By Mark Kneubuhl
Special to LIVE!
July 5, 2007

For the past couple of months, San Angelo residents have been riding a rollercoaster of expectations in regard to this year’s 4th of July festivities.

It’s been two years since the last grand Lake Nasworthy fireworks display, when the event’s producer, Goodfellow Air Force Base had to pull out due to Department of Defense budget cuts.

Last May, Angelo Entertainment, the same people who brought Angelo Outdoor Cinema to the Fort Concho Courtyard last summer, announced that they were bringing the expensive pyrotechnics display back to the lake.

Excitement was in the air, and then just two weeks ago, Angelo Entertainment President, Vincent A. Preziotte was forced to announce that the deal had fallen through due to lack of funds.

It’s always about money, isn’t it?

“I came a little late,” said Preziotte. “All the big companies, the big sponsors, write their budgets for such things a year in advance. But it’s on for next year.”

However, other organizations jumped in to save the day. Starting on the 3rd, the annual (and fast becoming a San Angelo favorite)  Pops Concert and fireworks display wooed thousands with their visual and emotional extravaganza. There was even an ear-splitting fly-by, provided by a B-1B “Lancer” Bomber from Dyess AFB near Abilene.

All day on the 4th, Fort Concho and the Lion’s Club hosted the “Artillery Salute” and “Celebrate Freedom,” across the way at the Paseo. It was a full day of old fashion entertainment, martial arts demonstrations, face painting, model airplane flying, a water gun shoot-out and lots more.” This was the Lion’s club first 4th of July event, hoping to turn it into an annual thing.

Then in the evening, Colt’s Stadium opened their gates to thousands for another debut extravaganza, called “Freedom Fest.”

The fireworks and the concert by the “Afters” (we’ll get to them in a minute), were the highlights of the show. Organized by “Project Impact” and the Paul Ann Baptist Church, the fest was a family event and a chance to mill around, meet old friends and stand in line for a half an hour to get some nachos and a coke.

Then, with the weather cooperating, the concert began. Referred by music reviewers as "the next big thing," The Afters quickly proved to an appreciating audience that they are that and more.

The Afters is a rock/alternative band. And they are best known on the Christian music circuit. But Christian music has changed over the years from melodic songs with the lyrics always at center stage. Today, the genre is almost indistinguishable from modern chart rock and pop music, where their latest single, “Beautiful Love,” resides today.

The Afters’ first album, I Wish We Could All Win gained them much deserved recognition and a four-record deal with INO Records.

"We're all in this world living our life, trying to do our best and trying to figure out why we're here," said vocals/guitarist, Josh Havens, about their debut album. "Essentially, it’s about running the race of life. At the end of the race, there are winners and losers. I wish we all could win."

All four band members are of various Christian denominations, and through their songs, each preaches their message. They sing about the simple wonders of life in songs like “Ocean Wide,” “Keeping Alive” and “Wait.” All of them will be singles off of their upcoming CD, Never Going Back To Okay scheduled to be released on Dec. 26th.

The band members met while working at Starbuck’s in Dallas, when Havens and co-worker, Matt Fuqua (guitar, vocals) got together on one particularly slow night and played guitars for the not-so-crowded crowd. Their sound was unique and they quickly gained popularity and added co-workers, Brad Wigg (bass and more vocals) and Marc Todd (drums) to their roster.

It must take a lot of talent to mix a frappucino, because that particular Starbucks could have been an American Idol recruitment center.

Unlike other bands, The Afters have a different philosophy when it comes to family and playing in the band. Many up and coming groups don’t have the time or quality of life that supports a successful marriage relationship, not to mention children. “The touring, long hours, the frantic shows, it’s just not conducive,” Ted Levin of Space Cadet told LIVE! last month.

But this band has seven children between the four of them and another two due to arrive in a couple of months.

Matt Fuqua’s wife Stacy and daughter traveled with their husband to the Freedom Fest and spent the night in a local hotel after the show.

“Some of the other wives and children go on the shorter road trips,” said Stacy, describing the rather difficult life. “That’s just the way it is.” Stacy is pregnant with their second child, a boy. “I just had to find out!” she said.

After the show, Josh, Marc and Brad all drove back to Dallas. “They just want to see their families before they go to the Rose Bowl on Friday,” said Stacy.

Yes! She said the Rose Bowl, as in Pasadena, California, with a seating capacity of 100,000 people.

Marc was born in Laguna Beach, California, raised in Seattle and lived in Texas for several years. He is looking forward to the Rose Bowl gig for a different reason. His brother actually played football there as a Washington Huskie in their miracle 1991 season. Now Marc is going back to that venue to do a concert.

After the Rose Bowl, the band has ten more shows scheduled for the month of July where they’re off to Arkansas, back west to Oregon, home for three concerts in Texas and then east to North Carolina.

“Man, we really chalk-up the frequent flier miles,” said Brad.

Josh, originally from Wisconsin, has lived in Texas since high school where he met Texas-born-and-bred Fuqua.

Brad, who’s lived in Texas for over a decade, was originally from Louisiana. “You like gumbo,” LIVE! asked?

“I make gumbo,” said the bass player.

“You make good gumbo?”

“No, I make GREAT gumbo!”

"Beautiful Love," has been released on mainstream radio, along with the scorching but meaningful single, "The Way You Are."

"We want to encourage our listeners and ourselves to live our faith out in the world every single day—not talk about it, but back it up with our life. I hope we encourage people to live for something greater than themselves," said Havens.

The concert, both musically and in lyrics, set the stage for a hopeful future of all things good and goodwill toward our fellow man. And then the fireworks display began. The collective ooh’s and awe’s were heard in all corners of Foster Field. It just felt like a very good evening to celebrate.