EDmaestro says...

Ok, so I CAN’T STAND the majority of church Gospel concerts (which is why I rarely go to them). I can’t stand them because it seems like the same foolery happens all the time. I know I’m not alone. Everyone knows it, no one likes it, but no one says anything and so the same annoying things keep happening. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to be the advocate of the church concert goer, and plead with all the concert planners, concert MCs, and concert artists in the future to DO and NOT do the following….

DO start on time!!!
The flyer said the concert was supposed to start at 7:00 pm. It is now 7:45. I have been here since 6:45. I am now annoyed and the first act is going to pay the price. START ON TIME! That is all.

DO NOT have too many acts on the program!!!
12 acts!? Really? Really. Really!?!? Having too many acts does a few things to hurt your program.

Firstly, it makes it too long. Keep in mind you already started an hour late. It is now 9:45 and there are still like 6 acts to go. I’m leaving.

Secondly, it is VERY unfair to the acts that come up towards the end of the program, ESPECIALLY if you have a headliner. I know this from personal experience, as I have been at the end of programs and had to fight through the tiredness of the crowd and/or the fact that half of the crowd has had enough and walked out 2 acts ago. If you paid money and built your marketing strategy around a headline act, the crowd is there to see that act! We did not pay to see all of the talent that your church has to offer. Have 2 or 3 opening acts and then put the headliner up.

Thirdly, after having to sit through 2,000 other acts, the artists at the end of the program are tired by the time they get up, and are just ready to get through their set so they can leave! Truth be told, if they weren’t on the program they would’ve left 3 acts ago when half of the crowd did.

In my opinion, you should have a maximum of 6 quality (keyword) acts on the program. If everyone stays within their time limitations (we’ll deal with that later) it gives each act a fair chance to perform/minister at their best to a full house.

3. DO be wise and careful in choosing your program’s MC!

Dear Bro. or Sis. MC. Your job is to keep the program moving!!! We did not come here to see you. We are not interested in hearing your life story. We are not interested in being the test audience for your next sermon. IF the Spirit is moving then by all means flow with the Spirit. If the Spirit is not moving then stop trying to work something up and move the program along. Alot of programs are longer than they should be because of long-winded MCs. It’s not fair to the artists/ministries that have been asked to participate in the program. KEEP IT MOVING!!! Thank you.

Oh, P.S., Yes I DID come to see a concert!!!! That’s what it said on the flyer.

4. Artists, DO what you were invited there to do!

If I’m not mistaken you were invited here to sing. SO FOR GOODNESS SAKE SING!!! Who told you that you have to spend the first 10 minutes of your set doing stuff that has nothing to do with singing!? Why are you yelling at the people to jump, shout, scream and be excited and you haven’t sung not a one lyric yet? How about you give the people something to be excited about!? How about that? If you want folk to be excited about Jesus then sing something about Jesus that people can connect with and be excited about. Why are you shouting when ain’t nothing happen yet!? We are not interested in hearing your band shed. DO YOUR SET! Heard an artist say one time, “Yall looking at me like yall want me to just shut up and sing this song.” I wanted to stand up and holler “Oh my God YES!!!!” lol. Again, it’s not fair to the artists after you. If the Spirit moves then move with the Spirit. If not, do your set and move on back to your seat.

5. Artists, DO stay within your time limit!!!

        Please stop going over your time/song limit and blaming it on the Holy Ghost. God does things in decency and in order. Also, the Spirit is subject to the prophet. That means that if you want to sit down you can. You were supposed to do a 10 minute set. You spent 10 minutes shouting and preaching. Now you are on minute 30 of your set. SADDOWN!!!! You’re lucky I’m not the MC or on the sound board. I SHO NUFF would fade your mic. www.outoforder.net

6. Everybody….I beg you…..STOP BEATING UP THE AUDIENCE TO PRAISE GOD!!!!

        This is my BIGGEST pet peeve. “You can praise Him better than that….” “Touch 3 people and say if you been through what I been through…” “(10:30pm)Yall know when yall was in the world the party would just be getting started right about now….” “Yall know if Beyonce was here….” STOP IT!!!!! If Beyonce was here I’d probably be enjoying a good show right now instead of listening to you (pow). Don’t you realize that when you do those things folk 9 times out of 10 aren’t really praising God!? They’re just making noise in hopes that you will shut up and sing or call up the next act! Maybe folk came because they wanted to hear some good singing without having to worry about booty shaking or sexually charged lyrics. How about that? I swear at least an hour of these church concerts is spent listening to MCs and Artists hollering at the people. God can’t have His way because your way is in the way. Cut that mess out and let the Spirit move how or if He wants to move.

I’m sure that there are more things that I didn’t mention here, but these are the things that happen most frequently. Please share this blog with anyone you know who is involved in a church concert in any capacity. Maybe we’re just being annoyed due to a lack of knowledge. Let’s stop the foolery!