Sidewalk Prophets at the Orpheum Theatre -- December 15.
Sunday, December 15, 7 p.m.
Orpheum Theatre, 57 South Kellogg Street, Galesburg IL
Four-time GMA Dove Award nominees who won the trophy for New Artist of the Year in 2010, the Nashville-based contemporary-Christian ensemble Sidewalk Prophets bring their sixth-annual “Great Big Family Christmas” to Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre on December 15, with frontman David Frey saying, "This year is going to be our fullest Christmas tour schedule yet, and we can’t wait to get out there and make new memories with fans across the country.”
The band was formed by lead singer Frey and rhythm guitarist Ben McDonald when the two were attending Anderson University in Indiana. A demo they recorded was taken without their knowledge to a campus recording contest, which earned them a performance slot. That, in turn, led to radio-program directors and record labels, and a chance encounter with Audio Adrenaline's Will McGinnis gave Frey the chance to sing in front of 20,000 listeners. Sidewalk Prophets consequently landed a deal with Word Records after meeting with a record-label executive and showcasing themselves at Lancaster Christian Academy in Smyrna, Tennessee, the group at the time also featuring lead guitarist Shaun Tomczak, bassist Cal Joslin, and drummer Justin Nace.
Currently composed of Frey, Cal Joslin, Daniel Macal, and Ben Young, Sidewalk Prophets have toured with Jeremy Camp and Audio Adrenaline on the strength of independent albums, and rode the popularity of their first Word Records release, These Simple Truths, to a Dove Award for New Artist of the Year and a nomination for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. Their song "The Words I Would Say" reached number three on Billboard's U.S. Christian charts, "You Can Have Me" entered the Top 20, the Christmas single "Hope Was Born This Night" reached the top 10, and "You Love Me Anyway" hit number one on the Billboard Christian Singles chart. Sidewalk Prophets has also toured in the Rock and Worship Roadshow with MercyMe and Francesca Battistelli, among others, and received another Dove nomination for Group of the Year in 2011. With their next album Looking Up due in early 2025, the band's other recordings include 2015's Something Different, 2013's Merry Christmas to You, and 2012's Live Like That, the latter a tribute to the band's fans, some of whom were selected through a contest to sing background vocals.
The Sidewalk Prophets bring their “Great Big Family Christmas” show to Galesburg on December 15, admission to the 7 p.m. concert event is $25-70, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)342-2299 and visiting GalesburgOrpheum.org.
