Free-Spirited, Quirky, Talented: Mullins Entertains at his Own Pace (May 4, 1997)
by Terry Deboer
Grand Rapids Press May 5, 1997
Taking in a Rich Mullins concert is like watching a work in progress.
Song by song and statement by statement, the contemporary Christian artist fashions - sometimes haphazardly - a concert experience all his own.
Fortunately about that haphazard aspect, the 42-year-old singer-songwriter has several great songs with which to work his charm.
Early in the evening in Sunday's show at Welsh Auditorium, Mullins seated himself at the piano and reeled off an eclectic string of his music.
From From the classical opening of "Sing Your Praise to the Lord" to the quick-witted "Screen Door" and the longing ballad "Hold Me, Jesus," the artist built the evening's musical foundation.
He introduced the serious "We Are Not as Strong as We Think We Are," (a song fragile nature of human relationships) by smiling and saying, "There weren't a lot of good Christian breakup songs around, so we decided to write one."
Joined by fellow artist Mitch McVicker - who did a brief solo. set - Mullins performed guitar versions of songs like "I Will Sing" and "Where You Are" which spout a bit of philosophy as well as faith.
One of artists' delightful musical tangents was a mandolin and mandola duet of Bach's F Major two-part invention. This may have been a concert first for the classical piece, with both players picking the notes all the way through until the concluding chord.
The artists debuted two songs from a new collection called "Canticle of the Plains," which is a contemporary musical based on the life and times of St. Francis of Assissi.
Mullins offered several brief sermonettes to go along with his music.
One included the story of the biblical King David, who as a shepherd boy brought food to go the battlefront before he killed the giant Goliath.
"It's the little guy who carries the sandwhiches who ends up slaying the giant," Mullins noted, explaining how great things can be accomplished by being faithful in the little things.
The artist also played both lap and hammered dulcimers, using the latter to play his musical statement of faith, "Creed." The song was nominated for a Dove Award as song of the year in 1995.
Mullins is not a precise vocalist - McVicker's background vocals often overpowered Mullins'. The artist's laid-back manner effects his performance, and he still is given to overstatement.
The result confirms his unpredictability while underscoring his whimsy. It was near the end of the evening that Mullins put it all together. His tugging piano ballad "If I Stand" had many in the audience singing along.
His praise-oriented "Awesome God" and "Sometimes By Step" were instant sing-alongs and are his best-known selections. He left the stage as the audience sang the repeated chorus.
The quirky artist returned to share some words of wisdom. (Among them, "Love your life right now, because you're gonna get older from here on.")
Then Mullins closed by leading the audience in the old camp song ("I'm Gonna Sing") with which he had started the evening.
Adding the Doxology was a fitting benediction for the free-spirited Mullins, who had put the finishing touches on another work of concert art.
