Date: 21 May 2000
To: MitchMailList
From: Danl Blackwood
Subject: [MitchMailList 061]: Winona Lake, IN 04/14 transcript

From: Amy Keith
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2000 6:59 PM
Subject: Mitch w/Brad & Ryan, Winona Lake, IN, 4/14/00 transcript 

We thought the concert went great and the guys
have some fantastic new material.  This was the
first concert where the EP was available and it
was well received.  A half dozen people signed up
to be Compassion USA sponsors, which was
exciting!  Mitch just gets better and better with
each concert, as always, open, honest and funny. 
If you haven't yet been to a concert, it's worth
your trouble to get to one.  And let's really
start calling those radio stations!!

Thankful again for our Father's good gifts and
provision, seen in Mitch's very existence and
daily in our own lives.  He is an awesome God!

Now let's go chase that horizon!

Amy


MITCH McVICKER with BRAD LAYHER, special guest
RYAN LONG
WINONA LAKE 2000 CONCERT TRANSCRIPT

Friday, April 14, 2000, 7 pm
Free Methodist Church
Winona Lake, IN 46590
Attendance:  @180

All songs from MITCH McVICKER, 1998
Independent/1999 Rhythm House Records, and
performed by Mitch McVicker, acoustic guitar &
lead vocals and Brad Layher, acoustic guitars and
background vocals, unless otherwise noted. 
Published lyrics can be found in the liner notes
or at www.mitchmcvicker.com.  All rights fully
reserved on unpublished lyrics by their
respective authors.

(Opening prayer, asking the audience who had come
the greatest distance [South Bend, IN], how many
had heard the radio spots, etc., introducing
Mitch) 

~~ ONLY LOVE WILL ~~  

M:  Thank you, it's great to be back here again.
I remember (strum) being here, uh (strum), 
about this time last year.  That was great, this
is great-er (strum).

(applause)

~~ TAKE HOLD OF ME ~~  Addtl. harmonica by Mitch.

(applause) 

(tuning, tuning, tuning...)
Well, let's see, um, I was, I was back stage
there and, and I had my hand up *forever* when
they were saying, you know, (audience laughter)
who came the fartherest, but I guess I don't get
no prize... (dejectedly) 

(audience laughter, strum, guys chuckle)

We left this morning from, from Nashville where
we're, where we're, uh, stopping when we're not
traveling these days.  And, uh, how far was... it
was like eight hours (chuckle), so it was, it was
a fun day (scattered laughter, tuning, tuning). 
But I'm glad that this is where we ended up
(tuning).

It's been, um... (tuning), quite a, uh, quite a
last couple, uh, two and a half years for me,
um... (tuning).  I was, I was here, like I said I
think, last January, I think it was.  Um... and
uh... (strum, strum), and before that, let's see,
about two and a half years ago, um, I was
involved in the car wreck that ended up killing
Rich Mullins.  Um (strum), so I got, uh, pretty
boogered up myself, too.  Um (strum), I had
broken bones and, and collapsed lungs and I was
in a coma.  I was in the hospital for a month,
um, but slowly but surely things are getting
better (strum).  I had been, I had been, uh,
living and, and traveling with, with Rich for,
oh, about two and a half years, and uh... (pick),
and he had pushed me towards, you know, doing
this whole music thing (strum), and, uh, so I'm
just simply trying to, uh (pick), keep going in
the direction (strum) that I thought I was
heading.  I wondered if I was ever going to have,
after the accident happened, if I was ever going
to have, you know, that kind of life that I
thought I was going to have, a quote "normal"
life, and do the things that I was wanting to do
and planning on doing (strum), um...
(strum/pick/strum).  You know, I... it didn't
make sense to me, um (strum)..., I said, "God,
could You help me out here, could You just let me
know what's going on, uh, tell me, uh (strum),
maybe give me an answer, give me a sign,
something?"  Um... (strum).  And God didn't
(pause... strum/pick/strum).  I do know that God
works good out of tragedy (pause... strum).  And
I'm, uh, really thankful for that.  Uh (strum)...
you know, it's, it's been a long recovery and
I'm, and I still ain't out of the woods yet.  Um,
I'm still seeing with double vision, um, the
experts tell me that it will clear up someday,
sometime (strum).  I'm ready, any day (strum)! 
(scattered laughter)  I'm still waiting for
various nerves in my body to heal up so I can
move and see and sing like I used to (strum). 
And that is happening slowly but surely, um...
(strum), though I wondered, you know, it's
happening *so* slowly, *so* gradually that I
wondered if it was, and I said many times through
my frustration, through my doubts, "Lord, heal
me.  Um, You say that whatever we ask for in the
Gospels we will receive; whatever we ask for in
prayer in the Gospels, You say, You say it right
there in the Gospels, that we will receive. 
Okay, well, I'll give it a shot.  Heal me.  And,
uh... please (pick).  Okay,... pretty please." 
(scattered chuckles, strum)  What I've learned is
that just because things aren't happening at the
rate we would like them to, it doesn't mean that
God isn't working (strum).  Somehow..., I don't
know how the Head Honcho of this universe
works..., ah, but somehow God has heard my
prayer, uh, when I wondered if it had been heard
(strum).  And He is working and healing me. 
Um... (clears his throat, strum) and I do know
that just because, you know, something tragic
happens in your life, it doesn't mean that your
life is over, it just means that, uh, your life
is *different* than you thought it was going to
be, that's all (strum).  And, uh, and I'm
thankful that, that Jesus didn't let go of me
(strum).  Uh... (strum/pick), because it wasn't
my faith that was, uh, pulling me through
anything (strum/pick).  If it, if it was left up
to that, I would have been (strum) in an awful
way (strum/pick/strum).  But, uh, I'm so thankful
that things have worked out (strum).  And, uh,
I'm just trying to, uh, look at the good that's,
that's coming from this.  

