ROCK of Ages!
DC Talk. Audio Adrenaline. Jars of Clay. Those are the bands that inspired a local group of Texarkana musicians to form a Christian Rock cover band! Jars of Adrenaline Talk is gearing up for their first performance, and it is sure to be a show-stopping performance of the songs many of us grew up listening to.
"[Honestly] I'm just excited to see the turnout and the response to the songs we bust out. I'm humbled and grateful to be able to be a part of it all. God-centered fun is something you can't go wrong with, in my opinion," drummer CJ Allen said when asked what he was most excited about for the live performance. Allen himself is new to the Christian rock genre but has thoroughly enjoyed his latest genre shift. "I pride myself on being a versatile musician who can play multiple styles of music, and I have a lot of love for all variations of Christian music." Singer Kyle Wyatts would add, "even though I'm the oldest in the group, I am the youngest at heart! HaHaHa! I'm excited to see young kids and older kids (like me), come together for a night of praising Jesus."
Not everyone in the band is new to this scene, though. Singer/guitarist Matt Helms actually grew up listening to and has recorded multiple tracks with Barry Blair of Audio Adrenaline. "I remember a friend letting me borrow his headphones on the bus for the All-state youth choir and hearing Phil Keaggy's extended guitar solo on the song "John the Revelator" from the album Crimson and Blue. I was blown away. I'd never heard anything like that other than when I would sneak around to listen to Lynard Skynard or classic rock radio. Around that same time, I was at a kid's event at a church and heard Petra's Beyond Belief for the first time, and again, I couldn't believe it. Then I got one of those magazines that used to come in the mail that advertised ten cassettes for a penny and bought some Christian Rock Albums. One of which was Audio Adrenaline's Bloom. I fell in love with the rhythmic guitar riffs from Barry Blair and was truly inspired. I listened to that tape until it stopped working, bought it a second time, and eventually bought it a third time on CD. Somewhere around this time, I was invited to play in Tinman Jones, so I started trying to play Rock myself and listening to more music recommended by the band. It's Amazing to meet your Hero after so many years!"
The band shares a fundamental belief that their shows are more than just nostalgic music. They are a commitment to providing wholesome, family-friendly, and above all, Godly entertainment.
"In a world full of negative, depressing music, I'm excited to see many people come together and enjoy clean music with a positive message," said bassist Tim Cornelius when asked what made him excited about the show. Guitarist Dustin Thompson adds, "I believe that as the city grows, there will be a larger demand for Live Music. We want to glorify God first and foremost and bring back music that was so influential to us as kids!"
You can see Jars of Adrenaline Talk, a 90s Christian Rock Tribute Show, this Friday, May 24, 2024, at Bright Star Theater (2729 New Boston Road) in Texarkana. The doors will open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7 pm.
