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From: Robin Woodson Subject: Mitch @ St Louis Christian College Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 22:14:36 Hey guys, Here's the most accurate account I can present you with regarding Mitch's "mini-concert" at St. Louis Christian College: We got to the college at about 6:30, found the small coffeehouse/cafeteria, and watched a handful of students finish their dinner. We bought cheap sodas - two 12 oz. Styrofoam cups for $1. I thought the gal had only charged me for one, so I pointed out that we had two. She said the dollar was for both sodas. Who said college is expensive? If it had not been for the six guitars, hammered dulcimer, sound equipment and two guys practicing we'd have certainly thought we were in the wrong place. I knew one of the guys was Brad, because Apryl had so graciously sent me a picture, but I didn't know who the other one was. We noticed when Mitch came in, but the three looked busy so we decided not to bother them. The crowd was so small we knew we'd have time to talk later. A couple girls came up to us to ask about the schedule times, etc. They thought we were part of the band. We told them we weren't with the band, but had schedule times. (Thanks to Danl's handy dandy concert info he so faithfully posts to the list. Thanks again, again and again, Danl!) We just sat and took in the whole environment wondering what would happen next. Well. Next; everyone left but the cafeteria workers and the band. I had just asked one of the cafeteria workers if everyone was leaving when guess who showed up? Cathy from the list. She came over, hugged me and sat down. She told me she had to rush to get there, but was so glad she'd made it. We had just begun visiting when Mitch grabbed his jacket and looked like he was leaving. I said, "Hey, is it over?" He came over and said, "Oh, you didn't hear? The concert time has been changed." I said, "No, we didn't hear. When is it?" He responded, "There's a basketball game or something, so we'll be playing from nine to ten." (Whoa!!! That's a BIG difference!!!) I said, "Oh well, we can wait. We can go do some Christmas shopping and come back later." But Cathy said she couldn't stay, because she had to work the next day. I felt bad for her, especially after she had rushed and driven an hour to get there; but she said it was okay. She said she'd be there for the Thursday night concert (working at the Compassion table). She got a chance to talk with Mitch for a few minutes. I asked Mitch if we could all get a picture together. He said yes. He said they were getting ready to go eat, so we tried to make it quick. When I get the film developed, I'll send the photo to Cathy and she can scan it if anyone wants to see it. As we were searching for a store we saw a Krispy Kreme donut shop. I had never heard of it until it was discussed on the list a while back; so we just HAD to try it. Kelsie and I agree with whoever said they are good. We got a dozen so we could take some home to Steve and Josh. We came back to the cafeteria at about 8:45 (so we could get a good seat. Hehe, haha). At this particular concert, arriving 15 minutes early meant being the FIRST ones there. Kelsie had a book she was reading. So, I decided to take advantage of the situation. I grabbed my camera and was headed for the hammered dulcimer to sneak a great picture. Kelsie said, "Mom, why do you want a picture of a hammered dulcimer? We HAVE one." Just as she said it, I realized I was about to get caught. Brad and the "mystery guy" were coming down the steps; so I made a quick U-turn and came back to the table. I told Kelsie, "You're right. I don't need a picture of it, 'cause I think I'll just come back over and sit down instead of getting caught." You know how sheepish you feel when you've done something "shady?" You get this feeling that EVERYONE saw you. You feel you have NO other choice, but to fess up (otherwise you'd keep it hidden); but when you bear your heart and make your confession, you find that no one else even noticed - UNTIL you confessed? Then, you're going, "WHY did I confess? I should have just kept my mouth shut?" Hehe, haha. (You guys know I'm having fun with this, don't you?) So, I just blurted out my confession to Brad. I said, "I just about got caught!!!" He said, "Caught? Doing what?" I said, "Well, I was on my way over to get a picture of your HD, until I saw you coming. Then I got scared, so I ran the other way." He said, "Oh, that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. You can get a picture." I was glad he gave me the OK. I had this idea that, going over by the