NQC posts 2008 schedule
The National Quartet convention just posted their 2008 schedule. While I’ll wait for DBM to give the schedule his usual detailed and insightful analysis, a few preliminary observations:
- The big news, of course, is that the Gaither Vocal Band and Signature Sound are back, in the Friday night lineup.
- It seems like there are fewer groups on Monday night. If every group got an equal amount of time, they would have 24 minutes. Since there will be a few that likely won’t get that, it makes me wonder if they’re going to permit some of the biggest draws to have a half hour or more.
- Also speaking of Monday, it looks like they’ve re-instituted quartet night. Granted, three other groups also appear–the Booth Brothers, the Perrys, and the Mark Trammell Trio–but they are three of the four top non-quartet draws in the business (Greater Vision retaining their usual Tuesday night slot).
- Names missing: No Palmetto State, no Mercy’s Mark, no Anchormen and no Driven, and no trace yet of the Browns or Jimmy Blackwood’s Blackwood Brothers Quartet. No Ball Brothers, though they did have and staff a booth this past year. And, almost unbelievably, still no Collingsworth Family.
- I guess being a part-owner of NQC (not sure if Stewart Varnado’s a full-fledged board member or not) doesn’t come with an absolute guarantee of three slots, since the Dixie Echoes only have two slots, Monday and Thursday.
All in all, while a few groups I’d enjoy seeing aren’t there this year, it looks like it will be a great year for NQC and for Southern Gospel.
Comment by Chris Unthank (December 15, 2007, 1:49 pm)
I think you did a pretty good job of summing up the schedule Daniel - but we also have to take into consideration that this is only the first update. More names will likely be added in the future.
I agree with your take on notable missing names for the most part (don’t look for Ball Brothers or Blackwood Brothers to appear). There were only two other names that I thought were notably missing (and hopefully it’s just they are still working out the details): King’s Heralds and The Imperials. Also - Mike & Kelly Bowling, CrossWay, and Crabb Revival are still missing.
It’s also very cool to see new names like Janet Paschal, Mark Bishop, and Everyday Driven as well as the return of the Isaacs (Friday night is REALLY looking like a Gaither night with the inclusion of GVB, EHSSQ, Jeff & Sheri, Janet, Isaacs, Booth Bros, and Hoppers).
Overall I think they did a great job this year - with those few missing people (Collingsworth, Mike & Kelly, CrossWay, King’s Heralds, and Imperials especially). They have a tough job - but overall I feel like they did a great job this year.
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[...] 2008 evening concert lineup has been posted at the NQC website. Daniel Mount has made a few observations regarding the initial list. He sez: * The big news, of course, is that the Gaither Vocal Band and [...]
Comment by JimT (December 17, 2007, 8:58 am)
I wonder why the Blackwood Brothers are not included, and no one is surprised or thinks they should be there. I haven’t heard the present group, but know some of the names in the line-up and it seems like they would be pretty good. What am I missing?
Comment by Aaron Swain (December 17, 2007, 10:59 am)
Hmm… I also notice Valor isn’t on the list either… Looks like they blew it with their absence last year.
That’s a darn shame… I hope they do a showcase this year, because, frankly, that’s a group I’d love to hear in a live setting.
Comment by Quaid (December 18, 2007, 8:44 pm)
So I gather that Valor was scheduled and didn’t appear for some reason ?
Comment by Aaron Swain (December 18, 2007, 10:19 pm)
Well, last year they were scheduled for a Monday appearance on mainstage, and their bass got sick, so they didn’t show. Guess NQC gave them one chance, and since they didn’t get to take it, it was then or never.