Tour Spotlight: Night of Joy 2008
09-29-2008
by Lindsay Williams

Tell me, what could be better than mixing two great nights of Christian music with a little Disney fun?! They don’t call it “the greatest place on earth” for nothing. This year’s Night of Joy event was an experience no one should miss. While youth groups have endured long distances in a bus for the past 26 years to attend the annual event, it goes without saying that it’s worth it.

In years past, the highly anticipated festival-style event was held at the nostalgic Magic Kingdom. And though artists and prior-attendees alike could be heard commenting about experiencing a bit of sadness at not being able to perform “in front of the castle,” this year’s new venue, Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM), made the event more conducive to accommodate larger crowds and a higher level of quality sound and visual effects.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios provided the perfect setting for two magical evenings of music. The concerts began each night around 7:15 p.m., right after the park closed. However, multiple rides and attractions stayed open for all of the Night of Joy goers. So, after catching a couple shows, attendees could treat themselves to a ride on the Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster, The Tower of Terror, or Disney’s newest attraction, Toy Story Mania. But, beware, the wait time for some of these rides exceeded an hour.

Even if wait times kept attendees from riding as many things as they had hoped, no one was left wanting. If you are a Christian music fan, Night of Joy is pretty much heaven. With local radio stations blasting Christian music throughout the park, and guests receiving a CD chock full of tunes as they exited, the night was expertly tailored for the Christian music fan from beginning to end.

Three stages throughout the park were home to an evening full of eclectic showcases. Headliners such as Chris Tomlin, MercyMe, Casting Crowns and tobyMac filled the stands of the “Lights, Motors, Action!” amphitheater, each performing two 45-minute sets back to back. Newcomers Brandon Heath and RED also played the mega-stage performing in front of thousands. The Premier Theater played host to the only indoor sets. Mandisa, Aaron Shust, Rush of Fools and Matthew West packed the seats. At times, people were turned away due to the theater being at capacity for each artist’s set. The third stage was set up in front of the sorcerer’s hat (plucked out of Fantasia), the primary centerpiece of the theme park. BarlowGirl, Rebecca St. James, Marcos Witt, Fred Hammond, Britt Nicole and pureNRG rocked the front stage with crowds fanned out in multiple directions to watch the show.

New to the event this year was also the addition of the “Joyful Conversations” sessions. Fans were given the opportunity to listen in on a half-hour Q&A between local radio hosts and select artists performing at the event. Audience members were also given the chance to ask questions of their favorite artists.

The concerts stretched until 1:30 a.m., and though some overlap did exist, many artists played multiple sets, so it wasn’t impossible to catch nearly every one featured on the bill. All in all, the response to this year’s move to the Studios seemed favorable. Concertgoers were able to sit down at two out of three stages, and the overall sound and visual quality proved better than that of the Magic Kingdom.

It still remains as to whether Night of Joy has found a new, permanent home at the Studios, but one thing is for sure… this event is special for a reason. Though tickets are expensive, the sheer amount of artists you get to see in one night is well worth the price of admission. Plus, the festival-like atmosphere makes it all the more enjoyable. Word of advice: This is a magical event that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. It’s guaranteed to be unlike any other festival or event you’ve ever been to…no matter how old of a kid you are.

Check out CCMmagazine.com’s exclusive video coverage from Night of Joy.

Click here for pics from Night of Joy 2008.

Visit the official Night of Joy website to start preparing now for next year’s event!