Farewell

This week my big sister, my husband and I said goodbye to legends: 33-year Christian rock icon Petra. They played to an under-capacity crowd at a local college campus auditorium and it was a memorable, bittersweet night.

Our family has been listening to Petra for years. I myself have been to see them (or lead singer John Schlitt) probably four times now. We like them because 1) they're great, and 2) they've stayed true to their message and mission for more than three decades. But as strange as it was for us to say goodbye, imagine how strange it is for the veteran rockers.

It was a little odd to see only one original member (Bob Hartman, co-founder) and 20-or-so-year lead singer Schlitt with two newcomers. There was no elaborate set design, no costume changes. Just four guys singing and playing hard. My sister and I couldn't get over how the singer is finally looking his age, more like a "dad" with some meat on his bones (for years he was rail thin). You could see the performance was more taxing on him than when he was younger. But he sounded just as amazing as ever. Same with Hartman. And their new drummer and bass player were more than capable replacements.

Schlitt said one of the hardest things about a "farewell tour" is selecting which songs to sing, drawing from a catalog that spans 30 years. So as part of their song set, they included two medleys -- one of their upbeat hits and one for their ballads. The three of us took turns cheering for our favorites, "No Doubt," "The Coloring Song," "Beyond Belief," "More Power To Ya," "This Means War." And on and on they went.

It was amazing, really, and encouraging to see the passion that still hasn't begun to flicker. Any fan would agree there's nothing quite like seeing Schlitt break into a smile mid-note. And how refreshing that after all these years, Hartman is still sharing the gospel unabashedly at each concert.

Leaving the auditorium, my sister and I commented on how it didn't seem like a Christian concert if we weren't sticking around to "stalk" the band (I have pages of artist autographs collected from years of staying late after concerts). But we're older now, just like them. Things change, chapters end. The important thing is that you were there.