One of my Dreams is Coming True (Or Why I Love Jars of Clay So Much)
Written by Ida Torres
Right now, I'm holding in my hands the solid proof that one of my lifelong dreams is coming true. Yes, I am now certifiably going to the Jars of Clay concert on March 2.
"Ang babaw mo naman! One of your dreams is to watch a concert?" That's what you might be thinking. But you have no idea how long i (and countless other fans) waited for these guys to come to our shores. You have no idea how these guys have profoundly affected the musical and spiritual aspects of my life.
Let me take you back a few years ago, when I was just a baby Christian. My concept of Christian music at that time was still Don Moen and the like. Although they were inspirational naman talaga, I kinda thought they were too old fashioned and not up to date with the times. And at that time I was fizzling out of my bubblegum pop phase (yes, unfortunately, I went through that) and starting to appreciate the pop rock and alternative genre. One day at the UPCCC tambayan, some of the boys were plucking a guitar and singing this really cool song that went "They say (and the 2nd voice goes say....) that I can move the mountain". And I asked "Wow, new band?". And of course the answer was this really cool Christian band called Jars of Clay (the song, if you still don't know is Faith Like a Child). I didn't know that Christian bands could sound that cool and still have a message that can either squeeze your heart or inspire you to high heavens (pun intended). And so begins my love affair with contemporary Christian music. And particularly my relationship with Jars of Clay.
Yes, I believe we have a relationship. They write songs for people just like me; people who have been through abuse (He from the self-titled debut album); people who are scared and broken out of their minds (Much Afraid from Much Afraid); people who are addicted to grace (Grace from If I Left the Zoo); people who are screaming for change (Revolution from The Eleventh Hour); people who just love to, ah, sing (Sing from Who We Are Instead).
Anyways, I think I memorized every single word from their self-titled debut album. It wasn't really that hard naman, (except for the words that were being chanted by the Gregorians in the intro of Liquid) coz it was really listener friendly. And it helped that almost everyone in the tambayan were so into the band that we practically sang the whole album almost everyday.
And when a year later I started a band with some of my friends, the very first cover songs we did were of course Jars of Clay songs like Faith Like a Child, Worlds Apart and Love Song for a Savior. And even up to the present days, we still sing those songs which are now considered "classics". Sometimes, just close your eyes and listen to our guitarist John's voice and you will hear a tinge of Dan Haseltine's voice in his.
And even when some people were saying that they didn't like the 2nd album (or the 3rd, 4th or 5th), I was just so incredulous. I mean, with every new album, I love them all the more! They could've just stuck to the formula that made their first album such a success if they really just wanted to make money. But they experimented with new sounds, new words, new styles with every new album. Much Afraid was the introspective album. If I Left the Zoo was the fun, Beatle-esque one. The Eleventh Hour was a return-to-the-early-elements-but-with-an edgier-sound album. And Who We Are Instead is the folk-acoustic laced with just a bit of pop one. I have never been bored listening to any one of their albums because of this variety.
But most of all, I love this band's heart for the ministry. For the National Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Christians, they made a song entitled This Road and they traveled to countries that are affected by persecution to try and understand and help in any way they can. They have also founded the Blood:Water Mission because they were compelled to help out 3rd world countries. Their first project is to rebuild and repair 1000 wells in urban and rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa. They just don't sing about God's love; they try and spread it around practically
As of this writing, I have less than two weeks until that night when I'll finally be able to listen to their music live. And from where I will be sitting, I think I'll have a pretty good view of them too (they're all married and taken by the way. Haha). So, have I told you how excited I am???
Right now, I'm holding in my hands the solid proof that one of my lifelong dreams is coming true. Yes, I am now certifiably going to the Jars of Clay concert on March 2.
"Ang babaw mo naman! One of your dreams is to watch a concert?" That's what you might be thinking. But you have no idea how long i (and countless other fans) waited for these guys to come to our shores. You have no idea how these guys have profoundly affected the musical and spiritual aspects of my life.
Let me take you back a few years ago, when I was just a baby Christian. My concept of Christian music at that time was still Don Moen and the like. Although they were inspirational naman talaga, I kinda thought they were too old fashioned and not up to date with the times. And at that time I was fizzling out of my bubblegum pop phase (yes, unfortunately, I went through that) and starting to appreciate the pop rock and alternative genre. One day at the UPCCC tambayan, some of the boys were plucking a guitar and singing this really cool song that went "They say (and the 2nd voice goes say....) that I can move the mountain". And I asked "Wow, new band?". And of course the answer was this really cool Christian band called Jars of Clay (the song, if you still don't know is Faith Like a Child). I didn't know that Christian bands could sound that cool and still have a message that can either squeeze your heart or inspire you to high heavens (pun intended). And so begins my love affair with contemporary Christian music. And particularly my relationship with Jars of Clay.
Yes, I believe we have a relationship. They write songs for people just like me; people who have been through abuse (He from the self-titled debut album); people who are scared and broken out of their minds (Much Afraid from Much Afraid); people who are addicted to grace (Grace from If I Left the Zoo); people who are screaming for change (Revolution from The Eleventh Hour); people who just love to, ah, sing (Sing from Who We Are Instead).
Anyways, I think I memorized every single word from their self-titled debut album. It wasn't really that hard naman, (except for the words that were being chanted by the Gregorians in the intro of Liquid) coz it was really listener friendly. And it helped that almost everyone in the tambayan were so into the band that we practically sang the whole album almost everyday.
And when a year later I started a band with some of my friends, the very first cover songs we did were of course Jars of Clay songs like Faith Like a Child, Worlds Apart and Love Song for a Savior. And even up to the present days, we still sing those songs which are now considered "classics". Sometimes, just close your eyes and listen to our guitarist John's voice and you will hear a tinge of Dan Haseltine's voice in his.
And even when some people were saying that they didn't like the 2nd album (or the 3rd, 4th or 5th), I was just so incredulous. I mean, with every new album, I love them all the more! They could've just stuck to the formula that made their first album such a success if they really just wanted to make money. But they experimented with new sounds, new words, new styles with every new album. Much Afraid was the introspective album. If I Left the Zoo was the fun, Beatle-esque one. The Eleventh Hour was a return-to-the-early-elements-but-with-an edgier-sound album. And Who We Are Instead is the folk-acoustic laced with just a bit of pop one. I have never been bored listening to any one of their albums because of this variety.
But most of all, I love this band's heart for the ministry. For the National Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Christians, they made a song entitled This Road and they traveled to countries that are affected by persecution to try and understand and help in any way they can. They have also founded the Blood:Water Mission because they were compelled to help out 3rd world countries. Their first project is to rebuild and repair 1000 wells in urban and rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa. They just don't sing about God's love; they try and spread it around practically
As of this writing, I have less than two weeks until that night when I'll finally be able to listen to their music live. And from where I will be sitting, I think I'll have a pretty good view of them too (they're all married and taken by the way. Haha). So, have I told you how excited I am???
posted by dzaymee | 12:07 PM
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