Elevation Worship B.C.D.O. Tauren Wells Rend Collective Hilsong Y & F Pat Barrett Tye Tribbett I Am They Sinach We Are Messengers Andy Mineo Part Five.

As this was my first time to the B.C.D.O I didn’t know how it worked or ran, all I knew there were live bands, camping, and that it was over the weekend. The first thing we all had to do was to take everything out both the cars, making sure the cooler bags were kept out of the sun. It was lovely to have my own bedroom of which there was three I was originally informed, “Two people are meant to be in this (small) space, making it a six-man tent.” I was still happy to be in there alone.

Then we all went over to where we had to get our wristbands, going all the way over there, showed me just how big the grounds were. It was there they were selling programmes, I hadn’t planned on buying anything other than a t-shirt of Elevation Worship, but as a memento I thought for £5 it was good value for money, and may give insight into the band, so I bought one. I now had £5 less of my £150 that I’d bought to buy a t-shirt. It was good to have the wristbands on, I’d no intention of taking them off for a while, but MP put one of mine on SO tight, I thought it was going to stop my circulation, it didn’t.

We decided not to have the cooked chilli con carne with the cooked jacket potatoes as Lydia had frozen them and they were kept very cold in her brilliant cooler box, so that would be eaten on Sunday and my whole cooked chicken, and the large family sized pack of wonderful mixed fresh salad that I’d also bought and with wraps, that would be our dinner later on. With that established, MP got her cooler shopping trolley she put in there all that we would need for extra food, drinks, wipes and kitchen roll. We looked in my programme and it was then I realized Elevation Worship would only be playing on Sunday evening! I’d just assumed they would play on both evenings as they are such a big band, the most important band that would be there in my opinion. At 9.05pm to 10.15pm they would be on stage, whoo-woo.

I did have a very slight 1% headache off and on throughout Saturday morning, so I decided to take a painkiller, this was for the pain too in the back of my stiff neck. Lydia was in the most pain, I offered my liquid painkillers she took it, but it was way too weak to touch her strong pain she was feeling. I did feel sorry for her, for to be far away from home with kids and camping couldn’t have been fun.  

There was a lot to carry to the Main Stage, chairs for us all, trolley, special blanket for the grassy fields where we would be sitting, bottles of water and more, we all worked together, making sure Lydia didn’t carry too much as she hurt the most.

At the Main Stage, thousands were already there! it was my first time seeing this and I was in awe, the atmosphere was fantastic. It was very well organised and wristbands had to be shown by all, for campers and non-campers. There was a huge sign all lit up of the letters B.C.D.O. made for us all to have our photos there for free and that’s exactly what happened. Somewhere nice was chosen to sit, and it was here I found out why the gazebo was needed. Others had their gazebo up and they would be left there overnight ready for their places the following day, and no one I was informed would move or take them, WOW I was well impressed. The stage was huge and had two massive screens either side of it. It was hot and sunny; I couldn’t have asked for nicer weather. Everything is better in the sun.

The event both days had started at 11.00am, and after sorting ourselves out, we arrived 1pm, the live band was on and all the words to the songs were on both the screens, so you could sing along. Most of the bands I didn’t know, but it was clear to me they were very popular I watched as people sing along to their songs with passion.

The children went off somewhere with Lydia to the many kids’ sections of which I was informed there were many. Up to this point I’d only known the Main Stage and nothing else.

Once I knew where we were ‘based’ I told MP, “I’m going to my car to charge my mobile and would be back later to join her here,” MP said, “OK.” And off I went to find my car, I got very lost, I thought I was going as the crow flies, how wrong I was, I ended up on the caravan site! It was huge, there was no tents in sight. After about an hour I found my car and sat it in turning the engine on and charged my mobile as it was on 5%! I was shocked at how my phone and watch had quickly used up the battery pack, it didn’t make sense, but I was doing something to change it, my Daughter at university had told me to, “Put your mobile on airplane mode, as it will charge quicker,” So this is what I did. I listened to my favourite Christian Chanel, Premier Christian Radio, at the same time, it was on here I’d first heard of Elevation Worship, and from that, had looked on YouTube for video of the same songs, I grew to love the Artists.

Elevation Worship as I tried to explain to others who haven’t heard of them, is a large band about nine piece from America, they have a Guest singer who sings two or three songs they also have band members who sing a few fabulous songs and the other band members become their backing singers, after their two or three songs is finished they become the backing singer with them either singing or playing their guitar, they all rotate it’s SO unusual, there is NO main band member. None of their names are known. I had my favourites, from listening to them and then watching the videos on YouTube.

Sunday couldn’t come quick enough for me. Before they went on stage, they would be at the UCB Radio station Sunday at 4.35pm I’d make sure I’d be there. after ninety minutes my phone was only charged 90% it was time to get back to the Main Stage and eat! Before tomorrow I needed to delete at least one thousand photos from my phone of which I have over six thousand I needed to make space for my Elevation Worship pictures and videos, I’d planned to do this on the way there, but with the accident that didn’t happen.

I went back to the Main Stage and MP was there I got a paper plate I’d brought my own gadget all in one knife fork and spoon that I use at work and cut off a few slices of chicken, I opened the large family sized prepared fresh salad and arranged them in my large wrap I used salad cream rolled it up, cut into two and enjoyed, it was wonderful. I remembered there was various crisps in the trolley I chose cheese and onion and opened it. It was a perfect meal. I had with my sweet flask of coffee.

In between bands, the owners of the venue the Goring Family, came onto the stage and they were introduced to us, the family explained how the B.C.D.O. all started, their home is called Wiston House, Steyning, Wiston, West Sussex, and is surrounded by 6,000 acres, (we were in their garden) they announced how many had come through the gates and we all cheered, 25,000 WOW!   

Later on, the others joined us for their perfect meal too, including Elijah, Gideon and Ruth, the Children ate, drank and then went off back to the kid’s programmes. Marty and Blue also came for food, I felt chuffed that my whole cooked chicken had fed us all, along with the wraps and salad, crisps, iced bottles of water and more that Lydia and MP had brought, we made a great team.

Sinach she sang she had lots of fans; I’ve never heard of her. Then LZ7 sang too their music wasn’t my type but they were very popular with the younger teens there, it was good there was such a good variety of music genre, for all tastes and the times listed for each act was exact from start to finish as in the programme. When Pat Barrett came on, I knew all his songs, but I’d never heard of him, his songs are very popular and sang by many in Churches, up and down the land.

The Band of the night was Rend Collective! I love their songs but to me they hold the record of the worst song in history! My Lighthouse. I hate everything about that song, the banjo, the tune, the words, mainly the sound, basicly everything. It was the first song they sang, and everyone cheered! What is wrong with these people? I really, really, really hate that song. SO glad they got it out the way first, so I could enjoy the rest of the fabulous concert. Having sang all their songs in Church often, it was amazing to see and hear them live, they were fantastic, to think I’d paid only £50 for a weekend ticket was more than amazing, I was having the time of my life, I felt a huge feeling of belonging, I’d had my hair done for my birthday, bought myself a fabulous watch and was here at the Big Church Day Out. It was like a dream come true. I was SO happy, as Rend Collective sang, the night summer sky went dark and the lights came on the band, it was a perfect day. Tomorrow night I’d see and hear my favourite band of all time, singing my favourite songs of all time. I just hope, they didn’t run out of their t-shirts, so that I’d be able to buy one and keep it forever.