Hillsong UNITED was born out of the youth Movement of Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia, where the youth group meets weekly and now has over 3,000 attendees. In 1999, UNITED recorded its first album, Everyday, which featured original songs written by the young people. Everyday has since sold over one million albums in the U.S. alone and built a very large brand image and following all around the world.  UNITED’s 2007 album, All Of The Above, and 2009 album a_CROSS/ the_EARTH :: Tear Down The Walls, both launched to number one on U.S. Billboard Christian charts, and the latter also grabbed the number two position on the iTunes mainstream chart, just behind Eminem.

 

UNITED’s 2011 US tour is visiting only 30 cities in support of the band’s latest, Aftermath. The album debuted at number one on multiple international retail charts and came out of the gate as the band’s biggest release yet. It rocketed to number four on American iTunes charts and number one in Australia and New Zealand. Notably, the album landed at number 17 on the Billboard Top 200, a chart that includes all mainstream genres, not just Christian music. 

 

The title Aftermath comes from “perspective,” Jad Gillies said. “It’s also a parallel between the symbol of the cross: death and defeat, failure. But once Jesus went to that cross, the symbol becomes one of revival, hope and life” he said. “We live in the aftermath of what he has done. We live because of his atonement. It's a different perspective. It's ‘Welcome to what Jesus has done.’” So many times, the word is connected to natural disaster, Gillies said. His home country has seen its fair share in recent months—floods, tornadoes, earthquakes. Many of his American fans have experienced the same. That's where the aftermath comes in, too. “We all pull together in the communities we're in and make things better. That's God's way of making life livable and giving us hope."

 

Joel Houston says, “Normally ‘aftermath’ has a negative, even traumatic, connotation. At the same time, when I look at the crucifixion as an event, it paints an extraordinarily negative and horrific picture. But the aftermath of the cross is hope for all mankind. It’s grace, freedom, peace, life and everything that is good about God. I absolutely love that picture.”

 

The performance was worship of all types wrapped up in a single evening. As Nate, the tour media coordinator, put it, “It’s praise then worship and then praise.” He couldn’t have been more spot on. Kicking off the evening, Hillsong UNITED performed high energy versions of “Go,” followed by “Break Free” and “You.” The first set of songs was like the beginning of a race and the energy was unstoppable.

 

There were three large screens that displayed song lyrics as well as live concert scenes, but enough of their songs are sung in contemporary churches that most of the audience didn’t need the lyrics to sing along, and sing they did. There was loud singing and shouts of praise. Several times, the audience spontaneously picked up on the background vocals and sung them out to the band members, encouraging them to keep a song going. It was a truly an amazing sight to see. There was lot of music; UNITED performed 22 songs including two encores, some sermonizing, and Joel even gave an alter call. 

 

Don’t misunderstand, this wasn’t your wimpy campfire sing-along praise music. The band was tight and played like a seasoned arena-rock band. They were full of energy and were enthusiastic about sharing their love for Christ.

 

“We sing these songs in worship, but our real worship is out there where we have a life to live for God’s glory,” Houston told the audience.

 

The crowd was left speechless from the experience that just took place, overjoyed but physically exhausted from the worship that was just inside the doors of the arena.
 

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Joel Houston, Matthew Crocker, Hayley Law, Jonathon Douglass, Jad Gillies, Dylan Thomas, Adam Crosariol, Simon Kobler, Timon Klein, Peter James