He is one of the most sought-after Christian touring artists in music today, making this year’s list of Pollstar’s Top 10 Worldwide Tours. Throughout the spring and summer, Chris Tomlin crisscrossed the country playing before jam-packed crowds at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, the United Center in Chicago, and setting a career attendance record with an unprecedented concert at LA’s Banc of California Stadium.
His shows are uniquely interactive where he sings his contemporary praise and worship songs, and the thousands in the crowd sing right along with him.
“There are a lot of concerts that come through these venues, but there’s something different about these nights of worship,” Tomlin explains. “And I’m not saying they’re better, I’m saying they’re different. You get to join in a little bit of heaven, tap into those that have gone before us, and it’s transcendent.”
As an example, this year marked his third series of back-to-back concerts at Red Rocks in Denver and even he was surprised by the combined attendance of 60,000 that turned out over the two nights. He was grateful they came, and humbled they stayed – given some very rough weather.
“I think this was my 7th and 8th time to play Red Rocks through the years,” he says. “And this year was a little crazy because it poured down the rain both nights. It never stopped raining the entire time, and it was also 48 degrees.”
Yet the crowd, all wearing ponchos or jackets, stayed put, braved the elements, and continued singing with Tomlin, as he sang to them.
“Where I was standing there was like an awning over me, but the wind was blowing the rain as it was pouring in, so it literally drenched me for two hours,” he says. “My hands were so cold I could barely move my fingers to make the chords. But it was so magical, because there was this feeling of, we’re all in this special moment together. It means a lot to me that people would come to my concerts and say, ‘Man, I’m putting on a poncho, I’m staying, let’s do this.’”