Um... this song, this next song that I'm going to
do is one of the good things, uh... (strum). 
It's a song that I wrote with Rich, and, and
there's more and more good if I, if I really step
back and look.  Uh, like, for instance, being in
this situation with my eyesight, one of the good
things is that this crowd looks huge.  (laughter
and applause, strum)  But this next song, I wr...
like I said, I wrote it with Rich and, uh, it
means a lot to me to get to do, uh, we didn't
write it for me to record, we wrote it for him to
record and he didn't get to, uh, he left too
soon.  It's just ended up that I've recorded it
now and, uh..., it means, it means, uh, more to
me than ever.

~~ MY DELIVERER ~~

(applause) 

B:  We gotta sit down for this one (as he and
Mitch set up lawn chairs).  You like our stools? 
(scattered laughter)  I don't.  We bought them to
be funny.  And I... whatever, I guess. 
(laughter)  The joke's on us.  (more laughter)

M:  This is Brad Layher. 

B:  Hi (laughs).  (applause)  Thanks (in a bass
voice).  (laughter)

M:  It's, it's great to get to travel around with
him and, and do music, and, uh, and, uh, you
know, learn from him, talk with him in the van,
and, um, smell him in the van... (grins). 
(audience laughs)  (Mitch laughing) It's a cool
thing!  Well, I mean..., I mean, not... some
smells are cooler than others..., (audience
laughs) but I mean...  (laughter)  I feel really
fortunate, um..., but this is...

B:  Thank you, that was a wonderful introduction.
 (Mitch and audience laugh)

M:  (in a silly voice) Oh, Pwadley, I luvf oo. 
(more laughter, strum, strum)

Uh, this is one of my most favoritest hymns.

~~ ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND ~~  A capella
with percussion on the guitar bodies. 
(fabulous!)  Unreleased, see your hymnal for
copyright information and lyrics! ;)  

(applause, whoop, guys laugh as they fumble and
readjust their mic stands)

M:  That's always such a stressful situation to
have to raise the mic stand and, and I'm just
hoping that it comes out every, comes out alright
each night (strums).

B:  (in a serious voice, enunciating clearly)
It's *really* hard... (audience laughs) to raise
and lower the microphone stand.  (more laughter)

M:  It's just... technology, man!  (laughter on
both sides of the mic stand)  

B:  Well... (chuckling), okay!

M:  Technology, can't live with it, can't fry it
in a wok.  (Mitch laughs at himself while
strumming and picking)

B:  Don't encourage him!  Who's laughing? 
(laughter)  It ain't funny!

M:  (giggling) I'll tell you what's funny is that
little baby guitar you're holding!  (continues to
giggle and strum while audience laughs)

(Brad shows off a few chords, Mitch calms down)

Actually, it's, it's really cool, it's a mandola.
 And it's, um (clears his throat and composes
himself), it's related to a mandolin.  It's like
a, a... you know how a viola is to a violin, a
mandola is to a mandolin.  So it's just lower
pitched and a little bit bigger.  (Brad continues
to show off mandola chords).  This is a song
that, that Brad and I wrote together, um, on the
mandola, um, because, uh, we were on a long drive
and he was practicing the mandola and, uh, and so
we thought, "Well, we'll just write it on the
mandola" and, uh, because it just, it fits better
in the front seat (laughter) than say a guitar or
something.  And, plus, you can still like, steer
with your knees and stuff.  (laughter)

B:  You don't have to ride with him!  (laughter,
Brad strums)

M:  (Mitch grins) So we were trying to be like
one of our favorite songwriters when we were
writing this song.  And, uh...

(simultaneously)
M:  ...we came up with this instead!
B:  ...and it didn't work!

(they both laugh) 

~~ MY HOME IS FAR AWAY ~~  Brad on mandola. 
Unreleased, all rights reserved.  

