Christian pop-rock duo For King and Country could be forgiven if it had an identity crisis on Sunday night.
The high-energy crossover band was a little bit rock, a little bit pop and, for good measure, a hint of alternative in its percussion-driven, rocking Christian pop concert at Tucson Arena.
Brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, surrounded by a six-piece rock band, played their mix of Christian pop and rock for 2 1/2 hours on the Tucson stop of their "Burn the Ships" World Tour.
The reverberations from the loud thumping percussion and rumbling guitars combined to literally shake the seats farthest from the stage.
The Smallbone brothers opened the night by being lowered from an elevated stage to the lower main stage, which was set up to resemble a ship in a thunderstorm.
The duo launched into the upbeat, Latin-inspired โAmenโ from their year-old third studio album โBurn the Ships," a perfect song to get the crowd of 4,000 on its feet. The audience in the floor seats remained standing for most of the concert.
For King and Country played every song from โBurn the Ships" โ the title inspired by the famous story of Conquistador Hernรกn Cortรฉs burning his ship so that his men could not retreat in their conquest of Mexico in 1519.
In between album cuts, the band played songs off their earlier records including the popular โFix My Eyesโ from โFight on, Fighterโ that prompted the audience to clap along; and a percussion-driven take of โLittle Drummer Boyโ from their live album โChristmas: Live from Phoenix.โ
The night ended with three fan favorites: โBurn the Ships,โ the ballad โGod Only Knowsโ and โJoy.โ




