Christmas-music-only concert by a singer with mostly rock and pop-ballad hits might be surprising to some.
But “Smitty” has two full albums — he has made 14 overall — of Christmas music, and has been known to sprinkle concerts at all times of the year with a Christmas song or two.
Lit by seemingly a million flashbulbs from the crowd, Smith ended Monday night’s show with “The Happiest Christmas,” as done by Petula Clark — yes, the very one who sang the British Invasion-era smash hit, “Downtown.”
Smith delivered her song with a poignancy for anyone, whether far from home or close to the homestead this holiday season: “Oh, the happiest Christmas/is a homecoming Christmas, the happiest wishes/are old-fashioned wishes.”
Throughout the show, the likable 42-year-old Smith, whose boyish good looks got him named one of People magazine’s 50 most beautiful people several years ago, brought home the Christmas message with a mix of solemnity and fun.
All the performers teamed up at one point to deliver “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” with a disco-ish, Sister-Sledge-Meets-the-Supertones (the Supertones are a popular Christian ska-rock act) beat that thumped through the arena.
Also particularly good Monday was the three-member group Anointed, who delivered their soulful hit ballad “Adore You” with a special feeling.

On a sunny note, rainchildren to end 4-year career

MARTY SHAUGHNESSY remembers how he had started writing songs in college, and since “I didn’t know how to “write,’ I only tried to be as honest as I could be.”
The results became apparent when he started hearing from people out there who had been encouraged by one of his songs.
“I got some letters, and I remembered thinking, “Wow, I wrote the songs for me, and here someone else can get something out of it,”’ says the singer/songwriter for rainchildren, a popular Lancaster-area Christian contemporary band.
“I’m just grateful someone can listen to it and get something out of it,” says the low-key, unpretentious Shaughnessy, a Massachusetts native who now lives in East Hempfield Township.
After reaching people at area coffeehouses and churches, music festivals and through the band’s three CDs over the last four years, the now 27-year-old Shaughnessy realized several months ago the time had come to close things out.
“It’s time to put this chapter to an end. I have a peace about it, the guys have a peace about it,” says Shaughnessy, who’s says “it’s great to realize that just through being open, you’ve affected someone in a positive way.”
A medical proofreader for a pharmaceutical company in suburban Philadelphia, he’s getting married in early 1999 and also plans to finish his undergraduate degree.
The end of rainchildren’s ministry comes with “no hard feelings - this band is still five friends who play music. If we’re not playing music together, we’re still going to be friends,” Shaughnessy says.
The group’s last concerts are this Saturday at Lancaster Evangelical Free Church. The 7:30 p.m. show is sold out, but a second show has been added at 3 p.m. Cost is $7.50. Call 392-3206 for details.
A guitar-driven rock quintet with tinges of folk and country behind Shaughnessy’s distinctive, plaintive vocals, the band met at Phoenixville’s Valley Forge Christian College.
Along with Shaughnessy, who plays guitar and does the bulk of the singing, rainchildren members are: Steve Bridgeman, guitar and vocals; Dennis Durasoff, bass and vocals; Aaron Gagne, percussion; and Kevin Russo, drums.
Just like U2 got the title for the “Rattle and Hum” movie and album from a line in the song “Bullet the Blue Sky,” rainchildren got its name from a line in a song (”Something Pure”) on its first demo tape.
Most of its second effort, last year’s “Feels Like Summer,” was recorded at the Mill Coffeehouse in Lititz during a May 2, 1997 show. Rainchildren now have a third record, “Limited Edition,” featuring a combination of new, live and previously-released songs.
Rainchildren performed around the country for two months this summer, and even if it hasn’t topped the charts like Christian songwriter Bob Carlisle with “Butterfly Kisses,” the band has reached and maybe encouraged plenty of new fans - “and to me, that’s successful,” Shaughnessy says.
“In the letters we’ve gotten, people said things like, “This song made me weep,’ or “This song really held me, I wanted to thank you for being real and open.’ Those kinds of things, I would never want to give that up.”
Says rainchildren fan Fred McNaughton, station manager at Christian contemporary station WJTL-FM, “The DC Talks and Newsboys (both well-known Christian rock bands) of the world, who can make a living out of it, are rare - very few can do it for a living, and that makes you realize how tough a haul it is.
“But one thing (rainchildren) have done is bring such a warmth and personality to Christian music in this area. I think everybody who goes and sees them thinks of them as their friends,” McNaughton adds.
Says Shaughnessy, “We didn’t set out to impress anyone. Our goal has been just to be regular people who play music and love God - to show people who the real Jesus is, by loving people and being real.”
In the song “Thanks, I’m Alright,” he writes: “Well, I wish that I could show you/The Jesus that I know/You could look into His eyes.”

