Catch Up on The Rock & Worship Roadshow

By Ben York
Posted: Feb. 20, 2013

Having made several tour stops on its fifth annual tour, The "Rock & Worship Roadshow" has already made a lasting impact on audiences across the country.

• The Rock & Worship Roadshow Comes to US Airways Center

With a new group of all-star musicians including MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, Tedashii, Kutless, Family Force 5, Luminate, Adam Cappa, Rhett Walker Band and Tim Timmons, this tour follows the very successful 2012 "Roadshow" which was named one of Pollstar's Top 50 Tours for Mid-Year 2012.

The best part? Tickets are only $10 at the door. Can't beat it. 

Here's all the latest news, reviews and information to get you ready for the one-of-a-kind concert at US Airways Center on Feb. 23. 

Concert Review

MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard explained the philosophy behind the Rock and Worship Road Show.

“We just wanted a tour where the fans win,” said Millard, who acted as emcee for the activities on Friday, Feb. 8.

It included nine musical acts plus other special presentations for a $10 dollar at the door admission price and a pass-the-hat offering. It’s a deal around 7,500 fans took advantage of at Van Andel Arena.

Headliners MercyMe performed several of their numerous inspirational hits such as “Word of God Speak” and “All of Creation,” but also tried out their new “You Don’t Care At All” from their latest album.

• Link: Michigan Live

"Roadshow Documentary"

The tour was launched five years ago by MercyMe, whose latest album, “The Hurt & the Healer,” was their fifth consecutive release to top the Billboard Christian album charts. This year’s lineup also features Jeremy Camp, Tedashii, Kutless, Family Force 5, Luminate, Adam Cappa, Rhett Walker Band and Tim Timmons.

“Roadshow — The Film” will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Roadshow.

“From catering to lighting rigs, audio load in and life on a bus, it takes a village to pull everything together for an artist to walk on stage and put on an amazing show for the fans,” producer Ryan Smith says. “We are thrilled to be putting together this feature-length documentary that will give a behind-the-scenes look at a major tour.”

• Link: Arizona Republic (See the trailer for the "Roadshow Documentary" above)

Jeremy Camp Interview

Camp is a roadshow veteran who said he’s looking forward to the community that Roadshow artists enjoy as they travel from city to city. It’s a chance for younger and older artists to interact; it’s a chance for them to support one another and pass the torch.

“The more we lift each other up during this tour, the better the night is going to go, which will affect the people better,” he said. “And that’s what we’re doing this for, we want the best night that glorifies the Lord.”

• Link: Alabama.com

Show is About Faith, Not Money

It’s a great message that is much needed in the world today, Millard said. But it doesn’t do anyone any good if they can’t afford the price of a ticket to see it.

That’s been a thorny issue to Millard ever since he and fellow MercyMe band members James Bryson, Robby Shaffer, Nathan Cochran, Michael Scheuchzer and Barry Graul were jogging around an arena in which they were performing.

“We saw a poster for our concert and we noticed that our tickets were 75 or 80 bucks each,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘We’re offering this free gospel for an awfully expensive price.’”

Since then, he said, MercyMe members have worked to get the prices for their concerts down. On the Rock & Worship Roadshow tour, “we wanted to find a way to cut corners without hurting the product.”

The result is a full evening of powerful Christian music for just $10 per seat. There are no tickets for the show and no reserved seating. Just show up at ESA with $10 (cash or check only) in hand and you’ll get a seat — first come, first served — until the last seat is taken.

• Link: Deseret News

Kutless Brings Rock & Roll to the Roadshow

"Our newest rock stuff may not be quite as heavy as our early stuff. That's also in part because our personal styles have changed, too."

Kutless now holds a place as one of the establishment Christian pop music outfits with more than 2 million albums sold since its self-titled debut in 2002, three years after forming as a campus worship band at Portland's Warner Pacific College, a Christian liberal arts school.

Whether it's choosing what direction to take the next album or picking a set list, Sumrall says Kutless is very audience oriented, saying, "the performance really isn't for us."

• Link: Kentucky.com