Andrew Performance
April 29, 2003 4:11 a.m.

It was a small little performance, my guess is, as a fund raiser for a middle school youth group because a majority of the audience was very young.

Like the last time I saw him perform solo a majority of the audience was there because it was their church which brought him in, there were very few real Normals/Andrew fans, but we made ourselves known.

Because it was such a small performance Andrew could pretty much look everyone in the eye. ....I ended up sitting in the front row (not my doing)and actually conversed with him a few times!

Specificly at the beginning of the performance (I say performance because it was really to small and inimate to call it a concert.) He said that if we wanted him to play a song he wasn't playing to just ask..... and when he announced his last song I asked him if he would also play "These Times", my favorite Normals song. He said he would but I would have to help him out on the words (which I did).

And in typical fashion I brought a friend to the concert who was rather unfamilar with him, My friend Libby. Apparently she didn't realize till the day before (or I didn't think to tell her specificly) that the Normals are a "Christian" band. and that the performance was in a church, and apparently this bothered her. I found out from B later that when he was talking with her she was angry! saying things like "Raven didn't tell me they were a fucking Christian band in a fucking church".

But I have to say, after one awesome Andy performance she was entirely won over. As Andy left the 'stage' (which was merely a taped off section of the floor) and came over to speak to me, Libby raced to the Merch table and bought his solo album. She told me later when she was explaining the magnitude of her enjoyment that she had to have enjoyed it if she spent $15 she didn't need to spend on his cd. She left saying that "That's how it's supposed to be" and "He's walking the right path. He's talented, he's humble, he has a beautiful new wife".

Libby and I have had Brother Larry conversations. She actually argued that maybe he is doing what God wants him to do (I could not imagine my God telling larry to behave the way he does. Larry's God and my God are not the same God.) Before the performance I told Libby that by the end she should have an understanding of why I love this man so much. He is the most beautiful person I have ever met, he has the most beautiful soul. He is the opposite of Larry in just about every possible way except for they both wish to serve God.

Andrew = Humble, kind, Loves all, respects all, treats women as equals. Expresses the true love of God.

Larry = Arrogant, judgmental, cruel, Loves himself, respects no one, looks down on women. Protrays God as cruel and judgemental.

Andrew = right path

Larry = wrong path

Andrew = God speaking though a man

Larry = the deceiver speaking though a man.

There was no way for us to earn Grace, it had to be given, therefore there is no way to lose Grace.

One of the things which ulimately got to Libby was Andrew's song "We were so sure we could change the world" which he wrote to express his sadness about Normals deciding to take a break. Libby said that while she has become cynical and hardened she does wish to change the world. and she said so many people complain about how awful the world is and yet do nothing to change it. ...To see him pour so much hurt and emotion into this song....as if he tried and failed (which I don't think he has), that really got to her. ...it was so beautiful.