The REDvolution tour
Fans experienced a Christian rock, electronica and hip-hop all-in-one concert
Fans of alternative Christian music and Liberty students alike witnessed a clash of Christian rock, electronica and hip-hop last Thursday night Oct. 22 when the REDvolution tour made a stop at Liberty University.
Rock — RED performed some of their most popular songs including “Fight Inside.” Photo credit: Michela Diddle
The REDvolution tour, which took place in the LaHaye Event Space at Liberty, conjoined the electronica group Capital Kings, hip-hop artist Tedashii and rock groups Wolves at the Gate with RED, who was the headlining act of the concert.
“The REDvolution tour is something unique; it’s not every day where you see a group of artists from different genres come together for a full fledge tour,” Liberty Student Activities Director Stephanie Ward said. “We knew it would draw a crowd and (we were) excited to bring it (to) Liberty.”
Wolves at the Gate opened the concert with a four-song set that highlighted its unique mix of artsy hardcore and hard-hitting rock music that members of the band jokingly call “apple-core.” Since its startup in 2008, the band’s success has led to multiple international tours with bands, including RED, the band members said they grew up listening to.
“As a band, we have always desired to step outside the box and approach playing heavy music in a different way,” guitarist Steve Cobbuci said, according to the band’s website. “A lot of these songs are written on the acoustic guitar because first and foremost we want people to hear songs, not just a collection of interesting parts.”
The set on Thursday included the fan favorite “Dead Man,” a song that came out of its first studio album, “Captors,” and which helped elevate the album to reach Billboard’s list of top ten Christian albums shortly after it was released in 2012.
Following Wolves at the Gate’s set, the band left the stage and fans quickly transitioned from lip-splitting hard-rock, to the heavy bass vocals of Tedashii.
Tedashii started his set by showcasing his usual upbeat tracks for which the Christian hip-hop artist is known. He continued his lively pace on stage by rapping alongside recorded singles from fellow Christian hip-hop artists including Lecrae, Andy Mineo and Trip-Lee.
Near the end of his set, Tedashii strayed from his buoyant performance to give tribute to military personnel and their families with his song “Last Goodbye.” During the song, he shared the stories of his grandfather and sister who were both enlisted in the military and killed overseas, along with the story of his one-year-old son who died of natural causes in 2013.
“There are pain and hardships that are coming in my life and your life,” Tedashii said while showing fans a picture of his deceased son. “Some of you have lost someone you love just like me, but because I am a believer in Jesus, I know that in my heart that I will see my loved ones again. We don’t have to say our last goodbyes.”
Capital Kings then took the stage, sharing with audiences their unique brand of electronica and Christian pop. Their performance on stage consisted largely of white flashing strobe lights and dramatic beats of music that seemed to revive the upbeat tempo of the concert.
The D.C.-native duo’s performance on stage mostly brought songs from their new album “II,” which came out on Oct. 16 and has since reached the No. 12 spot in Billboard’s list of trending
Christian albums.
It was clear, however, that the audiences were most excited when RED took the stage as the final act of the night. The band of four showcased their new fifth studio album, “Of Beauty and Rage,” which broke through the list of top Christian albums to reach the No. 14 spot on Billboard’s overall list of trending albums.
Lead singer Michael Barnes led fans in colorful and dramatic performances of some of their most popular songs from “Fight Inside,” which became the first single to ever debut at No. 1 on a Christian radio chart, to “Falling Sky” from their new album, where Barnes took time to emphasize what morality looks like for him as a Christian.
“That song is about the crazy world we live in,” Barnes said referencing “Falling Sky.” “Everywhere I turn, I see that the world’s vision of morality is skewed, but then again I am so thankful because I know that my Lord and savior Jesus Christ has got it all in his hands.”
In the middle of the set, guitarist Anthony Armstrong transitioned from the band’s hard-hitting alternative rock an acoustic rendition of Greg Holden’s “The Lost Boy,” where fans took their phones out to use as lights. The concert ended only after fans chanted for an encore, where RED responded with two more songs including the fan favorite “Shadow and Soul” from their new album.
According to the REDvolution tour’s website, the group of alternative Christian artists will make their next stop in Corinth, Mississippi Oct. 29.
YOUNG is a feature reporter.