What happens when you put over 10,000 rock-crazed Christians in a huge arena? Nothing short of an all-out, knock-your-socks-off rock concert.

Christian rock groups Newsboys, Krystal Meyers, tobyMac, and ZOEgirl performed for a record crowd on Jan. 29. Called Winter Jam 2006, the concert presented a contemporary feel to a new generation of Christians.

Winter Jam 2005 was attended by over 120,000 people across the nation last year, making it the most successful in the tour’s nine-year history. The tour’s goal this year was to leave those numbers in the dust. With approximately 10,800 people in attendance, the tour was well into accomplishing that very goal.

So how did the concert accomplish this?

With a show full of contemporary music, pyrotechnics and death defying stunts. First up was Krystal Meyers with her pre-show performance. She played many hits such as “The Way to Begin” and “Way to Begin” from her latest, self-titled album.

Following the pre-show, David Nasser, official speaker for Winter Jam 2006, presented a eulogy to the crowd. Nasser, author of A Call to Die and A Call to Grace, spread his unique message of being true to God and being true to yourself.

Next up was Hawk Nelson. Coming off its Hollywood appearance in the movie Yours, Mine, and Ours, Hawk Nelson riled up the crowd with the band’s wild, acrobatic moves and a powerful punk-rock sound.

ZOEgirl rocked the arena with a variety of its latest hits from its album, Room to Breathe. They connected to the teenage audience with songs such as “The Way You Love Me” and “Dead Serious”.

Nasser then introduced the host of the tour, NewSong. This segment brought a spiritual beginning to the concert with such hits as “Psalm 40” and “Rescue”.

Intermission followed with an offer to the high school students in attendance to win several scholarships.ners Also, donations were taken to help support the needy, as well as a plea for help from the Jam tour groups to support children all across the third world.

TobyMac encouraged diversity with songs from the new album Welcome to Diverse City. His unique style of urban rock and hip-hop wowed the crowd with such songs as “Jesus Freak” and “The Slam.”

The death defying stunts of the Ives family followed.

This group is made up of some of the youngest Motocross riders in the world, and have the proclaimed name of the Youngest Globe of Death riders.

This Motocross family tradition featured three dirt bikers circling around each other in a 10-foot diameter steel globe.

The finale featured the Australian band called Newsboys.

This band from down under played to the crowd’s delight with hits from its album “Devotion.” Playing songs such as “I am Free”, “Blessed Be Your Name” and “Entertaining Angels”, the band’s segment included a light show, pyrotechnics and a pedestal mechanism that raised that raised the drummer 15 feet off the ground and rotated him clockwise while 90 degrees perpendicular to the ground.

From start to finish, this concert was a frenzy of good times and great music. This concert had it all, right down to the original style.