Legacy

Legacy.
History, backstory, staying power, present relevancy.
Legacy lessons from the Newsboys, U2 and Stryper.

I’ve been mulling on this lately, partly due to my work, as I’ve stepped into a broader role where Legacies are made and/or forgotten. But simultaneous to this change in title and responsibility, I've managed to catch 3 concerts in one month. That’s not the norm! I’m usually good for 1-2 concert events per year and here I’ve managed 3 in about 28 days. And all 3 were legacy bands, definitely worth the ticket prices.

In early May I took the whole family to the Newsboys United tour stop north of Dallas. This was the show where I had my first, unexpected dawning of this Legacy concept. If you’re unfamiliar with the Newsboys, STOP, open your YouTube or steaming service of choice and cue up 1) “We Believe” (present relevancy) 2) “Entertaining Angels” (staying power) and 3) “Shine” (history) and then just for kicks and giggles listen to 4) “Breakfast in Hell” (backstory).

The Newsboys are a straight up, unapologetic Christian pop/rock band. Their melodies are easily sing-able and their lyrics are unmistakeable. My oldest, J, is an Uber-Fan, proof being, I think there are 5 tour t-shirts (in various states of decay) currently in his closet, our garage or the washing machine. There have been multiple line up changes in the Newsboys which led to this “United” tour, bringing back former band members to play alongside the current line up. It’s a brilliant touring angle and it was a barnstorming show, playing their best known tunes and having 5,000 people singing along with nearly every tune. They touched on the history of their 30 year career while exemplifying the staying power and relevancy with their current singles.

Concert event #2 was a happy work-schedule coincidence. Due to the work promotion, I needed to be at our Midwest weekend training conference in Nebraska on relatively short notice. Since Dallas wasn’t on the current tour schedule, I had been mulling making the 5 hour trek to Tulsa to catch U2. What night were the Irish lads playing Omaha? Yes sir, the night I finished teaching at the Nebraska conference at 3pm. So, a few clicks here and there and the ticket was purchased, flight schedule was adjusted, the hotel and car booked and an expectational breeze fanned the sail of the soul. The Centurylink Center in Omaha is a great venue. Easy in, easy out. I managed a decent upper level seat, middle of the arena, so the staging and screen were perfectly seen.

Legacy was on full display as Bono started the show solo singing a ballad-esque tune from the new record “Love is All We Have Left” and after the other 3 arrived on stage, we heard early hits like “I Will Follow”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Pride”. Any fan knows there have been defining seasons in the now (incredible) 40 year career of these rockers; they brilliantly tied it all together with a ZooTV throwback segment, their willingness to do the tune “Staring At the Sun” from their not-so-famous record “Pop” and their willingness to leave OUT their signature song “Where the Streets Have No Name”.

History...a more complete view...inclusion of the somewhat obscure...a purposeful dis-reliance on what always works....Legacy in its fullest view.

Then concert event numero Tres was catching the Yellow and Black Attack of Stryper in Dallas as they’re back in full tour mode. This Legacy idea was evident as 3 of the founding members were on tour with the newest member, bass player Perry Richardson (of Firehouse fame), who seemed like he’d been with Stryper all along. They played all the hits, 4 of the newest tunes, tossed in a 1984 throwback “Loud n Clear” and encored with “To Hell With The Devil”.

These guys have been through worldwide fame, multi-platinum success, record company woes, personal bankruptcies, and they are now on their 3rd bass player. Yet they know who they are and they rocked about 1,200 folks who sang along with every word. Their Legacy is intact.

I caught a quote the other day from a guy named Morgan Snyder: “Live in the Day, measure in the Decade.”

Yes.
Sound advice.
Go to work, relying on what you’ve learned, but not resting on it.
Live now and Produce today.
Legacy can be viewed later.

Three necessary-for-my-soul concert events-tying in history, recalling the victories, dusting off the not-so-famous moments, mixing in a new brother, calling back in for a minute the brothers that have moved on, not shying away from what got them here, purposely not resting on their laurels, producing quality work today yet gleefully embracing the early work...Legacy is made that way. I’m gonna keep these three shows’ worth of 

photos handy on my phone as the reminder of How to Build a Legacy.