INTERMISSION

Ok, I just got backstage after finishing my set. I'm still out of breath. I'm in Wisconsin tonight, and I just finished my set with the song "Tick Tock" from my new CD. I just walked back here to blog this question for you all to answer. I know you wonder what happens backstage during intermission, so I'm gonna tell you a little bit. But then, I want to know what you all do during intermissions at concerts...maybe a favorite concert and what you did during intermission? I don't know...be creative, because I'm really curious. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite intermission moments from my career so far:

First thing you have to realize is that we usually go back to the bus or to a "green room". On the bus, there's usually a satellite TV, maybe Playstation, maybe some food...I know, I know, you thought we all go back there and have a Bible study, and "bathe" ourselves in prayer, but we don't. If we don't go to the bus, we go to a room backstage called the "green room", where there are snacks and a usually comfortable place to sit and relax. There are only a few places in the world where the "green room" is actually green. Tonight, it's white. Anyway, sometimes there is just a simple, make-shift green room because the venue is not a real theater or performance center. So we can end up in weird places. A trailor out in Nebraska, or a closet in New Jersey, a choir practice room full of choir robes, or a props room for theater class (those are always fun, and there are usually inappropriate uses devised for the myriad of props found there.) And sometimes its JUST a bathroom. Hangin' out in the bathroom? Not really for me.

OK, now to a few of my my favorite intermission moments:

On this tour, (with Jars of Clay and Sara Groves) we've been playing BOCCE--it's an Italian game involving croquet-like balls (previously misspelled twice, as 'crocet' and 'croqet'), and a grass playing area. (Google it to find out about the game!) Steve, Dan, Matt, Charlie, Caleb, Troy and myself, out in the grass, rolling heavy polished balls (kinda like billiards, only a lot bigger) and high-fivin' and trash-talkin'. And yeah, I think I keep winning. Hmmmmm.

I remember the time we were in Oregon, and our green room was set up in a church nursery. You know, with the half-doors, the whole place kinda smells like grape juice, the tiny but functional toilets for toddlers (don't ask) and the closets and chests full of games and toys (imagine the germs!) Well, this particular night we found a rubber ring-toss set, kind of like horse shoes, and had a rip-roarin' ring-toss tournament. You would not believe how competitive our bass player (Wes) and drummer (Scott) are! I honestly can't remember who won the tournament, so let's just say it was me. Yeah, I was the winner. We'll just go with that. Anyway, while the audience was busy doing whatever they do during intermission, we were playing child games.

Here's another memory. My first tour was with Michael W. Smith, probably 8 or 9 years ago. We played in 40 different cities, so there's no way I'll remember exactly what city we were in. But one night during intermission, I went back to the locker room that was being used as the 'green room'. There were lockers, benches and even showers and a bathroom connected, all with a hard tile floor. Someone picked up a long guitar cable, it think it was Michelle, (someone from Michael's label) and Michael took the other end and they started swinging it like a jumprope. So, what else is a boy supposed to do? I jumped in and started jumping, just like on the playground at school! Backstage, Michael W. Smith, jump roping during intermission of a concert: It doesn't get any better than this!

Then there was that time I got off-stage and went back to the 'green room', where all the other artists were sitting and they started laughing when I walked in. I'm sure I looked puzzled, so they asked me, "What did you mean by 'my pants are gone'?" I had no idea what they were talking about until they explained that while I was singing the song "Smellin' Coffee", in the bridge where I should have said, "I wake up, my PAST is gone..." I sang by mistake, "I wake up, my PANTS ARE GONE!" Embarrassing. I wonder if anybody else heard it that way?

Well, I've caught my breath now, and I can hear Jars of Clay on the stage singing "I want to fall in love with you...." Fun times.

Well, that's a little of what goes on during intermission. Now it's YOUR turn. I'm curious. What do you all do during intermissions at concerts? While you're thinking, I think I'll go snoop around and try to find a props closet, or a jumprope. Or maybe I'll go listen to the rest of the concert!

Oh, I hope they sing "FLOOD"