Cupertino, CA

So we're broke down in the middle of I-75, and - Oh, wait a minute, I guess that deserves a little more of an explanation. We live a long way from the ATLanta airport (and a long way from each other), so we* had this bright idea that we'd meet at a central location and hire one of those car services to take us to the airport. Things were going great until we got just about to downtown Atlanta and the car started jerking. Something was obviously wrong with the car. We jokingly started to present our theories as to what might be wrong when the car came to a halt in the middle of the interstate. Sounds dangerous, doesn't it? Well it was. We were laughing for a minute until we saw the cars coming at us and realizing we were there at the last second and then swerving to miss us. After a couple of minutes I started feeling nauseous, kind of like being on an airplane when there's turbulence. Not the "fasten your seatbelts we're about to go through some choppy air" kind of turbulence. I'm talking about the good-old-fashioned-I'm-waiting-to-die kind of turbulence. In fact, right then, Brad said something along the lines of "we're going to die". And in that same moment something borderline miraculous happened. His cell phone started playing "Don't Fear the Reaper"** I don't think I've laughed that hard in weeks.

Oh, yeah. Back to the story. You know what was wrong with the car? We'd run out of gas, that's what was wrong. If you own a car, your first responsibility is to put some gas in it. And if you're a professional driver, well, you get the picture. But don't you fret. To answer Dionne Warwick, we do know the way to San Jose. Today it involved our individual cars, this death car scenario, a cab, an airplane, and finally a van.

Besides killer rock shows, Cupertino is also the home to Apple computers. We took a little field trip to their company store this afternoon. Needless to say, it pretty much ruled. When we got back, there was a small but dedicated group of Gomer types already at the venue. There was even a guy from Thailand with a killer mustache. It was great being able to visit with everyone and to bask in the glory of that 'stache.

Great show tonight. We experimented with starting with "Creed" in Vegas and it went well, so we tried that again. BTW- we've been using music from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? as walk in music. And we had David Crowder*Band sit in with us again tonight. Good times.

(By the way, Scotty just told me to say "hi" to the peeps. "Hi!" There you go...)

Set list:
Creed
I Got a Feelin'
I Can Feel It
Consuming Fire
Keep On Shinin'
Thief
You Are Mine
Your Love Oh Lord
I Saw the Light (w/ Crowder)
You Are So Good to Me
Tunnel
Show Me Your Glory
I Believe

Come Together
Cry Out to Jesus
God of Wonders

* I use the term "we" very loosely. Tai and David (wisely) drove separately to the airport.
** Brad thought it would be funny to have the guitar intro with the infamous cowbell as his ringtone. But come to find out that the ringtone was just the chorus. But boy was it fitting this morning.

Comments

[joanne]

i forgot to say that I'm glad you guys were alright after having your car service run out of gas. It's almost like the enemy doesn't want you guys to be spreading your music and your ministry, and we'll definitely need to step up the prayer.

Having a car service is supposed to ensure that you guys get there on time to make the flight. When the things that are supposed to be reliable break down, well, it's almost a travel nightmare. anyway, glad you guys got here on time to put on that awesome show!

[Kara]

that's pretty darn funny. go brad go. ;)

[Nate (Tall Man) & the guy in the green hat)]

Yeah...the show was awsome...and the guy from thailand did have an awsome mustacsh (can't spell)...but yeah you guys rocked...probaly one of my most memorable consert experiances....but consert in sacramento was AWSOME as well....

Nate

[MrsJason]

I knew you couldn't make it through this post w/o a lame Dionne Warwick joke.

[Tracy]

This is actually a pretty scary story!

Now all I can picture in my head is Will Ferrell pounding away at his cowbell next to Brad.

I pray that you guys have smooth traveling from here on.

[Cassie]

Omg! You guys ROCKED in San Jose!!! Thank you sooo much for coming. It was an AMAZING show!!! You guys are definitely a huge blessing and extremely talented! Man. I hope the rest of the tour goes well! And plz come again =] I had tons of funnn. I was that girl in the second row with the pink polo on hahaha not that it'd be easy to remember..hahah but anyways. Thank you sooo much for an awesome show!!!!

Funny thing, the next day I went to school and I had a substitute teacher for Lit. Coincidentally, she ALSO went to the concert! And I dont even know her! Man it's a small world =]

Stay safe! And keep rocking it out!!!! =]

~Cassie

[Marjan VandenBrink]

Dear Guys,

I am very thankful that you are all alright. I was very worried about you. I prayed for your safety. I am looking forward to meeting you on April 1st and 2nd in Nashville. I am coming all the way fro Edmonton, Alberta to come to see you guys. You mean a lot to me. Your songs have made me a better person. I feel closer to the Lord now than I ever have in my
life. Please pray for me because I am looking for another jobe right now. I can't wait to meet you in person to give you all a great big hug. Love Marjan (Janitijie)

[Eliz]

YOU JUST ABOUT DIED!!!! OH, NO!!!

