Date: 05 Nov 1998
To: MitchMailList
From: Danl Blackwood
Subject: [MitchMailList 013]: Cincinnati, OH 10/24 reviews

• Devin DelGrosso's Cincinnati review
• Bro. Bob Roggenbuck's Cincinnati review
• Vickie Westbrook's Cincinnati review

Devin DelGrosso's Cincinnati review

From: Devin DelGrosso
Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 13:59:33 EST
Subject: Lakota Christian Church Concert

Hey Dan'l,

    Everyone has basically said everything there is to say about this concert,
so I'm just going to give a quick overview.
     This Train was extremely funny, and good.  It made me want to get their
album, and that's amazing because I didn't like them before I heard them live.
	Mitch McVicker was great as well.  He still sounds okay, and he said the
thing about the crowd looking much bigger to him.  The thing most people have
overlooked during this set, is Eric Hauck.  They are all wonderful musicians,
but Eric can play the cello like no one I've ever seen before (and I really
don't like the cello).  It was amazing!!!  If you go make sure you watch him.
After the concert, I told him I thought he was extremely good at the cello,
and he said that was because everyone else was playing and I just couldn't
hear his mistakes.  So he still remains humble.
	The Ragamuffins were.........unbelievably great.  They did all the same songs
as mentioned before, and added That Where I Am There You May Also Be.  It was
only the second time they've played it, but didn't mess up once.  Jimmy A was
not feeling well, and Mark Robertson said that tonight Jimmy's speeches are
brought to you by TheraFlu.  The crowds started singing along throughout the
second half of concert, and it turned out to be the best two and a half hours
of worship I have ever attended.  If you haven't been to a concert yet, you
NEED to go.

Grace be with you,
          Devin DelGrosso

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Bro. Bob Roggenbuck's Cincinnati review

Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 08:13:08
Subject: Cincinnati concert
From: Robert M Roggenbuck

Hey,

Despite local reports, tickets were available at the door for the
Homeless Man concert last night near Cincinnati.

The concert, as you might expect, was great.  I've been a fan of Rich for
years and have seen him a number of times.  I was wondering if that would
somehow make this event a bit of a disappointment.  I'm glad that wasn't
the case.  Of course, remembering Rich is rather sad but it's a little
easier to handle after seeing his friends carry on.  (Both on the stage
and off...)  I suppose it's a bit like therapy...

I didn't keep exact notes of the show.  However, This Train opened up the
evening with their typical flare and volume.  I think their greatest
contribution is just in terms of fun.  Mitch and his band did the
next bit.  (Personally, my favorite part of the evening...)  Mitch's
voice still sounds a little rough but it was obvious that the audience
couldn't have cared less.  He mentioned the double vision and singing
voice problems that he's having and noted that they are improving and are
predicted to return to normal with time.  (I'm certain our prayers would
be a bit of a help as well...)  It was just amazing to see him up on a
stage after hearing the reports of what he's had to endure this past
year.  Finally, the Ragamuffins took the stage and did a number of songs
off of the Jesus record.  Hard To Get and Man Of No Reputation were
especially moving.  They gave a good plug for Compassion and made it
clear that they hoped Rich's legacy would live on through the generosity
of his fans.  After a brief intermission, they concluded the evening with
old Rich "favorites."  This was the least like a concert and most like a
worship service.  The crowd participated and God was glorified in "the
praise of His people..."  Songs included Awesome God, Step by Step,
Creed, If I Stand, Screen Door, and other classics.

I am a Dominican friar (big white habit and all...) and we share a number
of elements of our spirituality with Franciscans (Dominic and Francis are
believed to have met in Rome during the founding of their "friar
movements" in the 13th century.) and I couldn't help but let my
imagination get the best of me at moments last evening.  I could see Rich
and St. Francis looking down from heaven, lemonade glasses in hand, and
laughing and singing and joining their praise of the Father with ours...

Eternal rest grant unto him oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon
him.  Amen.

Yours in Christ,
Bro. Bob Roggenbuck

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Vickie Westbrook's Cincinnati review
as posted to the Ragamuffin Mailing List

From: Vickie Westbrook
Subject: [ragamuffin] Cincy Concert
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 12:52:14 PST

Hi Everyone,

There is a lot that could be said about the concert in Cincinnati on 
Saturday night. Most of it would be a repeat of what you have read in 
most of the other concert reviews, so I wont go into that. What  
impressed me was not the music( although it was truly wonderful and I 
think I enjoyed it live even more than on the Jesus Record itself)...
it was the spirit of the performance. The Ragamuffins made a point of 
telling us that they were doing it for us, the audience and fans. Their 
sincerity came through. They seemed to delight in audience response and 
participation. The last portion of the concert was the part for us to 
all sing along to our favorite Rich songs, which we did with more than 
heart-felt enthusiasm. 

I was totally taken with the guys themselves. Mark was his usual "funny 
man" self but there was a depth that I had not seen before. Rick took on 
his roll as the "head king pin" with assurance. There were times when it 
could be seen that he was overtaken with emotion but he still managed to 
do his curled Elvis lip for us a couple of times! Aaron showed a spirit 
of gentleness and Jimmy a firmness in his faith.

And joy....! I have never seen such a spirit of joy as I saw on the 
faces of Mitch's band, Erik and Michael. (Girls, it's not just 
Michael's smile that does it; it is something more!) Sometimes it was 
like that joy could not be contained and it burst off their faces 
towards God. 

It was wonderful to see Mitch again. What a testimony to God's love and 
providence! I think Mitch knows it, too. I am not sure if his full voice 
has returned but it did sound good. What impressed me more was the 
emotion that was behind it. He sang as a man with a new understanding of 
the God that he serves.

Mitch's sense of humor is also beginning to shine. He told us a couple 
of stories about being in the hospital. Funny! It seems that after 
coming out of the coma, he couldn't speak for a while. He was given 
paper and pencil to communicate with. I wont tell you what were the 
first words he wrote for those anxiously waiting. I wouldn't want to 
spoil the fun for those going to any upcoming concerts. 

What I saw that night were a group of men who had been broken and put 
back together anew. Not that the process is all done. God is still 
healing and filling and making them into men who are falling more and 
more in love with Him. I think that the same thing was happening for 
those sitting in the seats. I know it was in my heart.

Vickie

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