Mullins Shows His Many Talents at Kentwood Church Performance
Grand Rapids Michigan, November 14, 1989
Grand Rapids Press November 15, 1989
by Terr DeBoer
At the beginning, everyone stood and sang the "Star Spangled Banner." No, it wasn't a ball game, but the Rich Mullins concert Tuesday night at Kentwood Christian Church.
The 34 year-old Christian singer/songwriter took his, "Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth" tour to the church where he served as music minister six years ago. Mullins began with the national anthem, he said, because it's important to show you care about your country even if you are a citizen of the "kingdom of God." Touring with the Wichita-based band Avenue G, Mullins performed some of the same material he did here a year ago. Early on, the artist led the audience of several hundred in singing some rounds. He mentioned several audience members by name during the evening.
The group repeated its "plastic cup percussion" routine on "Screen Door." And later, Mullins once again led the crowd in rainmaking sound effects in what he called his "audience precipitation" part of the program. Avenue G consists of Lee and Nikki Lundgren on keyboards and vocals and Tracy Criman on guitar. The band helped Mullins in making a demo for his new album set for a January release (working title: "Never Picture Perfect"). Unfortunately, Mullins did no material from the work in progress. For the tour, the singer has added a drummer (Rick Riley) and two vocalists (Jeff Sack and Kent Roberts). Both also played horn.
And then there was Mullins' road manager, friend and occasional guitar player who responds only to the name of Beaker.
Mullins, whose voice seemed to be under-amplified whenever he wasn't at the keyboard, brought along his hammer dulcimer for, "Such A Thing As Glory," and used it on an expanded introduction to "It Don't Do." He even worked in the Sunday School standard, "Jesus Loves Me."
He also did "Other Side of the World," from his "Winds" release, and later was at the keyboard where he did his best work on "If I Stand."
The pony-tailed Mullins did twang a few guitar strings, but was faithful to the recorded arrangement of his current hit, "Ready For the Storm." Avengue G did a set at the evenings mid-point, and rocked with its harder edges showing on "Abandon." But lead vocalist Nikki Lungren showed her best stuff on "A Prayer, a song of renewal and hope.
Rich Mullins isn't afraid of doing a little preaching along with his singing. After covering "Elijah," from his first of three solo albums, he expounded on how the "great" people of the world don't seem to have a need for God, but it's the "small" people who realize their need for Him. Using that criteria, "we need more small people," said Mullins.
But the artist never strays too far from his sense of humor. During the offering, he played a song, "Dig Deeper."
The singer closed the concert with, "Sing Your Praise to the Lord" (the 1982 Amy Grant hit, which he wrote). and "Awesome God." And after an a capella "This World is Not My Home," he spoke more about God's love and how to know him.
Rich Mullins manages to express his many sides in his varied musical styles.
