My goodness, but wasn't this the BEST time for Christian music? So pure, so classic and good. No formulas, no rule-books. And, gee - this band could play. The songs were songs - not jingles, not pre-fab constructions. I can't say enough - I sure miss this feeling.
People writing from their hearts instead of trying to construct Christian versions of secular music in order to sell records. I miss those days and the Calvary Saturday concerts of my youth.
@WolfRun59 amen. Met Jesus our Lord and Savior at CCCM in '77. I am blessed to have been to this time of worship. Thank God that Pastor Chuck opened the doors and gave the early Jesus musicians a platform to evangelize us pre-Christians.
I'm a guitarist and singer in the modern church but grew up with the earlier Jesus Music. There's always a problem in the church with people mixing up "Pride" with giving and doing your "Best". The bible tells us to give God our best. Our "First Fruits" which for a musician (Especially in the case of these ones lol) is all the notes that bubble up in our hearts and souls unto Him who is worthy. The church has always had a problem with "Oh no that looks like a worldly display of "Pride" well pride is of the heart and isn't something that can be identified by seeing a performance or the gifts and skills of a musician on the outside. These things must be worked out between the artist and the Lord NOT THE PEOPLE JUDGING. But sure enough the church always gets caught in a trap of "Oh he's too worldly". Over and over the word of God tells us to "Shout to the Lord" to Praise him with ALL THE INSTRUMENTS and the first fruits of this are those that are gifted and that have given their LIVES to Him. So that includes all the music that comes forth out of them. Excellence is Gods providence!! Let the most excellent of our gifts and skills burst forth into the church and unto the Lord. Stop trying to put Him in a box or to judge people without knowing their hearts. Only God sees the true motives of the heart. So eat and drink of these things for they are His!!
Amen brother! I went to a church and complimented one singer and most excellent guitarist that he’s like the Jim Morrison of our church. He humbly informed me that he didn’t write that song- and yet he sang on par and plays guitar equally to and greater than his voice. So keep on glorifying God!
Well said. I am a lead guitarist striving to get better every year. Keaggy is so humble yet blows me out of the water. A great role model. I wish the modern church valued skillful musicians rather than emulators of the latest fad.
Kevin Clark - Thank you so much for posting this. Seriously, this really helped save my life. 5 years ago I was living in my car with a bad drug problem and around some really sketchy people. One night I just couldn't take it anymore and cried out to Jesus to please help me. And he did. But now I was alone (except for Jesus) and I would put on this and/or The Gospel of John every night for a long time, even when I finally had a place to stay. It gave me comfort and joy and helped me more than words can express. Especially after realizing people like Jimmy Page were literally casting spells with their music. So to have someone with A+ level musicianship on guitar, playing Christian music and glorifying Jesus in between the songs really helped keep me on the correct path in life.
I just found a cassette tape of Phil live at Costa Mesa. It is amazing! It has written on it, “Monday Night at Calvary Costa Mesa” & “Jesus Is Coming Soon Bro”…priceless.
When i came to Christ in 82, my friends in Christ gave me cassettes of phil and paul and many others from that time. Sunday school meant soo much to me. Never thought I'd see this. Never thought wed be in this time.
Great memories. I was a teenager and attended this very concert. Taped the concert off of KYMS, who played the concerts live on the radio. Loved going to see bands like Phil Keaggy, Sweet Comfort Band (my favorite), the Resurrection Band, UnderCover, and the 77s. Great, great memories.
Wow. KYMS. I was at this concert & most of them as a teenager w/a regular group carpool. Great times & great music. Kept me seeking the lord for many years.
Jesus our Lord and Savior caught me at CCCM in '77. I am blessed to have been to this time of worship. Thank God that Pastor Chuck opened the doors and gave the early Jesus musicians a platform to evangelize us pre-Christians.
I remember when Phil and other bands came out in the early 70's, there was a lot of controversy... but they all prevailed reaching thousands of young people.. I love Phil Keaggy and his band..still have his 1st cassette and it still works! Timeless!
This is also a serious backup band working with Phil and he is not a jealous performer giving each an opportunity to offer up their talents to the Lord!
Bless your heart buddy, I miss him so much too! He was like a second Dad to me and just went to see the "Jesus Movement" movie tonight and left with conflicting emotions! Not happy with the way they portrayed Chuck as an " Aging down and Out desperate pastor that couldn't keep his church alive". NOPE. So sad to see what Hollywood did to him. So, finding this video and your comment was a blessing tonight. God Bless
I had the pleasure of working at TBN at this time and ran camera on several concerts and teaching series' with Chuck Smith at Calvary Chapel. I also got the honor of running camera for the "Hosanna USA" concert in 1979 which was the first live Christian music concert simulcast on all 3 major Christian TV Networks (TBN, CBN and PTL). The concert was hosted by Chuck Smith.
I wish I would have discovered Phil back in 1978 (when I was 18). I would have met the Lord much earlier in my life than I did. But fortunately... GOD pursued us.. not the other way around.
