Sanctus Real to perform at Moses Lake church

MOSES LAKE — The Christian rock band Sanctus Real will perform at Moses Lake Presbyterian Basin Community Church on Feb. 8.

Sanctus Real was a staple of the Christian music scene in the late 2000s and early 2010s, Moses Lake Presbyterian Church Worship Pastor Jon White said.

“They were a little bit more rock-and-roll than what contemporary Christian music was on the radio,” he said.

Sanctus Real, which was formed in 1996 in Toledo, Ohio, has put out nine original albums, according to its promotional information. It’s also been nominated for seven Dove Awards, winning Modern Rock Album of the Year in 2005, and two Grammys, for Best Rock Gospel Album in 2009 and Best Contemporary/Pop Gospel Album in 2010. The band’s lineup consists of two original members, guitarist Chris Rohman and drummer Mark Graalman, as well as lead singer Dustin Lolli, who replaced the original vocalist Matt Hammitt in 2015. 

The opportunity sort of came out of the blue, White said. Positive Life Radio, the Christian radio station network that serves the Inland Northwest, reached out to the church.

“Someone over there had been talking with (the band),” White said. “They're on tour right now, so they were trying to fill a date between Spokane and a city on the west side … and so they thought, ‘Hey, let's try to get another show in there on the way.’"

Moses Lake Presbyterian has a bigger worship space than many of the other churches in town, White said, which made it a good choice for a local venue. 

Sanctus Real will be joined by singer-songwriter JJ Weeks. 

Tickets for the concert are $10, kept intentionally low to encourage people to come and enjoy an evening of powerful worship, the church’s announcement said. VIP tickets are $20 and come with additional unspecified perks.

Tickets can be purchased in advance through the band’s website sanctusreal.com/tour, or at the door on the day of the event.

“It's just a night where we can all get together and sing together, laugh together, get to know each other a little bit more,” White said. “You can't lose when you do something like that.”

Enjoy the show:

Sanctus Real with special guest JJ Weeks
Moses Lake Presbyterian Church, 1142 W. Ivy Ave.
7 p.m. Feb. 8