Why I am excited about the MxPx concert...

Next Friday, legendary punk band MxPx will play in Beijing at the Mao Livehouse music venue. People have been asking why I am so excited about this, haven't you already seen their concert 4 times before? Let me explain why I am so excited about this:

When I was 16 years old, I was the typical youth group kid, listening to Christian rock music exclusively, "edgy" bands like Jars of Clay and Dc Talk. One night I was in an internet chat room (do those even exist anymore?) and was chatting with a guy who called himself PxPx as his online nickname. I asked him what it meant and he said it was based on the band name MxPx. He then asked me what music I liked and I told him I really liked Christian band Jars of Clay. He said I should check out MxPx then, they were probably similar to Jars of Clay.

Assuming they were a Christian rock band based on our discussion, I headed to that mecca of rock and roll music: Promise and Praise Bookstore in Oxford, MS. They looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears when I asked for MxPx. I then headed on down the mall to the Sound Shop music store. They just looked at me. No one had heard of this band! Months later, at high school graduation, someone gave me a cassette (do these even exist anymore?) of music themed for the graduate. MxPx's song "Teenage Politics" was on the tape. It was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was angry yet positive at the same time, a song about navigating the strange world of a teenager. Still thinking they were a Christian rock band, I went to my pastor, Dr. Charles Nestor and asked him if he could order their album for me. He looked on his computer and found the album "Teenage Politics". Weeks went by and I forgot I had ordered it. One day I was visiting Dr. Nestor in his office and happened to see that copy of "Teenage Politics" buried under a stack of papers on his desk. He then gave it to me for free since I had waited so long on it. The songs on that cd became the soundtrack for my late high school/early college life.

Turns out the band was on Tooth and Nail Records, a record label that has always walked a thin line between the secular and the spiritual. This company has been known for some of the bigger names in mainstream music today like Anberlin, mewithoutYou, and Underoath as well as Christian music success stories (through their Christian market focused sister company, BEC Recordings) the O.C. Supertones, Plankeye, Jeremy Camp, and Hawk Nelson. They have also spawned some lesser known, but no less marvelous talent, like Starflyer 59, For Love Not Lisa, Stavesacre, The blamed, He is Legend, Roadside Monument, Ninety Pound Wuss, and Joy Electric. The members of MxPx were Christians (but not a Christian band) and this came through in some of their songs but most of their songs just dealt with everyday life experiences: What do I do with my future? Will I meet a girl? All of the songs meant something to me and I could easily relate to all of them.

I have grown up with the band, as their songwriting has matured so have I. I am the same age as the band members. As they were navigating their late teen years, so was I. Now as they are navigating young adulthood, so am I. Is it a coincidence that during the same year I am in Beijing they are playing a show here? I don't think so.

Their lyrics have continued to include the spiritual and the mundane, but everything is written from a perspective that there is more to this life than meets the eye. I am proud to be a fan of this amazing band.

"There's got to be a better place than this world.
She said its the best time of our lives,
we shouldn't be thinking about that now,
she turned my words around,
and I let it happen everytime."

"Well he's a chick magnet if you know what I mean"

"Still don't know what I want to do,
probably still ask you if I knew,
what I'm doing now seems to be okay, i
f it's your will, if it's your way"

"Teenage Politics its too confusing
Politics Schmolitics, too confusing"

"These days so few seem to have faith
In the son of man and in his grace
I feel your breathe upon my face
As you replace, my broken wings"

"You are your own secret weapon
Its all up to you to come out swingin"

"They said we need to play it better
They said just sing like Eddie Vedder
Bring us something we can sell"

"The piece of paper that you've got
says you can get into my pocket
but you can't get inside my heart
or inside my head"

"There's nothing quite like
being sure of what's inside your heart"

"Responsibility
What's that!
Responsibilty
Not quite yet!"

"am i the one that's going crazy?
i'm so tired of masquerading
i pretend to be so well adjusted
maybe it's just me and i'm disgusted"