Well, my home is far away but it won't take long to get there
Yeah, my home is far away but it won't take long to arrive
Yeah, my home is far away but it won't take long to get there
So I will walk, yes, I will run, until I fly
And it won't take long, no, it won't take long
And it won't take long, no, it won't take long
Well, the sea is deep and blue and the tide goes up and down
Yeah, the sea is deep and blue and the moon pulls it's chain
Yeah, the sea is deep and blue and the tide goes up and down
So it goes, so it stays, so the shores are set in their chains
No, it won't take long
And the night is so black and the sky is so big
But the stars show their faces though they look still 
They are twirling, they are swirling, they are whirling
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo Ooo
ooo ooo ooo ooo 
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo Ooo
ooo ooo ooo ooo
Well, my home is far away but it won't take long to get there
Yeah, my home is far away but it won't take long to arrive
Oh, my home is far away but it won't take long to get there
So I will walk, yes, I will run, until I fly
And it won't take long, no, it won't take long
It won't take long, no, it won't take long
It won't take long, but it won't take long
No, it won't take, no, it won't take, it won't take long

(applause)

M:  (strumming)  Well, um, Brad is going to
switch over and play the hammered dulcimer for
this song.  Um, it's a, it's a song, um, that I
got to sing on a, uh, soundtrack to a musical,
um, called *Canticle of the Plains* that I, uh,
wrote with Rich Mullins about four or five years
ago.  And, uh, we base it on the life of Francis
of Assisi, simply because we thought that of all
the people we could think of he was probably, he
followed Jesus probably most literally and most
radically.  And, uh, that's how you become a
radical person is in following Jesus.  No matter
what "they" might say.  So this is the first song
I ever wrote with Rich.

~~ HEAVEN IS WAITING ~~  Brad on hammered
dulcimer.  Canticle of the Plains, 1997
Ragamuffin Records.  

(applause) 

M:  Well, um... let me see here (switching
instruments)... one of the biggest, um, (strum)
joys that, that we have in doing what we do, uh,
apart from, uh, driving all kinds of places,
seeing all kinds of places, uh, meeting all kinds
of people that are *great*, um, is working with,
we support an organization called Compassion
International.  And I, I don't know if y'all are
familiar with them or not, but they exist because
of folks like you all you decide to partner with
a, a child who lives overseas in, uh, India or
Honduras or Guatemala or something like that and
sponsor them each month.  We're excited because
we're working with the, a branch of Compassion
International called Compassion USA and they work
with programs right here in our own backyard,
right here in our own country and, uh, in, uh, in
the inner cities, on Native American reservations
and in rural areas.  They fund programs and they
make them go.  And I've seen it work; I lived
right across from a Compassion funded school when
I lived on the Navajo reservation and, uh, I've
seen how each kid who comes through those doors
is given hope, uh, they're told that there is a
God who loves them and cares for them and apart
from that, they may never hear that.  Um, that's
where, uh, y'all come in.  Um... first it's the
church's opportunity and responsibility to let
it's light shine... and to love.  Somebody needs
to do it.  And, uh..., we, we get that
opportunity to do it.  Twenty bucks a month,
twenty bucks a month is what it's gonna run
you...  And I'll go out on a limb and I'll say
that all of us here, we can all come up with 20
bucks a month.  Maybe we just need to give up
going to Arby's a couple times this month or give
up, you know, going to the movies, then we got
our $20.  That's gonna change lives.  The cool
thing is with Compassion International you
sponsor *a* child, with Compassion USA you
sponsor a *program*, be it a school, be it a
mission, be it a church..., so you're not just
impacting the life of *one* you're impacting the
life of *many*.  And, uh, this is not something
that you're gonna hear  everyday.  Uh, I think
that we're the only people going around, uh,
telling people about Compassion International:
The USA Project.  Every... a lot of people are
talking about the international projects.  Not
many people are concerned with what's going on
here in our own backyard, I guess.  Uh...  They
need you.  They're in dire need of, of you. 
Don't, don't hide your light under a bushel.  I'm
just telling you about this.  Um, this is a great
chance that you have to, uh, live out what we,
what we say we believe.  Here is an opportunity
to *love*, to turn love into more than just a
four letter word that we read in Hallmark cards,
to really *do* something.  You know what Jesus
talked about in His last, um, sermon before He
went to the cross.  He said, "When I was hungry,
You gave me something to eat, when I was thirsty,
You gave me something to drink.  When I was
lonely, you visited me, in prison, you visited
me.  When I was naked, You clothed me."  And his
listeners said, "Lord, when?  When did we do
that?"  And He said, "When you did that for the
least of my brothers and sisters that's what you
did for Me.  When you treated them in that way,
that's how you treated Me."  Then He went on to
say, "I know you are *Mine* in how you treat the
least of my brothers and sisters.  *That's* how
he know us.  That's how the Savior of the world,
the Savior of our souls, knows us, is in how we
treat the least of His brothers and sisters and
in how we love.  I ain't makin' it up.  That's
what He spoke then, that's what He speaks now.  I
don't want you to become calloused to those
words...  But He won't stop speaking those words.
 They will know us by our love.  We pray the
prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done." 
This is a chance to do our part in bringing about
the coming of the Kingdom and, uh, it is the will
of God, it is the will of Jesus that we love... 
There's packets in the back...  Programs that
need your help...  They will know us by our love.
 

~~ SHE ASKED ME HOW ~~  Addtl. harmonica by
Mitch.

(applause)

M:  We're gonna take... we're gonna take about a
ten minute break, and, uh, and you can go back
there and please check out the Compassion stuff
and then we'll be right back to do some more
songs.

(applause)

Intermission 

(beginning cut off of recording) ...we do.

~~ GOSPEL RAIN ~~

(applause)

M:  Okay, this is for Matt Kimball...

~~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY ~~  Rockabilly!  Unreleased,
public domain.  

