Desperation Band creates an energetic atmosphere of worship at U-Church
Photo by Peri McIntosh
Desperation Band performed at the U-Church concert in the Conn Center on Sunday, Sept. 14. The band is from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is comprised of seven members who performed a mix of original songs and covers of popular worship songs.
'I did not expect the band to have the Conn Center alive the way it was Sunday night,' senior Stephen Julia said. 'Nearly every hand was raised during one of the songs and the song choices were incredible. The excitement and energy was unlike any other U-Church I've experienced.'
The Conn Center was alive with excitement, despite the fact that many of the songs Desperation Band played were covers of well-known Christian artists. Some of these covers included 'Overcome' by Jeremy Camp, 'Great I Am' by Phillips, Craig, and Dean, and 'Open Up the Heavens' by Meredith Andrews. Since students were familiar with many of the songs, they felt free to sing at the top of their lungs, contributing to an open atmosphere of worship.
'I thought [Desperation Band] was very talented,' said freshman Oscar Palin. 'I also really liked that the band was intentional about saying that the worship was about worshipping the Lord and not about them.'
A number of original songs were performed as well, including 'All to Him,' 'This I Know,' and 'Wonderful.' Desperation Band even gave Lee students the treat of hearing a song that has not yet been released, and will be a part of their upcoming album. The chorus of the new song proclaims, 'Where there is no way/ you make a way. Where no one else can reach us/you find us.'
Jon Egan, the lead singer, prefaced the new song by talking about the crippling power of fear and depression and how believers in Christ do not have to be overcome by it.
'For the first time in my life, I felt compelled to raise my hands above my head with palms open in worship,' Julia said. 'I felt renewed in my faith. I was proud to strengthen my bond with God.'
Desperation Band started changing lives through worship 12 years ago at a student prayer conference that happened to be called "Desperation". The conference had a very simple mission of trying to get students to engage in prayer with the Lord, and it succeeded. Since then, Desperation Band has played several shows across the country and during Christian conferences, which has given them an admirable following from the Christian community.
'I had heard of Desperation Band,' freshman Cati Wentz said. 'I own many of their albums. They are awesome. I feel like it's just so breath-taking to hear them sing.'
Desperation Band set the stage for an amazing series of Sunday night U-Church concerts for the rest of the semester. Upcoming U-Church concerts for the remainder of the semester include Ballet Magnificat on Oct. 26, The City Harmonic on Nov. 2, and An Evening of Worship led by the Lee chapel band on Nov. 16.
