Adam Again

Item: Live at Cornerstone 2000
Author: Steven S. Baldwin

Live at Cornerstone 2000

(2000)

Reviewed by Steven S. Baldwin

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Label ResolveThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

alternative rock blues rock singer-songwriter

Keith Green. Mark Heard. Rich Mullins. Gene Eugene.

A commonly held Church maxim professes God's timing is always perfect. Reflecting on this list of our departed brothers, however, you can't help but feel that God has often deprived the Christian artistic community of some of our brightest and best in a most untimely fashion. Although our understanding of the intricacies of our Lord's cosmic plan are limited, the profound regret and deep sadness we face this side of heaven are very substantial. Gene Eugene empathized depths of pain and loss firsthand so accurately that his work reverberates with a tangible resonance that only comes from someone acutely in tune with the melancholic consequences of earthly life's pitfalls. Eugene felt deeply and honestly. Consequently, he bore an uncanny gift for conveying his thoughts and emotions perfectly in song. This only increased the impact of his seemingly untimely death and the intensity of emotions among the dear friends and fans who came out to pay tribute to him at Cornerstone 2000.

Billed both as Adam Again's final performance and a tribute to Gene Eugene, the live set was both a sort of wake and a celebration. In year's past when Eugene still led the band, Adam Again concerts were a rollickingly good party with dancing aplenty. On July 7, 2000, when the band took the stage for the last time together without their beloved front man, the mood was markedly different. There wasn't any dancing that night, although there certainly could have been...(I believe that, too, would have honored Gene). Instead, appreciative fans sat practically dumbstruck watching one of the tightest live bands in the history of music making honor their friend, band-mate and brother. The words "moving" and "tribute" were paired for just such an occasion, and now that penultimate concert is available on disc to help relive the emotional experience.

Gene Eugene was loved by many. The lineup of his closest friends that aided his band for the tribute reads like a who's who of alternative Christian music's finest:

Mike Knott of LSU
Andrew Prickett of the Prayer Chain
Karin Bergquist of Over the Rhine
Ojo Taylor and Sim Wilson of Undercover
Mike Roe of the Seventy Sevens and Lost Dogs
Derri Daugherty, Dan Michaels and Steve Hindalong of the Choir.

All of Eugene's Adam Again band-mates were there as well, including Paul Valdez, Jon Knox, Greg Lawless, Dan Michaels (again) and Riki Michele. Eugene was a performance perfectionist, always driving his band to higher levels of excellence on stage and off. He would have been very proud of his friends that evening. The band delivered a concert that was at least equal to, if not better than, any show they'd previously performed. Even James Brown could have acknowledged their legendary reputation as one of the greatest live bands in the world.

Notwithstanding, the excellent contributions of the usual suspects who played their hearts out, special note is made of Andrew Prickett's contribution playing Eugene's guitar parts with precision and pizzazz.

Forever affirming that Gene Eugene was an extremely effective and under-appreciated vocalist, some of ACM's best singers struggled while filling Eugene's place at the microphone. Overall, their individual performances are largely successful, of course, yet all the guest vocalists would agree that not one of them quite captures Eugene's unique and expressive emotive essence. For that matter, how could they? The pressure of stepping up to the plate for someone else is hard enough, and made all the more difficult when facing the loss of the loved one for whom you are pitch hitting. Regardless, while giving it their absolute best cracks at bat, not one of them chokes on the source material, all of them honor Eugene with their attempt, and several performances are genuine home-runs. Among those are Riki Michele's "Dance Around in Circles," Mike Roe's "Dig," and Mike Knott's intense delivery of "Homeboys" and "All You Lucky People."

On three songs Mike Roe's vocal work fares much better on disc than you would suspect given the self-deprecating facial gymnastics of his live performance. Similarly swept up in the moment, Mike Knott's passionate performance over five selections also transcends the difficulty he personally felt for Gene's passing. The two main Choir men also offer welcome additions to the set. Derri Daugherty's vocal contribution to "Worldwide," one of Adam Again's most radio-ready hits, is another high point. On the very next track, Steve Hindalong appropriately and effectively sings "Hide Away," a song originally penned by Hindalong which Adam Again covered on Homeboys.

In virtually every circumstance, the guest vocalists attempted to retain the spirit of Eugene's original vocal delivery inasmuch as possible. Only Sim Wilson's turn in the spotlight translates as a substantial stylistic change. His vocal interpretation of "Don't Cry" renders the otherwise heartbreakingly melancholy song in a more hopeful, upbeat fashion. Had it been otherwise, the artists and audience might have drowned in their tears. Instead, Wilson's performance provides more celebration and comfort than despair.

For those who picked up the M8 recording earlier this year, some substantial differences make the additional purchase of this Galaxy 21 version worthwhile. Most obviously, the M8 package with three discs and Galaxy 21's with two have completely different artwork, packaging and liner notes. The individual testimonies of the final concert's involved parties in the Galaxy 21 sleeve are a pleasant, personal touch. Secondly, Galaxy 21 purports to be the better mixed, edited and mastered of the two. The enclosed material also differs. M8 offers bootleg-quality concert material from Adam Again's 1995 and 1997 sets on the additional discs. Instead, Galaxy 21 contains an upbeat new song from Riki Michele which is a real keeper, and an entirely separate CD containing Greg Lawless's solo album Prayers & Lowsongs (reviewed separately). Best of all, the Galaxy 21 set comes with photos and video footage enhancement and is half the price! Most fans may embrace both options as must-haves for the collection. Regardless, the timing is perfect to pick up Live at Cornerstone 2000 - Their Final Performance: A Tribute to Gene Eugene and celebrate one of our most talented, beloved and profoundly missed singer songwriters.

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