(applause)

M:  Well, um, not every, not every concert this
happens, but a, a friend of mine came along with
me, uh, for, for this concert, um.  He grew up
with Brad and, and they grew up, uh, doing music
together, and, uh...

B:  ...and he's good!...

M:  ...so he's an old friend of Brad's and he's,
and he's a new friend of mine, and, uh, y'all are
in for a treat, I want you, I want you to hear
Ryan Long.  He's gonna play a few songs for you.

(whistle and a cheer from the audience, Ryan
tunes, Brad leads in clapping)

B:  I know, it's sorry, it's a little pathetic
when I have to, like, induce the clapping for
you.  (laughter)  But, sorry, it happens to me
*all* the time!  (laughter, Ryan smiles)

~~ I WILL RISE AND GO TO JESUS ~~  A cappella by
Ryan Long, what a voice!  Unreleased, copyright
information and lyrics are probably also
available in your hymnal.

(applause)

~~ DO YOU HOLD ME ~~  Acoustic guitar and lead
vocals by Ryan; percussion and background vocals
by Brad.  Cry For Me, 1999 Independent.
  
R:  (after much applause, whistles and cheers) 
Thank you.  Thank you.  

B:  I told ya!  (laughter)

R:  Well, I, I travel around and play music a
lot.  I was actually, this time yesterday I was
in, I was in Rock Hills, South Carolina.  If you
know how far away that is, *I* was the farthest! 
(laughter and applause)  Well, I was in South
Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina, last year
and an unfortunate experience happened.  Someone
stole my guitar.  I was, you know, traveling from
town to town, sort of living out of my car,
playing music wherever I could and someone stole
my guitar out of there, along with, you know, a
couple thousand dollars worth of stuff.  So, you
know, I think I have an idea who did it, so
everywhere I go, I sing this song, you know,
'cause I figure the more people I tell about it,
the better chance I have of gettin' it back. 
(laughter)  So, it's, it's, uh, called "Where the
Toys Come From" and it's a Christmas song. 
(laughter)

~~ WHERE THE TOYS COME FROM ~~  A cappella by
Ryan & Brad.  Unreleased, all rights reserved.

Third day of December in a parking lot in
Greenville 
Someone broke into my car and left me there with
no gear
Policeman got some fingerprints, but they were
all mine
I'd never tell your kids, but Santa leads a life
of crime
Ho, ho, ho, who woulda' guessed?
Ho, ho, ho, a larcenist
Out in the parking lot, click, click, click
Oh, what a locksmith, Jolly Saint Nick

(applause)

R:  It's a sad song.

There was no solid evidence so how was I to know?
But the woman at the corner store had seen him
come and go
She said he had no reindeer, she said he had no
sleigh
Only my guitar in hand as he walked away
Ho, ho, ho, who woulda' guessed?
Ho, ho, ho, a larcenist
Out in the parking lot, click, click, click
Oh, what a locksmith, Jolly Saint Nick
For all my life, I thought he's quite a fella
Until last night now I'm singin' a cappella 
(cheer from the audience)
So if you were well-behaved this year and asked
for a guitar
Please take real good care of her, whoever you
are
And if you think I'm jokin' or that Santa don't
exist
Next year you'll find it funny if your car is on
my list
Ho, ho, ho, who woulda' guessed?
Ho, ho, ho, a larcenist
Out in your driveway, silent as snow
Next year get ready for grand theft auto

(applause)

R:  Thank you (strums, takes a drink).  It's a
true story.  (laughter)  This is a song I wrote
about a friend of mine's daughter.  Actually,
these next two songs, same guy, two different
daughters.  He told me I had to write songs, if I
wrote a song for one I'd have to write it for the
both of 'em, you know how that is.  But they were
at Disney World and, and he, he said that he,
that she taught him something that day.  So, it's
about being at Disney World.

~~ SNOW WHITE ~~  Acoustic guitar and lead vocals
by Ryan, acoustic guitar and background vocals by
Brad.  Unreleased, all rights reserved.

Little girl on a crowded street, sunburned and sandaled feet
I didn't want to see her cry
She said, "Daddy, I cannot see, is she coming? 
Tell me, tell me
Snow White and the Magic Palace ride?"
I said, "Rebecca, wait patiently.  She'll be here soon, believe me
I'm your daddy, I would not tell a lie."
Well, the tears just stopped and she raised her hands 
Started jumping around like she was made to dance and she was singin'
"I cannot wait for Snow White to come by 
This day must be the very best day of my life"
Rebecca looked up at me, eyes wide as the raging sea
No camera could've captured my girl's smile
She said, "Daddy, could you lift me up?  
I can hear her now and with any luck
Snow White'll stop and dance with me awhile." yeah
She climbed on my shoulders and she hugged my head 
She sang loud enough to wake the dead and she was singin'
"I cannot wait for Snow White to come by 
This day must be the very best day of my 
I cannot wait for Snow White to come by 
This day must be the very best day of my life"
Well, there was something dead in me and she woke me from sleep
And I can't remember when I sang so sweet, and we were singin'
"I cannot wait for Snow White to come by 
This day must be the very best day of my
I cannot wait for Snow White to come by 
This day must be the very best day of my"
Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, oh, oh, Oh, oh, Oh, oh,
Oh, oh, Oh, oh, yeah.

