It's a Christmas Tradition: Behold the Lamb

Marathon or no marathon, we had an important concert to attend Saturday night.

I had to tell Kelly that three times Saturday. (I had to tell myself that at least five times.)

Anytime Andrew Peterson comes to Dallas with his annual Behold the Lamb tour, we make it a point to go. That album is my first and last listen of the Christmas season, along with several listens in between.

The genius of this tour is its structure - and I'm not just talking about the straight-through playing of the album in the second half. That is, of course, wonderful. Special. Emotional.

But the first half is collegial. A collection of singer-songwriters assembled for the tour - obviously friends, but also fans of one another's music. There's something so amazing about watching a songwriter sing his/her own songs. And to watch other songwriters participating in the performance - performing and, at the same time, enjoying and appreciating the moment just as the audience is.

Kelly and I have discovered wonderful new (to us) artists through this tour: Jason Gray and after last night, Ellie Holcomb.