Cornerstone 2012 day 1 (7/4)

The final Cornerstone festival started in full swing on the Fourth of July, although the gates opened two days before, and a few bands played the night before.

I wore a Pepsi shirt, the only thing I had with red, white, and blue. There some outrageous clothes on display (of course), including some crazy patriotic gear.

We spent most of this day in the Chelsea Cafe venue, a large tent with a decent breeze -- after we were able to scout a place for our seats near the edges of the tent. We got there right after lunch, and caught a show by Paul Brennan Lile. He played southern-rock style set, which was enjoyable. David Curtis (of Run Kid Run) followed, and then a cool act called Oh Sister Oh Brother came on. This is what I was looking for during this final Cornerstone -- a unique, independent act that no other festival would have room for.

Then came the highlight for the day, what we were in that tent waiting for -- the Rez Band 40th birthday party! A brief video played about the band's early days, and then they opened the stage for people to share their Rex Band memories, as Glenn & Wendi just hung out in the tent, letting people come up and chat with them, and share their Rez Band memories.

I tracked down Glenn Kaiser and told him about my early days playing Christian rock on the University of Richmond campus radio station. I shared with him that in those early days it was impossible to do a three-hour shift of Christian rock without playing three or four songs by Rez. I thinked him for his music, the magazine, the festival, all of these things that greatly influenced me in my early days in the faith. And then I waved my daughter over and she took a picture of us!

And since it was a birthday party -- so there was cake!