Ask anyone who has ever been to a DecembeRadio show to describe the experience and you’ll get an enthusiastic barrage of comments about the band’s blistering stage show, an adrenaline-fueled rock spectacle that leaves audiences nearly breathless. Yet intertwined among the searing guitars and anthemic choruses, the heart of the band shines through on every note. It’s that unwavering commitment to spread the Gospel that defines the essence of DecembeRadio.
“God has called us to do this and we know that,” says guitarist Eric Miker. “Every time we play a show we hear how our songs have impacted people. We’ve had people come up to us after the show and say, ‘This song is what made me realize that no matter what it was that I was going through, I could turn back to God.’ They just need to hear the words.”
Few bands more effectively fuse music and ministry than this Virginia-based foursome. Miker along with lead vocalist/bassist Josh Reedy, lead guitarist Brian Bunn and drummer Boone Daughdrill burst onto the national scene with their self-titled Slanted Records’ debut in 2006. The project was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and earned the group four Dove Award nominations, including nods in the Best New Artist category and Song of the Year for “Drifter.” That night the band claimed their first Dove Award when DecembeRadio was honored for Rock Album Of The Year, an impressive feat for a new band.
The band has an intriguing dynamic on stage. Though they definitely have that powerful rock ‘n roll stage presence, they also have a unique ability to be accessible to the fans. There’s a bond that’s forged between the guys and the crowd that erases that unseen barrier between artist and audience.
“People connect with how real you look them in the eye whether you’re rocking out or you’re getting them to sing along with you,” says Reedy. “When they feel they are a part of the show, a part of the band or just a part of that song, that is what we strive for when we step on that stage.”
“We want to share with the world what Christ has done for us and for them,” says Daughdrill. “I feel like God calls us all to be a light...we have a choice in how we respond to that. Hopefully we can be an encouragement to others, letting them know the satisfaction we’ve found in Christ as we rock 'n roll for Him.”
Adds Reedy: “God wants to bless us all and take us places that we never thought we’d go, and that’s exactly what He’s been doing with us. We’re just happy and blessed to be where we are. We’re enjoying the journey.”