As an adult, it's common to look back on your time in high school and see the things that faded away from your character while transitioning from adolescence to adulthood. But sometimes, there are bits of who you are back then that permanently stick. Whether it's a phrase, a friend, a memory, or a hobby, many can pinpoint that one thing that struck them so deeply that it practically became part of their DNA. For me, that was House of Heroes.

I began listening to them in 2009 during the first semester of my senior year of high school. It didn't take a long for me to realize that this group had something special. From then on, I fell more and more in love with House of Heroes with every passing album release. But after the drop of Colors in 2016, they began to fade away from the scene. They stopped touring. They went dark on social media. I thought I had seen the last of my beloved group. That is, until they reappeared on Facebook in the fall of 2018 and announced a one night only 10th-anniversary show of the album that roped me and so many others into their fan base: The End Is Not The End. 

I knew I had to be at that show.

With it being on the 28th of December, traveling would be tough and exhausting. We would only be able to stay in Ohio for three days tops, which meant we would be lacking in rest and sleep. But something inside of me knew that if I didn't make the pilgrimage to Columbus, I would regret it for the rest of my life. No fan is certain of what the future will bring for House of Heroes, and if this were to be the last show they ever played, I'd never forgive myself for missing it. So I bought tickets for my husband and myself, and on the 27th, after dealing with the craziness of owning a retail business at Christmas time, and in the midst of a pretty gnarly cold, we flew to Ohio to see House of Heroes reunite the following day. 

I had never been surrounded by so many House of Heroes fans as I sat in my seat waiting for the show to begin at the Columbus Athenaeum, a venue located in the heart of Columbus, Ohio with decor like that of a royal ballroom or the theater in Phantom of the Opera. Any other time I had seen them live, they were either opening for a more popular artist or playing a small club to a crowd of maybe 60 people. When opener Stay Outside came on to the stage, the venue was decently full. After was the legendary John Reuben, and more folks began to trickle in. And finally, when House of Heroes took the stage, there were so many bodies in the room that no empty space could be found. Tim, Colin, AJ, Eric, and Jared were on fire from the moment they stepped in front of us, and the crowd was reciprocating that energy tenfold. Experiencing them perform songs that I hadn't heard live in years or possibly ever before was a breath of fresh air I didn't even know I needed. I sang my lungs out, completely disregarding my nasty cold (which would rear its ugly head the second I stepped out of the venue and back into the freezing Ohio weather). Reliving the spiritual awakening that The End Is Not The End stirred in me so many years ago as a teenager was one of the greatest moments of my life. The whole show was the entirety of the album from beginning to end, and they executed the task brilliantly.  My favorite songs from the set list were "Code Name: Raven," "By Your Side," and "Field of Daggers." But to be honest, they slayed the entire evening. 
 

This show was BEYOND INCREDIBLE!!
Thank you deeply to everyone who came out. It was such an amazingly fun time.

Photos by @jphever pic.twitter.com/wtmFgGYW0T

— House of Heroes (@houseofheroes) January 2, 2019

What I have always loved about this band is their ability to intertwine truth with symbolic poetry. Their lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways, but there's always that one line that is blunt and to the point. This is accomplished not only on The End Is Not The End, but on every album they've ever created. Seeing the band live only enhances that because the heart they put into the delivery of their songs, both deep cuts and popular tracks alike is practically tangible. Anyone who sees them perform can see the passion and talent bursting from each individual member, as well as the group as a whole. They are a force to be reckoned with and by far one of the most extraordinary to be birthed from the Christian industry.

There was a moment halfway through the show where Tim, the lead singer, said that after the release of their latest album Colors, he needed a break to find his identity outside of House of Heroes. He claimed that he convinced himself that no one cared about their music, and if they did, they wouldn't notice if they stepped back and stopped making albums. With emotion in his voice, he declared how that night proved him wrong. It was a very vulnerable time for him during the set and was possibly my favorite moment of the evening. What a shock they all must have felt that night as they witnessed the impact their art has had on those present. According to Tim, when they made The End Is Not The End, they thought no one would want to listen to "an album about history, time, and space." But needing to change concert venues multiple times in order to hold the number of people that bought tickets to see them reunite demonstrated how important they still are to so many. 

College tested my faith in ways it had never been tested before. But because House of Heroes became part of my spiritual DNA in high school, I was able to retreat to their music in order to clear my mind and remind me of why I believe what I do. Looking back, without their music consistently speaking those blunt bits of truth into my life, I'm not sure what would have happened to my relationship with Christ. To say I am thankful for this band is a vast understatement.  It was an honor to be at that show and experience those precious moments alongside a band that made such a difference in my life. Whether they decide to create new music, or whether we've seen the last of such an incredible act, I believe that night in the Columbus Athenaeum proved something to those guys on stage: that they are loved, that their music is incredibly significant and relevant, and that no matter what, they will never be forgotten.