'Alive & Transported'

By Paul Loader

Like others on the Bristol Rocks team I have been tempted by the glamour of writing for other websites and as BR’s resident God Botherer (that’s Christian you Muppet) I write for a site called ‘Cross Rhythms’. 

Now although you may never have heard of the site, it has a readership of over 200,000 a month world wide as well as running its own radio station and festival. It is an influential voice in the HUGE worldwide Christian music market.

I normally have to review new CD’s generally from the USA, most of which are okay, but not earth shattering. Then I came across a live DVD/CD that shook my world and I thought I would share it with my favourite readers, that of Bristol Rocks. 

I thought it would be of interest to anybody who thinks that the sum extent of Christian music is Songs of Praise. Co’s it aint!
 

Please excuse me if I treat you as if you have never heard of this lot before, mainly because unless you travel in Christian circles you probably haven’t.

Back in 1995 there was an American Urban Hip Hop band called dc talk who produced a pop rock album more in the vein of Nirvana than MC Hammer and that album was called Jesus Freak. It sold over 2 million copies world wide (yes, TWO Million) and it turned Christian music on its head.

Anyway, by the year 2000 the three members of dc talk decided to give it a break and concentrate on their individual solo projects. 

Toby Mac, dc talk’s front man formed himself a band called The Diverse City Band and went back to the Urban Hip Hop roots of his former band.
 

The DVD/CD that I want to introduce you to was taken from a massive tour that was even played in front of the Pope (I don’t know why as Toby Mac isn’t a Catholic and goodness only knows what the Pope thought of it). This is the Huston Texas gig and the finished film was put on generally and successful cinema release in the USA and finally released on DVD and CD in May 2008.
 

The DVD is one of the best live production jobs I have seen for a long time, and even though I am not really a Hip Hop fan, I REALLY love this show.

TM is backed up by three extremely talented backing singers/rappers that put on a choreographed show that is both professional and amazing to watch. They own the stage as they sing their hearts out and fill the stage with their presence. 

The musicians are to die for and are both solid and tight. They give a solid wall of rock over which the singers can rap and sing. 

Songs that really stand out are of course Jesus Freak the title track from the de talk alum and In the light also taken from the same album. Toby Mac’s solo material is equally as strong with songs like Gone and No Ordinary being the less Hip Hip and more Pop Rock of the set.
 

The band really rock and they clearly enjoy what they do, and its infectious, enough to draw this old rocker in that’s for sure. I found myself singing along to a song called No Ordinary!, Loader singing along to Hip Hop, now there’s a first. 

The set is big with a lighting rig that I would sell our guitarists liver for and the whole feel proves that the American’s take their Gospel music seriously.
 

Anyway, if you fancy dipping your toe into the world of modern ‘Gospel’ music, that I can think of no finer place to dip your toe than this DVD/CD. You never know, once hooked you might dig out some of the many thousands of great Christian artistes that are out there and maybe, one day, I might introduce you to a few. 

“All things bright and beautiful….all creatures great and small” yeah right I don’t think so!