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Even though it sounded and looked like any other outdoor rock concert with its ear-splitting music, orange plastic perimeter fences and vendors’ tents with tie-dyed dresses and other memorabilia for sale, this music festival was an exception: The Son reigned during the third annual ReignFest, held in a sunny field on Spencer Street Saturday.
Event coordinator Bobby Pierce said 700 to a thousand people from Albany to Rochester were expected to be in attendance at the non-denominational Christian rock concert that featured seven groups throughout the afternoon and evening.
Among the final groups to perform was headliner band, Everyday Sunday, with Ohio-based performer Trey Pearson. To his credit Pearson, a returning musician, has had five national No. 1 hit singles on Christian radio.
Other worship groups included Deeper Still from Oneida, The City Harmonic and Derek Levendusky’s Rochester-based Isaiah 6, which played a mix of original and familiar selections for an interactive performance.
Levendusky, who has authored five books on the themes of worship, outreach and God’s love, was also expected to give a motivational address.
He said, “The message is we should imitate Jesus Christ. He gave up his comfort to serve others. In the same way, we should give up our comfort to serve others. Especially as Americans, we’re blessed. We teach that blessing [that is, being an American] has a responsibility to be a blessing to others.
“We’ll be calling the people here to embrace that idea,” Levendusky added.
Pierce said the concert had its genesis in 2009. He said, “There’s not much here for the youth, not a lot of concerts between Albany and Syracuse — especially Christian concerts. I’m hoping to change kids’ lives by giving them an event like this.”
Singer-songwriter Pearson, a self-taught pianist, at 16 had friends who wrote and played their own songs. He was inspired to form his own group and to share that ministry with others. All of the band members are Christian.
He’s 30 now. He said it’s part of the performers’ faith “to tell who God is and what he’s done for us. We just want to tell people about Jesus and God’s love for us.”
Among those present for the performances were Salisbury resident Gina Thompson, her 19-year-old niece Shawna Guardi, of Cherry Valley, and her eight-year-old granddaughter, Katrina Bennett, of Salisbury Center, who unequivocally exclaimed that the concert event was “great!”
When asked what they liked best about the event, Thompson said the performance by Everyday Sunday is always her favorite. “They’ve been here every year,” she said.
Between them, Shawna said the three fans own all four of the group’s CDs.
Since the concert’s conception three years ago, Shawna said one of the biggest changes was that it wasn’t a “mud field.” She joked, “It was Woodstock with Jesus.”
Pierce said the concert’s name was inspired by that first soggy event.
Deeper Still band leader Jeff Leahey said, “The energy is amazing here, and the excitement.”
Among the half dozen or so canopied structures on the property was one belonging to Mohawk native Mindy Miner, 31, a missionary to the central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan. She was present at the concert to talk to the curious about “missions in general” and the work she does in that country.
Miner was dressed in a traditional white Kyrgyz dress, presented to her by her students, she said. She also displayed a collection of maps, photographs and other items from her time there.
Miner said, “We work with orphans.”
The goal of the missionaries’ work is to build relationships with the orphans, who at 16 “graduate” from their institutions.
Miner said if the youths aren’t “connected” with anyone, they get “lost.” “Because they’re orphans, they’re kind of looked down upon by society,” Miner explained. The young males sometimes turn to a life of crime; the females become victims of human trafficking and prostitution.
The mission work in which she is engaged is intended to help the youths to have brighter futures, she added, noting that she’s trying to earn enough money to go back late this summer.
Another of the vendor tents featured fried dough prepared by St. Johnsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps members. It also advertised another upcoming concert.
SAVAC officer Mickey Swartz said the same kind of Christian rock event is planned to be held, rain or shine, at the Soldiers and Sailors ball field in St. Johnsville on Oct. 1.
Four groups — including the Christian rock band, Chasen — are scheduled to perform during the inaugural event. The gates will open at 4 p.m. Advance tickets are available for sale at itickets.com or at Curley’s Video on Main Street in St. Johnsville. Advance tickets cost $10; tickets purchased at the gate will be $15. Proceeds of the event will benefit the St. Johnsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
Even though it sounded and looked like any other outdoor rock concert with its ear-splitting music, orange plastic perimeter fences and vendors’ tents with tie-dyed dresses and other memorabilia for sale, this music festival was an exception: The Son reigned during the third annual ReignFest, held in a sunny field on Spencer Street Saturday.
