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Variety of shows highlight Liberty’s fall concert schedule

Switchfoot lead vocalist Jon Foreman caters to the crowd at a performance in the Vines Center in 2014.

Students arriving on Liberty University’s campus for the fall semester can look forward to an eclectic mix of musical performances appealing to fans of most any genre.

“We try to keep it fresh and diverse with the styles of bands we bring in,” said Robert Johns, assistant director of Student Activities. “We’ve got rap and hip hop, more worship-style groups, and alternative rock and roll with Switchfoot and Relient K coming. So, it’s a pretty good variety, and that’s just for the fall.”

The year’s concert schedule will kick off with the annual Block Party on Sept. 3, when Colony House (featuring Caleb Stevenson and Will Franklin Chapman, sons of Steven Curtis Chapman) and Dave Barnes (a Grammy Award-nominated songwriter who first gained a following by playing in college cafeterias and church basements) take the stage for a free show starting at 5 p.m.“That’ll be a lot of fun,” Johns said. “Colony House has a new album coming out (Sept. 16) and just released a music video for one of their singles. That should be a really cool, really high-energy show. Dave Barnes has more of an acoustic rock kind of vibe.”Barnes, who released his ninth full-length album, “Carry On, San Vicente,” on March 18 is best known for his single, “God Gave Me You.” His live performances are characterized as much by his sense of humor between songs as the inspirational lyrics within them, as he entertains crowds while shining the light of God’s love through his music.

NEEDTOBREATHE lead singer Bear Rinehart performs at Winterfest on Dec. 31, 2016.

The concert, preceded by food, rides, and games and followed by fireworks, will set the tone for the semester at one of the most highly anticipated events on the Student Activities fall calendar.“Block Party is a great way for incoming students to meet new people at the first really big event of the school year,” Johns said. “Different clubs and organizations will be there, too, so students can sign up to get involved in what’s going on around campus.”Switchfoot and Relient K, two of the most influential alternative rock bands in Christian music history, will likely sell out the Vines Center on Thursday, Oct. 20, the opening night of Homecoming weekend. Both bands have performed at previous campus events, Relient K as recently as Block Party 2012.“We’re pretty pumped about that show on their ‘Looking for America’ Tour,” Johns said. “They’ve both been around for a while and are still putting out new music. Switchfoot’s new album (‘Where the Light Shines Through’) just came out on July 8 and Relient K’s (‘Air for Free’) was released on July 22, so it’ll be great to hear their new songs live.”

Crowder played at the opening Convocation of the 2015-16 school year on Aug. 26, 2015 in the Vines Center.

Then, on Nov. 12, over the second College For A Weekend (CFAW) of the semester, the southern-styled classic rock band NEEDTOBREATHE, which released its seventh full-length album on July 15, will conclude its three-month, 53-date “Tour De Compadres” in the Vines Center. Mat Kearney, Welshly Arms, and Charlottesville (Va.)-based Parachute, will serve as opening acts starting at 7:30 p.m. NEEDTOBREATHE, featuring brothers Bo and Bear Rinehart, and led by the latter’s distinctive vocals, played through the rain at the 2014 Block Party.The LaHaye Event Space will host three performances in September. On Sept. 23, Vertical Church Band, which released its newest album, “Frontiers,” on July 29, will bring its worshipful sound.On Sept. 27, the first of three student concerts lined up for the semester will showcase the diverse talents of David Duque and Haley Greene. For other student artists eager to share the spotlight, the first of four Open Mic Nights this fall will take place on Sept. 13, with subsequent dates on Oct. 4, Oct. 25, and Dec. 6.Liberty’s residential recruitment office observed Christmas in July by announcing the lineup for this year’s Winterfest, set for Dec. 30-31 at the Vines Center.NEWSBOYS, for King & Country, Jordan Feliz, Love & The Outcome, Red, Crowder, Humble Tip, and the Liberty Worship Collective will grace the stage for the 15th annual music festival, the largest Christian New Year’s Eve celebration on the East Coast.

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