Concert Review: Gungor at the Bluestone (Columbus, OH)

By Ryan G

There may have not been a more perfect setting for the worship collective known as Gungor to perform in Columbus, OH. The Bluestone is a gothic style former church building, aged over 100 years old. Now, it is a club and events venue. Seeing as Gungor is hardly a traditional worship band or “normal” indie/post-rock group, this setting was just right.

Gungor played an hour and a half of captivating material primarily from the Beautiful Things and Ghosts Upon the Earth records, with a smattering of miscellaneous material thrown in. “Dry Bones” opened the show in a hauntingly beautiful crescendo. Other highlights from the first half of the set included “When Death Dies” and “Brother Moon,” both which sounded flawless. Cara’s excellent performance on the cello especially added a symphonic elegance to the evening. One would never have guessed that just last year the band was still performing as only a three piece. This isn’t to say they didn’t strip down for some more intimate moments though – Michael Gungor’s instrumental rendition of the Doxology on his guitar and his wife Lisa’s soaring cover of Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” will echo in my head for weeks to come. The band encored with some of their best known songs, “The Earth is Yours” and “Beautiful Things.” Both, but the latter especially had an at times angelic vibe shaking the walls (and hearts) of those in attendance. There’s something to be said for a group that succeeds in bringing a whole room into worship in an engaging, eclectic way. The combination of atmosphere, professionalism on all musical levels, and that “X” factor (pardon the stealing of a phrase from a certain popular TV show) made this a true highlight of the Autumn 2012 concert season.

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1 Comment

  1. Jolene Michelle

    It does sound like a great venue for a great band. “Hauntingly beautiful” is an apt description for Gungor’s “Dry Bones” and other songs of theirs in a similar vein. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live in several different formats and venues, and no matter the set-up, I always leave feeling a renewed, deep-down conviction in the goodness and beauty of God. As I’m writing this, I’m struggling to identify their “X factor” as well, but “sacramental” keeps coming to mind. It’s as if their music, in all its technique and intricacies, is not only attempting to be about ideas like the goodness and beauty of God and his world but is also trying to embody it. Maybe that’s partially what Michael means when he describes the band as “liturgical post-rock”?

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