Event coordinator Bobby Pierce said 700 to a thousand people from Albany to Rochester were expected to be in attendance at the non-denominational Christian rock concert that featured seven groups throughout the afternoon and evening.
Among the final groups to perform was headliner band, Everyday Sunday, with Ohio-based performer Trey Pearson. To his credit Pearson, a returning musician, has had five national No. 1 hit singles on Christian radio.
Other worship groups included Deeper Still from Oneida, The City Harmonic and Derek Levendusky’s Rochester-based Isaiah 6, which played a mix of original and familiar selections for an interactive performance.
Levendusky, who has authored five books on the themes of worship, outreach and God’s love, was also expected to give a motivational address.
He said, “The message is we should imitate Jesus Christ. He gave up his comfort to serve others. In the same way, we should give up our comfort to serve others. Especially as Americans, we’re blessed. We teach that blessing [that is, being an American] has a responsibility to be a blessing to others.
“We’ll be calling the people here to embrace that idea,” Levendusky added.
Pierce said the concert had its genesis in 2009. He said, “There’s not much here for the youth, not a lot of concerts between Albany and Syracuse — especially Christian concerts. I’m hoping to change kids’ lives by giving them an event like this.”
Singer-songwriter Pearson, a self-taught pianist, at 16 had friends who wrote and played their own songs. He was inspired to form his own group and to share that ministry with others. All of the band members are Christian.
He’s 30 now. He said it’s part of the performers’ faith “to tell who God is and what he’s done for us. We just want to tell people about Jesus and God’s love for us.”
Among those present for the performances were Salisbury resident Gina Thompson, her 19-year-old niece Shawna Guardi, of Cherry Valley, and her eight-year-old granddaughter, Katrina Bennett, of Salisbury Center, who unequivocally exclaimed that the concert event was “great!”
When asked what they liked best about the event, Thompson said the performance by Everyday Sunday is always her favorite. “They’ve been here every year,” she said.
Between them, Shawna said the three fans own all four of the group’s CDs.
Since the concert’s conception three years ago, Shawna said one of the biggest changes was that it wasn’t a “mud field.” She joked, “It was Woodstock with Jesus.”
Pierce said the concert’s name was inspired by that first soggy event.
Deeper Still band leader Jeff Leahey said, “The energy is amazing here, and the excitement.”
Among the half dozen or so canopied structures on the property was one belonging to Mohawk native Mindy Miner, 31, a missionary to the central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan. She was present at the concert to talk to the curious about “missions in general” and the work she does in that country.
Miner was dressed in a traditional white Kyrgyz dress, presented to her by her students, she said. She also displayed a collection of maps, photographs and other items from her time there.
Miner said, “We work with orphans.”
The goal of the missionaries’ work is to build relationships with the orphans, who at 16 “graduate” from their institutions.
Miner said if the youths aren’t “connected” with anyone, they get “lost.” “Because they’re orphans, they’re kind of looked down upon by society,” Miner explained. The young males sometimes turn to a life of crime; the females become victims of human trafficking and prostitution.
The mission work in which she is engaged is intended to help the youths to have brighter futures, she added, noting that she’s trying to earn enough money to go back late this summer.
Another of the vendor tents featured fried dough prepared by St. Johnsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps members. It also advertised another upcoming concert.
SAVAC officer Mickey Swartz said the same kind of Christian rock event is planned to be held, rain or shine, at the Soldiers and Sailors ball field in St. Johnsville on Oct. 1.
Four groups — including the Christian rock band, Chasen — are scheduled to perform during the inaugural event. The gates will open at 4 p.m. Advance tickets are available for sale at itickets.com or at Curley’s Video on Main Street in St. Johnsville. Advance tickets cost $10; tickets purchased at the gate will be $15. Proceeds of the event will benefit the St. Johnsville Volunteer Ambulance Corps.
