Fishfest offers a spirited blend of talent

My review was originally posted on The Orange County Register Web site on Sunday, June 24 and appears in today's print edition of the newspaper. I have also included some photos I took at the June 21, 2014 concert.

Mike Donehey led Tenth Avenue North through a memorable set of inspired rock at Fishfest

Christian music lovers were treated to a full afternoon and evening of spirited performances Saturday, June 21 at Fishfest at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. The annual event, sponsored by radio station the Fish (95.9 FM), offered a characteristic mix of established and up-and-coming artists, while a large entry area featured representatives from charitable organizations, games and activities, merchandise and food booths.

Bart Millard of MercyMe

Headliner MercyMe’s 70-minute set included not only the band’s well-known hits, but a number of songs off the new release Welcome to the New. All were delivered powerfully, with lead singer Bart Millard offering extended spoken introductions to select songs to provide additional details on their creation.

The Muse-style rocker “A New Lease on Life,” the Motown mining “Wishful Thinking” and the New Wave-minded “Welcome to the New” (which segued into Katrina & the Waves’ “Walking on Sunshine”) were among the standouts of new songs played early in the set.

The group’s biggest hit, “I Can Only Imagine,” started as a lovely piano ballad before the song gradually built momentum and power on the way to a powerful finish. Another new song, “Greater,” boasted a modern country feel while “Move” allowed band members to celebrate their faith with an infectious dance groove.

MercyMe closed its fast-moving set with “Shake,” a wonderful song that started with a capella gospel vocals before it quickly sped into an infectious groove that had the capacity crowd moving.

Jeremy Camp’s musical style was not nearly as wide-ranging as that of MercyMe, but the popular singer-songwriter performed his praise-style pop-rock with a sincerity that connected with the audience.

“Shine” and “My God,” the two songs that launched his set, were powerful and uplifting. He aptly closed out his hourlong outing with the stirring “Overcome,” a richly layered song that boasted symphonic power during which he used his powerful baritone to proclaim his faith.

Artists performing earlier in the day, notably Tenth Avenue North, met with similar success. Although the five-member band hails from Florida, its sound and approach comes across a combination of early U2 and Switchfoot. Singer-guitarist Mike Donehey has an infectious personality and ran into the crowd several times, elevating the power of the outfit’s set.

The band’s hour-long show featured crowd favorites like “Strong Enough to Save” and the modern rocker “Love Is Here.” A new song, “No Man Is an Island,” was another standout, with Donehey delivering an almost-spoken intro before its real power emerged, complete with big choruses.

Plumb at Fishfest

Even more sonically adventurous was Plumb (the moniker for singer Tiffany Arbuckle), who made the most of her 30-minute slot with gems like the melodic heavy rockers “Cage” and “Stranded,” as well as the decidedly different electronica song “I Don’t Deserve You,” the latter especially impressive as she pushed her soprano to its upper reaches. She closed with “Need You Now (How Many Times),” in which she sang tenderly in the more quiet verses while again allowing her voice to soar in the electronica-tinged choruses.

Of the other acts I caught, Dara Maclean impressed most with her shining vocals and infectious material, including the poignant rocker “Wanted.” Singer-pianist Jonathan Thulin mined Gavin DeGraw territory on his piano-anchored “Architecture” and on the forceful “Dead Come to Life.”

Dara Maclean impressed during an early afternoon
set at Fishfest 2014

Fishfest brings the faithful back to Irvine

My concert review was originally posted on The Orange County Register Soundcheck Blog on Sunday, June 30, 2013. A special "thank you" to Kelly A. Swift for the use of her photo at the top of this post.

Casting Crowns delighted, Third Day rocked harder – and 15,000 fans went home uplifted.

Soaring temperatures didn't keep a capacity crowd away from Irvine's Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Saturday (June 29, 2013), where people started pouring in by early afternoon to take in a top-tier lineup of Christian music artists performing at Fishfest 2013.

Since proceeds from The Fish/95.9 FM's festival benefit Compassion International, a global sponsorship program aimed at helping children escape poverty, there were plenty of moving firsthand testimonials to accompany performances throughout the long program.

Making its first appearance at the gathering, Georgian group Casting Crowns performed an hour of its praise-and-worship soft-rock. Although their songs don't challenge musically or lyrically the way Christian artists like Jars of Clay and Switchfoot do, connecting with more wide-ranging explorations of spirituality, Casting Crowns' accessible and melodic songs surely resonated with the faithful this night.

Lead singer Mark Hall led the seven-member ensemble through a dozen songs that offer a straightforward look at the troupe's beliefs. The band took one slight sonic detour, performing an inspired instrumental bluegrass nugget, complete with strong fiddle and mandolin dynamics, before the group segued into the uplifting "Praise You with a Dance," from its 2003 self-titled debut.

Third Day's Mac Powell, in white shirt, with Casting Crowns.

Hall, a youth pastor, noted that almost all CC songs begin life during Bible study. The group then performed one of its best-known tunes, "Voice of Truth," an uplifting number, with Hall's voice blending nicely with fiddle player Melodee DeVevo's soprano in the choruses. The performance reached its zenith later with an affecting take of "Lifesong," the echo and delay guitar effects draping Hall's voice in ethereal textures. Casting Crowns closed with "Until the Whole World Hears," their hardest rocker of the night (Mac Powell of Third Day joined the band on stage to share vocals with Hall during the closing selection) and the perfect chance for the audience to sing along with its big chorus.

Just as popular with the crowd, but bringing a heftier feel, was fellow Georgia group Third Day. Opening its energetic set with the original Southern rocker "Hit Me Like a Bomb," off last year's excellent album Miracle, singer Mac Powell (above) and his mates seemed energized by the rousing welcome. Whether playing acoustic rock ("Revelation," enhanced by an extended guitar solo courtesy of Mark Lee), Southern rock ("Make Your Move," "Sing a Song") or musical prayers ("I Need a Miracle" "Cry Out to Jesus"), Third Day scored with fans up front as well as those positioned high on the lawn.

The faithful during Third Day's inspired set in Irvine.

Midway through Third Day's set, Powell brought out another Georgian – singer Laura Story, a main-stage performer earlier in the day – to join him on a duet of the potent "God of Wonders," the piece's lushness a perfect fit for their distinct voices. Third Day then kicked its set into overdrive, performing a forceful "Children of God," an even more raucous "Otherside" and "Kicking and Screaming," all en route to the Americana rocker "Gone," launched via thea capella intro from the Eagles "Seven Bridges Road."

San Diego singer-songwriter Phil Wickham performed a fast-moving set with a sound blending U2, Simple Minds and Big Country. The 29-year-old and his four-man band impressed with an approach of buoyant beats and rich keyboard and guitar work bolstering soaring vocals. The highlight was "This Is Amazing Grace," which built from a folk intro into a driving rocker.

Performing in the scorching afternoon heat, Augusta-based Story turned in five worship songs set amid heartfelt stories of life at home. She delighted the crowd with an energetic performance of her hit "Blessings," the ballad showcasing her pretty soprano and piano feel.

Photo of Third Day's Mac Powell by Kelly A. Swift, for the Register