instruments with no one else in the room, would be kind of like invading the HD's "personal space", or something. Now, I had permission to do it, so I jumped at the chance. Before the concert started, we went over to the "goods" table. I was very excited to see that Mitch has a new T-shirt out. I told him the off-white, green and brown one only matches one other shirt I have in my closet; so the new one (black, red and yellow) is a welcome change. Mitch said Brad did the artwork for them. Cool !!! The shirts were only $10. I tried to talk them into marking them up to $15, but they didn't do it. Mitch said if I wanted to pay $15, I could though. Ryan Long had CDs available. I asked him how he would describe his music. Mitch said, "Techno." I must have had a funny look on my face when I said disappointedly, "Oh, really?" They laughed at me. Then Ryan said he'd compare his music to James Taylor. That was good for me. It was a packed house - maybe 25 in attendance (30 at best.) Mitch and Brad started with Here & Now. Brad said in a low voice, "Thank You." (laughter) Mitch commented, "I know we're in a cafeteria, but it sure feels like church 'cause nobody's in the front row. Well, I hope we have fun." (laughter) He told us the next song was the first one that had been written for The Canticle. He told the story about the five Chicago business men who were in a hurry to get home, but knocked a young boys apples over. I could make an attempt at reconstructing the story, but fear that I would mess it all up. I think someone on the list gave an account of it earlier. It is a beautiful story. In short, the boy was blind; and when one of the five men stopped to help him, he thought the man was Jesus. Mitch said, "I don't know how much the boy knew about Jesus. Maybe he had just heard that Jesus was the greatest lover of all time." Mitch then asked us, "Would any blind person accuse us of 'being Jesus'? They will know we are Christians by our love." Mitch did Heaven Is Waiting (with Brad adding the HD to it. I wish you could have heard it.) Brad said in a low voice, "Thank You." (laughter) Mitch and Brad had a seat in some lawn chairs. Brad said, "We're having a smooth flowing concert tonight." Mitch introduced Brad Layher (pronounced like a layer cake - my own description). Someone in the audience said, "Hi, Brad." Brad responded, "He said, 'Hi, Brad.' I like that better than hand- clapping." So, if any of you get a chance to see him, yell, 'Hi, Brad," instead of clapping. Hehe, haha. Mitch said, "It's great to tour with Brad, to ride in the van with him, to do music, and smell him. Some smells are better than others." Brad said, "Maybe we should play a song for them, Mitch." They sang (On Christ) The Solid Rock (I Stand) a capella (sp). They did a cool "percussion-y thing" during the 3rd verse beating on their drums. Mitch said, "Thanks. That was a hard one to work up, as stupid and easy as it looks. We couldn't figure out if it was three or four beats per measure; so we did the song in three and the intro in four. Brad said, "I try my best to fill in where Mitch is lacking in his jokes." (laughter) Someone in the audience said, "Refrain." So Brad responds, "Refrain. Lets do a song with a refrain." He went into this ridiculous impromptu song about refraining. It ended up being the "dead space song" that I've heard about somewhere, probably another review. Take Hold of Me was next. Brad said in a low voice, "Thank you." (laughter) Mitch said he had been listening to one of his favorite country albums. I got the impression he doesn't have a lot of favorite country albums, but it's just a guess. He said the next song was his best attempt to do a country song. He said he and Brad would have some help on it. Finally we were officially introduced to the "mystery man" - Ryan Long. Mitch said, "He is very gifted songwriter. We like him a lot." They did a beautiful "Only Love Will." Ryan and Brad did BGVs and shakers. Mitch said they get to have Ryan along sometimes. He likes having Ryan along because he likes, "having him do his thing. He is very good." Ryan sang a really neat song called, "Do You Hold Me? (I think that's the title.) He is really enjoyable to watch, and really gets into the music. You can tell he's having fun. Brad said, "We're a little sickly tonight in case you've noticed." There was a lot of talk about being "sickly." (I understood a most of their small talk, but I was lost with some of it.) Ryan said, "This song will prove it." (I think the reason I didn't notice the "sickli-ness" stuff was because it was on my "normal" wavelength - kind of that takes one to know one" kind