(applause)

R:  Thank you (tuning).  Can I get a little, uh,
the guitar down in the monitors just a little
bit?  Thank you (tuning, tuning, tuning).  Well,
this next one's about his other daughter
(tuning).  Her name is Jamie (tuning) and he told
me a story.  He said (tuning) he went to (tuning)
watch Jamie at dance practice (tuning).  She was
takin' ballet (tuning) and he said she was the
worst one in the class (scattered laughter).  He
wasn't kiddin' (laughter, picking).  He told me,
um (picking), she, she knew that he was there and
she knew that he was watchin' (picking).  And she
probably was thinkin', "You know, Daddy doesn't
love me as much because I can't keep up with the
other girls."  But the truth was he loved her
just because she was his.  And, uh (picking), you
may not have had parents like that (picking). 
But we all have a Heavenly Father who loves us,
not for anything that we do, not because we're,
you know, smart enough or pretty enough or skinny
enough.  Not even because we're kind to our
neighbors, not because we teach Bible study or
Sunday School.  But just because we are His.  And
that's a good thing to know (picking).  'Cause if
we can't do anything good enough to earn it, we
can't do anything bad enough to lose it.  

~~ MY DAUGHTER'S DANCE ~~  Acoustic guitar and
vocals by Ryan.  Cry For Me, 1999 Independent.

B:  Thanks, Ryan.

(whoop and applause)

B:  I don't get to see him very much anymore, so
it was *real* nice to hear him.  Made me cry,
man!  (scattered laughter, strum)  Um, Ryan has
CDs back there (strum), just so you all know.  I
like it.  (Mitch checks his harmonica)  It's a
good one, I think.  So if you get a chance, check
it out (strum).  Just thought I'd tell you that
(strum, scattered laughter).

M:  I love it when I get to do concerts with
people that I really, uh, you know, not only
respect musically (strum), but just respect as
people.  So, uh, that was great tonight.

~~ THE LEMONADE SONG ~~  Additional harmonica by
Mitch, guitar percussion by Brad.

(applause and whistles)

M:  Well, thank you.  Well, um...  (Brad's
laughing, Mitch looks at him, starts giggling)...
what?

B:  I was noticing tonight a funny thing.  When
audiences..., no, I'm not baggin' on you guys,
don't worry, but you know, when everybody, like,
at the beginning of the song everybody's like,
"Whoo!"  (claps enthusiastically) and at the end
they're like (half-heartedly bringing hands
together, Mitch & audience laugh).  You just get
so tired of clapping the whole song (strum). 
Just thought I'd... just something I noticed,
so... (strum).

M:  Thanks.

B:  Yeah (strum).  Well, sing a song!

M:  (laughs, and he has a great one!)  Well, um,
I, uh, the past few months I, I've been trying to
work on a, on a new, um, recording, on a new
album that will, that will be out, um *sometime*
(laughter, strum).  And, uh, this is one of the
songs that's going to be on it, um.  I do have
with me, um, it's called a... well, it's a little
four song, um, CD, of, of four of the songs that
will be on the, on the new recording and it's
called an EP.  I'm not sure what that means.  You
know, maybe it's... I think it might mean, uh,
"Eugene's Pneumonia."  (scattered laughter,
strum)  I... or, you know...

B:  Huh.

M:  "Eskimo Pie?"  (they both laugh, strum)  So
this is one of the songs that's gonna be on that,
uh (strum, audience laughs), maybe..., you know
what..., actually "Eskimo Pneumonia" makes a lot
more sense, now doesn't it?  Um, (laughter) this
is one of the songs, (Brad laughs) you think you
know what you're writing a song about when you
write it and, uh, and after I got done with it I
was like, "Oh, maybe I didn't really mean it
quite that much,"  Um, 'cause it just, it hurts
to, uh, surrender and, and sacrifice, but, uh
(strum), you know, what..., what..., what else
are we gonna do if we're gonna follow Jesus?  I
love, um, Dietrich Bonhoffer, he's an author,
and, uh, he said, uh, his paraphrase of, um, he
said what Jesus was... said when He said, "Come
and follow Me," he said "Come and die..."  So
this is one of the songs that's going to be on
the pneumonia soundtrack (laughter).

~~ ANYTHING ~~  EP for upcoming release Chasing
the Horizon, 2000 Independent.  

(applause)

(strumming, laughter, consultation)

B:  Thank you, you're much too kind.  (laughter) 


M:  This is another song, um (strum), that is,
uh, that's on that EP and, uh, when I, when I was
writing this I was thinking about my faith and
how, how that's kind of a little tiny thing, uh,
when I seem to, whenever I seem to muster up any
faith it's kind of this itty bitty amount.  But
the, uh, the good news is that Jesus can do, uh,
wonderous things with that, which is why I'm
thankful.

~~ THE STRENGTH TO MOVE ~~  EP for upcoming
release Chasing the Horizon, 2000 Independent.

(applause)

M:  (strumming)  Well, I just, I want to do this
song, it's not a song that I wrote, um, but, uh,
I don't know why (laughs) I like it, uh, I think
I like it 'cause it's stupid.  (laughter)

~~ THIS OLD MAN ~~  Unreleased, public domain. 
(Mitch can even make a nursery rhyme rock!!)

