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Event Description

Whether or
not you know him by name yet, Aaron Gillespie is already one of the most
dynamic, outspoken, and visible artists in Christian music today. It’s just that
the red-headed 27-year-old isn’t always where one might expect to find a
faith-based performer, a fact that defines his sense of ministry and what he’s
doing on his first solo album, Anthem Song, an honestly ragged, often
rocking praise and worship set aiming to “get to the people who think church is
a country club.”
Aaron’s story is full of unexpected twists in its own right. A
standout drummer by age 14, Gillespie was invited in 1997 to join Underoath, a
Christian metalcore band that would chart the gold-selling records They’re
Only Chasing Safety (2004) and Define the Great Line (2006). The
group’s aggressive sound—often tempered by Aaron’s comparatively softer
additional vocals—and steady mainstream success has led to a passionate fan
base and provided many unique outreach opportunities on tours that have
included controversial hard music acts like Slipknot.

In 2008,
Gillespie memorably appeared on the cover of the last printed issue of CCM
standing next to TobyMac, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and other top names as
the sole representative of what the magazine called “a new generation of
artists”—a statement whose time has come. Despite the public outcry, Aaron left
Underoath on good terms in 2010, pursuing a cleaner alternative rock sound as
lead singer of The Almost, a band that recently toured with Switchfoot and is
signed in the general market to Virgin Records (Gorillaz, Lenny Kravitz). Even
as The Almost continues its rise, Gillespie makes another sudden turn, doing Anthem
Song alone. Why?

“I’ve always
wanted to make a straight-up worship record like this. The Almost is a rock
band, and we didn’t want to mix the two styles. Of course, it’s all worship;
your shift at Starbucks should be worship. But this just seemed to be the way
to do it right now,” Aaron begins to explain. “I have this desire to see our
generation worshipping God. But a lot of the people I get to meet through
music—kids with tattoos and swoop over haircuts—don’t think of worship as
‘cool.’ I want them to find a home and a vocabulary to experience this kind of
music.”

With Chris Tomlin melodies and Billy Corgan vocal
inflections, you can hear Gillespie reaching out for a piece of that song on
“Earnestly I Seek Thee”—a gentle acoustic worship tune until it erupts with raw
force into a distinctly hard-edged arrangement. “I Am Your Cup” is another
stripped back selection—practically a live home recording—that never amps up
but just as effectively speaks the real language of disaffected youth: Here
I am, looking for a place to hide / here’s my soul, broken and needing a home.

“You can’t find any level ground with people without
being real,” says Aaron. “My goal is to open my arms as big as I can and say,
‘I’ve got faults, I’ve got issues, but Jesus loves you, and your life matters.’
Before Christ was anything he was relational; the Bible shows that over and
over. So if we’re called to be Christians, then we’re literally called to be
relational with others.”

Anthem Song’s first single, “We Were Made for You,” highlights
the relationship between God and man. Composed with Paul Baloche—best known for
adult contemporary praise favorites like “Open the Eyes of My Heart” and “Above
All”—it’s also a perfect example of the bridge that’s being built here between
two types of audiences both made for worship; traditionally written lyrics
retracing the gospel story are met by a Euro-flavored arrangement with fuzzed out
bass, gritty guitars, and danceable drums. A similar spirit of expanding and
uniting adventure follows on the exuberantly played “You Are My Everything.”

Aaron, who is on the volunteer staff at his local
church, has a vision for when he tours in support of Anthem Song to help
other places of worship welcome those who wouldn’t normally feel comfortable
being there. He says when people don’t feel good enough to join God’s family
because of whatever sin is in their lives, that’s when they should be running
to the church. Indeed, we should all be there.

For more info go to http://aarongillespie.com

Tickets $10 at http://www.rockthesoundtickets.com