Christian Music Online

ROCK SHOW WILL FEATURE CHRISTIAN MUSIC

February 10, 2006 – 6:40 pm

ROCK SHOW WILL FEATURE CHRISTIAN MUSIC, FAMILY ATMOSPHERE

Kristen Long organized a show featuring six bands that will play at Edgemere Church of God on Saturday. photo by Roland Dorsey
Concert will be at Edgemere Church of God

by Michelle Ruddle

For a 19-year-old, Kristen Long’s résumé is looking pretty good.

The energetic Sparrows Point High School graduate has organized a concert, At the Rock Show, featuring six Christian rock bands that will play at Edgemere Church of God this Saturday.

Music buff Long launched her job as a concert promoter two years ago, when she organized a similar show at Sparrows Point High School. The then-senior and a friend nabbed nine bands and brought in more than 190 people to that show.

From there, Simple Underground Productions was born and Long set off to bring Christian music to the masses.

“I’m just trying to get good Christian bands out there,” she said. “It’s not the typical gospel music.”

Long, who has been a member of the Edgemere church for about eight years and is active in the youth group there, also serves as manager for Fairgreen, a local band that will be playing Saturday.

The show is co-sponsored by Come Thirsty Café, a monthly meeting of college and high school students at the church. Long also helps to book bands there.

Though this show is “not a secular concert,” Long said, she’s hoping to see a diverse crowd come out.

“It is a Christian concert,” she said, “but we don’t want to draw just one type of crowd. We want to draw all types of people. Church isn’t just for one kind of person.”

Though she’s a drummer too, Long said she prefers to stay behind the scenes.

“I feel like there are people who are meant to be in bands and on stage,” she said. “I’m too shy.”

She may not be on stage, but Long puts in time photographing bands, handing out fliers and recruiting help to spread the word.

On top of that, Long is a student at CCBC Dundalk and has her sights set on Towson University in the future. She’s hoping to study mass communications and stick with her current career path.

Along the way, Long has learned much about the gentle art of music management. For the Sparrows Point show, she said, she negotiated with bands and scraped up money so they can afford to play.

“Some of them just need money for gas to get home,” she said. “It’s just a way to say thank you.”

In addition to locals Fairgreen, At the Rock Show will feature Tympanic, Stones Overturned, Engrafted, To The Curb and Living For Today.

The bands, she said, have “an amazing energy,” and she’s hoping that will bring in at least 200 people.

Long sees concerts like this as an important addition to the community.

“I just think it’s needed for kids to not be on the streets,” she said. “This is a family atmosphere.”

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