U2 Cover Band Surpises NCU

U2

TRASK ENERGY CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — Tuesday morning, while students were slipping into their respective seats for chapel, Professor Jeff Grenell and his U2 cover band were slipping into character. “It’s not an easy thing, Bono and The Edge are icons.” Grenell explained before the set. “You can’t just turn it on and off, I have to prepare at least four hours before every gig.”

The NCU students in attendance at the Trask Word and Worship Center had no idea that Tuesday was a surprise chapel. Most expected another 15-20 minutes of Hillsong originals followed by 30 minutes of cell phone bowling while a random professor drabbed on about “your generation”. The opening guitar line from “Where The Streets Have No Name” would quickly change that.

The surprise chapel appearance of Professor Grenell’s extra curricular pastime also boosted the overall chapel attendance Tuesday. The final tally was a 15% ratings boost over last year’s same date, but the ratings push still fell 50% short of this semester’s first day of Chapel.

The cover band ran through most all of U2’s greatest hits, including “Pride (In the Name of Love)”, “Beautiful Day”, and finished with a heart stopping rendition of “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. For the encore, Grenell came back on stage and sang an a capella version of “Sunday Bloody Sunday”. Sources say that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

The concert ended on a downer though when Grenell stepped too far into character and got a little bit preachy. All in all it was a successful day for both Grenell and NCU, expect to see this amazing cover band a few more times before the year is through.

-BERNSTEIN

Student Can’t Hack It As A Rock Star, Releases Worship Album

TRASK WORSHIP CENTER, NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY, MINNEAPOLIS, MN – In a surprise move no one expected, another North Central Music Performance major will release a worship music album. After several unsuccessful attempts at creating legitimate music, Senior Michael Salvinski plans on recording what he is calling, “an acoustic cross between U2 and Steven Curtis Chapman.”

Salvinski, who started writing music for music’s sake in high school while teaching himself guitar, first tasted worship music recognition at his high school youth group back home in Madison, WI where he gained popularity for being able to “play that guitar solo just like the Sonicflood version.” However, it wasn’t until Salvinski burned all of his non-Christian music at a youth group bonfire his junior year of high school, that he recognized the potential for Christian music stardom. “After I destroyed everything from my collection not produced by Sparrow Records, I discovered all sorts of Christian bands that copied the artists I’d liked before. There was a Christian version of Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, and The Counting Crows.”

Salvinski’s unprecedented landmark decision, which is all the rage these days, came after an especially uplifting Sunday morning church service when Salvinski led the congregation in a rousing Hillsong ballad. “That’s when I realized it was much easier to play music for church audiences, since little things win them over. All you have to do is play with your eyes closed and improvise lyrics like ‘you are everything’ and ‘all I want is you.’

Salvinski’s new album, “God Is Higher” featuring hit single, “You Are Everything” is set to release next fall. – Woodward