Kemper Crabb

[Frank]

Please tell us about seeing Kemper Crabb in concert.

I was given Kemper's "The Vigil" album while I was attending Pawnee High School by my Sunday School teacher. He also told me about ArkAngel and I bought the LP from Mustard Seed Bookstore in Springfield, Il. I loved those albums, and I even wrote some music back then that (looking back) sounds very influenced by Kemper.

I didn't see Kemper play live until he did a Vigil concert at ChristChurch Reformed Episcopal. I was good friends with him by this point, but I was very impressed with the otherworldly quality of his voice. After the concert I told him that his voice sounded like a cello, he just laughed. Since then, I have seen him play hundreds of times, and have played along side of him for most of them. Kemper is a captivating presence, whether speaking, singing or just engaging in gay frivolity (as he calls casual conversation.)

[sam]

The Vigil album cover caught my eye...saw it was Kemper's album...bought it at Cook's Christian Supply & Bookstore in Mt. Pleasant MI. in the year of it's release...my younger brother had found ArkAngel's Warrior at the same bookstore several months earlier, which we thought was the coolest thing ever...been a fan since then.

After waiting 20 years to meet him, i first saw Kemper in concert "live" at our church as a part of Atomic Opera, Dec. 1st 2001...and then again the next day as he and the guys did a Medieval Xmas concert as our Sunday morning service. both concerts were simply awesome!

[Deo volente]

You moved my post.

[LibraryJim]

I first encountered Arkangel: Warrior in High School and immediately fell in love with Mediaeval Rock! Later I found "The Vigil" and again found a new experience in music.

When my wife and I got married, we found a Christian bookstore that was closing and had all their albums for 75% off, they had about 7 copies of the Vigil, so we bought copies for everyone involved in the wedding party, the minister and the choir director.

Skip ahead to 1988. Our daughter was born and we searched for a name. in the liner notes to the Vigil, the name Bekah Crabb appeared. We had never seen Rebekah spelled this way, nor the use of Bekah as a nickname, so that's what we named our daughter, and call her Bekah to this day.

Skip ahead several years to 1995. A friend of ours was getting married in Detroit, so we drove up, and made plans to go to Cornerstone '95 immediately afterwards. Imagine our joy when we discovered Kemper Crabb at the HM tent! We found he was going to be giving a workshop on Christianity and the Arts, and on the last day of the fest was going to present "The Vigil". WOW! We met Kemper and introduced him to Bekah, who was 7 at this time. "Hey, my wife's name is Bekah!" He exclaimed! "We know, we named her that after seeing the name on the album cover!"

We were surprised at his crew cut, but not by his friendliness, we kind of knew he would be as he was, very open and very welcoming.

We got a picture of our Bekah with Kemper. He made like he was going to to the 'rabbit ears' and we just looked at him. "Well, I had to try!" he said. Later we laughed and said, we should have taken that pic! We got the Vigil and Arkangel on CD and he autographed both for us. I also got an Arkangel t-shirt.

It was great fun interacting with Kemper and hearing his passion for the arts and hearing the Vigil music live.

Kemper, If you are reading this, I hope you come out with a new album soon, it's been way too long. We miss your music. I hope we get to see you in concert again, soon. Will you be coming to the "Cornerstone" extension festivals in this area? I think one is in Nashville and one in Orlando?

Peace to you!

The Elliott family
Florida

[gregg]

I went on Friday to see Kemper and Mysterium (Frank, Chris, Johnny, Ryan, and three girls: Cricket on violn, a girl with the last name Fleetwood on cello, and another girl on Viola) at Trinty Evanglical Free in Freindswood (where Chris used to go, and Tony does go). I got there just as they were starting the first song, and took a seat in the very back as it was dark with candles and soft lights lighting the stage, and I couldn't see any other open seats without disturbing someone.

What can I say but brilliant! It is a real shame that this group only plays together at this time of year, because the talent and muscianship was awesome. I would love to hear these guys play at other times of the year, and would love to hear Frank play the sitar parts he played on cello, on sitar. Really, I came away blown away feeling as though I may have seen one of the most talent groupings of musicans that I had ever seen. I am going to have to corner Chris and get him to teach me how to play guitar like he does.

The highlight of the evening for me were the solos during, I believe it was, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". Each instrument got their turn to solo, each one builind off the next and the song building with intensity with each one. I thought the middle eastern sounds of it were awesome. The person who had the best performance over all was Tony, who was Kemper's roadie for the evening!

Afterwards I talked Don, Thom, Tony, Frank, Chris, Johnny, Thadd (who was operating one of four cameras that were being used to shoot a DVD that hopefully will eventually be made). Got to meet the wives of Don, Thom, Johnny and Thadd and was reintroduced to Chris' wife, I think we all married up guys!

It was a great evening. I hope that the DVD is able to make it to light one day. The concert really blessed me. Thanks guys for pouring yourselves into the music and blessing us all with it!

[thomas covenant]

Mysterium is wonderfully good. I would like to buy the newest recording with these people playing on it and frank playing sitar. I have never heard Duolos played so well. I wept. The setting and musicianship is now professional. I had forgotten how good johnny was at being a drummer.(there was a 9 yr old boy in the audience mimicking him - i was so glad his parents didn't make him stop)
the harmonies are also good. they have the making of a fine barbershop quartet.

[Johnny!]

Glucose Coleman?!?!? That sumbitch owes me money!

[lonestar]

I saw Kemper perform dozens of times. In concerts, in the recording studio, and probably at a very shortlived coffee-house in Pasadena. His rock was sometimes too loud for me, but the content of the music was great. Then, after very robust songs, they would move into ballads. His example of commitment was impressive, not just that he wanted to rehearse a lot more than Dave or Randy, or the others. Sometimes I questioned his need to keep his hair long to maintain his image. But he and Becka lived for about eight years in a garage apartment, giving the bedroom to their daughter so she could have a semblance of normality, while they slept in the living room on a foldout sofa.
Did I mention what else he did, to show his dedication to the work? He gave his time loading and unloading equipment so other groups could play. Sometimes groups who thought they were too special to perform manual labor. He dealt with groupies, and troublemakers. And he helped me bring in my kids, carrying diaperbags and toys so I could entertain my kids in the back room. He sometimes, but not always was "rewarded" with being able to go out to eat with these less than servant musicians. Ok, maybe he did this partially so we would give him chances to play, but he, they took more garbage than they ever got rewarded for. Not that he was alone. Dave and Randy and John and Dan and Bruce and Mike Sturm and many others enabled the ministry to go forward. If anyone deserves to still be able to be participating in this, it is he. Many paid very high prices. Many got the world's rewards, even for the "ministry" they were doing, with sometimes incredibly shallow results. Many dropped out and lost faith, worn out from the battles. I nearly was there myself. The Lord knows them, and I'm sure He hasn't forgotten the lengths they went to before they just couldn't take it any more. Anyway, so much for the "good ole days" and all. Have only seen him recently twice for the last ten to fifteen years. And once or twice at the pro-life rallies before that. But he will always have a special place in our hearts. Ray's wife

[bongo]

yeah, i remember when i first heard "warrior", back in the late 80s! it reminded me of rush in some ways, definitely a "christian prog" album!

i was so excited when i heard he joined atomic opera! what a combination! and he has taken the band to new levels of excellence!

[Buckeye]

I love Kempers music...I doubt I will ever get to see him play live...but all the more reason for an Atomic Opera concert DVD in the near future.