Warning, I had to tell every little detail...LOL   

WOW! What a great weekend and show! Pam and I left our little town of Start, LA at 8AM Sat. morning we headed out for Longview, TX, which ended up being a 3-hour drive. We got into town and had no trouble finding the venue. We found it first so wed know where we were going later that evening for the concert. We then went and ate lunch and went shopping you can never take a road trip w/out going shopping, right girls? After that we went and found our motel room, which was about 5 minutes from the Lobo Coliseum. So we go to check in at the hotel, Pam comes back out after getting us checked in and goes, guess who else is staying here? Im like NO WAY? Apparently when she was checking in she told the receptionist wed come into town for a concert. The lady asked her which concert, Pam told her Jars of Clay so the lady tells her Oh their staying here too. We never saw them but we got two confirmations from 2 different people they were staying there. How cool is that!

We got to the venue around 5:45. I went up and showed them my CC pass While they were doing all their checking I met Paul- Stubborn Idealist which was really cool We stood around waiting. The guy who was helping us finally let us in the venue. The M & G was supposed to start at 6:45. Jars had done a symposium on the campus so they were later getting back. Finally several others w/ passes showed up. Jen from Louisiana, Glenn from Longview who was originally from La too and Chris. So there were 6 of us to go. Finally a guy from the college met us. We stood around talking and he told us to be sure to ask Jars interesting questions We make our way behind the venue, anticipation building. We wait and finally Andrew Osenga, Todd-the drummer both of CC along w/ Dan, Charlie, Matt and Steve enter. I was thinking, oh my gosh, Im in the same room w/ Jars. VERY COOLI never got to talk to Dan. I was really disappointed, but the M & G was VERY rushed considering it started very late. Jen and I first met Andy Osenga formerly the lead singer of The Normals now of CC , he also has a solo CD out. We met him then Todd the drummer. Andy told us all of them had been really sick so the others couldnt come. He signed my Back Home CD.

Next Jen and I met Matt and Steve. Matt introduced himself and Steve. Jen and I told them that we were told to ask them interesting questions but we couldnt think of anything to ask Steve went off on a silly tangent about that .We told them where wed driven from. I told them Id seen them in March in Monroe, La and had met them in 96 there as well. Matt was like Wow. He was soooooooooooooo nice as was Steve. Next Charlie came up to us and introduced himself .I showed them my CCM w/ them on the cover. Apparently they had not seen it yet b/c they were like OH LOOK. There were several radio and TV people so the gal that was in charge of the M & G called them all over to take pics. I was just standing there watching them look at my CCM and them getting their pic taken. So then I noticed Dan had my CCM He goes Charlie, youre so sexy. Then he kind of smirked and said did I say that out loud? I was cracking up, it was sooooooooo funny. Then he proceeded to tell us how we couldnt see the smoke in the pic. He said that the deer he was holding had a light in it or shining on it, I cant remember but that it was getting really hot and starting to catch on fire It was VERY funny! So then I asked if we could take a picture, I didnt get to take pics w/ just the guys and me. We took a big group picture, which was really cool. Dan was on one side of me, I was just so nervous I never even said anything to him. Im a dork, what can I say. Paul however, got to talk to him for a bit. Maybe if it hadnt been so rushed we all wouldve had more time to visit. It was though by far one of the coolest moments of my life.
So we 6 made our way to the concert, which had already started w/ Stephen Delopolous (I know I spelt his name wrong). He sounded really good although we missed most of his set. Next came CC they started out w/ Before There Was Time, I believe. They also sang This World, God of Wonders (which gives me chills every time), some Paul Simon song, some song about Mary which was really beautiful, Walk With Me, they ended with Hands of the Potter w/ the famous drum parts. Cliff said how they were all sick so they let Andrew O. sing one of his songs, which was really good. Im going to have to check out his solo album as well as Stephen D.s.
After they left the stage there was an intermission. I wanted to be down front for Jars so I made my way down and found Paul right down front. I stood down front with him for Jars. We were pretty much maybe 5 or 6 feet from Dan. We had the perfect spot. So we waited, the lights go low and out come Jars. They started off with I Need You, followed by Flood. Next they did Show You Love. Somewhere in here they sang Crazy Times. After that I think they did The Valley Song. Dan talked w/ his usual humor, which always has the crowd laughing. Next they got out The Hat. They pulled 3 songs from the hat which one I think they discarded and did something different. The Hat songs were Fly, Frail (which was AMAZING-this has got to be one of my all time fave songs, it was beautiful!!!), next was Im Alright. Now my order of things gets blurry. I cant believe I remember all this They also sang Sunny Days, Trouble Is which was AWESOME, Love Song for a Savior, I think Amazing Grace was played more towards the front of the show. It was awesome too! I believe Long Song for a Savior was the last song they sang before they left the stage w/ everyone cheering and yelling for more.

They came back out and did Worlds Apart w/ a twist. Towards the end of the song where they normally sing the allelujahs, they went right into Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet, which I thought sounded AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! Then the last song of the night, they got Stephen D. to come back out and they sang the old Hymn Ill Fly Away, it was absolutely beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. It was a perfect ending to a perfect night.
This was the 3rd time Ive seen Jars, once in 1996, next in March of this year, and Sat. night They always sound good but they sounded absolutely amazing Sat. night. In my opinion. Their voices are crystal clear. They are truly singing for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! It is so apparent by their actions and words.

Some of the funny things during the concert: At one point Dan stopped and was talking about Nov and how he knew that we all ran out first thing on the morning of Nov. 4 and bought...Finding Nemo. Everyone laughed at that. He said that if you put in their CD at the moment Nemo starts there are some very interesting things going on it was very funny. He did mention that 10 years ago in Nov. they started. Or rather thats when they showed their demo tape to their parents. So Dan said they were 10 years old.
For me it was a really great night. One reason probably b/c I did get to meet them. But to me they just sounded really solid. Just like Paul said, no different from the CD...I hope I get to see them many more times!