May 2016

Written by Jennifer Lane
Q: Does rock require long hair? Nope.
A: Hard driving beats? A: You betcha!
It was a hard rocking night that didn’t disappoint with
a message of devotion and recovery in Largo on April
9 when Tampa Bay-based “Mission 180” took the
stage.
The second of two bands performing that evening for
the center’s Second Saturday Concert Series, Mission
180 offered up one and half hours of Christian music
favorites, hymns with a decidedly rock bent and wellpenned
originals for an appreciative crowd. A steady and
passionate beat from Tim Annen’s drums got the crowd
on their feet, as Kirk Parrish’s flawless bass lines kept
things moving and the keys added another layer of complexity
from Charlie Dickun.
About the Venue: Dream Center Metro in Largo is a
recovery house offering hope to those who seek it. Per
their website, “Dream Center Metro's purpose is to reconnect
isolated people to God and a community of by
providing human services that address immediate and
long-term needs in areas of homelessness, hunger, poverty,
addiction and education.” You can visit them at
www.dreamcentermetro.org.
“The Mission 180 concept is to see lives
transformed by Jesus Christ, to turn
around 180 degrees and turn to the
Lord”, Daniel told me after the show.
The band was founded by multi-instrumentalist and lead
singer/main songwriter Daniel Childs. Daniel’s lead guitar
playing was solid and often electrifying. His original
and co-penned songs conveyed a strong Christian message
in the style of Chris Tomlin, Relient K and other
popular Christian progressive rock bands. One of the
songs the band nailed absolutely perfectly was a cover
of Chris Tomlin’s “Our God”.
“The Mission 180 concept is to see lives transformed by
Jesus Christ, to turn around 180 degrees and turn to the
Lord”, Daniel told me after the show. Since last year, the
band has been building a solid reputation for themselves
primarily in the recovery circuit. Their next show is in
Orlando on May 6 and they return to Tampa Bay on May
27. For more details on their schedule please visit their
website.
To Contact the band, please visit www.mission180.org.
The Band:
Daniel Childs - Lead singer / guitar
Kirk Parrish - Bass
Tim Annen - Drums / Percussion
Charlie Dickun - Keyboards
PHOTOS BY JOHN STALTER (INSPIRE PHOTOGRAPHY
AND JENNIFER LANE (JENMUSEPHOTO.COM)
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