Third Day and Matt Maher Team Up for Major Christian Rock Show
One of the biggest Christian rock shows in recent times is set for May 3 at the Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will be headlined by multi-platinum-selling Christian rock band Third Day, while the opening act will be Catholic singer-songwriter Matt Maher.
Maher, who is a Dove Awards nominee and winner, expressed to the Salt Lake Tribune that the rock concert is set to attract a large crowd of Mormons, as the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is found in Utah.
"I would love it if [Abravanel Hall] was filled with Mormons, so we can worship together," Maher explained, noting that he writes songs that he hopes will appeal to all Christians. He said that the upcoming performance is aiming to inspire and comfort listeners, but both he and Third Day want to encourage the feeling of inclusiveness for all.
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Third Day's accomplishments include playing at numerous sold-out arenas around the world, 25 number one singles and a host of Grammy and Dove Awards, as well as an American Music Award. Third Day has been described by Billboard magazine as "not only one of the best Christian bands of the '90s but one of the best rock bands, period," and was inducted in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Sept. 2009.
The band's name is a reference to the crucifixion, in which Christ rose from the dead on the third day after his death.
On Third Day's musical style, frontman Mac Powell explained that while not every single one of their songs makes a specific mention of Jesus, faith is a big part of all of the material they produce.
"It's such as huge part of us as individuals," he said of his faith. "We tend not to compartmentalize our religion."
Still, he revealed that Third Day was also comfortable with reaching out to and collaborating with more secular acts, such as the Blind Boys of Alabama and Needtobreathe, who both helped with Third Day's latest album, "Move."
