By Rebecka Jones, Writer
Christian pop duo For King & Country went on a short Christmas-themed tour in the eastern United States this past winter, visiting locations all across the country, including Nashville, Tennessee, where they performed at the Grand Ole Opry. As a big fan, I had the opportunity to attend and experience the magic of their A Drummer Boy Christmas tour in the beautiful music city of Nashville.
For King & Country consists of two Australian brothers, Joel and Luke Smallbone, with a passion for glorifying Christ through their music. You may be familiar with some of their top hits like “God Only Knows,” an impactful and emotional song reminding people that God knows every part of you, even the darkest parts, yet He loves you like no other. Another one of their hits, “Burn The Ships,” may also ring a bell. This powerful song is an allegory about sailors not wanting to explore the world and instead taking comfort in their ships, before their leader tells them to burn the ships because they have to move on. Joel and Luke connected their personal experiences with this analogy, singing to audiences that we have to let go of the old and harmful things in order to embrace a better life, even if it seems scary.
The pop duo performed both of these songs at their concert, along with many other classic Christmas songs and top hits, making the show into the best concert I’ve ever been to. Not only was the music performed beautifully, but the setting, lights, audience, and message made the concert magical. They spoke about the birth of Christ, the importance of family, and having compassion for the poor during this magical season.
Stepping into the Grand Ole Opry for the first time was like visiting the past. I was entering a place where famous singers like Johnny Cash—I don’t know much about him, but my friend wouldn’t stop talking about him while we were there!—and Dolly Parton performed. The auditorium itself was a picture of the past with old brick walls, red cushioned church pews, and a huge red theater curtain. The Opry was huge, and I got to sit near the top, where I had a perfect view of the entire auditorium. Tickets were sold out, so the Opry was filled with fans all cheering as they waited for the concert to start. It was a sight to behold.
The concert opened with the brothers standing on a floating platform, which slowly descended to the ground as the two sang “In the Bleak Midwinter,” a song that sets the scene of Christ being born on a cold, winter night. The wind was cold, snow was piled on snow, and water was frozen into ice on the night of Christ’s birth, the song declares. The lights were a bright blue and lit up the entire Opry House with Christmas magic. Joel and Luke’s voices were rich with emotion, telling the audience a story through changes of pitch and tone. The harmonies of the brothers were phenomenal; they displayed the power of brotherhood as they stood side-by-side and sang not only to the audience, but to each other.
Other Christmas songs followed, such as “Joy to the World” and “Angels We Have Heard on High”—some of my personal favorites sung by the brothers— all performed with beautiful instruments, including the violin, drums, keyboard, and voices of the brothers.
The light work matched each of the songs perfectly. When they were performing Christmas songs, most of the time the lighting was shades of blue to reflect a starry Christmas night. On the other hand, when they performed songs about passion and new beginnings like “Burn The Ships,” the lighting included brighter colors like yellow and white to reflect daylight and the hope of a new day.
Seeing reactions from the audience towards the powerful and emotional music was an experience in itself. I heard people near me passionately singing the meaningful lyrics and saw hands raised in praise. At that moment, it felt as if everyone in the room was united. We were rising together to praise God, just as For King & Country’s song “TOGETHER” proclaims, which they performed at the end of the first set. It was beautiful to see fellow Christians and even non-Christians come together to experience Jesus.
There were two sets for the concert. Set one had twelve songs of mostly classic Christmas songs, with the exception of three of their newer hits. Set two had eleven songs, which included a fair share of their older songs, a few new releases, and Christmas songs. Set one felt more like Christmas with the blue winter lights and all the songs about praising baby Jesus, while set two felt more nostalgic with their classic hits.
Although the concert was filled with mostly singing and strobing lights, there was a break in between sets where Joel and Luke talked about sponsoring impoverished kids in foreign countries. The pamphlets we received at the venue doors had QR codes that sent us to Compassion International’s website. From there, you can choose a kid from various countries, like Uganda or Bangladesh, to donate money to and share the gospel with. I thought it was caring of the brothers to advertise this program as a way to encourage people to donate to these children suffering in poverty. This showed me another side of the musicians: they aren’t just people with wonderful voices – they have a heart to help others and spread the news of God.
The brothers also took small breaks in between songs in set two to discuss the importance of family, especially during Christmastime, when families come together and give gifts. Luke talked about how his son was a blessing to him, and Joel had his wife perform a song with them on stage. At one point, they played their music video of “Unsung Hero,” a song honoring their parents, especially their mother. They encouraged the audience to take their mothers by the hand and sing the song to them. It’s beautiful to me how Joel and Luke inspired the audience to cherish the blessings in their lives.
The encore included their classic song “joy.” and their Christmas hit “Little Drummer Boy,” which I was mainly jumping out of my seat for since that was the title of their tour and my favorite performance of theirs. Luke’s son was the drummer boy, and he was playing the drums on an elevated platform as the brothers sang below him, also playing drums of their own. The audience was the most energetic at this moment; everyone was out of their seats and screaming along. It was my favorite part of the concert and another unforgettable moment.
This concert was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I loved screaming my lungs out to my favorite songs and being able to visit a historical sight that is the Grand Ole Opry. However, it was the message behind the concert that made it the most special and magical night. For King & Country performed songs about the birth of Christ, His love and mercy, the importance of family and brotherhood, and having compassion.
With the hype of presents under the Christmas tree and snow falling on the ground, people tend to forget the true meaning of Christmas: the birth of Christ. This concert reminded me of that, and also reminded me how God knows our darkest parts, as the song “God Only Knows” says, yet He still chooses to help us grow—that shows His love and mercy. The brothers encouraged the audience to appreciate their parents through their song “Unsung Hero,” explaining how we need them to get through life. Furthermore, the duo spent hours upon hours getting this concert ready, ending it perfectly at the Grand Ole Opry, standing side by side as brothers.
They have gone through so many rehearsals, performances, and trials, yet the brothers still love each other. Watching the two stand together as they finished off their last performance of the year displayed a true sibling bond. Lastly, Joel and Luke motivated the audience to sponsor poor children in other countries to remind us that this is the season of giving.
For anyone out there interested in multiple genres of music, such as pop, rock, hip-hop, EDM, and R&B with Christian messages, I suggest you take a listen to these two kind-hearted and talented brothers. Their powerful and emotional music will change your life, and I am only partly exaggerating. If you really get into their music, I recommend looking into tickets for their next concert! It will certainly be an experience you won’t forget.
