For the newest installment of the Beat ‘N’ Track, Dustin Stout sat down with frontman Stone Meyer of indie rock Christian band, The Weight of Glory. The group – made up of Mitchell Blom on guitar, Stephen Palmer on drums, Becca Bradley on cello, Drew Smyser on bass and Meyer on lead vocals and ukulele – came together just in time for the Christian Showcase last year at Belmont. Several months of incomparable opportunities like opening for major Christian acts like Jars of Clay and MercyMe followed for the still-new band that has had a goal from the very beginning to bring the sounds of heaven to earth. Almost exactly one year after its first appearance, The Weight of Glory was on the stage of the Christian Showcase once again, with much more experience and more maturity.
What is the goal of The Weight of Glory with every show?
Every show we use our unique sound to bring something a little different to the audience. We want people to not only hear and listen to our music, but also we want people to experience it and, in turn, experience the love of God.
Why do you call yourselves The Weight of Glory? Where does that name come from? Why is it significant?
We came up with the name ‘The Weight of Glory’ before we ever even heard of where the name came from. I find that to be kind of cool. After coming up with the name, we discovered that it was also the title of a C.S. Lewis book and a Thrice song. My favorite discovery was found in the Bible in 2 Corinthians 4:17: ‘For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.’ Who is The Weight of Glory influenced by?
Each person in the band has a different artist that they are influenced by. As far as our overall sound goes, though, I would say that most people compare us to Gungor. This is interesting, though, because we had our sound long before we had ever even heard of Gungor. Now, however, we listen to the band often and are definitely influenced by their creativity and sound.
You describe yourselves as an indie rock band that sings Christian music. How did all of your styles mix to form the very recognizable sound of The Weight of Glory? How does this sound make you stand out from other Christian bands?
We all listen to different musical artists and, in turn, combine for a very different sound. We each take a piece of our influences and put it together to form each song. Our sound is definitely unique and I hope is something that people like. I would say that our music is really honest, which is what makes us stand out from a lot of other Christian bands… which may be a little ironic.
Why do you think The Weight of Glory has identified with so many fans and garnered so much success in such a short amount of time?
I definitely believe that it is because the hand of the Lord is upon this group. We have made the choice to seek God first in everything we do, and I believe he has honored that and rewarded us. As cheesy as that may sound to some people, I know that it is the truth.
I understand you guys have opened for some big-name acts. What is a memorable moment the band has had opening up for such big-name musicians and bands?
Opening for Jars of Clay, MercyMe, The Afters, Thousand Foot Krutch and Matt Maher was definitely one of the coolest moments of our lives! Yes, it was such an awesome experience to get to play music on a stage that big for a crowd of several thousand, but even cooler was getting to talk with the bands offstage. They gave a lot of good advice and were really interested in what we were doing as a band. It was cool to hear their stories and learn from them.
What’s something the band has learned from getting these opportunities to open up for acts like Jars of Clay?
If anything, we have learned that it is not easy to “make it” as a band. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
The band has also led worship at M-FUGE camps. What did that opportunity offer the band?
Having the opportunity to lead worship for M-FUGE camps was one of the best experiences the band could have ever had. We love not only kids but also the Lord, so when we had the chance to lead worship for a Christian summer camp with hundreds of teenagers, we jumped at the opportunity. It’s also evident that the kids’ lives were not the only ones changed this summer – ours were, too.
How was the second time you played the Christian Showcase different than the first? How does it feel to be recognized by the school in such a way?
The Christian Showcase is one of my favorite things that Belmont University has to offer. To have the honor of playing in the Christian Showcase two years in a row is humbling. The first time around we were so excited to be playing in the showcase that we didn’t really care how we sounded. The second time, however, we were a lot more prepared and mature. We focused a lot on our sound and how to best execute what we wanted to portray to the audience.
Are there any special things or rituals you guys perform before every show?
A lot of times we get together and play this game called “Kunja.” Long story — it’s probably best to just watch it happen. There’s a video on the Weight of Glory’s Facebook page of all the craziness.
If you could pick a favorite song of the band’s, what would it be and why? Talk about the music you currently have available for fans.
Our favorite song of our most recent EP is definitely “Heavy.” It has an incredible message that can only truly be described by listening to the song yourself. I know that it has different meanings for everybody. We are currently on iTunes and Amazon.
Does the band have any dates coming up?
We are playing at the Curb Café on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
Does the band have any other goals it hopes to accomplish? What is next for The Weight of Glory?
We all want to record another album! I mean, what band doesn’t? After finishing our seven-song EP, “Heavy,” we immediately started talking about how we could make our next CD better and what we could do differently. There is nothing like the vibe you get from recording in a studio. Hopefully, this album will be coming out sometime next year.