What is independent music? Where did it come from and why does it matter? Can creative choices about the production and distribution of art be spaces of cultural & social change as powerful as the works themselves? What would Gustavo Guiterrez think of Fugazi? Drawing on insights from Andy Crouch, Cornel West, and others, Erickson sketches out answ…

Over the past two decades, John Darnielle of the The Mountain Goats has crafted a remarkable collection of songs, distinguished by lyrics of high literary quality. One notable feature of Darnielle’s song-writing is his frequent use of eschatological language and imagery. This paper examines the “logic of eschatology” in Darnielle’s song-writing, pa…

In linking our struggles in faith with the rigid demands of gender, The Hold Steady’s 2005 album Separation Sunday offers a conversation about ethics and empathy as a new way of thinking through the politics of masculinity at the beginning of the 21st century.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

The Hold Steady’s songs explore the struggles of ripping highs and exquisite, sketchy lows of clever kids, townies and a host of apocryphal characters in their hungry—and often violent—search for grace, their fatal flaws and dubious virtues given equal spiritual weight. An ornate thread of mysticism shoots through lyricist Craig Finn’s narrative as…

For creators and performers of American or Southern Gothic music, symbols of stereotyped Southern religion—emotionally charged revival, errant preachers, the amen corner, mourner’s bench, serpent handling, curses, damnation and divine retribution—find a place of prominence not only as fodder for songs, but as pillars of a vibrant live performance s…

Blues music, with one foot in the church and the world of the African American spirituals and another foot in the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta, exhibits a profound theological interpretation of life. The music of Muddy Waters, Charley Patton and Robert Johnson all has something to teach theologians. Their experiences made them keenly awar…

In this workshop, Trey Many discusses the odd impact of having one’s faith associated with their music career, mainly focusing on Christianity and its role in popular music. Topics include the demonization of secular music within the church, the possible motivations for musicians have for publicly declaring their faith, and why Christian Rock’s dre…

How do we talk about faith to those outside the faith community, as well as within it, in ways that promote understanding? It’s not just the vocal firebrands of “the religious right” that alienate. Too often, the language we use in everyday conversation comes across as foreign or inauthentic. The co-founder of Paste magazine explores the thorny sem…

We are saturated with music, and not only from what we intentionally listen to. Advertisements, sound tracks, commercials, car radio, our iPods set on shuffle as we work out…all these sources of music feed (force feed?) us an almost constant stream of music. But just what is music telling us? Lyrics and text aside, what is going into our ears, as w…

This workshop will examine the everyday assumptions, language, actions and texts that situate women on the margins of electronic/dance music (E/DM) culture. Drawing on five years of interviews with female DJs and producers, Farrugia explores how their stories both structure and are structured by personal meanings and experiences in the E/DM scene. …

Every songwriter has to determine some criteria for doing his or her best work. How do you know if your own songs are approaching what you actually care about as a writer? Detweiler and Bergquist talk about what they're most drawn to as songwriters and explore what makes a song potentially great.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

This workshop provides a behind-the-scenes look at composing music for independent film. Using audio clips and images from his recent original scores for the acclaimed neo-noir film Brick and the upcoming The Brothers Bloom, Johnson explores specific creative challenges regarding structure, technology and the constraints of small-scale music produc…

In this session, Mary McCampbell examines the role of anger and lament in the music of The Sex Pistols, The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, The Psalters and Sufjan Stevens. McCampbell also explores whether a punk rock aesthetic/message can inform our theologies of worship as we ask the following questions: can musical dissonance be part of…

A young college student is walking across campus, holding hands with his sweetheart. “I am beginning to think you really don't know me. After all, I have needs. I study all week and by the weekend, I need a break! Let me just go hiking on Saturday, like I planned, and on Sunday we can do the bike trip that I told you about last month. Okay? By the …

In a conversation moderated by local DJ Chris Mills, Thomas talks about his story, spirituality, his work as a DJ and the communal nature of dance music.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Julie Lee is a visual artist as well as a singer and songwriter. She studied painting from the age of eight, but has found her voice as a collage artist in the junkyard, taking from the old and discarded to make something new that redemptively speaks to the present from the past. In this workshop, Lee shares about her personal "Junkyard Journey"—th…

Is radio still the key to getting music to the masses, or a dinosaur killed off by the digital age? Tips on how to get your songs heard (and played) by taste-makers and radio programmers and how to keep your audience coming back for more.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Music journalist Jessica Hopper and David Bazan (Pedro The Lion) discuss his lyrics, coming up in and out of the Christian music scene, reframing his faith in music and what it's like to be an artist straddling secular and non-secular worlds.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Would you be surprised if you picked up the latest Snoop Dogg CD, flipped it over to read the titles and found a track called, "Jesus Is My Lord and Savior?” It is common practice, and even expected, for a bona fide pop musician or rap artist to include "the gospel song” on his or her album. In this workshop, Jacque Rhodes discusses how gospel musi…

