Cornerstone Festival

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Cornerstone Festival
The Main Stage of Cornerstone.
Location(s) Illinois, United States
Years active 1984 – present
Founded by Jesus People USA
Date(s)
Genre(s) Christian, rock, metal, hardcore, pop, rap, folk, electronic, Celtic, country
Website CornerstoneFestival.com

Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the Warped Tour. Cornerstone Festival is a member of the Christian Festival Association.

Contents

[edit] History

From 1984 to 1990, Cornerstone (or "C-stone", as many of its attendees call it), was held in Grayslake, Illinois. In 1991, Cornerstone moved near the town of Bushnell, Illinois where the organizers of the Festival purchased a large piece of land, which is now called "Cornerstone Farm".

Tens of thousands of music fans flock to Cornerstone Farms each year to see over 300 bands play many styles of music, including rock, metal, hardcore, pop, rap, folk, electronic, Celtic, and country. In addition to the many bands chosen who are signed to Christian record labels, many Christian bands who have signed to mainstream labels have played at Cornerstone, for example, P.O.D., MxPx, Sixpence None the Richer, Pedro the Lion, Danielson, Saviour Machine and Galactic Cowboys. In addition to the many musicians, Cornerstone Festival also has a wide collection of guest speakers, and features independent/foreign film screenings, writers' seminars, and art workshops.

Overall, the main Cornerstone Festival now takes place over 5 days on a wide variety of stages. In 2005 the stages were known as the Main Stage, the Rock for Life stage, the Underground Stage, the Decapolis Label Showcase, the Impromptu Stage, the Gallery Stage, the Dance Club, the Maloca Tent, Encore 1, Encore 2, the HM Magazine Stage, and Late Night Worship at the Beach. Cornerstone is the only festival that allows pretty much anyone to come and play in a designated area by providing their own power via a generator. Unofficial "generator" stages include the Fatcalf stage and The Asylum. Tooth & Nail Records also sponsors a Tooth & Nail Day featuring bands such as The Chariot, Demon Hunter, Norma Jean, Underoath, Extol, mewithoutYou, Showbread and Emery. Tooth & Nail Day is a showcase of Tooth & Nail and Solid State Records bands that takes place on one day of the festival each year.

Cornerstone is known for its "Evening Encore" performances, now simply called "Encores". Encore performances are usually done at or after midnight, and the performers (especially on the later nights of the festival) are among the most popular, most well-established bands in Christian music at the time.

[edit] Variety

Aside from performances by the latest bands to hit the scene, Cornerstone festival is also known for bringing in a variety of artists and performances that might not otherwise be seen by festival goers. Such performances include blues jams with multiple musicians, all-star musical tributes performances to deceased artists like Gene Eugene and Rich Mullins, musicals like Mullins' Canticle of the Plains, or bands from outside of the United States like Iona. Cornerstone has also always featured performances from bands and artists that do not tour as heavily as they used to, like Eugene's Adam Again, Mark Heard, Steve Taylor, or The 77s. One of the highlights of Cornerstone Festival for countless fans is always a rare performance by Terry Scott Taylor and his troupe of friends and musicians. Over the years these events have included the The Swirling Eddies, Lost Dogs, Daniel Amos and several acoustic shows scattered throughout the fest. The Illinois Cornerstone Festival also arguably holds the world's largest buck buck tournament over the week. Open to anyone who wants to play, it is a very popular event at Cornerstone.

[edit] Reception

Due to the enormous success each year of the Bushnell Cornerstone Festival, JPUSA has now started a second Cornerstone Festival in Orlando, Florida, simply titled Cornerstone Florida as well as a past festival in North Carolina. In 2005, it took place on May 13 and May 14 and was attended by over 10,000 people. New for 2007: Cornerstone will hold a third annual festival in Orange County, California at Oak Canyon Ranch. It will feature Underoath, Emery, Demon Hunter, Anberlin, Falling Up, Disciple, The Sky Falls, Project 86, Showbread, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Thousand Foot Krutch and many others. It will also feature 3 generator stages: Sanctuary Stage, RockStock Stage, & The Syntax Records Stage. Also the main festival will be held a week earlier in June.

Christian rock band The Wedding rides a van through Cornerstone to promote their scheduled show.
Christian rock band The Wedding rides a van through Cornerstone to promote their scheduled show.

[edit] Books

  • Young, Shawn David, M.A., "Hippies, Jesus Freaks, and Music" (Ann Arbor: Xanedu/Copley Original Works, 2005). ISBN 1-59399-201-7

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 40°31′53.00″N, 90°26′12.00″W

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