This old man, he played one, he played knick knack just for fun
Yeah, a knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home
Well, this old man, he played two, he played knick knack just for you
Yeah, a knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home
Rolling home
Well, this old man, he played three, he played knick knack just for me
Yeah, a knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home
A knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,  
Knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,
Knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,
Knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,
Knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,
Ah, this old man came rolling home, rolling home
This old man, he played four, he played knick knack, and he'll play it some more
Yeah, a knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone, this old man came rolling home
Ah, this old man, he played five, he played knick knack... because he loved to jive
Oh, he played knick knack... because he loved to get funky (laughter, whoop)
Oh, knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,
Yeah, this old man came rolling home, yeah, 
rolling home, rolling home, he was rolling
Oh knick knack paddywack, give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home

(applause)

M:  Oh, gee (laughing and strumming)!  Wow, you
even, you even clapped for it!  (laughter)  This
is a *good* night (laughs)!  Um, I want to let
Brad do a, a song, uh, for you, um, he's a really
good songwriter, and, uh, (applause)  HAHAHA! 
(strumming)  See now, when, after Ryan went
you're like, "Oh, well, he was pretty good!"
(strums) so you're like, "So, Brad'll be pretty
good, too."  So, just *trust* me!  (laughing and
strumming)  These guys are great!  So (laughing,
Brad laughs, too), ah, this is, ah, we worked up,
ah, he lets me play on this, so I, I especially
like it, but, uh, he's a real..., he's got lots
of...

B:  ...like I wouldn't!  He lets me play on
everything of his!  (strums)  Anyway...

M:  Yeah, but you do it good!

B:  Oh.  Haha!  (strums, laughter)  Is that my
introduction?  (laughter)  Another wonderful one,
thank you.  (strums, scattered chuckles)

M:  Oh, yeah, he also wears 10 1/2s!  (strums,
applause)  *There* you go, that's the
introduction!

B:  (strums) Why are you clapping?  (laughter) 
"He wears 10 1/2s."  It wasn't that funny
(strums).  People, you don't have to ride with
him for eight hours a day in the van!  (strums,
laughs)  I'm just kidding.  I like Mitchell. 
He's funny (strums).

I, I was trying to think about what..., is my
guitar still distorting by the way (strums)?  Is
it (strums)?  Is it now (strums)?  Good, we got
that figured out, thank you (strums).  Wow, that
was bothering me, I didn't know it was happening
until someone told me at... halftime or whatever
you call it (laughs).  You know, I was trying to
think about what I wanted to talk about tonight,
and, 'cause you know I only get one song worth
(laughter), I'm not *that* good (Brad and
audience laughs, applause) and, uh, and, you
know, there's been all this profoundness going
on, and I couldn't think of anything great or
prophetic or amazing, so, I, you know, and plus,
I have these, this group of friends that are kind
of in the Christian music world and I make fun of
them all the time because they always, you know,
like, take this life experience or story that
they hear and then add, just to make it a
parable, they add at the very end of the story
(in a bass voice) "and that's how God is."  And
then all of a sudden it's supposed to become
amazing like, "Oh yeah, I can see that."  And, so
I always make fun of them that, you know, we're
just not very good at writing parables.  And, I
mean, for instance, they would take a story like,
"Did you know that penguins, a male penguin will
go and search for the most amazing rock.  And
he'll go and present that rock to the female
penguin of his liking.  And if she likes the rock
enough, she'll accept the rock and they'll stay
man and wife for the rest of their lives." 
Wouldn't that stink?  (strums, laughter, laughs) 
Women, man, good Lord, I've got a lot to learn. 
(strums, laughter)  And then, you know, if you
wanted it to become a parable you would just add,
(in a bass voice) "and that's how God is,"
(laughter) because Jesus is the rock or
something, I don't know (strums).  

But, basically, I said nothing tonight
(laughter), I was just babbling trying to figure
out what I was gonna talk about and nothing came
out.  And, uh, so, I, I won't bore you with,
like, some life experience that is profound.  Um,
um, but this next song is... ooh, it's a toughie
to explain.  Has anybody *not* seen the, uh, the
Wizard of Oz?  (one youngster indicates he
hasn't)  Oh, you will, don't worry.  (laughter) 
Somebody will make you watch it.  (laughter)  And
when you, when you see it, beware of Dorothy. 
(laughter)  She had some problems, man.  And, I,
I think the Tin Man kinda had a thing for her. 
And, but it kinda stunk for him because, you
know, at the very end of the movie, did you catch
it?  Where Dorothy went, "Oh, Scarecrow, I'll
miss you most of all."  (Brad and audience laugh)
 Man, I was mad!  (laughter and claps)  'Cause,
you know, he didn't even, the scarecrow didn't
even know what he was looking for.  (strums,
laughter)  He didn't know any better, he didn't
have a brain.  At least the Tin Man knew what he
was goin' after.  (strums, laughter)  Anyway, I'm
babbling again, I realize that, I'm sorry, I get
on this rampage.  Um, I, this song is about
jumping out in the rain.  It hurts to love, it
hurts to be exposed, it hurts to be vulnerable
(strums), but for some strange reason. , that's
the way God wants us and, uh, we can never be our
true selves or real to Him unless we are.  And
man, it hurts to love, we get hurt, people
will... backfire on us, in a sense and it, it's
no fun.  But I don't think that's an excuse for
us to turn back.  And so, I think the Tin Man is
a great analogy of stepping out in the rain, no
matter rusting or not.  It hurts, but it's just
something you gotta do.  I'm done (laughs)!  (To
Mitch) You wanna help?  Okay.

