A righteous rock fest
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Festival preview
Creation 2000 West: Michael W. Smith, Audio Adrenaline, The Jennifer Knapp Band, Out of Eden, Smalltown Poets, Fono, Five Iron Frenzy, Supertones, Rebecca St. James, The Insyderz, All Together Separate, The Katinas, Delirious, Caedmon's Call, Avalon, Raze, Switchfoot, Bebo Norman, The W's, Newsboys, FFH, Sonic Flood, The Phil Keaggy Band and This Train, Thursday through July 29, at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Grant County ($11-$33; 206-628-0888, www.ticketmaster.com; 800-327-6921; www.itickets.com/creation, www.creationfest.com).
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The Grant County's Sheriff's Department probably won't worry too much about the three-day rock festival that starts Thursday at the Gorge.
It's not like Ozzfest or the Vans Warped Tour, where hordes of pumped-up punkers descend on the rural county, horrifying the residents and befouling roads and fields with beer bottles, pop cans and worse. Those are the festivals whose drug busts, alcohol busts and fight busts tend to fill the county's jails.
The cops won't fret much over next weekend's bash because it's a Contemporary Christian event that includes not only music but preaching, teaching and fellowship. Each day starts and ends with worship. There's a communion service Thursday night, a candlelight service Friday night and full-immersion baptisms on Saturday afternoon. There's a Prayer Tent and a Children's Ministry Tent on the grounds.
But don't get the idea that the whole thing's sanctimonious and serious. Far from it. The lineup for the annual Creation West Festival (an offshoot of the 21-year-old Creation Festival in Mount Union, Penn.) is heavy with hip-hop, ska and even punk bands. There'll be lots of energy on stage and in the crowd. The audience will be largely indistinguishable from those of the Gorge's other rock festivals this summer, except, perhaps, for fewer tattoos and piercings. Bikinis and bondage gear will probably be frowned upon.
Headlining is Michael W. Smith, one of Contemporary Christian music's superstars. A pop singer-pianist in the tradition of Billy Joel, with a touch of Bryan Adams' gruffness in his voice, Smith is one of few Contemporary Christian artists to have a crossover hit, "A Place In This World," which made the Top 40 in 1990. A role-model family man whose songs tend to deal with the Big Questions, he's a serious artist who provokes thought.
Some of Creation Fest's other acts are in a similar mellow, pop-music vein, including the Jennifer Knapp Band, Caedmon's Call and Avalon.
But most of the lineup has more uptempo, rock-oriented sounds. Among the most notable:
Audio Adrenaline - As the name implies, this five-man band is into fist-pumping energy, delivering songs of deliverance via high-powered rock. The group has sold more than a million records, been nominated for two Grammys and recently released its fifth album, "Underdog."
Five Iron Frenzy - A ska-core band from Colorado, this eight-member group gets fans jumping, dancing and singing along. Its latest release is a live album, "Proof That The Youth Are Revolting."
Supertones - Another horn-driven ska band, this six-member group is known for its catchy, rap-influenced songs and tight harmonies. Its latest CD is "Chase The Sun."
Newsboys - The British quintet's mix of rock and dance styles has earned it three gold albums, four Dove Awards (Christian music's equivalent of the Grammys) and three Grammy nominations. Its latest disc is "Love Liberty Disco."
Delirious - A pop band from Britain, Delirious calls its modern rock songs a musical form of prayer. Its current album is "Mezzamorphis."
The W's - The six-piece Oregon band offers a change of pace with a contemporary swing sound. It just released its second album, "The Trouble With X."