Leeland concert
Posted on September 23, 2011 with 0 comments
My husband and I got a chance to go to a wonderful concert with the band Leeland. We bought the VIP tickets so we got to go to the Meet N Greet, as well as premium seating.
When my husband and I got married, our music collections married as well. I introduced him to some of my favorite artists, and he introduced me to Leeland. We were driving to church one night, and my husband said that I had to listen to this CD of this band Leeland. I guess they call their music style Progressive Christian. I've never heard anything like them, so I don't know who to compare them with. So, he put the CD in, and immediately it got my attention. The vocals were phenomenal. The lyrics were so profound and spoke to my heart. I have never heard anyone blend so well together since the Lennon Sisters. Brian said that the lead vocals were two brothers. I just sat there listening, amazed. I liked every song on the CD, which was rare for me. My favorite song that they sing is Villa Dolorosa. They also had this worship song that came on, called How Wonderful, and the tears started streaming down my face. God had shown up in that car! I put my hands up just praising along with them. Carried To The Table was also very moving. So, it was then I immediately became a fan. I bought all their CD's after that. They just came out with a new album, The Great Awakening. The concert was to promote the new album, and we got tickets!
The day finally came, and we drove over to the church during a Monsoon storm. It hailed! We waited in the Green Room for the Meet N Greet. All four of them soon came out and introduced themselves, and opened up the floor for questions. The leader singer and guitarist is Leeland Moorling, with his brother, Jack, on the keyboards and background vocals. Their sister, Shelly, just joined the band as the bass player. Their longtime good friend, Mike Smith, plays the drums. One of the band members left to join the military and is now fighting in the Middle East.
So we found out during Q&A that they grew up in Texas in a Christian home, with musical parents. They traveled around the country with their parents ministering to churches. It looks like the family talent stuck with all of the Moorling siblings. They travel around the country together, and their parents are only a phone call away to give them feedback and support on their music. Leeland said, "If Mom cries during a song, it gets on the album." I thought that was great!
They are all married with families. Shelly is engaged. I really liked the way they kept their relationships with God first on the road. They told a story about how they are getting comfortable praying on airplaines. They have the Bible open on their laps, with hands up in the air, and eyes closed in prayer. Jack said that it is very easy to just sleep on the plane instead of spending time in the Word, but Leeland is always setting the example for the rest of the band.
The question that I had for them was about songwriting. I asked them if they had a formula that they follow. Leeland said that some people are good at lyrics, and some are good at melodies. He happens to be good at melodies, and he records ideas on his iphone all day. He has been to Nashville and had some good instruction from musicians there as well. He added that it is always good to have someone give you feedback on your music. They said they have written some bad songs too, but Mom is very honest to let them know if it needs work. Jack says a lot of music ideas come from preachers. The pastor says some phrase that speaks to him, and he goes home and writes lyrics for it. Sometimes during prayer or bible reading, God will give them a song idea.
The last part of the meeting was focused on their charity work with Food For The Hungry. Leeland encourages everyone to take their children to another culture to see how the rest of the world lives. The band has taken many trips abroad visiting the fruit of the Food For The Hungry ministry, and serving in any way they can.
The concert was about to start, so we were ushered over to our premium seats. Third row center, baby! I have some awesome videos of them singing. I will post them as soon as I can figure out how to convert the file smaller. They sound just as good in concert as they do on the CD. Leeland was jumping around all over the stage. His joy was very contagious. He really believes what he sings, and it comes across with a lot of passion. One thing he said during the preaching time was that worship is what you do everyday of your life. It is not coming to church and singing, contrary to popular belief. Your life is your worship. Leeland said if his life doesn't line up with what he is singing on the stage, then God doesn't need him up there singing. The praise is in vain.
The new songs from The Great Awakening were not a disappointment! The song The Great Awakening was taken from an out of print poem from that time period: "One man wakes, awakens another. Second one wakes his next door brother. Three awake can rouse a town. And turn the whole place upside down. Many awake will cause such a fuss. It finally wakes all of us. One man wakes with dawn in his eyes. Surely then it multipies." There are 11 more awesome songs on the album to go with that one!
