Dora Taylor, Charger Staff
On February 12, 2002, Christian female artist Jennifer Knapp packed out Tennessee Tech's Derryberry Hall.
Her opening show, newcomer Trevor Morgan, wasn't half bad either. Both artists performed completely acoustic shows (a.k.a. there was nothing on stage but them and an acoustic guitar). The concert was part of Tech's annual concert in Derryberry Hall, which is usually of the Christian genre.
In the past, bands such as Sonic Flood, Tree 63, Third Day, and Darrel Evans have come to Tech and completely packed out the room with fans of all ages.
Morgan's performance, while very moving, was monotonous as far as diversity in the set up of his songs.
He writes his own music and has very good stage presence. Many people I talked to said his music "made the truly desire more passion for God."
While I looked around during the concert, tears were streaming down the faces of countless people who seemed to be spiritually moved by what Morgan was singing.
He could have, however, worked on varying the structure of his songs. All but one of his songs went in the order of verse, chorus, verse, soft bridge, big lead back into the chorus, and an occasional guitar solo. Overall, however, his performance was received well by the crowd.
Jennifer Knapp was right on. She sings a mixture of rock and country, which draws a variety of people to her concerts.
Every song had a fresh style: one thing she completely outshined Morgan with. Not one song was like another. A unique quality she has is that she sings lower than most girls, which is more appealing to the crowd of guys that showed up for the concert.
Also, a low-key vocalist is easier to sing along with, so fans can easily sing right along with her. Most female solo artists need back up vocalists to fill the song with lower harmonies; otherwise the song sounds empty.
Knapp, on the other hand, sings with a full sound and sounds great without supporting vocalists. Most male solo artists, however, do not necessarily need background vocals because their voice sounds full when they sing.
She definitely is a unique artist, considering her vocal range and excellent guitar skills are usually found among male solo artists, not female artists.
Knapp has extreme talent when it comes to interacting with the crowd. A couple of times she leaned down to have 3-minute conversations with little girls from the front row who absolutely adored her.
While she was tuning her guitar, she talked to the audience and filled is in on personal stories of herself, friends, and family, instead of leaving dead air.
She seems really down-to-earth, not caught up in the fame and glam of the music business. She even took requests from the audience. She played a selection of songs ranging from old to new: from "Lay it Down" a song about girls that hasn't been recorded.
The concert was a blast, like most concerts, yet it left a lasting spiritual impression on many, unlike most concerts. So, if you like what you've heard, see her out at the next concert near you.