HERSHEY — Mac Powell saw the guy in the front row almost as soon as he and the other Third Day musicians moved to the very front edge of the stage.

There was William, covered in tattoos, among the 10,500 people inside a jam-packed Giant Center, and Powell chuckled.

“That’s the kind of fan Third Day has,” the band’s singer said, compared with the perhaps slightly more sedate fans of Michael W. Smith, the main performer at Friday night’s “Come Together and Worship” event here.

With that, Third Day’s bass player Tai Anderson, himself a strapping dude in a cowboy hat, went over and gave William the Fan his best football-ish, fist-five salute.

As shown by William, not to mention the mix of music offered by Smith and Third Day, there certainly was diversity among the faithful who gathered by the river actually, inside the new arena.

And the combination of music and the motivational preaching of author and speaker Max Lucado all made Friday’s event one of the better Christian music concerts of recent years.

But the term “concert” isn’t really accurate. By design, it was more praise and worship than performance and entertainment.

Smith, among the most popular Christian music performers, didn’t do his best-known songs, like “Friends.” Nearly everyone has probably heard the tune and its “A friend’s a friend forever…” refrain at a graduation somewhere.

Instead, he was Michael W. Smith, worship leader, and the sparkling new arena was a giant church — one with hockey banners, no less.

The combination met just about every interest. There was Third Day’s thundering (but sometimes light and melodic) guitar-fueled rock, led by Powell’s powerful vocals, along with headliner Smith’s extremely catchy keyboard-based pop.

Third Day’s set had several songs found on its best-selling, harder-edged worship album, “Offerings.”

They ranged from “These Thousand Hills” to the slower “King of Glory” and “Your Love Oh Lord,” with the whole arena clapping to the whap-whap-whap-whap drum-and-organ intro.

Despite the band’s Allman Brothers-ish, Black Crowes-ish sound — like them, Third Day’s also from Georgia — the group’s best song Friday may have been the slow and beautiful “Love Song,” also from “Offerings.” It featured Powell and guitarist Mark Lee, playing an acoustic.

Smith’s set would have been familiar to anyone who owns his platinum-selling “Worship” album from a year ago.

That project, along with his newest album “Worship Again,” recently made him the only artist, Christian or mainstream, with two albums in Billboard’s top 100.

Backed by an extremely professional band, Smith’s trademark voice led the crowded house on “Here I Am to Worship,” “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” “Above All” and Rich Mullins’ “Awesome God.”

Lucado, a popular Christian speaker and the author of such best-selling books as “He Chose the Nails,” popped up intermittently with messages of several minutes each.

At one point, the Texan challenged the crowd to give up an area of their lives they’re hanging onto — money, children, their jobs — and asked “What’s your Isaac?” Lucado’s reference was to Abraham in the book of Genesis, who, being tested by God, was asked to give up his only son.

The concert ended as it should have, with Smith’s moving “Agnus Dei.” He played softly on piano while he sang the gentle “Ha-a-al-le-lu-ja,” and then Third Day joined him for its harder-rock version.

The 16-date “Come Together and Worship” tour is getting perhaps as much mainstream press attention as any Christian music tour in recent memory, and the concerts are being held in, and often selling out, some of the country’s larger arenas.

There also have been pieces about the tour in USA Today and on the “Today” show.

At Friday’s show in the new Giant Center, several fans said the sound system was excellent across the bright, airy arena, and the staff was cheerful in helping crowd members find their way around.

On the down side, traffic outside was… well, a challenge, and the church vans and cars trying to get in and out of the parking lot probably had plenty of people praying for patience.