Holiday World held its annual Christian music festival, Rock the World, Aug. 21-23. It was a beautiful day for the amusement park and attendees were able to enjoy all that Holiday World has to offer, including live music all day.
Regional bands performed throughout the day at the Hoosier Celebration Stage, right in the middle of the park. Park guests could find a break from the sun and and excitement of the roller coasters by taking a seat by the stage to take in the music. Bigger, national acts started around 5 p.m. at the main stage directly in front of Holiday World’s newest roller coaster, The Thunderbird.
Main acts included husband and wife duo Love And The Outcome, as well as Sidewalk Prophets - veterans of the Christian music scene. My two favorite performances were Crowder and The Newsboys.
For quite some time, Crowder has been presenting praise and worship music in a different way. From Bluegrass-inspired songs, to classic country hymns and pop anthems, Crowder certainly is a jack-of-all-trades. One of my favorite songs was “Lift Your Head Weary Sinner,” which sounded like something straight off a Black Keys record. In a world where praise and worship music tends to sound the same even when played by different artists, Crowder is refreshing.
What can I say about The Newsboys? If you’re as old as I am, you remember The Newsboys as Australian guys singing weird songs like “Take Me to Your Leader.” Though some older members remained in the group, The Newsboys have managed the impossible – a makeover that became as popular as the original. When I ask my students who their favorite musicians are, a surprising number answer The Newsboys. With songs like “God’s Not Dead,” “Born Again” and “Restart,” it’s not hard to understand why. But, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my favorite part of the concert was DC Talk's classic “Jesus Freak.”
The night concluded with fireworks, and Holiday World wrapped up another amazing Rock the World. For more information about Holiday World and next year’s Rock the World, check out their website www.holidayworld.com.
Photos by Jenna Foster
