The 5-month-old Hernando homegrown band Providence is drawing big time attention from fans and several strong bookings.
By LOGAN NEILL
Published June 7, 2004
SPRING HILL - A couple of nights a week the normally quiet fellowship hall at the First Assembly of God suddenly breaks into a roar of sound as the band Providence runs through its rehearsal.
The hard crunch of power guitar chords and heavy drum beats rocks the small meeting hall as the band's lead vocalist closes his eyes and sings a heartfelt melody.
Call it a joyful noise.
Though the volume may be cranked up, it's the message that band members hope rings loud and clear.
"Our music is very positive," says 22-year-old lead singer Jimmy Chisholm. "We want people coming away from our shows thinking they got something extra from our music."
Chisholm, along with guitarists Jared Coats and Dean Pratt, drummer Kevin Brown and bass player Jon Hanck make up the Hernando County-based Christian rock band. Though just a little more than five months old as a musical unit, the band has quickly gained attention in Central Florida in recent weeks.
Much of that buzz came has come by way of the group's recent second place finish at the Pierfest 2004 battle of the bands competition in St. Petersburg. Though Providence was the only Christian act of the 10 finalists, the judges thought highly of the band's energetic blend of pop and punk sounds. Naturally, the young band was elated by the results.
"We were really surprised," said 18-year-old Jared Coats. "There were nine other bands there, and a lot of them had been around a lot longer than us. We were very blessed."
The members of Providence think their music has the ability to transcend the typical boundaries of Christian rock. Once dismissed by many pop critics as nothing more than well-scrubbed sermonizing using electric guitars, the genre has made huge inroads into the mainstream music scene in recent years. Bands such as Creed, P.O.D. and Switchfoot enjoy wide play on radio and MTV.
Chisholm, who writes many of the original songs the band performs, thinks the distinction of being a Christian act isn't as strict as it used to be.
"Some of our songs don't even mention God," Chisholm said. "A lot of what we sing about deals with coping with life and looking for answers. That kind of stuff applies to everyone, whether they're Christian or not."
The band's beginnings center on the First Assembly of God, where Jared Coats' father, Timothy Coats, is pastor.
The musicians began playing last year at weekly teen praise and worship meetings when Chisholm began noticing how good the band was sounding. He invited Dean, a former member of another band he was in, to come in and jam one night.
"We all just sort of clicked," said Coats, who is a senior at Hernando Christian Academy. "Every time we get together it sounds better than the last time."
The band endeavors to perform as much as possible. In addition to performing at coffeehouses and youth group gatherings, the band has also played at nightclubs such as the Masquerade and the Pegasus in Tampa. Unlike many Christian bands, the members of Providence have no qualms about playing in clubs where alcohol is served.
"We tell (club owners) up front that we're a Christian band," Pratt said. "We don't think what we play is offensive to non-Christians. To most people, music is music."
The band sees many positive opportunities on the horizon. Local recording studio owner John Leavell has taken an interest in the music and has been helping the members complete their first CD, which they hope to release this summer.
In addition, the band has several strong bookings this summer, including a possible opening slot for an upcoming concert by Switchfoot.
The ever-growing legion of admirers brings a sense of personal satisfaction to the band.
"It's always gratifying to have someone come up after a show and tell you that your music has lifted them," Chisholm said. "It makes us very thankful that God has led us into this."
