The Skyliner

Issue date: 11/29/06 Section: Entertainment & Features

Keisha Tinsley
Staff Writer


MercyMe and Audio Adrenaline packed the Bi-Lo Center and performed in front of 7000-8000 screaming fans on November 17, 2006 (according to whom). The Coming Up To Breath Tour was a 35-city trek around the U.S.

Audio Adrenaline announced this would be their last tour, as the lead singer, Mark Stuart's voice is going. For the past 15 years, Audio Adrenaline has been singing and playing, so it's no wonder why his voice is not in as good of shape as when they first started out.

"If he was still singing like an angel, we'd probably keep going," drummer Ben Cissell said in a statement announcing the band's end in an article on goupstate.com. "A lot of people ask, 'Why don't we just find a new lead singer?' It just wouldn't be Audio Adrenaline anymore."

Guitarist Tyler Burkum also announced to the crowd that he would be releasing a solo CD.

Mercy Me got its start opening up for Audio Adrenaline back in 1996, so "it's only fitting to have a farewell tour with them," said lead singer Bart Millard.

During the opening songs for Audio Adrenaline, Stuart got off the stage and out into the audience. He hopped from seat to seat, inviting fans to sing along with him into his microphone. A limited number of fans were also invited to come on stage and jump around.

Along with the release of their greatest hits CD entitled Audios, Audio A will say farewell with a five-day adventure in Waikiki and Honolulu. According to the official web site, this will include "a private aloha welcome brunch, meet 'n' greet luau feast, surfing with the Audio A guys, tourist visits to Pearl Harbor and Hanauma Bay, breathtaking snorkeling and the best seats to the farewell concert at the Waikiki Shell." This "Aloha Adventure", as the band calls it, will be April 26 to 30, 2007.

The band ended their set singing "Goodbye" and thanking fans for a wonderful 15 years.

As Mercy Me took the stage, Millard joked around about Stuart walking around in the crowd and just holding onto the mic stand. The band played a medley of some of its most famous songs and said, "It would be hard to try to fit in all of these songs, so we've decided to create a medley, ya know, since all of our songs have the same tempo."

The show finished up with an encore song. The show was a great time of worship, and that is what the bands said they wanted.

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