Welcome to the Freak Show is a live audio and video recording by the Christian vocal trio DC Talk released by ForeFront Records. Chronicling the Jesus Freak Tour in the spring of 1996, they were released separately two months apart in 1997 on VHS (June 17, 1997) and CD (August 26, 1997). A DVD version was later released in 2003. Each version has been certified Gold by the RIAA (audio for 500,000 units and video for 50,000 units sold). Track listings differ slightly between the two. Select videos included a bonus audio disc that remains one of the rarest recordings in the DC Talk catalog.
Their setlist consists of songs from Jesus Freak and Free at Last and the song "Walls" from Nu Thang. There are no songs from their debut album represented. DC Talk starts with a one minute intro cover of The Beatles' "Help" leading up to their song "So Help My God" to begin the concert. The video was filmed in a variety of U.S. locations. This is evidenced by the band members wearing different clothes within the same songs. Footage was obviously spliced together. As with the audio version, dc Talk's mainstream hit "Between You and Me" had yet to be added to the set list at the time of recording. "Jesus Is Just Alright" and the REM cover "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" were left off the video recording due to time constraints. The video, however, added short segments between songs that were filmed at various stops in Europe. The DVD version features the music videos from Jesus Freak: "Jesus Freak," "Between You and Me" and "Colored People."
Welcome to the Freak Show peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums and number 109 on the Top 200 Albums charts. The live album won the trio their third Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album at the 40th Grammy Awards and the video recording was nominated for a Dove Award for Long Form Music Video of the Year.
Track listing
1. Help (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) -1:03
2. So Help Me God (Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, Kevin Max, Mark Heimermann, Dan Huff) -4:28
3. Luv Is A Verb (Toby McKeehan, Mark Heimermann, George Cocchini) -4:55
4. Like It, Love It, Need It (Toby McKeehan, Kevin Max, Mark Heimermann, David Soldi, Jason Barrett) -7:59
5. Colored People (Toby McKeehan, George Cocchini) -4:48
6. Jesus Is Just Alright (Arthur Reid Reynolds) -5:59
7. What If I Stumble? (Toby McKeehan, Daniel Joseph) -6:13
8. In the Light (Charlie Peacock) -5:03
9. Mind's Eye (Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, Mark Heimermann) -6:05
10. It's the End of the World (As We Know It) (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe) -7:19
11. Day by Day (Stephen Schwartz) -4:35
12. Walls (Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait) -2:17
13. Time Is... (Toby McKeehan, Mark Heimermann, George Cocchini) -3:52
14. Alas, My Love (Kevin Max) -2:13
15. The Hardway (Toby McKeehan) -5:44
16. Jesus Freak (Toby McKeehan, Mark Heimermann) -6:04
Personnel
DC Talk:
Toby McKeehan -raps, vocals/producer
Michael Tait -vocals
Kevin Max -vocals
Gold certified in 2000.
Previous release: Jesus Freak (1995)
Next release: Supernatural (1998)
Watch the concert video Welcome to the Freak Show here:
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