VCU praise band plays to midday crowd at the Commons
The University Commons was the site of another free concert for VCU students sponsored by Alethia.
Mark Robinson and Samuel Roots
Contributing writers
The University Commons was the site of another free concert for VCU students Wednesday afternoon. Aletheia at VCU, a campus organization and affiliate of Aletheia Richmond church, sponsored the concert.
Aletheia at VCU is a student organization with a goal, according to www.aletheiarichmond.com, “to mobilize and equip a generation of students passionate about the message of Jesus.” The organization is comprised of VCU students that are involved with the Aletheia church, brought to Richmond in 2007 by Joshua Soto. Similar chapters exist near other college campuses throughout the state, including JMU and ODU.
With the Commons Plaza decorated in balloons and banners, the Aletheia Richmond Band took the stage to perform a mixture of contemporary praise-band covers. The 8-piece group was supplemented by Kyle Tower and Zach Crump on the first song, “Riches of Grace,” a hip-hop take on accepting spiritual growth – proclaiming, “I use to throw stones but now I cast crowns.”
Despite some sound quality issues, the group performed solidly, taking a break between each song to make clear their mission in the VCU community. An audience of VCU students in between classes waited in lines for free pizza and the chance to win an iPod nano.
Junior Julian Cha, an official of Aletheia at VCU, focused on his hope that the event will convince more VCU students to attend sessions at the Pace Center by Rhoads Hall “as we explore the truth that is communicated in the Bible.”
More information on Aletheia at VCU can be found on their website, www.aletheiarichmond.com.
