Customer Reviews

Farewell

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Petra's final moments are captured in the apt-titled "Farewell" disc, recorded October 4, 2005 at the Nashville stop of the same tour.

Bob Hartman's tight guitar work, John Schlitt's distinctive gritty vocals, Paul Simmon's tight drum work, and bass player Greg Bailey's talent come through loud and clear. A rush to production -- in the hands of fans a month later -- the disc could have spent more time in post-production. The bass and treble are a tad muffled, but with a near-flawless performance, this live album stands on its own next to the studio releases.

The concert showases new hits and old favorites -- featuring recent Jekyll & Hyde hits and the the standard Petra concert "Rock Medley" and "Acoustic Set". In the latter set, former lead singer Greg X. Volz joins the stage for a reprise of songs familiar to fans of the Beat the System tour and prior releases. Keyboardist John Lawry returns for his famous "Jesus Loves You" solo from the Captured in Time and Space live album. (My two-year-old and five-year-old laughed out loud at this fun bit of synthesizer sampling.) Louie Weaver is noticeably absent, but his replacement Paul Simmons has a very similar style with a crisp, clean, driving beat. Also absent is my favorite Petra song of all time, "Godpleaser", but you can't win 'em all.

Bob Hartman, Petra's founder and lead guitar player, exudes the soul of the band. Never have I heard such guitar work -- tight rhythms, punchy riffs, catchy licks, and driving power chords that fill the auditorium. Fans will complain that his guitar solo was only one and a half minutes long.

Truth be told, the musical performance is carried by Bob's guitar; nevertheless, he simply will not step into the limelight and take the attention to himself. Bob's purpose is to glorify Jesus Christ. His lyrics pull deep from Scripture, and point straight up to God. And that's what he did on tour; during the encore set, Bob personally challenged Christians to love one another and live as soldiers in a spiritual battle. He challenged non-believers to take the ultimate step of faith.

You won't hear these words spoken on the CD, buy you'll hear them loud and clear in the lyrics. Once more, Petra delivers a rock-solid message with a rock-solid performance. (Love it and live it, that's the soul of a Petra fan.)

Petra will long be remembered as a pioneer band in Christian rock music. High-energy songs, powerful guitars, soaring vocals, timeless ballads and straight-to-the-point lyrics have been the signature elements of this band going strong for 33 years and now entering retirement.

Farewell, Petra, we honor your work which continues to inspire and energize our lives of faith.

Petra is without a doubt the single most influential Christian rock band ever. A short trip through contemporary Christian music history will demonstrate that Petra deserves that honor.

I have resisted the temptation to turn this review into a history lesson, having edited out several paragraphs hitting highlights of their 33-year ministry. But this album fairly reeks of it, containing hits from as far back as 1981 ("For Annie" and "The Coloring Song", Never Say Die). Performances by former members (frontman Greg X. Volz and keyboardist John Lawry) enhance the retrospective feel even more.

The setlist is generally well-chosen, containing songs from their latest album, Jekyll and Hyde, and a terrific selection of oldies-but-goodies. Since the departure of Bryce Bell some years ago, the band has toured without a keyboardist. As a result, several of the songs (like "Creed", off of 1990's watershed Beyond Belief) have a considerably different feel from their studio albums.

The record has an organic feel, as it should. The crowd is often mixed rather low, but the acoustic feel of the building still comes out with some extra reverb. The intrumentation gets a bit more zing at the expense of John Schlitt's vocals, which lack the polish that usually accompanies a studio recording. To his credit, his range is still stratospheric (after 20 years of fronting Petra) and control fairly impressive.

As long as you're listening to this record on anything but a laptop, you'll begin to really enjoy the performance near the sixth track, "Right Place" (No Doubt, 1995). Though Paul Simmons gets a drum solo a couple songs earlier (at the end of "Amazing Grace"), his drumming capability is most apparent during the later cut. Greg Bailey also gets an extended bass solo between the second and third verses that is quite impressive--he provides his own backbeat for a few moments. This song in particular gives some weary musicians their due; after being cut from studio recordings by Inpop, they can finally showcase their phenomenal talents.

