will be this Thursday, August 18, at St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church. The show starts around 6 p.m. and its support of the Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf. Reformation Lutheran is on the corner of Dale and I 94 in St. Paul, MN.

and rehearsals with a group of Christian guys thinking about forming a band. We’re not sure where to go yet. We’re not even sure if this is the final line up. The possibilities, though, are too good to not, at least, take a shot and see what happens.

I would never be very good in a bar band. I’d last about one show because I’d ask the crowd “Why are you here?  There’s a lot of life outside the door, don’t burn it up hanging around in this hole wasting daylight, money, and breath.” Around then I suspect the manager would be at the stage. I just don’t want to make money faking a good time to help other people fake having a good time.

I like the coffee shops, art fairs, farmer’s markets, and open mics. Those venues seem so much more constructive than dives and the people are usually not that interested in getting the show going so they can drink and find a new friend with benefits. The pay is low but you never find yourself in a ditch upside down and wondering what happened.

But to sing for the Lord, well that’s just another level entirely. It’s win / win. Play your heart out, rock your brains, volume up to 11 if you want to and lyrics where you never have to look over your shoulder. People who may never darken the door of a church will listen to a hot blues band and people of faith can let it loose without having to pick through the song like a person picking through garbage for pearls. There are places where my collar will never get me in but my bass will, and people I can talk to after the show that would never approach me after the Liturgy.

What will happen? I don’t know. We just pray before we start and then let it rip. If it’s to be it will and if not at least we tried and had a good time. Everything is in the hands of, to quote Larry Norman,  the Rock that never rolls.

See it here. I have never ceased to be amazed at the human capacity to make music and instruments to express it.

evangelical Christian?

KYIV, UKRAINE — Calling themselves “The Monkles” and playing (loud) rock and roll music with an Orthodox Christian message, four Ukrainian monks have made a name for themselves in the annals of Rock ‘n’ Roll oddities.

Read the rest here…

I’m scheduled to be at the J and S Bean Factory (two blocks east of Randolph and Snelling in St. Paul) on Sunday, July 31, starting at 3 p.m.. I’ll also be playing at a benefit for National Night Out at Hazel Park UCC (Van Dyke and Minnehaha in St. Paul) on Tuesday, August s, starting at 6 p.m.. I’m going to be at a benefit for the Hattie Q. Brown Food Shelf on Thursday, August 18, at 6 p.m. located at St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church (Dale and 94 in St. Paul).

If you’re in the area consider dropping in.