For the first time in campus history, administration presents Rock These Walls and will host top Christian artists at Peoples Church. The concert series will showcase months of development, marshal thousands and promote the “best kept secret in Fresno.”
The first installment of Rock These Walls will feature Aaron Shust and Building 429 on Nov. 14.
Although all money raised on ticket sales will aid construction costs for phase 2 of development, Superintendent Tim Wilkins believes the series offers more than monetary benefits.
“The long term goal of Rock These Walls is to get our name out into the community in a positive way that relates to high school students,” Wilkins said. “The brainstorming ideas came from Greg Quiring, the Building Committee Chairman of the Capital Campaign. He had different ideas to get the message and our name out.”
In late August, the 12-member Foundation board inducted Quiring, father of two campus students (Suzanna, 15, and Rachel, 12) and owner of Quiring Corporation, to their board after his suggestions of ways to raise campus community awareness.
“Both (Building 429 and Aaron Shust) are often played on Christian radio,” Quiring said, “and are currently on tour so it is logical we had them come to Fresno. We plan to sell out (2,050 tickets) and have another concert in March or April. Next year, we hope to have three or four.”
Quiring went on to say that for years “Fresno Christian Schools has been the best kept secret in town.”
“Now is the time to let others in Fresno know what we knew all along,” Quiring said. “Fresno Christian is the best college prep school in Fresno!”
Quiring organized the performance alongside concert promoter, Chris Lee, ’94, owner of Valley Shows. Although Quiring and Lee met a few months ago, they anticipate the two-hour concert to open doors for the campus.
?I coordinate events at the Save Mart Center and was asked to help plan the concert,” Lee said, “We (Quiring and Lee) thought the concert would be a good way to help generate funds and it will definitely be an exciting evening.”
Building 429 will perform first. The three member band tours nationally and internationally. According to the group’s website, their record breaking debut single, “Glory Defined”, topped eight separate charts and was BMI’s Christian song of the year.
Jason Roy, lead singer, Michael Anderson, drums, and Jesse Garcia, guitar, try to not overwhelm listeners with “stock emotionalism and witty wordplay”, but offer a collection of songs that shifts the focus from them to God.
The group released two chart climbing singles, “Fearless” and “I Believe”, featured on their latest album, Iris to Iris.
“I like them both (Building 429 and Shust) and listen to them on the radio,” Janae Keys-Bramlett, ’09, said. “I want to go to the concert; since they are bigger name artists, you’d expect their concerts to cost more.”
Shust headlines the advertisements for Rock These Walls. He aims to write songs that lead people to worship Christ on a deeper level. According to bmi.com, at the 38th annual GMA Dove Awards, the performer received the Song, Songwriter and New Artist of the Year awards.
Shust’s debut release, “Anything Worth Saying,” sold over 140,000 copies and his newest CD features 12 new tracks called “Whispered and Shouted,” was released June 5.
“I don’t think other schools would be able to host Christian artists or bands in general,” Keys-Bramlett said. “I think the concert will accomplish the administration’s goal to get our name out.”
The concert will be held in the Peoples Church sanctuary and will begin 7:30 P.M. on Nov. 14. Tickets are $20 each, from any FC office. Call The Rock These Walls hotline at 559-779-4433 for more information or purchase tickets online at itickets.com. Tickets can also be purchased at Majesty Bible and Gifts or call them at 559-299-9697.
Tickets will also be sold at the door for $25.