Phil has some of the tastiest licks ever played in the rock venue. You can see how even Steve Via was influenced by Phil. I became a Christian in 1973, when Phil, Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Barry Mcguire, Andrae Crouch, etc. where pioneering a new form of great Christian and Gospel music, which DID relate to us "hippies' of the day. Allot of contemporary Christian music has become homogenized, but I'm amazed at the contemporary Gospel these days!
I was at this concert with my brother Chris and another concert with Phil at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and at that concert I remember him walking around playing his Les Paul and then he decided to sit down on the steps and he got into this bad ass Jam just him in the guitar and I remember the audience just going crazy by what he was playing it was amazing I've seen him 9 to 10 times in concert I'm guessing and every time was a joyful experience to see Phil play the guitar
Amazing performance! Great band. Guitarist Curt Bartlett plays a mean solo on "What a Day", and his falsetto background vocal tracking with Phil on the chorus in "Sunday School" is incredible.
I just came across this yesterday. Being from Youngstown, I've known Phil since 1967. As a fellow Nashville resident years later, I interviewed him for a hometown magazine after the release of Crimson and Blue and saw him perform there a couple of times. These are some of his finest performances ever. Although it's a mono mix, it's well balanced and well done. Good job!
Thank you for your reply. I saw Phil many times at the Saturday night Maranatha concerts at Calvary Chapel. How I miss those days!! Just lost a dear friend that played guitar that had a style and picking sound a lot like Phil and looked on RU-vid for Phil and found many but especially this gem! Brings great memories. God Bless you.
@@Thesyndicate11111 Thank you so much for posting this. It really was a special gift for my heart today when I needed it. What a great gift to find this. God Bless you for posting it. I went to Calvary from the beginning in 1970 at the "little country church" on Sunflower, through the Tent that leaked in the rain to the new chapel. Us "oldies" have a precious lot of memories that comfort us now. God Bless you brother and Bless Phil's heart as he continues to play and praise God.
my girlfriend and I we're at this concert now she's my wife of course I never missed a Phil Keaggy concert at Calvary Chapel wow when I see it it blows me away
Thank you for sharing with us, dearly beloved! 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
WOW!!!!!!!!! What a wonderful blessing it is to see this again!! I was at this concert as a kid and really needed this tonight! I have been really missing these days lately and it was so wonderful to see such great music and concerts every Sat. night for free. PLEASE post more for us oldies that miss those precious times that are now just heartsick memories. We are the reason God laid the desire on your heart to film them for posterity knowing how much it would mean for all of us in our old age to comfort us and take us back to a pure time of God's love in our youth. Thank you so much.
I had the opportunity to see Phil Keaggy in Urbana, IL, years ago, and I've seen a lot of great guitar players at concerts such as when I was at the original Farm Aid, but I have to say, this is AWESOME!
I saw Phil Keaggy & Cross Section Band at Knotts Berry Farm in Orange County CA in Oct 1980! He played the entire Ph'Lip Side LP in his 1st set including the song 'In Your Keep' which wasn't on the 1st edition of Ph'Lip Side album but appeared on the 1981 re-issue replacing the song 'Send Out Your Light' (which has yet to be reissued on CD!) - In his 2nd set Phil played the same set from 2nd Chapter of Acts live LP 'How the West Was One' ie 'What A Day', 'Love Broke Thru', 'Take Me Closer', 'My Life', 'Another Try'. 'Rejoice', 'Just The Same', 'Hallelujah', 'Time' etc. What an incredible concert that was!
Well, I had just gotten the new Ph'Lip Side LP which I was already wearing out and the 2nd Chapter Live with Phil was in my car on 8-Track at the time. I couldn't believe Phil played both album sets complete. He actually played a 3rd set that I didn't get to hear because the gals my best friend and I took were both getting cold and tired and were begiining to whine about "let's go, we're cold & hungry...." yada bada bing, so we left. :(
Truly incredible...just truly incredible! While living in the Anaheim, CA area from late 1978 through 1981, I actually made it to several of the Saturday night concerts at Calvary Chapel. And although I did not make it to this particular Phil Keaggy concert, I did attend another concert that did did there that was more of an acoustic set.
Thanks so much for posting this footage. I was there that night. After the first concert my bud and I just stepped outside and got in line for the second concert. I remember really enjoying Take Me Closer and Just A Moment Away from the second one. Now, if only someone would come up with even an audio of Phil jamming with Sweet Concert in 1980 at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino Great times!
Hi Paul and Kevin, Just brother in the Lord Jesus commenting here. I got to see brother Keaggy at JB’s in Canton, Ohio. I was 17 and got in somehow. But followed the Glass Harp all the years they were in existence. I agree with all the great comments. He inspired me to play. Kris Swenson-The Scott Day Band
Saw PK in Seattle at high schools a few times.. Emcee was Wayne Taylor.....good old days. Always wanted to see Paul Clark but was never able. There's a large enough musical library of classic Christian rock/pop to merit it's own radio station. 1969-1989? maybe.
