Before you start reading just know that I am in a hurry while writing this, so my grammar might be sub par and the full rounded out idea might be lacking. I am getting ready to go to South Dakota at 6am tomorrow plus I have to go to work tonight too. Enjoy!
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If any of people didn’t know what happened this past week/weekend, Sonshine Festival 2013 was what was going on in the greater central Minnesota area. They have close to 50 some bands that play for 3 1/2 days, with bands such as Newsboys, Tobymac, Lecrae, and Skillet for the main stage. There was also an indoor stage with heavier bands such as Gideon, Your Memorial, Sleeping Giant, and For Today which is more my thing.
Sonshine Fest takes place in lofty ole’ Willmar, MN where I happen to be from. This may be where I have gotten my love of music, since I have gone there every year since I was born. Although I won’t dwell too much on the festivities of it, I will try to give you the idea. I was not there for Saturday’s events due to the fact that I had to go to my cousin’s wedding up north and celebrate with him getting wifed up! I don’t really feel the “festivity” of it anymore or as well because let’s just say I have connections and that’s basically how I have been there ever since I was born. But honestly, Sonshine has been changing the past few years and so I just want to share a little bit about what I saw and what happened this past week there.
GOD
God was present, as he always has been I think. There are things or aspects of the festival where God may not be the focus or people where God is definitely not their focus but I don’t think that will be able to take away from the overall focus of God being glorified and celebrated. Most of the bands did their part in talking about God or Jesus or their testimony in some way. Some went above and beyond that call and even baptised people as well, which I will talk about later. Some bands were there for their own profit and promoting their band. But by all means overall it was a great weekend to experience Jesus.
COMMUNITY
The community of everyone there is always great, especially with the young adults there after you’ve basically been seeing them for the past few years. I think the community aspect is definitely more relevant or present in the indoor stage or the HM stage because a lot of the people that are in there all go to the same concerts within the area. I could be wrong, but it seems like at the main stage you can’t really become good aquaintences with anyone because there is simply too many people. All in all, there were two or more people gathered in His name, so God was glorified through the fellowship of his saints this past weekend.
MY THOUGHTS AND IDEAS
So like I said I have been going there ever since I was born, and I have seen the logistical side of things for a few years now due to the fact that I have a family member that works as part of the staff. So with this experience I feel that I kind of know what the festival needs to continue to stay alive and not go down in history like Cornerstone Festival did. I may be wrong, I may be right.
Not to bash the festival at all but it has been going down hill the past few years. I remember way back when I was probably twelve years old or so about how the festival had 16,000 people come to the festival. Now a days it seems like there is only 1,000 although there I know for sure there was more than that haha, the numbers haven’t come out yet for an official total. Regardless, I know that part of the changes in numbers has been due to the band line up, which is why people go right? They have had the same bands coming to the festival the past few years with no “real” changes other than Lecrae which has helped out with numbers and the diversity of genres there. I remember a lot of these bands were big back in the day, but no offense, they either haven’t been doing too much, falling out from their on high cornerstone position in their genre, or they have been singing there so many times that people don’t really want to pay $100 to see a band for the 6th time in a row, no matter how much they like them. I have some ideas about what would help though. Hopefully Bob Poe is listening (for all you who know who that is).
It’s hard to hear for some of the die hard Sonshiners to hear but we need to start going hipster, and going back to the roots of “pure” worship. Such bands as Josh Garrels, The Rend Collective Experiment, Gungor, maybe even Leeland along with someone like John Mark Mcmillian, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin (again), Kari Jobe, or even “purer” worship like Jesus Culture or Hillsong United. This is what college kids are listening to now a days and this is what will draw in people, especially the now college kids that used to go when they were young. Lets be honest, the hipster culture totally took over college campuses all over, or at least Northwestern College when I was there, and a new genre of Christian artists have arose because of it. Sonshine does not have this. I think this would jumpstart the festival again with the all coveted age 20-25 instead of the 16-19 with kids living off their parent’s money.
The HM stage could use some revival as well. I remember when they used to had August Burns Red, For Today, Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster, and The Devil Wears Prada. Now this the closers for the week were Sleeping Giant, For Today, and Love & Death (which is Brain “Head” Welsh’s band). For Today has gotten a lot bigger since those days but still, For Today only had a little half the arena packed when a few years ago they had more of a turnout. They used to get As I Lay Dying but I don’t think that taking that band is in they’re best interest (which if you know don’t why, I am in the midst of writing something on that soon. But still google it). I think Sonshine needs to steal at least one band from Warped Tour, like ABR or TDWP, and get some other bands so it’s not simply a facedown fest. They had some good midrange bands like Wolves At The Gate, Your Memorial, and Everything In Slow Motion (which is basically the band Hands FYI) but they need to expand that out again.
I really have to some things done before I go to South Dakota tomorrow so I will start wrapping this up. I may add some later depending on my memory.
FINAL THOUGHTS
But amidst all of my criticism of the festival I was able to witness a baptism of new believers by the band Sleeping Giant, in which they used water bottles and showered the twenty some people that weren’t Christians. That image is something that gives me hope.
I write this little article because I care about this festival that was started in my hometown close to 30 years ago. You may have thought that this was irrelevant to you but think the festival or venue near you. What would you think if it was lost. I won’t cry about it if Sonshine goes away but I will be sad for sure. But regardless, to God be the glory.
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