Tye Tribbett and GA giving an energetic performance at the National Golf Academy last Saturday.
Party like a rock star or praise like a Christian? They're not the same, but very similar. The level of deep devotion that goes into 'rock 'n' rollin' can be applied to Christians when in worship. Both come with a similar sensation of being lost in the moment; transported to a place of immense satisfaction. Maybe even more. That's one of the many reasons why the Tye Tribbett and Greater Anointing (GA) concert, held last Saturday at the National Golf Academy, New Kingston, could be compared to a rock show.
From the atmosphere, to the intricate stage design, to the lighting, the performances and sound, everything was strong, moving and powerful.
Tribbett, the headliner for the night, along with his eight-member strong GA band, exemplified this when they burst onstage in the second half of the show doing the usual 'undignified' antics of praise - crazy dance moves, jumping and air-thumping, which sent the crowd crazy. His two-hour set began after a 20-minute break from the first half of the show which saw Robert and Genieve Bailey, Jason Mighty, Judith Gayle and DJ Nicholas (in that order) all delivering solid, soul-stirring performances.
HIGH-ENERGY
Gospel singer Judith Gayle smiles as she performs at Tye Tribbett and GA in concert at the National Golf Academy.
It was the first time in the island for the US gospel singer, and he came ready. Tribbett's ministry was, by far, the most refreshing of the night. Reeling off high-tempo hits such as I Want It All Back, Stand Out and Victory, Tribbett had the younger audience members enthusiastically praising along with him. With every radical act of worship onstage, the crowd obeyed. During the show, the singer even leapt off stage, running outside of the VIP section of the venue. What was interesting was that although Tribbett's popularity in ministry lies mainly with a younger crowd, it proved that music, especially gospel, crosses generations.
Tribbett wasn't all high-energy though. With Lord You Are, he pulled in the older audience members with praise and worship and had the entire venue in a deep devotion. He continued the worship mode with Everything's Gonna Be Alright, No Other Choice, Son of Man and Oh, How He Loves Us.
Another interesting part of his ministry was a mini sermon on what draws Christians away from God. "Hanging with unsaved people isn't a sin. Listening to R&B and hip hop isn't sin, spending too much time on Facebook isn't sin, but it draws you away and that's all the Devil needs to do - draw you away and tempt you to sin."
Gospel duo Robert and Genieve Bailey sing onstage. - photos by Sean Bennett