For King & Country brought their What Are We Waiting For? Tour to Owensboro Sportscenter in Owensboro, Kentucky on August 11, 2023, to a almost sold out. As the people filed into the sportscenter people were excited to have For King and Country bring this show to their town. Anyone who has seen a For King and Country show knows they bring an energy to the stage like no other, and tonight this crowd was ready to experience it first hand. There were all ages represented which is a hallmark of a For King and Country show, and makes it special that everyone can enjoy the show all the same.
Sean BE opened the show, who had just finished a run earlier in the year on the massive Christian Music Tour, Winter Jam Tour Spectacular. It is unusual for For King and Country to have an open at their show. For King and Country are usually the only ones at most of their dates, so that the audience got to experience a new artist in Sean BE, it was an unexpected treat. Sean Be’s musical stylings are different than that of For King and Country, really showing how eclectic music can be. He was high energy and had the crowd on their feet throughout his set.
Since he is a newer artist, there is always uncertainty to how the crowd will receive them. This crowd was warm and welcoming. During his five song set he had upbeat music that had the crowd dancing. He started out with his song “Center Stage” which is an energetic number that had people clapping along. The next song was “Count it All Joy,” which is another great dancing number with a positive message to keep the joy no matter what you are going through. He slowed it down a little with, “I Will.” Sean Be then picked it back up with his remaining songs and had people especially appreciating his rap skills on “Purpose.”
Sean Be:
Sean BE: Lead Vocals
Setlist:
1. Center stage
2. Count it all joy
3. I will
4. Put a Little Honey On It
5. Purpose
6. It is Finished
For King and Country puts on arguably one of the most dynamic, exciting shows out there. They have high production value, meaningful and powerful lyrics, and a musicality that is unmatched. No matter how many times you see them live, they will always leave you wanting more, and Owensboro, Kentucky was no different. They had the crowd on their feet singing along the entire night. “Relate” kicked it off, which is found on their newest album, and had what has become a crowd favorite, the elevators suspended above the stage.
They didn’t slow down the tempo any with “Fix My Eyes,” “Fight on Fighter,” and “Run Wild. Live Free.” Joel and Luke even ventured out into the crowd on Fine Fine Life much to the crowd’s delight. They then slowed it down a bit for some ballads like “Love me Like I am” and the crowd favorite “Priceless” a song speaking out on the horrors of the human trafficking industry.
They continued down a sentimental road and allowed the crowd to see a clip of their upcoming movie “Unsung Hero,” which is a story about their life and especially about their mother. This led into the song by the same name which was beautifully done in a soft, intimate moment almost acoustically. For King and Country also sang a new song that was just released, “What Are We Waiting For?” and allowed the audience to glimpse into the newly released cinematic masterpiece of a music video for the song, which their stage outfits have now changed to match, into a dystopian, futuristic look, a departure from their “Burn the Ships” captain era garb. Their new music video can be seen here.
Another special intimate moment in the show came when they sang a crowd favorite, “Shoulders” acoustically. This song is a beautiful ballad about not carry the weight of your trials and struggles on your own to lean on God. Joel then moved into the audience again for “Busted Heart (Hold onto Me)” a throwback to their first album, which the crowd lit the room up with their cellphones creating a truly special moment.
For King and Country capped off the night with two songs that are always a guarantee to get the crowd going. “Joy” is always a fun song that gets the crowd going and dancing along with the energetic band. The final song of the night, the encore, might be the song that everyone always wants to hear, which is interesting because it is a Christmas song they always play, and that is “Drummer Boy.” They always leave everything on the stage with this number, showing their percussion prowess, and bringing the spirit of Christmas to every show.
For King & Country:
Joel Smallbone: Lead Vocals
Luke Smallbone: Lead Vocals
Vince Dicarlo– Multi-Instrumentalist
Garret P. Tyler– Drums
Daniel Lopez- Multi-Instrumentalist
Daniel Waterbury– Guitar
Gabe Baker– Multi-Instrumentalist
Chris Karebelas– Percussion Instruments
Setlist:
1.) Relate
2.) Fix My Eyes
3.) Fight On Fighter
4.) Run Wild. Live Free
5.) Fine Fine Life
6.) Love Me Like I Am
7.) Priceless
8.) Pioneers
9.) Unsung Hero
10.) Burn the Ships
11.) Together
12.) Broken Halos
13.) Amen
14.) What Are We Waiting For?
15.) Cheering You On
16.) For God is With Us
17.) Shoulders
18.) Proof of Your Love
19.) Busted Heart (Hold Onto Me)
20.) God Only Knows
21.) Joy
Encore:
22.) Drummer Boy
Follow Sean Be Online
Follow For King & Country Online
Music and the appreciation of coverts and live music was introduced to me at an early age. I love the shared experience of live music. Christian Rock was a mainstay in my from early in my childhood to present day. My parents introduced me to the pioneers of Christian Rock, like Petra and White Heart. This only progressed me in my love of music and concerts. My musical preferences are a wide range of genres and artists.
While in college, I received my bachelor’s in communication. While in college, I had my own Christian Rock show on the college radio station. I also interned with two different radio stations. I always have had a passion for sharing music and musicians’ passion and artistry. That has since progressed into some concert photography and being able to capture that passion from bands on stage. I have be able to photograph many artists across the Midwest region.