~~ TIN MAN ~~  Acoustic guitar and lead vocals by
Brad, acoustic guitar, harmonica and background
vocals by Mitch.  Unreleased, all rights
reserved.  

Dorothy, don't you know, following your road of gold 
So you can get back again 
Somehow I believed that you would never really leave 
For, for that Scarecrow Man
But you won't see me cry, because I am not that kind of guy 
Who wears his heart on his sleeve
But I'm tryin' to be for you, well, I'm tryin' to be, oh, Dorothy
Please hold my hands, dance in the rain 
Because I cannot cry, I will not lie, 
I am your Tin Man, oh
Dorothy, have you heard, you know I have not said a word 
After the rain fell through
Dorothy, don't you know that I could never really go 
'Cause I cannot move since the rain fell through
But you and your red shoes will take you back they'll take you through 
Past the lollipop guild 
Now, who I gotta kill to get some shoes like that?  Tell me now
Please hold my hands, dance in the rain 
Because I cannot cry, I will not lie, 
I am your Tin Man, oh
So take my hand, we're off to see the Wizard, ah, the man behind his curtain 
You know, if I only had a heart, it might not be as hard to love you 

B:  and that's how God is 

(harmonica and guitar bridge)
So, please hold my hands, dance in the rain 
Because I cannot cry, I will not lie to you, 
I am your Tin Man, I am your Tin Man, I am your,
oh
Dorothy, don't you know, I am following your road
of gold 
So I can get back again 

(applause)

B:  All that for one song (strums, tunes).

~~ HERE AND NOW ~~

(applause, cheers)

M:  Well, this is another new song.  Um, I grew
up in Kansas and they do something there in the
springtime that's really...

B:  Whoo, lotta yells for Kansas.

M:  Hahaha (laughs).

B:  (sarcastically)  Yeah, yay, Kansas.  Whoo!

M:  (laughing, strums)  Oh, wow.  (Brad laughs) 
Uh, anyway, like I, like I said, I grew up in
Kansas (strums) and they do something during the
springtime that's, that's really beautiful, they,
they burn the fields, um, they burn off the grass
which is, uh, um, you know, dead and dried up and
brown, and, uh, so all, all of a sudden the
fields are black and charred.  But, um, pretty
soon you see these little green blades of grass
pop up and it's beautiful to watch life, uh, come
from nothing.  And it's got me thinking that's
kind of what God will do with us.  He will burn
off that which is old and dried up, that which we
don't need no more (strums),  but it hurts to be
burned (strums).  But it's just my suspicion
that, uh, what God comes up with for us would be
better than what we come up with on our own and
uh, going through times that seem to be hard,
rough, seem to be nothing at best, uh, on the
other side there's these little green blades of
grass and, and life is coming from what seems to
be nothing.  So, uh, I made this up when I was
visiting home last year.

~~ BURNING THE FIELDS ~~  EP for upcoming release
Chasing the Horizon, 2000 Independent.  Acoustic
guitar and harmonica by Mitch.  Hammered dulcimer
by Brad.    

(applause)

M:  Well, I want... I would like to end with this
next song, um, it's probably my, uh, my most
favorite song that I've gotten to write, because
I think it just talks a little bit more about the
Kingdom of God than anything else I've been able
to come up with.  That's something that's very
intriguing to me.  But the Kingdom of God, it
just rarely makes sense.  I mean, it's a... the
Kingdom of God is a dinner party that nobody
wants to come to, yet, we're, we're all invited,
and all we need to do is show up.  The Kingdom of
God is a lamp, and it's light keeps getting
covered up, and all we need to do is maybe
uncover it and get out the way and let the light
shine.  The Kingdom of God is an itty bitty
mustard seed that grows into this giant tree,
maybe all we need to do is water it (strums).  So
when you think about it, there really ain't much
for us to do, we really ain't doin' that much. 
We're showing up, we're getting out of the way
and we're puttin' a little water where it needs
to go.  And really, the only thing that's doing
any work at all is the water.  And, I heard that
Jesus is the water of life, so maybe we ought to
just let Jesus do His job as Savior, and trust
that as Savior, He will sink into people's souls
(picks).  You know, I was in a, I, I had an
interview the other day and..., and, and one of
the questions was "Well, what do you do, uh,
before a concert to get into a spiritual,
worshipful mood?"  I said I don't get in a
spiritual, worshipful mood.  I said my, my
objective when I go out there is to be myself and
if I'm trying to muster up some kind of aura
about me, I'm gonna mess it up."  My job is to go
out there and, uh, not get in the way of what God
is doing.  And, it's a, it's kind of beyond me
that God would work through anything that I'm
doing, but, uh, the Kingdom of God just don't
make sense.  But I think that God is not terribly
concerned with making sense, I think He's more
concerned with the truth.  And the truth is, each
one of us, we are blessed, says Jesus.  Blessed
are the poor in spirit, blessed are the pure in
heart.  Life don't make sense.  We are blessed,
though we're murderers.  And yes, we've become
fairly calloused to that fact, too.  That we are
murderers, boom, boom, boom.  Each sin (picks)
puts Jesus on the cross (picks).  But, hallelujah
(strums), somehow we are blessed (strums).  It's
a glorious thing (strums).  It don't make sense,
but I'm glad that the truth is truth, that God is
God (strums), that Jesus saves and that He will,
uh, work on me until I quit screwing up so much
(picks).  Thank you for listening to us.  Um,
this is another new song and (picks), uh, I feel
really, uh, fortunate to be involved in, in what
happened here tonight.

