By: Andy Dudynsky
As a veteran festival attendee, I’ve been to countless Warped Tours, Bamboozles, and all other alternative music festivals that stop by the New York area. But this past weekend at Revelation Generation 2009 was something different. I’ve even been to several Christian music events, but nothing that compared to the scale of Revelation Generation 2009.
Unlike the events listed above, RevGen 2009 started with something special – a word of prayer. Under Friday’s blue skies, the early arrivers bowed their heads before The Glorious Unseen took to the New York stage. This set the mood for the entire weekend, as throughout the weekend thousands of teens were given the chance to learn more about Christ while watching their favorite bands, many of them for the first time. Sean Grom of the RevGen steering committee commented “Revelation Generation is not just a concert. We want to see lives changed.”
“I don’t care, I’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada, I can die now!” said a girl of fourteen or fifteen years. Interestingly enough, each band stressed throughout the weekend that they do not deserve to be looked at as anyone different than the fans in the crowd. This was also the aim of “Tent 7,” a place where a few lucky fans were able to meet and greet their favorite bands and listen to what they had to say. Most shared messages about being saved, and how God and music have changed their lives. “We try to do the right thing, and let people down all the time” says Toby Morrell of Emery. Many bands, including Underoath and Switchfoot told stories about tough times in their lives, and how they wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for God’s love. At the end of each Tent 7 session, people unfamiliar with Christ were given the chance to receive a bible and talk to the friendly volunteer staff so that they could learn more about what it means to be a Christian – something a lot of youth took advantage of.
Friday’s acts kept their fingers crossed as the breeze began to cool and the clouds began to darken. Although Emery introduced themselves as the “official Underoath tailgate party,” their performance was nothing less than spectacular. After, fans got treated to Haste the Day, who encouraged listeners to “stand up for what you believe in, even when everything falls away.” Attendees were reminded that it’s easy to do the right thing in a Christian atmosphere such as RevGen. But when you go out into the world; whether at school or work, or even seeing the same bands in a non-Christian setting, stay true to what’s important to you and to God.
Over on the Philadephia stage, popular artists like Matthew West, Jars of Clay, and MercyMe pumped out their chart-topping hits. Joining them was Delirious?, in what will most likely be their last show in the United States, as they have decided to split ways in November 2009. Dressed in three piece suits, the band from the UK is best known for their 1994 song “I Could Sing of your Love Forever.” Friday bands didn’t have huge crowds, but that didn’t stop them from putting out amazing music that echoed over the massive space that is Revelation Farms. Jars of Clay ended up drawing the biggest crowd of the night, playing songs from the new album all the way back to their self-titled. This was the first time I personally felt God over the weekend – I’ve been listening to Jars for about six years, and to look around and see everyone singing along and praising God was quite amazing. Even though just about everyone was there to see different bands, everyone was really at RevGen for a similar reason; to praise God through music, and not worry about work or school.
Closing out the night was Underoath, who stressed the importance of the fact that we cannot tell other what to do, but that we can love people, be open minded, and have open hearts, while loving everyone the same. A large group prayer followed, where several of the tents were packed with teens who shared tear-jerking testimonials and words of guidance.
One event attendee, Kate Laird, 24, from Port Republic, NJ, commented that she wished that all of the RevGen bands would talk more about Christ onstage at their other shows. I agree, and hope that bands will continue to thank God while onstage, and reach out to music fans that really need help finding God in their lives.
Saturday’s weather ended up being a bit hotter, as temperatures rocketed up to the high 80′s. (Come on, that’s hot for September in Jersey!) Thankfully, RevGen was also more reasonable about water prices, selling bottles for just a dollar – talk about unheard of! The proceeds from the food and beverage sales benefited various local charities. Speaking of charities, RevGen’s merch tent provided an awesome outlet for many non-profits, including Gospel for Asia, Rockforlife.org, To Write Love on Her Arms, and several Christian apparel brands. Fans got a chance to get some free gear, find out more about a charity, and donate money directly.
Also in attendance were several local colleges, which provided a great chance for all high school and middle school students to get a peak at some of the northeast’s finest Christian based schools. In attendance were Philadelphia Biblical College, Baptist Bible College, and Messiah College, and many others. With free t-shirts and private orientation dates, I’m sure many teens took advantage of a free college fair during the weekend.
August Burns Red, ready to headline their next tour, gave Staurday’s crowd a reason to arrive early. Before their performance, fans heard a message from festival organizers explaining that love is what will build the music community, and parents learned that although the music of the Philadelphia stage may sound “angry,” it is passionate, and presents a strong message. The weekend provided Christian music for all types of fans, which is why it is such a big hit for youth groups and families. Other attractions included skateboarding and BMX demos, and multiple volleyball courts not too far away from the main stages.
Jon Foreman of Switchfoot packed the Nashville stage tent on Saturday afternoon, with fans literally overflowing out the sides of the tent for a solo performance. In an intimate setting, he let listeners choose which songs they wanted to hear. He mentioned that he writes music to take care of the things in the world that don’t make sense, and that music is all about communicating these issues. The fans sang along, and got a kick out of references to Bob Dylan and Wayne’s World 2.
I got a chance to sit down with Mindy Daleo, who played on the Nashville Stage Saturday afternoon as well. She explained that if there’s one thing you need to know, it’s that “Anywhere you’re at, you can get out of it. I’ve been there.” She said that she can’t stand how religion is presented these days, and “Believes in a God you can talk to in your living room.” This message is one that is close to my heart, as I often find myself talking to God in the middle of my day in any given place.
Before I mention Saturday’s headlining acts, let’s take a look at two other side stages. Ranging from the pioneers in the Southern Christian hip-hop, GRITS, to B.Reith’s Nashville based band, the Urban Stage provided an opportunity for exposure to some fresh Christian artists. MyChildren, MyBride, and Impending Doom were the big names on the Come and Live stage, which attracted a steady flow of fans that came to see the headlining acts. Between dance teams and DJ’s, these stages offered something different than the Christian alternative scene.
The Devil Wears Prada played a lot of new material in an energetic set that had the crowd surfing and circling in pits that “exceeded (the bands) expectations.” It certainly seemed as if the crowd and the band were feeding off of each other’s energy, as TDWP too mentioned that everything that happens in the crowd is just as important as what they’re up to on stage. Lastly, they made sure attentive fans knew that even as devout Christians, they too make mistakes.
Saturday evening’s performances included Relient K, MercyMe, Switchfoot, and Flyleaf. Relient K treated their old fans to a special set which included tracks like “Mood Rings” and “Sadie Hawkins Dance,” all while busting out trumpets, accordions, and even a bit of 90′s rap. Flyleaf’s Lacy Mosley was the only female at RevGen – she was joined by the talent of Fireflight, Blanca Reyes of Group 1 Crew, Mindy Daleo, and the award winning BarlowGirl.
In passing, I heard a girl mention “I feel like this year it went by so fast.” I truly felt the same way, as the headlining acts were flowing all weekend long. Luckily, I (like everyone else) didn’t have time for a single break, and found myself joining packs of teens running from stage to stage in order to try and catch the end of a set.
This year’s Revelation Generation Festival provided an awesome venue for music fans to come together in a Christian setting. Let’s hope that the future holds more events of this sort all over the country!
You can find out more about Revelation Generation at
www.revgen.org
or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Rev_gen
See you guys next year!
