Iowa venues welcome contemporary Christian groups and as the bands return, they pull in more and more followers. The latest in these shows was Third Day’s Revelation Tour at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines. Openers were Revive, an Australian group fairly new to U.S. soil, and Brandon Heath, known for his current hit, “Give Me Your Eyes.”
There is nothing quite like being in an auditorium filled with nearly 2000 people dancing, clapping, and singing along with uplifting Christian music. At one point during Third Day’s act, Powell credited that atmosphere with giving us a “tiny glimpse of what Heaven may be like.”
Revive and Brandon Heath Open
From the moment Revive started the show with their hard-driving sound and cute Aussie accents, the entire audience was on its feet. Third Day’s Powell made a surprise appearance when he came out and harmonized on one of Revive’s songs.
Brandon Heath’s quirky attitude and sing-alongs make him quite the crowd-pleaser. He began his set with, “I’m Not Who I Was,” and obviously enjoyed himself on stage. Tennessee native Heath is a perfect lead-in for Third Day.
Atlanta-based Third Day in Iowa
This was just one stop on the 34 city tour, and the boys in these bands really know how to put on a rock concert. The stage was kept simple for the opening acts, but was transformed during the intermission for the main act. The backdrop was an enlarged version of Third Day's latest album cover. Three funky LED screens displayed beautiful visuals during the set. All of the lighting and sound was as professional as it gets.
Third Day members sang popular hits including, “Tunnel,” old favorites like, “Thief,” and new songs such as, “Who I Am.” They came back onstage for a three song encore, to the crowd’s delight. They even called out the lead singer of Revive and Brandon Heath to join them in, “God of Wonders.” Powell’s impressive gravelly voice is unlike any other Christian singer, though it has been compared to Country star Toby Keith.
Christians Know How to Rock
Even “true” rock fans would not be disappointed at a Third Day show. Acoustic guitar solos, occasional strobe lighting, band members belting out their songs, and screaming fans contribute to the atmosphere. Temporary hearing loss is a side effect from their concerts, just as one would suffer at any rock concert.
Read more on guitarist Mark Lee’s blog about playing Des Moines.
