Opening night of the "Beautiful Glow" tour blasted off on October 2nd, 2003 at Turner Hall, Monroe, WI.

The Warm Up

Flicker recording artist, Stereo Motion, opened the show with a stunning round of solos which eventually transformed into a round of "oldies" including "Hold Your Hand," "Sweet Home Alabama," and a "Back In Black" riff. A heavy 70's/80's rock influence could also be heard in Stereo Motion's own "Tip of My Tongue." It was a surprise to find out that all of the members were born in the '80's. This young, former boy-band (Phat Chance), was a lot of fun and a great warm up for the night ahead. Their retro sound was also congruent with the head banging SDS and the ultra-retro-worship of the Rock and Roll Circus.

The Altar Call

Seventh Day Slumber's set was a more up-front gospel presentation. The band hammered out tracks like "Innocence," "I Know," and "Running Away" with skill honed from experience. Lead singer Joseph Rojas quickly denounced any rock stardom and professed how perpetuating the gospel was first and foremost. The youthful audience listened intently as Rojas shared his testimony of drug addiction and thoughts of suicide. A blessed few responded to his altar call. The bands testimony and burning faith combined with a very original heavy metal sound made for an unforgettable experience.

Worship and Reflection

The Worship Circus intro was an audio visual montage played to the soundtrack of "Open The Gates," which lead into the title track of their newest release "Beautiful Glow." Through out the performance, the video backdrop varied from circus images to old movies about Jesus, and occasionally lyrics to sing-a-long with.

The most powerful moment of the night was when they performed the psychedelic "Loveliest Bride," with images depicting the violence of the crucifixion of Christ. The images were not vulgar in anyway, but they were explicit enough to make the point that Christ suffered for ALL.

As the night ended with "Loving You" and "Undiscovered", I was certain that I would remember this experience for a long time. I say that with all sincerity. This particular circus is going to make a significant impact as it parades from town to town.