News

VERTICAL FEST BRINGS MUSICIANS AND FANS TO PINE BLUFF

By Wes Clement/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Saturday, November 14, 2009 9:29 PM CST

A group of Smackover youth filed out of a church bus Saturday afternoon at the Pine Bluff Convention Center as musician Joy Whitlock and her band prepared to take the stage at Vertical Fest.

Christian rock band Pillar’s Rob Beckley performs at Vertical Fest. Pine Bluff Commercial/Ralph Fitzgerald

The event, held annually at the Convention Center, allowed Whitlock and other musicians to speak a message of Christianity to a crowd of mostly teenagers.

“I saw The Passion of the Christ five years ago,” Whitlock said between songs. “I walked into the theater filthy and came out white as snow. I didn’t wait, I gave my heart to him (Jesus) right then.

“But my life is not any easier. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Whitlock was followed by the band of American Idol season six finalist Sean Michel.

A prayer room was set up outside the arena.

“These bands are a ministry to the kids,” Renee Cox of FLY (Furthering the Lord’s Youth) said. “Sometimes they realize they are not living the way they should and get convicted and go to the prayer room. We have youth pastors and people back there to take care of them and help them.”

FLY is a Pine Bluff-based group responsible for organizing Vertical Fest.

“Music with a message is our philosophy for reaching the youth,” FLY President Beau Talbot said. “Another thing is to make these artists accessible to everybody.”

He said though the artist wanted to do so anyway, they were required to be available to the youth after their performances to talk, give autographs and have pictures taken with the teenagers.

A “Talk Back” part of the event allowed some youth and youth ministers to further talk to musicians KJ52 and White Collar Sideshow in small groups.

Members of the Christian Motorcycle Association provided security at the event.

“If we get a chance to minister, we’ll take it,” Linda Gregory, a member of the Flame Riders motorcycle club of Clinton said.

“We’ll volunteer for just about anything if we get a chance to tell people about Jesus. It’s all about spreading the word.”

This year’s event was held in honor of Bruce Roberts, a founder of Vertical Fest.

He and Talbot started the tradition nine years ago.

Roberts, former owner of Roberts Brothers tire store in Pine Bluff, has since moved to Nashville, Tenn. where he works with a group of others to provide a ministry to members of Christian bands.

Other performers at Vertical Fest included: