This year, the Festival of Faith and Music (FFM) is bringing in another diverse array of musicians and musical sounds to spice up the weekend. The participating artists, as listed below, are separated into three sections: concerts, pre-notes and gig-tracks.
FFM concerts are the last musical events of each night, accompanied by conversations on Thursday and Saturday and a set of films Friday night.
Will Butler of Arcade Fire
w/ special guest Hearing Things
Will Butler, a founding member of Arcade Fire, will be performing the first night of the festival. His performance will be part of his first solo tour with material from his first solo album of the indie rock variety, “Policy.”
As well as being a songwriter and playing multiple instruments, Butler is an Academy Award-nominated composer for his work with Owen Pallett on the score for the film “Her.”
The opening group, Hearing Things, is made up of Matt Bauder, JP Schlegelmilch and Vinnie Sperrazza. Their music strives for conceptual clarity despite eclectic influences, and it often focuses on distilled elements from the above genres as well as influences from the literary and visual arts.
After the concert, the Calvin community will have the chance to have a conversation with Will Butler.
Thursday, March 26, at 8:30 p.m., CFAC auditorium
w/ special guest Afro Zuma
tUnE-yArDs, created by Merrill Garbus, is a highly danceable, world-influenced music that resists classification.
Garbus creates drum loops on the spot and layers these with ukulele and vocals, in addition to electric bass played by Nate Brenner. Garbus also uses her life and music to advocate for social change.
Afro Zuma is a Grand Rapids-based,13-piece collaboration of journeyman jazz artists, late-night rockers, school music teachers and world-traveling beat heads drawing inspiration from their diverse backgrounds.
Afro Zuma incorporates traditional rhythms from Brazil, Cuba, Guinea and Nigeria, giving way to epic James Brown-inspired unison horn arrangements and solos as well as vocals inspired by Nigeria’s Yoruba tradition combined with call-and-response vocal harmonies bleeding of political injustice.
Friday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m., CFAC auditorium
Providing both a keynote address and the featured concert, Lecrae is making his first appearance at the Festival of Faith and Music. He is one of the biggest names in the Christian hip-hop world.
His most recent album, “Anomaly,” was the first ever to reach number one on both the Billboard’s top 200 and Gospel charts. Through his work he not only represents the church to a broader audience but also challenges the church to face truths it may not want to accept.
Saturday, March 28, at 9 p.m., CFAC auditorium (NEW LOCATION)
Phil Madeira
Musician, painter and author Phil Madeira will serving as a musical prelude to the opening keynote lecture. Madeira’s songs have been recorded by The Civil Wars, The Band Perry, Emmylou Harris, Mat Kearney, Alison Krauss, Keb’ Mo’, The Lone Bellow and the North Mississippi Allstars, among many others. His song “From This Valley” won a Grammy for the Civil Wars in 2014.
Thursday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m., CFAC Recital Hall
Michael Gungor
Founder of the musical collective Gungor, Michael Gungor has consistently produced thoughtful, faithful, innovative music and challenged the boundaries of what “Christian” music can sound like. As a pre-conference event, Gungor will spend an afternoon considering different ways to help youth discern how music can support and nurture their faith.
Thursday, March 26, at 2 p.m., Meeter Center Lecture Hall
TaRee
As a musical prelude to the final keynote lecture, singer-songwriter TaRee was given the opportunity to share her message internationally after being invited on a Music Mission to Paris and Nancy, France.
In June 2014, TaRee traveled with a group of “musicianaries” to provide music and faith workshops to writers, intercessors, worship leaders, composers, musicians, singers and artists. With lyrics that are thoughtful and inspirational, TaRee has truly developed a niche all her own in the world of soul singer-songwriters.
Saturday, March 28, at 6:30 p.m., CFAC auditorium
