Steve Stone
The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Club Relevant, a church-based music venue, will resume its concerts tonight with a "battle of the bands" show.
But one thing will be missing: bands playing "hard-core" music.
Organizers decided to ban the music style after a fight broke out during an all-day concert at the church club on Saturday.
A security guard was attacked and injured by three youths after the guard told them to tone down their dancing, which included hard leg kicks, said Pastor Mike Osborn, president of Club Relevant and Relevant Concerts, which put on Saturday's concert at Acts 2 Church.
"He thought they were dancing too roughly, and he asked them to stop, and they turned on him," said Osborn, who was at the show but said he didn't see the fight.
A girl also suffered a bruised back, an injury unrelated to the fight with the security guard, he said.
Osborn, a pastor at Harvest Assembly of God church in Chesapeake, regularly puts on shows at Club Relevant, which is at Acts 2 Church. The Southern Baptist church is in a strip mall at the corner of Level Green Boulevard and Indian River Road.
The shows are open to all ages but typically draw teens and people in their early 20s. Organizers bill Club Relevant as a place to see music in an alcohol- and drug-free environment.
Saturday's incident came near the end of Awesome-fest, an all-day festival at the church.
No charges were filed. The private security guard was kicked in the eye, Osborn said. About 200 people were at the show, police said.
An off-duty police officer who was working the event called for police backup after the fight. When officers arrived, the event had already been called off, and people were leaving the building, Osborn said. Police helped coordinate rides home for kids, a police spokesman said.
Osborn met with police Tuesday to talk about making some changes to his events.
They include not allowing people younger than 18 to come back into the event after they leave.
"That's a big thing," said Margie Long, a police spokeswoman. When people are coming and going, she said, they have an opportunity "to be out of supervision."
The club also will start checking all bags, Osborn said. A video surveillance system will be considered.
No more "hard-core" bands will be booked, he said. A band was playing that style - characterized by loud, fast songs with often-dark lyrics - when the incident happened.
Acts 2 Church Pastor Rob Stevenson could not be reached for comment. The church's Web sits says Club Relevant is "Not officially affiliated with Acts 2 Church, but a good place to share Jesus."
Tonight 's "battle of the bands" was originally billed to feature five groups vying for a chance to open for Killwhitneydead at Club Relevant on June 27.
Killwhitneydead, a Greensboro, N.C., band, is described on its MySpace page as "metal/hardcore/death metal."
The band's tour schedule lists the June 27 date at Club Relevant Show, with the caveat: "(but who knows now?!)."
Osborn said Thursday that show probably will not take place.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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bryans69809 wrote, "Club
bryans69809 wrote, "Club Relevant is doing the same thing Jesus did when He dined with the sinners and tax collectors." Well, yes, he did. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut, does Club Relevant give a complete gospel presentation at each show? Of course not. That wouldn't be relevant. Unsaved scene kids laugh at Christians for how silly we are, yet we continue to do the same thing. We're giving them entertainment to enjoy on their trip to hell. How about Acts 2 and Club Relevant take a cue from 2 Timothy 4 and PREACH THE WORD.
As for Club Relevant not being Christian, they're right. Yet, they meet in a church. Does anyone but me see the silliness here? How about not inviting them to church (they're not getting the gospel anyway), and instead lets go out to the streets and share the gospel there.
I grew up in the Hampton Roads scene (well, what scene there was). I promoted shows at Cogans and other places in the early 2000s, so I have some history regarding shows and stupidity that ruins it for everyone. When I promoted shows in churches, the bands that played were Christian. Just as I, as a pastor, would never share my pulpit with an atheist, Muslim, Mormon, etc. Likewise, a
a heavy band's response continued
Also in response to a comment. Taking the "n" out of Killwhitneydead's name doesn't mean church sponsored racism. It just means that a grammatical error was made. That was a pretty wild and far fetched accusation to make. The band's name does in fact have an "n" in it. They seem to me, a band that uses a lot of tongue in cheek humor with the name and lyrics.
