Winter Jam 2011, Part 1

For the last few weeks my aunt Stacy has been talking to the 3 of us about going to Winter Jam 2011 in Mobile. Well, yesterday afternoon, we decided to go... very last minute! I wanted to go, but I was not dying to go like Kel and Josh.

The drive over was so much fun. Having that time with our wonderful auntie was a blast! Went to Starbucks, ate at Panera Bread, acted crazy, and had lost of time to chit chat.

Following the directions from the web, we could not find the place where it was being held. Even Kel's iPhone didn't give us good directions. When we asked a police officer on the campus of University of South Alabama, he told us where Winter Jam was, and that last year they had to turn back 2,500 people, and there was more people turning up this year than the last. At this point it was already 5 minutes since they opened the doors, and we had not yet had the car parked.

Once we parked, and got to the line, it was already 15 minutes since they opened the doors. As we stood in line, we started making plans that if we didn't get in (which we were expecting not to) we would go see a movie. The line moved pretty fast, and we made it in! Just $10 each at the door! Crazy!

Just 20 minutes after the doors opened, it was packed! We finally found some seats, but they were kinda behind the stage. But we were really close to the performers.

First up was one of the bands we were really looking forward to, and one of Josh's favorites, Red. It was awesome seeing them live. And what was also really cool was behind the drums, they had a fire machine (or what ever they are called). So during the really have parts, the fire would blow in several directions. I was very happy Josh got to see his second favorite band!

Next up was Newsong. Didn't really care to see them, and all I have to say is, it was very interesting. They were a lot older than I expected them to be, but that wasn't what I thought was interesting. They were in skinny jeans! And that's not all. Keep in mind we had just seen Red, and they had a fire machine... Newsong started blowing glitter and confetti! I just started laughing, and leaned over to Stacy to tell her what I thought was funny. And just when she replied with, "I know, it's very intersting" they started playing the old song Shout. That made us laugh even harder! Now they did play Sweet Home Alabama (since we were in Mobile) and that was fun.

Francesca Battistelli was next, at this point Josh and I went out to go check out the Red booth, and I bought their cd, Until We Have Faces, that came out a week and a half ago for $10. I was pretty excited!

When we got back to our seats, David Crowder Band was coming out. That was cool seeing them, because most of the songs they played I know. And since they are from Texas, at the end they did a hoedown. One guy even played a  banjo. It was fun!







When David Crowder Band was done, it was time for an intermission. Kel and Stacy went looking around, but Josh and I stayed with our seats. We enjoyed watching the setup guys up together the Kutless' stuff. And then KJ-52 came out, and was goofing off. 

Stacy and Kel made it back just in time for the next performer. KJ-52 did a song and it was awesome! He also had us doing some dance moves, which Stacy and I did!

Kutless then opened up with their version of It Is Well. I loved it! Next song was one of my favorites of theirs, Strong Tower. The rest of their performance was amazing. Jon Micah Sumrall (the singer) did a few songs on the grand piano they had on stage. It was great!

Up next was Newsboys, and boy was that awesome! They came out singing one of my favorite songs, Dynamite by Tail Cruz. Singer Michael Tate and drumer Duncan Phillips (who in fact is Ausie!) can running down the lite runway. But the keyboard and guitar player came in on platforms that moved through the air. (See picture.) Watching Michael Tate dance, reminded me sooooo much of Michael Jackson. He even did some of MJ's moves.

Through out the show, they would lift these things up off the stage and hover over the crowd. It was awesome! At one point, they started playing one of Kel's favorite song, Play That Funky Music. She had a great big smile on her face! 

During one of the last songs, the platforms rose above the crowd just like before, then Michael Tate went to the end of the runway and rose into the air. (see picture.) And just when you thought that was all, the drummer was raised, turned sideways, and started spinning. It was crazy! Their whole show was very well done and professional. Even more so than when we went and saw TobyMac a few years ago. And just when you thought they were going to end, they started playing the tune of Jesus Freak (which I was really hoping they would since Michael Tate us to be on dc Talk). But then, when you thought "this can't get any better!" KJ-52 came out and did TobyMac's part of the song! Can you say "ama-za-zing"?! I of course was screaming and singing along! What an amazing concert it was!

(Since this post is a little longer than I wanted it to be, I'll be posting Winter Jam 2011, Part 2 soon.)