7 Tour brings DCB career to completion

The David Crowder Band says goodbye in a farewell tour featuring Gungor, Chris August and John Mark McMillan

Hours before the doors opened to the 7 Tour’s Lynchburg concert, students, College for a Weekend (CFAW) visitors and Virginia residents gathered together to brace the cold, eagerly awaiting their favorite bands and artists.

“We came to see the David Crowder Band (DCB) and Chris August,” visitor Kelly Robey, who waited in line for more than an hour after driving from Charlottesville to see the show with friends, said. “I want to hear 7×70 by Chris August. It’s my favorite.”

The 7 Tour, which started Sept. 28 in Austin, Texas, has continued to play for sold out crowds across the U.S., stopping at Liberty University’s Vines Center Nov. 4 to play for another full house.

The tour features artists Chris August, John Mark McMillan and Gungor, but the main act that has caught the attention of audience members and fans is DCB, who has chosen to make this their last tour.

“It’s sad that they are breaking up because they are a really great band,” Robey said.

Crowder and his band have been making music together since they became a band 11 years ago at University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.

In a recent interview with Kyle TerMarsch on Liberty’s on-campus radio station, 90.9 The Light, Crowder said that they never thought they would make the impact that they have on the Christian community.

“We tried to keep it really simple and make music for the people that were in front of us and use our music to articulate what God was doing among us,” Crowder said.

The fans who came to see DCB looked forward to seeing and worshipping together with him.

“I like David Crowder’s originality. He’s okay with just being David. He doesn’t try to go crazy with it,” 17-year-old fan Cameron Lilly said. “What I really like about David Crowder, though, is that he really has a heart for worship that is evident.”

As Chris August opened the concert, the lights flashed, music boomed and hands slowly lifted around the auditorium.

“The most amazing part is how many people are in the same room when they are singing,” CFAW visitor Eva Shell said. “It’s exciting to see everybody singing and worshipping together.”

After August, McMillan and Gungor wowed the crowd with their hits and new singles. DCB then took to the stage to play songs from all of their albums, using the lyrics projected on the screen to lead the crowd in worship.

“Most of everything we write comes from some aspect of church history or some passage of scripture or some sermon series, but I guess most of it roots there,” Crowder said. “As far as inspiration goes, usually I find, it’s really having scripture take on a personality, suddenly scripture takes on flesh and blood. Those moments that are relational are the ones I relate to the most. Life is what brings some spark to your music.”

The bands ended the night with a collaborative performance of the song “How He Loves,” first written by John Mark McMillan but popularized by DCB. Although he had changed the words “sloppy wet kiss” to “unforeseen kiss” in his rendition for the album, Church Music, the bands performed it as McMillan originally wrote it.

Although many fans are disappointed that DCB will soon end their career as a band, Crowder said the group is excited to see where God leads them in the future.

“As life twists and turns and kids arrive and priorities shift and change, this is a tough thing to be doing for 11 years (that’s how long we’ve been at it.),” Crowder said. “It felt like all of us were ready for something different and that we are supposed to be doing something different, so that’s a beautiful thing.”

For information on the 7 Tour’s next show dates and locations, visit davidcrowderband.com/schedule/.