“A Fun and Funky Disco Pastiche”: David Crowder Confronts Evangelical Performance Anxiety

Within evangelical communities, “worship” and “performance” are often diametrically opposed, with the latter instantly evoking damning connotations of pretense or artifice. This leads many artists to utilize a strategy disavowal legitimize their music-making as worship—erasing category in order highlight ultimate worshipful aim actions. David Crowder, especially during his lengthy tenure Crowder*Band (DC*B), places performative elements front center through calculated uses sound live performances on recordings. My analysis this essay will focus ways that Crowder legitimates its own distinct musical space, using dialectical move navigate performance/worship problem by emphasizing divide rather than simply trying erase it.