THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 1995 TAG: 9510010028
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
It is entertainment, for Christ - a show mixing spirituality and fun.
Bill Gaither & Friends returned to Hampton Coliseum, after an absence of several years, and vowed to return next year.
Friday at Hampton Coliseum, Bill and Gloria Gaither, Larnelle Harris, the Gaither Vocal Band, Vestal Goodman, Mark Lowry and Janet Paschal played to a full house.
These are singers who boast some of the most powerful voices you'll ever hear.
This year they relied on tape accompaniment as opposed to the horns of yesteryear. Still, they did what was important - they delivered the message with power and conviction.
Larnelle Harris, as usual, offered exciting, dramatic deliveries. The audience is all his as he sings such pieces as ``Unbelievable'' and the unforgettable ``He Loved Me With the Cross.''
``I know of no one with as much integrity or depth,'' said Gaither, who is a combination patriarch and cheerleader with his performers. When he is not performing he sits in the rear of the stage - it was in the round - applauds, smiles, and ``believes'' with them.
His presentations are a Christian version of the old ``Ed Sullivan Show'' - a little bit of everything.
There is always comedy, but none better than Mark Lowry, who divides his time between singing with the Vocal Band, offering wild routines, and coming up with ad-libs that seem to surprise some of his friends onstage.
He has a perpetual grin and is constantly ``on'' - an audience delight.
Some members of the audience seated up front had the opportunity to watch the performers almost one-on-one. That's the good news. The bad news is that the sound was sometimes muddied there.
One thing no one had any trouble hearing was the outstanding piano solos of Anthony Burger.
He and the other performers, except for Harris, Goodman and the Gaithers, are young folks mixing older gospel with contemporary Christian.
``We want to make sure the older artists are still being heard,'' Gaither said, as he introduced Goodman, one of gospel music's most beloved, skilled performers whose voice, after so many years, is still powerful and beautiful.
The young lady of the group, Janet Paschal, is a talent. Gloria Gaither sings, prays, recites - the voice of sincerity.
A few impolite audience members left the Coliseum before concert's end and missed some of the highlights. Serves 'em right. by CNB