Once a year, Christian music fans from across Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina descend on Chattanooga for JFEST, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the Tennessee Valley. Since 1999, the family friendly event has attracted some of the biggest names in contemporary Christian music to Camp Jordan. This year’s JFEST, which took place June 2, was no different, as Kutless, Building 429, Sidewalk Prophets and other popular groups delivered energetic sets before thousands of enthusiastic festival goers.
For many reasons, outdoor festivals are a hit or miss proposition. Not only do organizers and audience members have to contend with Mother Nature, but sound issues and lengthy segues between bands can kill momentum and interest. With the exception of a few people looking like lobsters at the end of the day, weather was not a factor at JFEST 2012, as the sky was clear and the temperature never exceeded the low 80s. What’s more, the sound system delivered loud, pulsating music and clear vocals to even the farthest reaches of the crowd. Also impressive was how quickly stage crews dismantled the gear belonging to one band and prepared for the next group. There was a lot of equipment to tear down and set up, so the stage crews earned as much applause as the musicians.
The first national artist was scheduled to hit the stage at noon, so I skipped the morning performers, including Run for God. When I asked a friend who had been there since the beginning what he had thought about the band, he laughed and said it was not a group but a 5K run to benefit the radio station, which relies on donations to stay on the air.
“Well, it would make a good band name,” I said.
Before Dara MacLean stepped up to the mic, I walked around the grounds and took in the booths, of which there were many. Some made sense, like the food vendors, Christian colleges and charitable organizations, but others left me scratching my head. Then I realized people might not come to JFEST to connect with a Realtor or purchase new bathroom amenities, but local business do come to show their support for J103.
I smiled as I came across the temporary tattoo booth and watched the artist airbrush a stylized lily on a young girl’s arm. “Did it hurt?” I asked as she got up. Her friend laughed and showed me the cross on her leg.
One of the things I like about outdoor music festivals is the freedom to go nearly anywhere. This is not an option at Winter Jam, an annual Christian music tour that comes to Chattanooga, so I relished the opportunity to walk past the sea of lawn chairs, umbrellas and tents to within a few feet of MacLean as she sang songs from her debut release, “Suitcases.” (Before the day was over, I would talk my way past security and onto the edge of the stage to snap photos of Kutless, and got close enough to their lead guitarist to get slapped with a little hair sweat as he whipped his head.)
MacLean has been getting a lot of play time on my MP3 player, and hearing her perform live was a thrill. A Facebook fan described her music better than I could when he wrote, “If you were to take John Legend, make him a female and his music Christian, that’s how you would describe Dara MacLean to someone. She has a unique voice and beautifully arranged and varied music that appeals to the Spirit that resides within us.” Instead of performing with a band, MacLean sang alongside a single guitarist; however, her songs lost none of their funky vibe in the stripped down acoustic format.
Sidewalk Prophets, Chris August and Building 429 each took their turn on the stage and demonstrated how Christian contemporary music is experiencing a surge in quality songwriting and skilled musicianship. I enjoyed hearing the artists share the thoughts behind their songs, and appreciated their words of ministry. In the ‘70s, Larry Norman, the original Christian rocker, sang, “Why should the Devil have all the good music?” Forty years later, these bands showed he doesn’t.
Illusionist Tom Coverly took the stage as afternoon moved into evening. While his “magic” was unimpressive, he was funny, and he delivered a tear-jerking testimony about his journey from brutal street thug to youth pastor.
Kutless took over from there and carried the event to its conclusion with a set that alternated between powerful rock and absorbing worship music. Afterward, they met with fans to sign autographs and shake hands, although the mass exodus from Camp Jordan had already begun.
My first JFEST will not be my last. I loved hearing several nationally known artists belt out their best songs, and I thought J103 produced a solid event. I was not alone in my assessment, either, as words like “awesome,” “crazy good” and “ahhhmazing” filled the Facebook profiles of the artists following the festival. With Riverbend just around the corner and Nightfall in full swing, this is a great time for live outdoor music in Chattanooga.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.