Mi familia decides to take a lovely trip down to Disney World during spring break. As we all know, Disney World is a place to take the kids for a good time. Thus, the theme park is based around what will have kids begging their parents to visit again and again. But in the midst of all this Mickey Mouse fame, there is a little section built more with the adult in mind. This section is called Downtown Disney, and it includes a now-famous place known as the House of Blues.
House of Blues has concerts almost every day (as well as serving food in the restaurant part). And the night I was there, I was very surprised to see Chevelle and Filter on the concert list. I guess it was one of those "at the right place, at the right time" moments.
The show itself didn't start till 8 PM, but it was about 6 PM when I bought my ticket. So in the meantime, I just walked aimlessly around the Virgin Megastore, waiting for the doors to open. When I finally got in line for the concert, I was very surprised at the variety of people I saw. There were families of 3 and 4, guys and girls dressed in everything from baggy to revealing, singles ready to mingle, and lovely little couples that thought they were in for a night of smooth sounds (a la Sixpence NTR-like bands). I made conversation with some of the people waiting in line. Half of them didn't know who Chevelle or Filter was. They just wanted to go drink and enjoy the party.
When I got into the House of Blues, I was surprised that the venue was so big. The building quickly filled with people. It was like a big, 2-level bar with a designated mosh pit in front of the stage. I found a spot to stand on the upper level, so I could enjoy the concert in full view.
First to hit the stage was Chevelle. They definitely put their hearts into the performance and showed what a wonderful live band they are. Really, if you liked the CD, you'll love them live. As for the crowd, they didn't seem to get what this band was all about (musically) until the third song or so. After that, they still didn't seem to know how to mosh, but they did get the concept of crowd surfing and jumping up and down rather quickly. For their last song, Chevelle did a killer performance of "Point #1."
By this time, the whole crowd was getting into it in some form or another. In the end, I think Chevelle left the crowd surprised, amused, and maybe a little scared. I don't think these concert-goers were expecting this band to rock so hard.
Next on the list was Filter. They come out with an awesome light show while they sang "Welcome to the Fold." Definitely a grand entrance. It was funny seeing the adults around me, beer in hand, trying to dance like it was a rave or something. Although Filter is a secular band, they weren't as bad as I thought they would be as far as cursing. They did take their time to express their thoughts on Jack Kevorkian. According to the band, they believe that if someone is in extreme pain or has an incurable disease, they have the right to commit suicide. I guess this makes Filter a political band.
Then, they started to sing "Take a Picture," and I got a bit woozy from all the couples snuggling and making out. At this point, I decided to go ahead and leave.
But I had to make a stop at the T-shirt booth before I left. A lady working at the booth and I were talking about her travels with Chevelle and Filter. I mentioned that the members of Chevelle were Christians and were on a Christian record label. She said that it didn't surprise her, because she could really see the difference in their attitudes and personalities. I guess it set them apart from the other people she's on the road with. She also added that they were super nice guys, and she was glad to be on the road with them. So, even though Chevelle isn't necessarily a 'ministry' band, I think that this conversation showed that God is using them.
Seeking Truth Now is (c)2002 Daniel M. Branum. Comments: seekingtruthnow@yahoo.com.
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