It is followed by a rock medley that hits some older songs that range from 1984's Beat the System to 1994's No Doubt albums. The transitions here could have been a bit more sophisticated, I think, and "Think Twice" could have been eliminated totally. Be that as it may, it's an aggressive track with considerable acrobatics by all players. "Minefield" was a personal favorite.

After a fairly forgettable turn through "Jekyll and Hyde," John introduces Greg X Volz, and the performance takes a turn for the intimate: an acoustic set featuring both John and Greg on vocals, occasionally harmonizing (if subtly). But the real treat is to hear Greg Bailey on cello; it lends an ethereal feel to "Road to Zion" and compensates well in the absence of keys for "The Coloring Song", almost producing a playful feel. He is an incredibly gifted musician, and it is terrific to hear his talents show through.

John Lawry teams up with Greg and the rest for a rendition of "Graverobber" (from 1982's Not of this World). It's a great song and suffers little for Greg's 20-year hiatus from the band. John then gets to reprise his "Jesus Loves You" solo, a fan favorite while he toured. It is somewhat abbreviated here, but the parts retained showcase his speed on keys and capture the essence of this terrific solo.

The performance rounds out with "Beyond Belief" and "He Came, He Saw, He Conquered", both performed extremely well. The latter, especially, is fitting, since Petra's focus through their ministry was the person and work of Christ.


The real power of this recording is that we're allowed--in fact encouraged--to subtract the musicians from the recording. Ignoring who sings and who plays permits us a few precious moments to reflect on Who's really important. CCM historians will treasure a reprise of the songs that literally made Christian music what it is today. Petra fans will finally hold in their hands a live record to bookend the John Schlitt era.

Buy it, and revel.

This is not a review of the album, even though I have it and enjoyed it. It is a personal note saying, "Thank You" for Petra's ministry through the years.

Like many Petra fans, their music and songs have encouraged, comforted and challenged me all these years. God has indeed used them to minister to His people. Their uncompromising Chrisitan faith is clearly expressed in their lyrics and their lifestyle.

There are many songs even now my wife and I listen and still being edified: such as "Grave Robber," "Godpleaser," "Annie's Song," "It is finished," "No Doubt," "How Long?" "Love," etc...

Their songs have left an indelible mark in our lives.

My wife teared when she saw the album, "Farewell." Their ministry will be missed. Their music will continue to echo in our hearts as we remember the journey of our faith.

Petra, thank you....

After 33 years, Petra says Farewell with what could be their best CD ever. Every song is filled with emotion as the band shows their appreciation for their fans.

I wasn't at the taping of the CD, but I was at a show a few weeks later and you can just tell that this CD and the tour are a labor of love to the fans that have stuck with Petra through good times and bad. John Schlitt's vocals are near flawless and Bob Hartman, as always, just rocks. Hearing Greg X. Volz sing again was a real treat and to hear the keyboards of one of my favorite bandmembers of all time, John Lowry was pure bliss.

When I play this CD in the car, I turn it up all the way and just sing at the top of my lungs because it rocks from beginning to end with a few minutes of rest during the ballad section.

Petra fans will sense the energy in this CD and if you have never heard Petra, this CD gives you a sense of their history.

Through many lineup and sound changes, Petra has been a mainstay of the Christian music world for more than 30 years. Farewell captures one of the show's on the band's 2005 tour, its last before breaking up.