We got two T-shirts on the way home, and we just downloaded the digital album this evening. It is hard to believe, but I am a bigger fan than I was before I went to the concert. If you would like to checkout Leeland yourself, the website is leelandonline.com
When my husband and I got married, our music collections married as well. I introduced him to some of my favorite artists, and he introduced me to Leeland. We were driving to church one night, and my husband said that I had to listen to this CD of this band Leeland. I guess they call their music style Progressive Christian. I've never heard anything like them, so I don't know who to compare them with. So, he put the CD in, and immediately it got my attention. The vocals were phenomenal. The lyrics were so profound and spoke to my heart. I have never heard anyone blend so well together since the Lennon Sisters. Brian said that the lead vocals were two brothers. I just sat there listening, amazed. I liked every song on the CD, which was rare for me. My favorite song that they sing is Villa Dolorosa. They also had this worship song that came on, called How Wonderful, and the tears started streaming down my face. God had shown up in that car! I put my hands up just praising along with them. Carried To The Table was also very moving. So, it was then I immediately became a fan. I bought all their CD's after that. They just came out with a new album, The Great Awakening. The concert was to promote the new album, and we got tickets!
The day finally came, and we drove over to the church during a Monsoon storm. It hailed! We waited in the Green Room for the Meet N Greet. All four of them soon came out and introduced themselves, and opened up the floor for questions. The leader singer and guitarist is Leeland Moorling, with his brother, Jack, on the keyboards and background vocals. Their sister, Shelly, just joined the band as the bass player. Their longtime good friend, Mike Smith, plays the drums. One of the band members left to join the military and is now fighting in the Middle East.
So we found out during Q&A that they grew up in Texas in a Christian home, with musical parents. They traveled around the country with their parents ministering to churches. It looks like the family talent stuck with all of the Moorling siblings. They travel around the country together, and their parents are only a phone call away to give them feedback and support on their music. Leeland said, "If Mom cries during a song, it gets on the album." I thought that was great!
They are all married with families. Shelly is engaged. I really liked the way they kept their relationships with God first on the road. They told a story about how they are getting comfortable praying on airplaines. They have the Bible open on their laps, with hands up in the air, and eyes closed in prayer. Jack said that it is very easy to just sleep on the plane instead of spending time in the Word, but Leeland is always setting the example for the rest of the band.
The question that I had for them was about songwriting. I asked them if they had a formula that they follow. Leeland said that some people are good at lyrics, and some are good at melodies. He happens to be good at melodies, and he records ideas on his iphone all day. He has been to Nashville and had some good instruction from musicians there as well. He added that it is always good to have someone give you feedback on your music. They said they have written some bad songs too, but Mom is very honest to let them know if it needs work. Jack says a lot of music ideas come from preachers. The pastor says some phrase that speaks to him, and he goes home and writes lyrics for it. Sometimes during prayer or bible reading, God will give them a song idea.
The last part of the meeting was focused on their charity work with Food For The Hungry. Leeland encourages everyone to take their children to another culture to see how the rest of the world lives. The band has taken many trips abroad visiting the fruit of the Food For The Hungry ministry, and serving in any way they can.
The concert was about to start, so we were ushered over to our premium seats. Third row center, baby! I have some awesome videos of them singing. I will post them as soon as I can figure out how to convert the file smaller. They sound just as good in concert as they do on the CD. Leeland was jumping around all over the stage. His joy was very contagious. He really believes what he sings, and it comes across with a lot of passion. One thing he said during the preaching time was that worship is what you do everyday of your life. It is not coming to church and singing, contrary to popular belief. Your life is your worship. Leeland said if his life doesn't line up with what he is singing on the stage, then God doesn't need him up there singing. The praise is in vain.
The new songs from The Great Awakening were not a disappointment! The song The Great Awakening was taken from an out of print poem from that time period: "One man wakes, awakens another. Second one wakes his next door brother. Three awake can rouse a town. And turn the whole place upside down. Many awake will cause such a fuss. It finally wakes all of us. One man wakes with dawn in his eyes. Surely then it multipies." There are 11 more awesome songs on the album to go with that one!
We got two T-shirts on the way home, and we just downloaded the digital album this evening. It is hard to believe, but I am a bigger fan than I was before I went to the concert. If you would like to checkout Leeland yourself, the website is leelandonline.com