Last Year Portrait . . .

One of the greatest advantages of pastoring Compass Point is that we have quite a few young, artsy-type, music-obsessed folks in attendance. One of these - Chad Chastain - is always helping me stay on top of the latest, greatest, cutting-edge bands. He's turned me on to groups like mewithoutyou, Edison Glass and The Dark Romantics. However, last night he helped me see tomorrow's top band today. I'm talking about Last Year Portrait.

Chad had been talking these guys up for some time and finally brought them to Lakeland for a show. I must admit, the songs I heard on their MySpace site were good, but didn't really blow me away. Last night changed all of that! These guys have got GAME!!!

It has been a long time since I saw a band that really cared about whether their audience was enjoying the concert. The Last Year Portrait guys worked the stage like seasoned professionals and enticed a less-than-enthusiastic crowd to really get into the evening. In essence, they took the stage as unknowns and walked out with a solid fan base in Lakeland. Whether they were sharing from their heart about their relationship with Christ or launching into a crazy instrumental of Michael Jackson's "Beat It", the audience couldn't help but be enamored by these four guys from Georgia.

The energetic stage show is just half the story with Last Year Portrait. While their music can rival anything by Fall Out Boy, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Thrice or Hawthorne Heights - it's the lyrics that really put this band on another level. With thought-provoking honesty they challenge the listener to think outside the box about life, love and God. While Last Year Portrait's music is not in the overt, Bible-thumper mentality of say . . . The Newsboys or Audio Adrenaline . . . there is a unassuming, haunting way about their lyrics that trample on the conventional, legalistic American Christianity-mindset. It both pushes and pulls the audience, yet there is no doubt these guys are true followers of Christ. They make that clear with between-song banter and lyrics like:

as we bow at the end of each day
giving thanks for our friends and family
have we ever pleaded to God for them
cared enough to show it

Last Year Portrait is on the way up! They have the chops, they have the songs, they have the stage presence . . . most importantly, they have a clear vision for how to show a practical example of God's love and grace to an ever-changing, reclusive culture. With a patience I have only witnessed in more experienced artists, the band spent several hours chatting with audience members after their set. While tired from traveling, setting up, playing the show and tearing down - the members of Last year Portrait never gave the "star vibe" or tried to hide from those wishing to talk with them. With an authentic enthusiasm they really spent quality time trying to get to know the middle school, high school and college students that attended the show. As a pastor, I am thrilled to see guys that understand and practice the idea of missional, relational evangelism - quiet and subtle, yet so effective!

Churches, colleges, promoters, festivals (especially festivals), get these guys quick . . . before they are headlining "The Warped Tour" and you can't afford them!!!