Slingshot 57 rocks Dahl Chapel

By: Dan Weber
Contributing Writer

This past Friday, Monmouth College was visited by a band which goes by the name of Slingshot 57. They have not quite made it to Guitar Hero status yet, but they have gained a national audience–which they will play to during upcoming shows in Iowa, Mississippi and California. The musicians of Slingshot 57, who hail from Champaign-Urbana, have played over 450 shows in 23 states since their formation in 1999. This five member band has been labeled as Pop, Indie and Christian Rock. Their aspirations are also extensive: they want to change the world. So what are they about?

Well, for starters, they want to spread the message of Jesus’ love. Although it might not have bled apparent through their music, their intervals between songs provided time for the band to relate their beliefs. Make no doubt about it, they are Christian rockers. They also expressed their love for scarves, the lead guitarist’s allergy to eggs, and the most random topics anyone has ever talked about, let alone those professed by a band at a concert. Even if their conversations had no focus, they did have a purpose. One clear statement made by lead vocalist Benjamin Woods went as follows: “We’re just a rock band. We want to play music, make you laugh – we hope you enjoy our humor. We just want to connect.”

 As for their music, they were like several other artists of today, such as a rhythm guitarist providing back-up vocals while dancing around like he’s possessed. They had quite a few memorable, up-beat songs that could separate them from the endless mass of wannabe rock stars. These shoeless rockers were a bit reminiscent of AFI a few years back, both in their tone and in the lead singer’s movements. Some songs that they played from their new record included: “Angels Around You,” “Calling You Out” and “Motion”--which was probably the highlight of the show. As any good band must have, they had a cool, collected drummer; so, they’re on the right track.

 In an interview with Woods, a bit more of the band’s intentions and a few more obscurities became known. The best show that Woods has done would have to be the Prairie Capital Convention Center, he said. What is his favorite song? Well, Woods claimed that it is Starting Over, because they “bleed transparent” in everything they do. His personal inspiration is Jesus, and his favorite band is, surprisingly, the Foo Fighters. As for why they want to play music, well, he doesn’t like “the idea of beating [their] beliefs into people’s heads,” but knows that the world has problems and wants to help fix them.

Finally, if Slingshot 57 should ever make it big, and you happen to land the job as their roadie, make sure you take all of the purple skittles out of the bowl; Woods just can’t stand them. The red ones are okay though. Those are his favorite..