There will sometimes be bad seeds at shows, regardless of what style of music is playing. It's not like all violent criminals listen to only metal and hip-hop. Would it have been right to ban The Beatles from the US because of Charles Manson, or to ban Jody Foster from acting because of John Hinckley's attempt to assassinate Reagan? For once, let's place blame where it belongs.
A heavy band's response
My name is Travis, and I play in a local metal/ hardcore band called Download. I wasn't at the show, so the only thing I have to go on is what's on this page. It seems to me that the show had a major shortage of security. If you have a show with 200+ people, security is very important. I don't understand how someone get's kicked in the eye, and additional security wasn't there to diffuse the situation before it escalated further.
It is a shame that so many bands that are heavy will not be able to play at Club Relevant anymore due to the actions of 3 individuals. If the band was encouraging the behavior, then ban them. I don't know who the band was, but to leave out an entire genre of music, which is popular among the younger audience, is a big mistake. There are plenty of bands that discourage that behavior.
There were several comments about how the club was booking non christian bands. The club, as long as I've known about it, has always maintained that it is not a "christian" club. It is a place for youth to go see bands that they like without being exposed to drugs and alcohol regardless of musical style or content.
Also in response to a comment. Taking the "n" out of
Acts 2 Church is Supportive
Acts 2 Church supports what is being done here. Okay, maybe the choice of bands that particular night was not the best. Okay, it was a bad choice. Pastor Mike has maybe 15 or more bands through there every week. I remember years ago when the "Fire Escape" was at the Acts 2 Church location, and we got this band that was about as close to demonic as I had seen. The "Fire Escape" organizers were some of the best at screening bands, but this one sure fell through the proverbial crack. It happens.
I have also talked to many of the bands at Relevant where the members were Christian. They were not touted as Christian bands, but they had hearts for the Lord.
--Pastor Rob
Acts 2 Church
concerts at Relevant
Relevant has been doing shows here for a while and there is rarely problems. The band was inciting the hard moshing and would not stop playing. This is the first time this is ever happened.
Also, Relevant does not claim to be a "Christian" club and does not claim to only book Christian bands. It's a place to have rock concerts so kids can come out and enjoy music in a clean environment, free from alcohol and the other activities that are normally associated with alcohol. Ministry is at the heart of the entire operation.
Acts 2 simply rents the place out seeing Relevant as having a good purpose.
I think what Mike meant by no more "hard core" bands is that he's just going to screen the bands a little better before booking them.
Rock and Roll for Jesus
The kids that go to these shows aren't Christians. I talked with one kid a few years ago during one of the opening concerts and he professed to hating God. It should be expected that there will be some problems with kids like that. Club Relevant is doing the same thing Jesus did when He dined with the sinners and tax collectors. He was attacked for doing so, but He responded by saying that it's the sick who need healing, not the well. I really appreciate what they're doing.
That being said, I'm glad that Club Relevant is going to be a bit more discerning in who they book. They can still book heavy bands, punk, alternative, indie, electronic, etc. Maybe I'll actually enjoy some of the shows up there now.
Upcoming shows?
I guess we aren't going to see Bad Religion or Sage Francis playing that venue anytime soon :-) Remember, no children under 18 should be allowed in or around a church event.
And...
there was not one hip hop song played all night long so the right wing conservative nut cases (which has nothing to do with true Republicans such as myself) cannot blame it on the "gangsta" lifestyle. Kids are rowdy and out of control, no matter what they're listening to.
killwhitneydead
A few of their songs:
"She Didn't Look Like She Had a Disease"
"Nothing Says Party Like Her Head on a Stick"
"The Fine and Subtle Art of Deception"
and my personal favorite: "It Ain't Gonna Suck Itself."
Yup, very Christian.
jmo
So it was OK till the violence began?
"No more "hard-core" bands will be booked, he said. A band was playing that style - characterized by loud, fast songs with often-dark lyrics - when the incident happened."
Hey, Jesus didn't change His message just because a little violence broke out. If what you are promoting is good Jebus, why should you?
I guess the threat of a lawsuit made you "reevaluate" your doctrine...
Mike Osborn and Rob Stevenson. Feeding kids swill. You are a couple of real sickos.