Ichthus closing a time of prayer, fun

By Rich Copley - rcopley@herald-leader.com

WILMORE — As Ichthus winds down, here are a few festival notes for today and next year.

The Closers

The past several years, Ichthus has calmed down for a late Saturday afternoon worship service complete with a mass communion service. Then, it was party time with high-spirited acts like Audio Adrenaline, tobyMac or last year's dream ticket of closers: Switchfoot and Relient K.

Tonight's closers are a dream ticket, too: Casting Crowns and the David Crowder Band. But festival director Jeff James says that he was definitely trying to end on a more worshipful note.

”We've been given every opportunity to blow up and jump around,“ James said Wednesday morning at Solomon's Porch Coffee in Wilmore. ”I love ending with Matt Maher, David Crowder and Casting Crowns and saying, "Before we leave, let's focus on being the body and focus on God and Jesus.

”I much prefer to end on a worshipful note.'“

Blazing comeback

Among the young up-and-coming bands on the Edge Stage this year, there will be a comeback. At the end of the 1990s, Code of Ethics was one of the top bands in Christian rock, with hit records and Dove Award nominations. But in 2001, frontman Barry Blaze decided to leave the stage in favor of settling down in Jacksonville, Fla., with his wife, where he led worship at their church.

In 2004, Blaze was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident. He had to endure numerous surgeries and suffered vision and hearing loss due to the crash. But he was also inspired to bring the band back.

So today, at 6:10 p.m., Code of Ethics will take the stage at Ichthus for the first time since 1995.

The Big 4-0

There may be some new facets of Ichthus next year when the festival celebrates its 40th edition.

James has been toying with ideas to tweak the event, particularly in the realm of film and multimedia.

”The live concert event is not the draw that it was when I was a kid,“ James says. ”When I was in my last few years of high school, me and my friends were all about what concerts were coming and getting tickets.

”With teens today, if they get into that situation, it's cool, but they are looking for other things.“

James is looking to multimedia movers and shakers, as well as Asbury College's burgeoning multimedia department for ideas.

Next year, he sees a prime opportunity to try some things, ”and if they don't work, we'll say, "Oh, well that was the 40th,'“ he says with a laugh.