Before a single note was played, musicians Danny Gokey and Darren Mulligan had already touched the hearts of several concert attenders in Victorville.
Gokey, a 2009 “American Idol” finalist, and Mulligan met with many early access ticket holders before Saturday’s “Hope Nights Tour” concert at Victorville First Assembly church.
Bringing hope and comfort
Choking back tears, several people told the musicians how God and the musicians’ songs comforted them during times of death, grief and heartache.
Susan McKay told the Daily Press that Mulligan, the lead singer of the band We Are Messengers, and Gokey ministered to the group out of their own “grief, loss and suffering.”
“Just hearing them share about their struggles and faith in God was an encouragement to me,” said McKay, who lives in Hesperia. “This world needs more messages of hope and encouragement.”
The death of Gokey’s first wife, Sophia, inspired him to take the stage on American Idol in 2009 and to start a foundation in her name.
In a previous interview with the Tennesseean, Mulligan, who was born in Ireland, testified, “I was a bad, bad man,” and confessed a long journey back from years of alcohol abuse and infidelity that threatened his career and his relationship.
For over a decade, both men, who have their own families, have been ministering to others through their music, prayer and the word of God.
SVRCINA
By the time the nearly sell-out crowd was seated, the worship was flowing and the fog machines were blowing inside the ground floor and balcony of the main sanctuary.
Joining Mulligan and Gokey were singers Jon Reddick and Michigan native Holly SVRCINA (pronounced Sur-See-Nah), who each brought their own messages and musical flavor to the stage.
SVRCINA opened the concert with her smooth, soulful, and at times powerful voice, pulling out her emotions, while sharing her love for God with the audience.
Many in the audience were brought to tears when SVRCINA demonstrated her vocal range while singing “Holy,” a tune she first sang during a 2023 collaboration with Christian rapper Lathan Warlick.
Reddick rocks the house
At the keyboard and on his feet, the energetic Reddick rocked the sanctuary with his anthem-like songs “God, Turn It Around” and “I Believe It (The Life of Jesus).”
However, Reddick turned it up even higher with his chart-topping song “No Fear,” with much of the audience chanting the chorus, “No fear (not over my life, not over my life, not over my life).”
Reddick also shared about being comforted by God after the death of loved ones, including his younger brother, Samuel “Sam” Reddick, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this month.
Gokey and Mulligan
Gokey, a Dove Award winner, was accompanied by SVRCINA and his band as they delivered songs that were soulful, passionate, pop-themed and contemporary.
The song “Haven’t Seen it Yet” also moved many to tears as Gokey’s song brought a message of hope in God, despite enduring trying circumstances.
Gokey and his band danced among the audience as they sang the Latino-themed song “Todo El Mundo.”
Mulligan and his band delivered nearly an hour of Christian-themed rock n’ roll anthems and intimate earthly psalms that seemed to resonate with many.
After reciting an Irish poem, Mulligan asked the audience, “When was the last time an Irishman” came to Victorville to read a poem. His messages, shared with grit and honesty, about authentic Christianity, seemed to stir the crowd, which responded with applause and lifted arms in praise.
At one point, Mulligan called the audience to the front of the stage as he knelt and delivered messages of faith and hope.
Many told the Daily Press that Mulligan’s song “Halfway Home” encouraged them to continue fighting against sin and doubt.
“For me, the song Halfway Home means that while I’m on my way to Heaven, I still battle things that want to bring me down,” said Michael Borrows of Apple Valley. “I need to keep focused on God while I’m halfway to my eternal home.”
The “Hope Nights Tour” continues in April and May, with stops in California, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, West Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio.
For more information, visit awakeningevents.com.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Victorville concert brings message of comfort, hope and encouragement
Reporting by Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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