of thing.) Ryan said he had a guitar stolen once. He went into how much he really liked that guitar and how he really wants to find out who stole it. He said, "The police almost had it figured out at one point. There were fingerprints all over it. But, come to find out, they were his fingerprints." (Okay, now I'm beginning to understand the sickly stuff!) "I have a real good idea of who stole it, so everywhere I go, I sing the song; 'cause I figure the more I sing it, the better the chance I'll have of getting it back." - I don't know the name of the song. I'll try to find out. Ryan introduced his next song by saying it was about an environmentalist name John Muer (sp.) - at least he was an environmentalist before he died. John would go exploring and stay in a cabin to write about it. He'd stay in during inclimate weather, and go out in good weather. But one day he got the crazy idea to go out in the middle of a terrible storm. He just decided to face it and ride the storm out. Mitch said some real nice things about his Grandma - how he loves and respects her; and doesn't want her to worry about him when he's on the road. I can't remember everything he said about her. He said she's 80 years old. I guess I just got sidetracked thinking about my Grandma (who's 92, still in good health, and living with us) and Steve's Grandma (who's 90, still living independently in Florida.) Our kids are so blessed to not only know, but know WELL, their great-grandparents. Mitch reminded us that Christians are to help people in need - no matter what it costs. We are to put others first - even above our own needs, and even when it doesn't make sense. Ryan then sang his song about riding the storm just to feel the wind. He said it is for John Muer (sp.) [The song is not to be confused with REO's Riding the Storm Out, but I may just have to get it out and pretend to subtract 20 years from my life. Hehe, haha.] Brad said, "Thanks, Ryan. It's fun to work with Ryan. We grew up together. So it's always good to see him." Mitch said it's been quite a last couple of years. He spoke very briefly about the accident. He said, "I've come a long way since then. I wrote this next song with Rich. We didn't write it for me to record. We wrote it for him to record, but my record company wanted it to be on my album. I like doing it in concert, because I remember writing it with him." (My Deliverer) Mitch reminded us that we are called to place others above ourselves. He likes to help people, because he likes to see Jesus in their smile. Mitch listed some who will not get into heaven. I couldn't write fast enough and decided to get the list straight from Galatians 5:19-21. My KJV lists adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murderers, drunkenness, revellings, and such [the] like. My NIV simplifies the understanding: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. Mitch said, "Does that leave anybody out? I think that pretty much covers everyone. So, we're screwed - not matter how you look at it. But thank God for Jesus. He died for you. We've become so calloused, because we've heard it so much. But think about it. Let it sink in. He DIED for you. So there's no difference between me and the homosexual, me and the drunk guy, me and the adulteress. We're ALL riding on Jesus' coat tails. Do not EVER think you're gonna get there on your own coat tails. Mitch said they had just been in Minnesota where everyone is so fouled up over the comment that their new governor made about religion. Jesse Ventura made this 'bold' statement that "religion is for the weak." Mitch said, "I'm like, Duh!!!!!" (laughter) "Religion IS for the weak. Thank GOD for Jesus!!!" They did The Lemonade Song. Mitch said, "It was fun tonight. Thank you." Ryan said, "Mitch has CDs that are $13, but worth $27." And Brad said, "And Ryan has CDs that are pretty dandy, too." Everyone laughed at Brad calling Ryan's CDs "dandy." We had a blast!!!! I got a chance to pray with Ryan and Mitch. I had told Mitch that Chris leads us regularly in cyber-prayer. I talked with Ryan a little about Atlanta. I told him my brother lives there. He said he'll be playing there the day after Thanksgiving; so if you live nearby, go see him. The detail is on his website, http://www.ryanlong.com I met a couple from Oklahoma. Can you believe it? They drove all the way here just for the three-day event. I gave them our Raga-friends List address and told them if they were current "members" (hehe), they'd surely get some sort of consolation prize for driving so far. We had a blast!!! Love in Christ, Robin Woodson
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