I find myself in anticipation of Alive for weeks upon weeks, and out of nowhere, here it is!  Today I saw the tents popping up.  I heard the distant pounding of music echoing through the hills.  I smelled the food.  I felt the sun.  And as cheesy as it may sound to you, Clay's Park has definitely become ALIVE once again.

The crowd seemed to be even more full and lively than any other Super Tuesday Kickoff Concert in the past.  It's not every day you find a concert with a little hip hop, some modern worship, a Backstreet Boy, a punter for the Indianapolis Colts, and one of the most beloved bands in Christian music today all on one stage.  Things went off to a great start with newcomers Divine Soldiers and Pocket Full of Rocks. Brian Littrell then took the stage to the sound of thousands of screaming fans.  My personal favorite moment of the night was when temporary chaos ensued with Backstreet Boys fans across the the amphitheater while Brian offered a medley of previous hits.  He also welcomed an area gospel choir to sing several songs, and as he put it, "had church in the middle of a field." 

After Connersvine performed a few songs, Third Day finished off the night with what was my favorite performance of theirs that I've seen.  Maybe it was the slick new stage setup, or maybe it was the way God spoke so clearly through Mac Powell and the band to the thousands in attendance, but if one thing's for sure, Alive 2006 is definitely off to an awesome start.