Christian band Waterdeep
finally wades its way
to West Lafayette
Members of group to
give free show at local church
By Jeff Cantwell
Staff
Writer
Some of Waterdeep's members are finally coming
to Purdue. The husband and wife team of Don and Lori Chaffer are stepping
away from the other three members of their band for an all-acoustic
show at 11 a.m. this Sunday. The University Church of Purdue will host
the free show.
T.J. Jenney, the pastor at University Church, says
that the whole band will not be playing because two supporting members
of the band are expanding their families. He said that fans of the band
won't be missing out on anything with just Don and Lori in concert.
Jenney tries to have a more contemporary feel in
his church services and thinks that bands such as Waterdeep are great
forms of worship that many churches have not tapped into.
This isn't the first time the church has tried
to get Waterdeep to come to Purdue. A scheduled show last year had to
be canceled for unknown reasons.
"We had a very strong response from people wanting
to see them last year," said Mary Putsey, who organized this event.
"A lot of people were disappointed when they were unable to come."
Waterdeep, from Wichita, Kan., formed in 1995 and
has been running through the indie music scene since then. The band
was recently picked up by Squint Entertainment, the label responsible
for bands such as Sixpence None the Richer. Waterdeep is on tour supporting
its album "Everyone's Beautiful," which is the band's first studio release.
The tour also supports the upcoming album, "You Are So Good To Me: Waterdeep
Worship," which is due out May 1.
Waterdeep has garnered a following through the
Christian rock scene selling more than 40,000 copies of its four independent
label albums. The band is known for its improvisational musicianship
and ability to praise and worship with pop energy and sensibility.
Even with a growing following, Waterdeep has had
its share of problems. According to the band's Web site, a slow financial
summer led to the band's forced breakup in December of 2000.
But the breakup was short lived because Waterdeep
is out touring again this year. The whole band will start touring in
June and Don and Lori Chaffer will be touring some coffeehouses and
churches along with opening for Fernando Ortega, another popular musician
from the Christian rock scene.
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