And then I would have been crying on March 23 when you would have been NOT playing in Kansas City! I'm so sad! I wanna stand outside the venue and wait for you guys as a faithful Gomer, but I don't think my mom would like it. But we have 5th row seats, so...
PLEASE BE SAFE!!!

[joanne]

Thanks for coming to California. Next time, bring warmer weather with you.

[Joanne aka JoMAMA]

HII!!! I watched you guys rock out last night and it was amazing!! I can't even explain in words how rad it was. I just wanted to say that God has definitely blessed you guys with such stage presence and the power to speak to people. The portion on Uganda and especially when Mac talked about his son and how he accepted Christ at the age of 6. It brought me to tears. Thank you so much for being such a light to this generation and exemplifying God's love through your amazing music.

COME VISIT US AGAIN, PLEASE!!

ps. my friend and i had been yelling from the beginning of the show to play God of wonders because it's by far our favorite song that you guys have sang and to have ended the show w/ that song was stupendouss! Thank you so much guys!!

[Karen (sherwood01)]

Thanks to this latest blog entry, and reading about Brad's well timed ringtone, I had "Don't Fear The Reaper" going through my head all morning. Not necessarily a BAD thing, I like the song, but ALL morning long? Oy. :)

Eeek! Glad nobody was hurt during your unexpected stop on the interstate; I've had something like that happen twice (blown trannie in the middle of Canada once, and a recalled, but not yet replaced, Ford ignition doohicky right here in Raleigh; SCARY stuff to have people whizzing by you at 70+ MPH, when you're hobbling along at barely a crawl. :-O

Less than a month until Greensboro! WooHOO!

*goes off, whistling "Romeo and Juliet...Are together in eternity...Romeo and Juliet..."*

:D

[Cyndi76]

Hey guys,
We'll definitely keep you guys in prayer that traveling mercy be upon all of you, and everyone else that is in your group.

Can't wait to see you tomorrow in LA! I'm taking my 6 year old daughter to the concert. She absolutely LOVES you guys. I don't know if you guys read the boards, but not too long ago I posted the story of her having her tooth pulled at the dentist and she was crying and crying in the car. Well I asked her if there was anything that would make her feel better and she said to put on her favorite Third Day CD on. It did the trick!

Anyways, maybe you guys could just give her a quick HI tomorrow night, she would just about die with excitement! Her name is Isabella, we'll be in the PIT area.

God bless and we'll see you tomorrow night.

[Diane (aka Yippy)]

Wowzer. And, hey, I know about that good-old-fashioned-I'm-waiting-to-die kind of turbulence. See you all tomorrow, and I'm bringing THEE Mama Gomer with me. Whoo-hoo!

[Karla]

Man. Now that's a story. I'm with Wendy on this 24/7 prayer thing!
You know we Gomers are lifting you guys (families and all) up in prayer...ALOT!!!

[Tim]

Wow, great story on "Don't Fear the Reaper." Thanks for the explanation on the intro song. It is really cool addition. I'm too slow to figure those things out. Glad you made the plane, safely.

[Diana]

so, unfortunately both N. California shows are sold out. is there anyway to get tickets? i am going to try tonight is Rocklin. I am praying that someone will have extra tickets. If they don't i just might have to make the 6 hour trip to LA to see you guys. Yesterday was my birthday and I really want to see the show to celebrate!! hopefully i'll hear you guys tonight!! Blessings

[John]

Any chance we could hear Without You, Falling to Pieces or How the story goes by Greensboro??

[Wendy]

Man alive guys. I'm gonna have to stop everything I'm doing to pray for you 24/7. So glad you are okay!!!

Tell Scotty one of the peeps said "hi" back at him!!

[Raylon]

Man, what a tour your having. First the snow, now auto trouble, man I be freaking out, praying more this week and watching my back. Tell Scotty that Raylon said ]-[e//o for me and I'm going on the road with David Glenn on April 1st to the "Awakening Fest", in Doswell, Va. We using NewSong's old bus and hopefully we'll have a better trip than you guys are having. It's funny how you fear something at first, then find out it's not big thing. So you even the Lord has a since of humor or really testing our faith. Peace, Raylon †

[Melanie]

Glad you made it out alive. :) We'd have missed you terribly if you didn't.

This sounds like your month for harrowing experiences. You know.. I think God has a pretty good sense of humor... very funny about the ring tone! LOL

Sounds like the concert went well and prayers were answered.

[Jillaine]

Thanks!!! It was so great to see you guys tonight. We're so excited you came to San Jose, please come again. We're part of that Santa Cruz crowd (Crowder mentioned)that drove the hill and we'd definately do it again to see y'all. My husband loves "Carry My Cross" and thinks you should add it to your set list. We loved that you opened with "Creed". We're praying that you finish strong! Blessings, Jillaine

[Sarah]

Hey guys! I was there tonight, and you guys did an AWESOME job! God has really blessed y'all with true talent! Keep on using it for Him! Thanks so much for just having a really fun concert and giving us "good lookin' Californians" a good time! BTW, tell David Crowder and all them that they ROCKED too! God bless, ~*Sarah*~