BEHIND THE SCENES WITH AFT - #3 "ME AND JESUS"

A tight show comes from consistency. Like, the set list, for example. Me and the band put together the set list in a very specific order, and I guess my years as a radio programmer comes into play. The songs are lined up to flow from rock songs, to worship songs, to party songs, to acoustic songs, to the song G.I. sings lead on. And so on.

We played last year’s set list (that opens with "A Little Louder" for about 8 months, where it became not only incredibly tight but also incredibly familiar - like wearing your favourite t-shirt. It just feels right.

The new set list (which opens with "Falling Asleep At The Wheel") hit the stage in May. One of the changes was swapped out Pip’s solo song "Love Song For A Saviour" for "Me and Jesus".

The first time we played the new set was at Durham Christian High School. Pip launched into "Love Song",. The rest of the band was off-stage, and I said, "uh, what’s Pip doing?" They shrugged - "Guess he’s on auto-pilot!" During the break, I asked Pip what happened. "Auto-pilot". Haha - I guess that tells you how used to a set list he was.

I said, "Pip, what do I need to do? Hold up a sign that says "Me and Jesus" from the audience?!" He laughed - "Maybe ya".

So at the next show in Val Caron, I hid in the audience, and just as he was about to start the song, I held up a banner "ME AND JESUS". Haha - too funny! Nice cue card!

The following night we played in Timmins.  I grabbed a kid in the audience and said, "When Pip sits down to play the next song, you hold up this banner..."  BAM!   It worked great!

Needless to say, Pip is now playing "Me and Jesus" on cue.