"It has been a privilege and honor to represent our Savior and participate in His Great Commission. We have nothing but thanks to God for all He has done," said PETRA founder, guitarist and primary songwriter Bob Hartman on the band's website (www.petraband.com)
This is an impressive album. Led by Hartman and longtime vocalist John Schlitt, the quartet returned to the hard-rocking sound that was its calling card for a decade. And boy, do they do it well. Schlitt, who joined the band in 1986 (he was in an early 1980s band, Head East, before) still has a fine set of pipes and uses it well. Hartman's guitar work is surprisingly agile and interesting, and the two relative newcomers -- Paul Simmonds and Greg Bailey -- provide a strong base. (I saw this lineup perform on the farewell tour and was quite impressed.)

Look for several tracks from the band's final studio release (2003's well-received, hard-rocking Jeckyl & Hyde) plus plenty of old standards, some done in a nicely-assembled medley. There's also the blessing of guest appearances by former vocalist Greg X. Volz (Schlitt replaced him) and former keyboardist John Lawry.

In all, this is a memorable farewell. And a sad one, too. There are very few Christian acts doing music a middle-aged white guy like me can appreciate. Now there's one less. *sigh*

I first began listening to Petra about 20 years ago when John Schlitt (former Head East vocalist) joined the band. They had just released Back to the Street, their first studio album with Schlitt on vocals. Shortly afterward, I went back and began listening to Petra's previous releases from the Greg X. Volz era. Just as the band closed one era with the release of a live album (1985's Captured in Time & Space), they have closed thirty-three years of music and ministry with a second live album. Farewell showcases many great highlights of Petra's history with a little something for Petra fans of all ages. It was great to have Volz and former keyboardist John Lawry return along with founder guitarist Bob Hartman to perform in this farewell show. The acoustic set with Volz and Schlitt together is great! The 80's were my favorite era with Petra, with albums like Never Say Die, More Power to Ya, Not of This World (from the GXV era), and Back to the Street and On Fire (with Schlitt). My favorite album from the Schlitt era of Petra is 1990's Beyond Belief. Some of my favorite highlights on this CD include Dance, Creed, Beyond Belief, and He Came, He Saw, He Conquered as well as the keyboard solo and the acoustic set. Farewell is a fitting send-off, a great end to thirty-three years of music and ministry which Hartman & Co. have shared with us through God's leading. Yes, I miss the band and the excitement of a new Petra studio album coming out, but this live CD makes a great collection of musical memories which any fan can treasure forever.

It took me ages to listen to this album all the way through as I kept playing tracks again as they were so good. I really really wish I had gone to the Columbus Ohio concert as it sounds so good.
Just turn the stereo up to the highest setting, draw the curtains and rock around the room doing your best air guitar and air drumming :-)

An exceptional set culminating the career of an exceptional band. Anyone who ever benefited from Petra's ministry or grew up listening to rock the way it should be played needs to own this CD!

Petra's last CD features something that has never been done before. It has both Greg X Volz and John Schlit on the same CD, at times singing together.

This live album, Petra's Farewell tribute, contains everything for the ultimate Petra fan...hard rockin songs, a good rock medley with John Schlit, perhaps the greatest and most well-known voice in Christian rock, and also an acoustic medley with Greg X Volz.

I saw the Petra farewell show in Irving, TX in November of 2005. I am sad to see them go, but I will forever keep them in my collection and remember the way they completely changed Christian Music...and invented Christian Rock!

With guest appearances of Greg X Voltz and John Lawry, it was a joyous for those but sad moment not to have Louie Weaver reunited. Over all Petra's LIVE cd, Captured in Time and Space marks the beginning of a long run of concerts, albums and new fans; FAREWELL gives a graceful ending as a LIVE performance bidding good-bye and thank you. Ties to both LIVE cd's are clearly seen bidding homage to diehard fans of yesteryear and the newer songs also give grace. I find the final song of "He came, He saw, He conquered" a clever way to leave the stage, first in their belief, Jesus Conquered and to show how their band also "came" into existence in 1972 and "saw" the need for some really cool Christian rock and "conquered" over resistance from religious organizations of the day, giving us now a wide range of musical artists and a new category of music: Contempary Christian.