10 Things I Now Know About Tenth Avenue North

Last night was my first 10th Avenue North Concert everrrr which almost makes me a Delanco Camp leper. Luckily, I am no longer covered in spots now that I’ve had the experience. So from a newbie’s perspective here are the things I’ve noticed and learned about the band and the fans.

1. First, people “in the know” do not simply call them Tenth Avenue North, oh no. The longest thing anyone will even say is “Tenth Ave.” It’s almost as though all of the fans of this band are on first name basis with the band’s name. Only those outside the fandom circle use the full title. pfff

2. Their fans are legitimetly on a first name basis with the members of the band. People like Turtle (Andrew Robertson) have known them for years and consider members like Mike and Jason to be actual good friends.

3. Famous people can also be real people. I think that so many of the people who listen to this band feel as though they can really connect to the people who are up on stage praising and worshiping. The band and crew just joined in with Mike Bill, one of the co-deans for the week and a few others to play a pick-up game of volleyball. There are no airs or presumptions when it comes to this band.

4. Their biggest fan bases are in Florida and Southern New Jersey according to Bo (Carlton) partly because some of the members were originally from New Jersey and partly because they make a real effort to always come “back home” to Delanco Camp and serve. My response to that was really?? New Jersey?

5. Fans will stand in the pouring rain outside a building just in order to hear the band play. Yesterday, I was able to capture a few of the brave fans who were in the free outside seating just absolutely being poured on but yet really enjoying themselves and happy to be their experiencing it all.

6. This was their 10th year as a band at Delanco Camp! Yes, 10th.

7. It gets tooo sweaty up near the stage. I don’t know how they can even play their instruments with all the sweat that must be happening. I personally had an amazing spot so that I could take pictures but whenever I walked from that spot away the temperature instantly dropped by 10 degrees which was a great relief.

8. There are such good tidbits of advice and wisdom given in between the songs. I feel as though we as video recorders often focus too much on the music when the words behind the music and the experiences that lead to the music are explained and told in between the songs. If i could go back I would make a montage simply of the wise words spoken ‘off the camera.’

9. These words. They should be shared more. They are powerful and they speak grace to a re-born Christian like myself. What a better message to share to a generation of middle and high school aged campers?

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

10. They are “all that.” I’ve been converted. I’ve now listened to “Tenth Ave” at Delanco Camp, which is so much part of the Delanco Camp experience that it’s practically Pretzel roll sandwiches or Wawa Man. I can see why now that the camp loves to have them back every year.