New project "Lessus" is a collection of performances with missing bandmates

We don't sub in people when members of our band are missing. Instead we use the opportunity to find arrangements that work with whomever is left. This creates a couple healthy dynamics in the band and in the congregation.

  • Constraint breeds creativity - forces the band to think differently about how and what we play
  • Set diversity - week to week we could go from 5 people on stage playing noise rock to 3 people doing an acoustic set, or all electronic DJ set or a cappella
  • Discomfort - even if you think what you're doing is pushing boundaries, those boundaries quickly become new comfort levels if they aren't consistently moved. There's a measure of gospel adventure in which the body joins together and commits ourselves to laying aside our preferences and committing ourselves to the deep, communal work of the gospel.

This collection of live performances which we're calling "Lessus" will be from those sets. As with all our releases, will add to the over time so we can get out songs as fast as we can.

Release: Advent - Oh Come Let Us Adore Him (Live)

We've just released the first live recording of our Advent collection. We'll be adding songs to this album throughout the month. We hope you enjoy our take on our favorite Christmas songs. 

As always all our live recordings are free to download though if you are so inclined you can name your price.

Video: Service of Shadows II - The Strepitus

/ˈstre.pi.tus/, [ˈstrɛ.pɪ.tʊs]  a great noise

This is the conclusion of our Tenebrae service where we attempted package the journey to the cross and its earth shattering implications inside our version of the Tenebrae "great noise". After the conclusion of this, everyone walked out in silence and darkness. What you see and hear was recorded live in our second service, most of the instrumentation is improvised but there's points where I feel some measure of Holy Spirit orchestration in how the words and music came together. The spoken word is written and performed by Wayne Wynter who is one of our elder's at Redemption Alhambra.

I cannot begin to tell you how blessed I and my family are by his words here. I've been mixing and watching this for a couple of months and I've yet to watch it and not cry. I told my wife that if I had 10 minutes to plead the gospel to someone, I'd just have them watch this video. I've broken down Wayne's words hear piece by piece with my children as devotionals to make sure they don't leave my care knowing the heart of the truth spoken here by Wayne.

I also want to thank everyone who is on the credits at the end of this video and call out that not a single person on stage, in the booth and in those credits is paid. Everyone has graciously donated their time (and a lot of it) for the benefit of the body and our community and I want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you. We as the band feel like this night is probably the greatest thing we'll ever be a part of and I'm so happy to share with those who couldn't make it.

We'll be releasing audio of this next week. Enjoy.

Release: Service of Shadows II - There is a Fountain

This is a hymn rewrite we've worked on over this past year and it's one of my all time favorites lyrically. For obvious reasons this felt like a perfect fit for the service. The added instrumental section at the end served as the backdrop for some scripture projection we were doing as part of the liturgy. Hope you enjoy.