Weekend in Photographs

This weekend was a quieter one...lots of quality family time with Kate and the kiddo's, meals outside on the deck, early morning cuddling, dress up, a trip to LeGrands, and lots of music.  I hope you had a great weekend!

Peace,
Ross

A Recent Review

Last week I had the opportunity of opening for Dar Williams, with Caleb Travers.  It was a great night of music, stories, and community.  The room was filled with eager fans to hear the tunes and the stories behind them.  Somewhere hidden in the audience was a staff writer from 88.1FM KDHX.  They were taking notes and later wrote this:

"The evening started with Caleb Travers sneaking on stage and easing into his first tune before I realized he was there. Travers is a St. Louis native guitar picker and singer-songwriter that mines tunes from the same vein of love, loss and traveling as artists like Fred Eaglesmith or John Denver. He was joined on stage by Ross Christopher, whose harmonies soared and violin added a tasteful touch to the songs instead of feeling tacked on...A few songs into his set, Travers mentioned that it was good to play a short opening set for “people who give a shit.” I can’t speak for the rest of the crowd, but I’m pretty sure that part of it was his own energy coming back at him. It was apparent that Travers and Christopher have worked together for a while, as they were choosing what to play on the fly. Along with tunes from Travers’ most recent album they performed a cover of the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love” that would surely get the stamp of approval from Phil and Don themselves."

Thanks to KDHX for the kinds words and for everyone in attendance!

Peace,
Ross

Vocation v. Career

Is there a difference between vocation and career?  I think so.  And the difference has Kingdom and missional implications.  Here's a short video from Tim Suttle (my first record producer) highlighting very eloquently the difference.  Enjoy!

::WATCH VIDEO HERE::

Peace,
Ross

When Death Dies

Every now and then I see something so creative and awe inspiring that I have to share it here on the blog.  Well, yesterday I ran across this amazing unplugged version of "When Death Dies," by Gungor.  Please take a few minutes and watch this incredible performance.  I promise chills and a smile at the 1:34 mark...not to mention some jaw dropping soloing towards the end of the video!



Peace,
Ross

my week in photographs

Hey, I'm back!  I've been in the woods since Saturday morning, and now I'm back...actually, I got back yesterday afternoon just in time to clean up and sound check for the Dar Williams show at The Old Rock House (I opened with Caleb Travers).  Enjoy the pics!

Peace,
Ross

Blue Like Jazz

About 10 years ago I read Blue Like Jazz (Donald Miller). It was (and still is) a telling read on Don's personal experience of growing up "churched," the walls he felt between what was considered okay by the church, and what was outside. His commentaries should stir in you a sense of reconciliation between American Evangelical church-culture, and the perceived and guarded secular culture.

Fast-forward 10 years and the movie is being made. I couldn't be more excited to see it! Here's the movie trailer:



And here's an interview with Don and the actor playing Don in the movie. I love what he says about the christian label...that if you're a christian-artists (music, film, etc) that its expected that the gospel is present in every work, but that if your a christian-plumber, no one expects your fixes to be joined with a gospel presentation.



Peace,
Ross

WHY: music, recording, & touring?

Have you ever wondered why someone decides to pick up a guitar (violin, piano, etc.) and hit the road for a week, month, or year? Have you ever stopped to ask why artists spend hours upon hours in make-shift recording studios? Have you ever asked a musician what it is about their music that gives them life?

To be honest, having been a professional musician for over 13 years now, these questions rarely come about - usually only in interviews with radio, magazine, bloggers, or my closest friends and family.

Dan Haseltine (lead singer of Jars of Clay) wrote this recently:

I don’t know if you have ever thought about it, the reasons an artist might decide to go out on the road and perform concerts night after night. It might seem like a simple matter of economics. After all, at a point in history where people are not buying music in any shape that would allow artists to make the labor of creating music, a sole vocation, it is obvious that concerts would factor in.

The economics do matter. People can support an artist by purchasing a concert ticket and maybe a t-shirt at a show. This helps put confidence into the minds of the promoters that have to wonder if the gamble they make on the artist is a good one or not. If fans don’t show up for concerts, artist, will take their nomadic circuses elsewhere, since promoters don’t usually gamble on the same act more than once.

There is the record cycle. This is the space usually 3 months before a record releases, and six months to a year after the record is released. Artists tour and perform a specific group of songs in order to promote the recordings, and bolster sales and awareness of the band. This also helps solidify a brand with images and a performance aesthetic that helps define who the artist is and wants to be.

Some artists tour because they are in demand. The tour is more of a response to a cultural awareness, or exposure that placed them in the public conscience for a given moment., in other words, striking while the iron is hot. Others tour in order to build the necessary army of fans who support and push the artist into the public conscience.

Some artists tour with a transactional mindset. They are there to capitalize on their success, ride the wave and suck as much life out of their fifteen seconds of fame. The artist operates similarly to a professional athlete who knows they only have a few solid years of wear and tear on their bodies, so they push for the greatest amounts of money and build their sponsorship and endorsement portfolios as quickly as possible.

{{YOU CAN READ MORE HERE}}

So why do I do music, recording, and touring?

Simply put, it's who I am. It's as natural an activity as going to the grocery store, going to work, eating food, and breathing. When I go a month or so without performing, I get the itch. The act of performance, isn't really an act at all; it's the natural outpouring of who God made me to be. So I pack up the suburban with my instruments and merchandise and hit the road for a few days, sometimes playing to hundreds of energetic fans and friends, and sometimes to the sound-guy and bar staff. But whoever is in attendance, the act of performing does something to (and for) me.

I write songs because I hear songs in my head that need to be written. I don't write them with a specific audience in mind, a demographic, a sales pitch; but because the words are something that I feel needs said. I'm able to wrestle with life, faith, politics, and relationships when I write. I'm able to speak in a voice I could not otherwise. The words say things. The instruments say things. And trust me, there's plenty to say!

So thank you for listening, buying my records, bringing your friends out to my shows. You help me breathe!

Peace,
Ross