The City Harmonic ignites a passion for music and charity in Lee audience
(Photo courtesy of freedomfest.com)
The Cleveland community was invited to take part in a night of worship with contemporary Christian entertainers, The City Harmonic, on Sunday, Nov. 2. Not only did The City Harmonic lead the Conn Center's guests in worship, they also shared their passion for World Vision and what the organization is doing to impact the lives of individuals in Guatemala.
Critics described their most recent album, "Heart" as 'pleas[ing] with such excellent songs ... as they build off of their signature sound," according to jesusfreakhideout.com. Songs from this album, as well as "Manifesto", another City Harmonic favorite amongst Lee students, were performed to an enthusiastic audience Sunday.
The City Harmonic came into being in 2010, when the band members began playing as a house band for a city revival in their hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
City Harmonic member Elias Dummer believes that these first performances served as stepping stones towards what the band would later become.
'The real genesis of our band came out of this church movement in our city," Dummer said.
Dummer also said that the city of Hamilton, which had traditionally been reliant on the steel industry, fell into crisis when the industry began to fail. He said there was a need within the city that arose that local churches attempted to meet through a movement called "True City". The movement began with around 6 churches, and today, just 10 years later, nearly 30 churches have partnered together to make Hamilton the vibrant city that it is today.
Dummer said that their hometown and its grass roots church movement is a large part of who they are even today.
'We sort of have this in our DNA," Dummer said. "We each have our traditions'and they can be meaningful, but at the same time we are apart of something bigger than ourselves. So that's actually what our band name means, and how we wrote "Manifesto." There's enough out there to separate us from the church, and I think it is essential to find our common ground and stand firmly on that.'
After collaborating to make a difference in their hometown, doors began to open for the group, and they were soon recording albums and having their music showcased on radio stations such as AirOne radio.
The City Harmonic also just celebrated their five year anniversary as a band this past Saturday, on Nov. 1. Dummer and additional members Aaron Powell and Josh Vanderlaan were all present for the performance, though band mate and friend Eric Fusilier, who is currently battling cancer, was unable to perform due to his illness.
The band also opened up about their third record, one that is still currently in the making. Dummer shared that they are starting to think ahead already, and that the creative process has been exciting so far. The success of the albums and fan support has humbled and excited the band members for their future endeavors.
"The writing process has been more collaborative than ever, more intentionally collaborative," Dummer said. Fans can expect the third album to reflect the heart of the band more so than ever before.
The Christian band's performance left impressions on the hearts of those in the audience. Not only did the lights, slide show effects and vocals get the audience hyped, but the response to the World Vision call to action was astounding.
Midway through the concert, the band paused to share about a recent trip to Guatemala with the organization, World Vision. The organization seeks to bring the Gospel and every day needs to individuals in poverty. The band not only showed a short video about their experience in Guatemala, but they also took a moment to explain to the audience why they were so passionate about it.
Senior Carly Chamerlik even admitted that this was her favorite part of the concert on Sunday night.
"[It was so great] to hear the lead singer talk about his experiences in Guatemala," Chamerlik said. "I thought it was great, the band is really good with crowd interaction."
Junior Lauren Tyrell was similarly impressed.
'They were super passionate and their light show and slideshow got everyone pretty hype[d]," Tyrell said. "Also, their video and hearts for Guatemala really spoke to a lot of people in the room.'
In sharing their commitment to the work of World Vision, they also gave the audience a time to respond and act. The City Harmonic personally handed out small brochures about children that could be sponsored by individuals or a group through a monthly monetary donation. Each brochure ultimately found a willing sponsor by the end of the concert, and the students and band alike joined in worship to celebrate the moment.
