Seattle Christian Music

God Rock Cafe Redesign and Review

Feb 6, 2010 Concerts
Posted by Gabe

Although I do work mere blocks from the God Rock Cafe in Everett, Washington, I really hadn’t been there in weeks (or even months). I’d been taking advantage of the spring like weather to walk down at the piers or enjoy one of the many scenic parks; It was certainly a chance to relax and unwind from the first half of my work day. Without a great need for the warm coffee offered by the cafe, I really didn’t have a reason to go. Besides that, I still lived in Bellevue and that certainly made attending the weekend shows an expensive venture.

That said, living in Everett now, I decided to explore the local cafe and musical venue again. The front door looked the same, so did the stairs and those cool window seats. A few more flashing lights and signs adorned the windows, but those certainly didn’t constitute a real change. It wasn’t until I looked for the counter that the first major difference confronted me … where was the front counter? As if some mysterious suggestion box had been consulted, a number of well-thought-out changes had been made; And all of the changes were for the good.

The first thing you’ll notice upon entering is the new counter vestibule. The coffee bar has been pushed back into the kitchen hallway, leaving a noticeably large area to accommodate waiting customers; The previous counter pressed customers up against the stairs and left very little waiting room. There’s a new soda fridge and a chip selection (the espresso machine is a real beauty to behold as well).

After ordering a mocha, I headed upstairs. I was hoping to get a look at the changes happening in the seating area below. To my amazement, the upper hallways were covered in artwork: A raging horse springs from the wall; Subtle messages nip at the edges of your vision; Small, framed collages hang as beautifully as any fine gallery. I just didn’t see any of that coming.

Once I’d admired the new wall decor, I explored the upper deck, taking a look down into the main seating area. If you do visit, the seating upstairs is actually cooler, but only those who visit regularly know how to get up there. Immediately I noticed that the old plywood, faux-hardwood flooring was gone; Now the older, actual hardwood flooring is exposed, polished and sealed. It’s quite a sight.

The second thing I noticed was the 90 degree swing of the entire venue. The stage used to be against the west wall, causing sound to reflect through the room and echo ceaselessly during a performance. Now the stage is in back of the kitchen, with a “green room” in the works behind it. The enclosed room by the back door has been opened up and couches laid out. With all this new open area, this might just turn out to be a good venue after all.

Here are some photos I grabbed during my visit:

[View with PicLens]

That night, the Washington based pop rock band Noon Day Sun was the first to play the partially finished stage. There’s a lot of wiring to finish and the stage needs to be extended; The 5’7″ gap between the stage at the upper level support beam forces non-seated band members forward. Outside of that, the speaker placement and acoustics have both been well tuned for the space.

Like all shows at the God Rock, Noon Day Sun was scheduled to start at 8pm. I got there at 7:30pm. Fortunately, a hot chocolate and steak panini were just what the doctor ordered to pass the time. Seriously, the food quality improvement at that place is legendary. From the old soggy rolls to the unevenly baked bullet breads, the God Rock has always had a problem producing quality sandwiches. Good news, the panini’s are in and they’re good.

Yes, it was loud and it took the crowd 2 or 3 songs to get warmed up to the rock-like sound. Fortunately, I wasn’t reviewing the crowd. That said, they were an eclectic mix of preteen kids, middle-aged men and young go-getters on fire for the ministry. Strange for a venue, especially in the Seattle area, but nonetheless, fun.

Originally on the ground floor, the awkward arrangement of the tables made it difficult to film, so I moved upstairs for the rest of the show. Once the music began, the pop sounds filled the space but didn’t echo; How nice.

As for the music, although it was all a bit predictable, Noon Day Sun wasn’t bad. True, they embrace well-worn musical styles and cliched riffs, but then again, so does most modern worship music; And there’s nothing wrong with that. Their clothing, by the way, only confirmed my conclusion; They’re taking what is and what was and making it into what they are. Combined with the lyrics, however, their songs really do come to life, at one point almost driving me to a loss of emotional control (let’s just say it was the Holy Spirit).

Recalling old Super Chic[k] or Barlow Girl, Noon Day Sun’s music makes obvious references to popular stereotypes and dysfunctions plaguing both men and women in our society. I can not fault their message (which is often sung in both adult and juvenile detention centers around the state). This is a Christian band and they’re not afraid to let you know (praise God for that).

As an intermission, the owner of the God Rock Cafe gave the story of the inception and founding of the venue. Rather than try to explain the music or the message any further, here are two videos. The first is “Barbie Nation” by Noon Day Sun and the second is the testimony of the God Cafe founder. My recommendation, by the way, is to visit the cafe on an event night (get the pulled pork early, it smells like heaven and typically sells out in less than 20 minutes).

Tags: Christian, Everett, God Rock Cafe, Ministry, music, Noon Day Sun