One might argue that words are ill-equipped to capture what music is, which is the reason people are drawn to musical experience in the first place…so why try to stamp music with any kind of label or category? Well, it seems we just can’t help ourselves. This presentation explores how Christians talk about music that speaks for them. How might we b…

Long time recording artist, and former music industry executive Charlie Peacock reflects on the seismic changes in the music industry and their effect on the creation of music. Peacock contrasts old music business models with new models of musical faithfulness and forecasts a way forward to good human enterprise and even better music. Guaranteed to…

This workshop critically examines the relevance of sacred music within popular culture, and in particular, pop music. Pensak and Wardell briefly survey the history of hymnody and sacred music with a focus on the deep roots of the sacred in popular music today. Part one focuses on the rich lyrical tradition within hymnody. Part two will addresses th…

An interactive, musical conversation with Baby Dee moderated by Adam Wolpa, professor of art at Calvin College.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

The primary objective of this workshop is to offer leading questions that encourage musicians to explore how they might further integrate practical aspects of their faith with their artistic interests. Discussion includes intersections between Biblical calling and musicianship that have been historically understated or ignored. Key topics include: …

Want to start a war? Try to work out an authoritative definition for this all too common term, "Christian music." Nearly two decades after Amy Grant recorded "Baby, Baby," Christians can still work up a lather in the culture wars, and worship wars, linked to popular music. Nationally syndicated columnist Terry Mattingly has been covering these batt…

Makoto Fujimura shares from the process of his art, his writing, his experience with church planting projects and the founding of International Arts Movement to discuss the role of creativity in cultivating a movement mindset. He also draws from Japanese culture and art history to connect how God embeds Kingdom principles in “pagan cultures,” keys …

David Dark leads a discussion on our understanding of prophetic traditions, broadly defined, and how the reworking (or remixing) of words and images is part of the crucial task of actually receiving a witness (avowedly religious or otherwise). If a song is an ethical summons, how do we know when we're hearing it? Dark suggests that being a living a…

Cathleen Falsani had her first epiphany at age twelve while listening to U2's song "Gloria" for the first time in a friend's living room. And, not unlike Rob Gordon in High Fidelity, she can trace her spiritual evolution in the songs she was listening to at the time, and, perhaps, that were shaping what was happening in her soul. From U2's October …

Andy Crouch lectures from the piano at the Festival of Faith & Music 2009.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Music journalist Marty Garner interviews The Hold Steady's Craig Finn.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Dr. Cornel West speaks at the Festival of Faith & Music 2009.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

In an historic first meeting, Cornel West interviews Lupe Fiasco at the Festival of Faith & Music 2009 at Calvin College.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Iron and Wine will be playing at Calvin's Fine Arts Center on April 19 at 9:00pm. Special guest Califone will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Caedmon's Call will be playing at Calvin's Fine Arts Center on April 17 at 9:00pm. Derek Webb will be opening.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Switchfoot will be playing at Calvin's Fine Arts Center on April 5 at 8:00pm. Myriad and Emery will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Explosions in the Sky will be playing at Calvin's Fine Arts Center on April 2 at 8:00pm. Lichens will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Josh Ritter will be playing at Calvin's Ladies Literary Club on March 3 at 8:00pm.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Matt Costa will be playing at Calvin's Ladies Literary Club on February 23 at 8:00pm. Johnathan Rice will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Mavis Staples will be playing in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College on February 20 at 8:00pm.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Phil Keaggy will be playing in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College on February 9 at 8:00pm.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Anathallo are playing in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College on January 31 at 8:00pm. Their performance will be preceded by a panel discussion by elected officials about global climate change (as part of Calvin's Focus the Nation events).By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Over the Rhine are playing in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College on December 7 at 8:00pm.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes are playing in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College on November 27 at 8:00pm. Gabe Dixon will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Rosie Thomas is playing at the Ladies Literary Club in downtown Grand Rapids on November 16 at 8:00pm. Karisa Wilson will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

My Brightest Diamond is playing at the Ladies Literary Club in downtown Grand Rapids on November 10 at 8:00pm. Tim Fite will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Romantica is playing at the Calvin College Chapel on October 20 at 7:30. OVERHANG will be sharing the bill.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Yo La Tengo is playing at the Fine Arts Center on the campus of Calvin College on October 13 at 8:00. The format of the show will provide a unique opportunity to learn about the creative process behind one of the most vibrant independent bands from the last 20 years.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Grizzly Bear is playing at the Ladies Literary Club in downtown Grand Rapids on October 8 at 8:00. Special guest Beach House will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Martin Sexton is playing in the Fine Arts Center on Saturday, September 22. Special guest Ryan Montbleau will open.By Calvin College Student Activities Office

Stars is playing in the Fine Arts Center on Thursday, September 6.By Calvin College Student Activities Office