~~ INSIDE OUT, UPSIDE DOWN ~~  Unreleased, all
rights reserved.

Well, I don't got leather seats, but at least I got an engine
I don't got an earring, but at least I got an ear to hear with
I don't hang with the "right" people, I'm just lucky that I got good friends
I don't wear the latest fashions, but at least I'm wearin' something
So I'll never be hip, I'll never be cool, and be the talk of the town
Seems like I got things backwards and everything turned around
And I'm livin' in a world that's upside down, and blessed are the poor in spirit
Livin' in a world that's inside out, blessed are the pure in heart
Inside out and upside down, oh, but I just might see God
I just might see God
I don't got the right haircut, but at least I got nice hats
I don't eat at the popular restaurants, but at least I get my daily bread
I don't drive the fastest sports car, I'm just lucky that I get around
And my house ain't much to look at, but I got somewhere to lie down
So I'll never be in, I'll never be praised, I'll never be a genius
And I know this all sounds crazy, but somehow it all makes sense
'Cause I'm livin' in a world that's upside down, blessed are the poor in spirit
Livin' in a world that's inside out, blessed are the pure in heart
Inside out and upside down, oh, but I just might see God
And I don't know the "right" people
But I know Who can save me
Livin' in a world that's upside down, and blessed are the poor in spirit
Livin' in a world that's inside out, blessed are the pure in heart
Inside out and upside down, oh, but someday I'll see God
I'll see God
'Cause I'm livin' in a world that's upside down, blessed are the poor in spirit
Livin' in a world that's inside out, and the pure in heart
Inside out and upside down, oh, but someday I'll see God
Someday I'll see God, this world is upside down
Like we got things turned around
But someday I'll see God

(applause)

M:  See y'all!

B:  Thank you for listenin'!

(sustained and insistent whoops, whistles and
applause)

B:  We heard ya already!  (tuning, laughter, a
specific request is called out from the audience,
Mitch looks to Brad, who shakes his head.) 
Uh-uh.  I forgot that one!  (laughter)

M:  (to the requestor)  Have you heard me do it
before?  No?  Yes?  Oh, you're waiting for it. 
Ooh.  

B:  (inhales)  Maybe I could try...

M:  I could do...

B:  Do you think we could do it...?

Requestor:  We came from the farthest. 
(laughter, audience says, "ooooh!")

M:  Where did you come from?  

Requestor:  We're from South Bend.  (laughter,
only an hour)

M:  Ah, yeah, so the rest of the story
(laughter).  Okay, let's shoot (laughter).  I
figure you've listened to me mess up all night,
so, uh, what's another song?  (strums)  Thank you
for knowing about that (chuckles).

Is this one on, Tim?  Cool.

~~ RICH'S SONG ~~  Brad on hammered dulcimer. 
Unreleased, all rights reserved.  

If you chase the horizon long enough, then you just might lose the dark
And you found the light or maybe it found you and I'm sorry you had to part
Until I think about where you are
You stepped behind the veil and then you just went on in
But you were here for awhile and that was such a gift
You know what I mean is
I'm sure you smile a lot more than you ever did before
And I can hear you laughing and carrying on from here
But this world took it's toll so you went on through that door
And I could tell it all was drawing near but I just had no idea it was so close
But He was always calling you home
Drawing you home
I had never known who heard His voice but I'm almost sure you did
You had a way of hiding it, but you walked along with Him
Oh, you know what I mean is
As I put words to your life they seem to come up short
The words meant a lot to you, but you are so much more
I'm sure you smile a lot more than you ever did before
And I can hear you laughing and carrying on from here
But this world took it's toll so you went on through that door
And I could tell it all was drawing near but I just had no idea it was so close
But He was always calling you home
I'm sure you smile a lot more than you ever did before
And I can hear you laughing, yeah, I can hear you laughing
But this world took it's toll so you went on through that door
And I could tell it all was drawing near but I just had no idea it was so close
But He was always calling you home
From the day that you were born
He was calling you home
From the day that you were born
He was calling you home, He was calling you home,
He was calling you home
You finally made it home
You made it home

(sustained applause)

B:  Thank you.  (strums)  That was a toughie.

M:  So let's end singing this...

~~ STEP BY STEP / WE EXALT THEE MEDLEY ~~

(meet & greet)

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