2016 A ROCKIN CHRISTMAS EVE EVE!
Let me just salute Will Goodwin, the lead pastor of Oak Leaf Church in Canton. He went above and beyond to help me secure tickets to this event. I actually had secured tickets for the 6:30 show but my preference was for the 5pm show which was already sold out. I put my name on the waiting list. Well, a couple of weeks later and I received a notice stating that I was off the list and my ticket was waiting for me. Now who orders one ticket to any event? There was a problem because the system would allow you to only get one ticket at a time. Ugggghh!
Well several e-mails and many days later, I finally had both tickets in hand and this was no easy task! I really appreciate his taking the time to make sure that I received tickets to my preferred show. It was really important for me to get tickets to the early show because I was trying to have a complete "Canton experience", ( lunch, shopping, and a show) and needed to do some planning. It was the perfect opportunity for getting in the holiday mood and taking a break from the mad rush. The event was to be held in downtown Canton at the Historic Canton Theater. Unfortunately, there really is no "downtown" Canton as I imagined it. There was only one restaurant open at 3:30 pm and one clothing store that we were actually able to visit. Apparently, the town only comes to life at 5pm when the restaurants open for dinner. Good to know!
I was surprised to see that the historic marker on the front of the building had no date although it is reported to have been built in1911. Although the show was "sold out" there was no need to arrive early because the doors did not open until 15 minutes ahead of the start of the program. Welcome to small town America!
The building is small with an elevated rear section and a balcony. The seats are a bit narrow but nicely cushioned. As soon as we entered, we were offered homemade cookies and brownies, as if we were visiting our neighbors. The thoughtfulness was appreciated.
This performance was a Christmas concert to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday. Although the music was rock, it did not upstage or overshadow the vocalists. It created great energy and invited audience participation. We were able to enjoy the meaningful music and to really focus on the message. Incidentally, the pastor was one of the performers and he came across as this really cool, humble guy that you could meet on the street and engage in great conversation. He gave out all sorts of great vibes and he along with his team, sang very well. It was nice to sort of re-set and remember that this holiday isn't just about food and shopping but so much more.
It was great to find a Christmas concert that focused on the birth of Christ, and I really appreciated that it was free for all who wanted to attend. Thanks Oak Leaf! read more