LifeLight Christian music festival Christian Music

LifeLight Christian music festival

March 26, 2009 – 10:30 am

lifelight christian music festival LifeLight , the outdoor Christian music festival that draws thousands to Sioux Falls each fall, brings the music to fans each spring.

Starting this week, three national bands are performing in cities throughout the region. Day of Fire, John Reuben and Willet opened in Watertown on Wednesday for the first of 12 shows on a five-state tour.

“Fans tell us they appreciate this, bringing great music to them instead of having to travel to a larger city,” says Rob Kurtenbach, LifeLight’s tour and concert director.

Day of Fire has played across the United States and in Germany, Sweden, South America, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere overseas.

Day of Fire’s 2004 self-titled debut album featured hits such as “Cornerstone” (No. 1 at Christian Rock radio) and “Detainer.” The album was produced by Scott Humphrey, who has worked with Metallica and Rob Zombie. It won a Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album.

Tour schedule
Also on the LifeLight tour is Willet, made up of Jeremy, Justin and Jordan Willet from Maryland, known for their melodic vocals and heavy guitar riffs, and John Reuben, who in 2007 released his fifth album, “Word of Mouth.”

The South Dakota concerts are set for today in Milbank, Tuesday in Brookings, April 2 in Sioux Falls, April 3 in Huron and April 4 in Aberdeen.

Iowa concerts are Saturday in Sheldon and Sunday in Battle Creek. Minnesota concerts are Monday in Sleepy Eye on and Wednesday in Worthington.

The tour also travels Friday to Alliance, Neb., and concludes April 5 in Bismarck, N.D.
Tickets are $5-$15. See details online at www.lifelight.org/tours.
The free, annual LifeLight Festival will be Sept. 4-6 in Sioux Falls.
Reach reporter Jay Kirschenmann at 331-2312.

LifeLight Tours began in fall 2005 with local and regional bands, he says, and has expanded to national acts.

Day of Fire’s drummer, Zach Simms, 26, says he and his bandmates were looking forward to the tour beyond the annual LifeLight concerts they have played in Sioux Falls.

Band members are Christians, Simms says, but their music includes many “straight up” songs without more pointed religious references.

“We write about real life, things we all go through, and we feel like it’s our way of connecting with lots of people,” he said recently by phone from a North Carolina recording studio, where the band was working on its next album, “Losing All.”

Chris Daughtry had been a friend of the band before he flew off to “American Idol” TV show fame and a successful recording and touring career. Daughtry opened for Day of Fire in the early days and still works with the band.

Day of Fire has toured with Daughtry for dates last year and this year. Daughtry collaborates with the band, too.

“Daughtry co-wrote a couple of the songs on this next album,” Simms says. “Of course, we noticed that he is a ridiculously great singer before ‘Idol,’ and he and our front-man and founder Josh Brown really took off as friends.”

Brown, 31, was a vocalist for Full Devil Jacket, a successful rock band that toured with bands including Nickelback and Creed. He nearly died of a heroin overdose and a destructive lifestyle, recovered and formed Day of Fire in 2004. Band members all contribute to songwriting and arranging.

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