Top contemporary Christian acts like NewSong, Building 429, Citizen Way and Catie Hurst proclaim their faith on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Perot Theatre.
The "I Am a Christian Tour" comes to the Perot as NewSong's fall tour for October, reflecting the name of a new song that they've performed in front of thousands. Russ Lee, lead singer for the Georgia-born band, says if there's ever been a day to be who they are and say what they mean while being unafraid, now is the time.
"This is the day," Lee said. It's the motivation behind the song, album and tour, he explained. It's about faith in this musical declaration and what they all stand for. And for this tour, they and the other bands joining them are forsaking the big arena venues of the ever-popular "Winter Jam" tour for a more intimate setting, smaller venues.
"It's the same music, the same quality, the same commitment to production," Lee said. The same message, too. "It's more focused on a smaller setting."
In such venues, he said, you can make that one-on-one contact with the crowd, looking them in the eye. Sometimes on a big stage with 20,000 people before you, the connection is not the same. This is a different opportunity to connect where they don't have to think about reaching the audience way back in the farthest reaches of a stadium.
"You like to connect with the audience when you tell stories," Lee said. He says it's almost like NewSong will be sitting in a living room with guitars and other instruments, "to meet the audience, if you will."
NewSong's been on the Christian music scene for decades, well beyond 30 years, and in that time they've shared many albums and top Christian radio hits, scoring Grammy Award nominations and induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. In addition to "I Am a Christian," they're know for songs like "Arise, My Love" and "The Christmas Shoes."
Lee isn't an original member, but he's been with NewSong since the 1990s. Before he joined NewSong, says Lee, he respected them. "They were direct," he said.
Lee had been part of another group and then went out on his own. Then he got a call from NewSong co-founder Eddie Carswell. He was so surprised he thought it was a joke at first. He met with the band as they were changing direction. It was like when you reunite with people and it just feels right, Lee said.
"We knew automatically that it was the right thing," he said about joining NewSong way back then.
Lee left the band for a little while to do some solo work and to also focus on his family. His childrenwere growing up, and his wife battled cancer. But then she encouraged him to get back to doing what he loved. Carswell encouraged him, too. So, he rejoined NewSong.
Now, the band has a new album coming out and find themselves in a good groove, forever working on the next thing.
"We're having a great time and it keeps getting better and better," Lee said.
The "I Am a Christian Tour" is a special show in the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council's 2018-2019 Perot Theatre series lineup.
(Tickets: $37 to $17, $47 for VIP. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Group discounts available for 15 or more tickets purchased at the same time. Get tickets at TRAHC.org or call the box office 903-792-4992.)