Hey Kevin ..... Paul Clark here. Thanks for posting this. Crossection was my band. When Phil and Bernadette moved into my house in Kansas City in 79', it was a natural fit for that season for Curt, Lee, Jim and Dan to play with him. Btw, I used to have many VHS and Beta tapes from my concerts that I played at Calvary Costa Mesa. By any chance, do you have any of those nights? Phil and I played there several times as well. Thanks!
Paul Clark, Hi sir! that was all I had from the concerts that we shot where I would climb this really tall ladder and point the lights down at the stage and put up this blue dove sign I found backstage and do all these crazy things trying to make a Saturday Night concert TV series, at least that was the idea back then for us so those three concerts that I put up (with cameras on the floor and a handheld (me) are the ones that I managed to keep. if you'd like I could run off your VHS and beta to You Tube for you if you would like to see them up there. Take care!
Hello Paul - I've always loved and been moved by your work. Since this is a "Phil" video - I was in my late teens when Come Into His Presence and Good to be Home came out. I've probably listened to He'll do the Same and Which One are You many thousands of times over the years. Those 2 tunes in particular have done far more than hold up well - they are truly still amazing. In fact - if you played those to any rock music fan of the 70s - they'd have to acknowledge that those 2 tunes stand up to anything produced in that era secularly. Your work - along with the other players (Truax and Mehler) brought out the very best in Phil (in the studio). It occurs to me that Phil has never been able to capture his amazing "live" energy in any of his studio work (my humble opinion). But - on these 2 tunes - you and the group inspired the absolute best from what anyone would say was one of the very best guitarists from that era.
Thank you All for grounding me in good music when I went deeper with JESUS 😎. Got to see y'all live many times in Hotlanta in the early 80s. Keith Green too. Someday soon, Come Holy Spirit please Come. Holy Mother Mary please pray for Us 😎
Hey Phil. I had the privilege to see Phil Keaggy perform in my own school hall for the Western Sydney (Nepean High School) back in the early 80s when he came to Australia. And Larry Norman! Spoilt, we were!
I have said this over and over and over again Phil keaggy undoubtedly is one of the best guitarists of all time he can play anything he writes anything that's gospel and he only has 9 1/2 fingers so keep that in mind guitar players how many of the other guitar players have nine and a half fingers? He can play Hendrix he can play soft gospel and he can play everything in between he is somewhere between a Terry Kath formally of Chicago and the out of the grey gospel music rock and worship duel Scott Dente that's my comparison of Phil keaggy he can play anything and everything and he has wrote some incredible songs
Back in the day I went to many of Phil's concerts even when he was touring with Peter York that was in Hicksville Ohio at a little Christian coffee shop back then you could even talk to Bhil and Peter after the concert they would hang and love on you Bob Hartman of Petra was the same way so where the second chapter of Acts and Randy stonehill
Thanks for posting this. This is a real treat. I used to go to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa when I was a teen in the mid to late 80's and saw Phil around that time at Calvary Chapel and other churches doing solo work. Fond memories of those times.
This was a bit later actually, perhaps early 1981. I remember Curt and I drove out to California in the winter of 1981 with my Rhodes piano. I had Eddy Reynolds in Hollywood customize it to brighten it up.
Phil Keaggy & Cross Section Band Phil Keaggy lead guitar and vocals - Lee Jones: bass, Dan Murdock: keyboards, piano, flute & sax, Jim DeLong: drums & Curt Bartlett: guitar.
I had this awesome performance inCC recorded form an FM station but I lost it some how. I am from Costa Rica , thank you for ip lodging this very special material!!!!!
Kevin, thank you! I have seen Phil on a number of occasions. Who was the MC that night? Phil was on tour with Michael Card some time ago - awesome. Kevin, you should put your website link or a link to your video work. I have fond memories of attending Calvary Chapel Bible School in Twin Peaks in the mid 80's.
Hi Kevin. Not sure if you're still checking this but I see alot of video being cleaned up, sharpened and converted to 4K HD. I heard it wasn't that hard to do with good software. I would love to watch some of these gems in remastered video. The sound and camera work are great though.
Kevin, this is amazing. I loved Phil Keaggy back in the day. Such a talent musician. I saw tons of concerts at Calvary Chapel. It brings back great memories. I actually was in a Christian rock band that played there back in 1982. The band was White Stone, and we opened for Benny Hester. I don't suppose you have a video tape of that concert? I would love to get hold of that.
I was at this; still rem word for word his speaking between songs....,saw PK few times, this was one of the best of song 'TIME'; when he played with 2Chapter Acts 'Time' another. He has 9fingers, short..... image if he had 10;.....or felt sorry for himself and not play cause of missing finger....what have we not done cause not felt good enough?
Speaking of trips I've had a tape/disc of Phil doing Just The Same live since 1981. John McLaughlin, Blackfoot, Santana, Dire Straits, Van Halen & others are on it. I've listened to it at least 100 times tripping my brains out! Phil sounds good on acid! I s'pose he aimed for the hippie crowd, judging by the way he blows the roof off a place.
Phil did you ever think that We The People and The Body of Christ would be in the position we are in today in 2021😏 Only Jesus 🙏 Viva Cristo Rey 🙏 God Wins Biggly 💪🙏
