Minneapolis
Star Tribune
Monday, March 29, 1999
by Susan Hogan/Albach
Star Tribune staff writer
Spirited crowd testament to Christian rock group's appeal
A big screen displayed the image of a satellite, followed by
several seconds of a fast-paced, MTV-like video that ended with
the message: "God
is here."
Those words brought a teen-dominant crowd to its feet Saturday at
Target Center in Minneapolis as the vocal trio dc Talk put on one
of the most
entertaining Christian rock concerts to pass through the Twin
Cities in at least three years.
Videos, psychedelic lighting and aerobic performances by Toby
McKeehan, Michael Tait and Kevin Max (formerly Kevin Smith) made
for a cleverly
crafted concert. Accompanied by a five-piece band, dc Talk mixed
its religious rock with tongue-in-cheek covers from Van Halen,
Prince and the
Beatles.
McKeehan, the weakest vocalist, sparkled on a rap version of the
Doobie Brothers' "Jesus Is Just Alright." Tait, the
strongest vocalist, hit the
mark with "Godsend." Max, the whimsical poet, found his
range on "My Friend (So Long)."
Midway through the show, the trio and their band moved to a
smaller stage in the center of the audience and slowed the pace
with an acoustic
favorite, "What If I Stumble?" Then McKeehan read Psalm
40, and the trio led the audience in worship tunes "Awesome
God" and "My Deliverer."
The last half of the concert matched the electric punch of the
trio's opening. Fans shrieked with approval as the group sang
such beloved hits as
"In the Light," "Jesus Freak" and "Day
by Day."
dc Talk performed for well over two hours. The W's, a Christian
swing band, opened with a lackluster 20-minute set.
Acoustic rocker Jennifer Knapp demonstrated why she recently was
named gospel music's best new artist. With vocals like those of
k.d. lang and
fire like that of Melissa Etheridge, she kept fans spellbound
during her much-too-short 25-minute set.