Parachute Music Festival 2002 saw The Lads returning for their tenth consecutive year. Music writer Jono Ryan talked with one of their ensemble over a cup of coffee prior to the festival.

It might just be me, but it seems that Chris White is developing an Australian accent. The jocund keyboardist/trumpeter/vocalist of The Lads can't dispel this notion, and puts it down to a busy touring schedule across the Tasman. This year, he explains, has been "huge", with the release of Marvel, and recording two music videos. In addition they toured Australia five times, playing to crowds of up to 6000 young people with Youth Alive in Adelaide and Brisbane. Of course, an important performance in 2002 was at Parachute, which Chris can't stop raving about. "We love Parachute! It is an important part of the church of NZ. The influence on a wide range of people is also great. My wife's seventy year-old grandmother went, and she loved it!"

It's evident that Chris is passionate about worship, a factor becoming increasingly integral to their live act. "Sometimes in the past we'd look at our performances and say "Man! Did God really show up?" But more and more this year we've seen people be impacted just by the fact that God is there...and we would love to see more; see supernatural things happen, things that are quite tangible. We want to see those concert "moments" filled with the power of God."

So what is new for a band that has been performing for over a decade? One growing factor is the increased cost on their families, as they expand, and tours become more extensive. "We now do this not for us, or for the fun of it, but because that's what God has called us to do." With the arrival of guitarist Matt Chapman last year, they have developed a new perspective on the band dynamic. They now understand that 'The Lads' is not a band of five individuals, but rather five chaps serving in a ministry called 'The Lads'. "We realise now that, though individuals have a key role in the group, we're called to the ministry, and we serve that."

Where to from here? Chris identifies that this isn't really their decision, particularly as they look ambitiously towards the mainstream market in NZ, and the Christian market in the US. "We've had to ask God to direct, and we recognise that many things in our future lie in His hands." Reliance on God is no new concept for the boys. Chris quotes the demanding recording of Marvel as an example, and shares a simple lesson from this experience: "God will never leave you stranded". This has proven true for The Lads so far, and he is confident of this truth for the challenges that their exciting future holds.

Check out the review of 'The Lads' new album Marvel.