Sanctus Real arrives for SAU welcome back bash

Q&A with Matt Hammitt

The annual SAU Welcome Back Bash kicked took place Sept. 6 with the Vota, followed by Tenth Avenue North, Sammy A. and this year’s headliners Sanctus Real. Before

Sanctus Real took the stage I had the privilege of sitting down with the band’s lead singer Matt Hammitt for a question and answer interview that left me stunned on how

humble he was and wanted others to be.

JD: Okay, you guys have been coming to Spring Arbor the last few years. Why do you keep coming back? Why do you like to come here?

MH: Man they keep asking us (laughing). Yeah and we love it man. A couple years ago we did this event and it was same thing, it was great. It’s a great experience.

JD: What is your favorite part about touring? What do you like most about it?

MH: The opportunity to perform the songs we record and invest so much time into. I think the best part about performing the songs is just hearing people sing those songs

knowing that it means something to them.

JD: What is your guys’ favorite song? Do you have a particular song that you like performing?

MH: Well you know there are several songs that we’ve had that I really like. Off this record I really enjoy Turn on the Lights; it’s the first track on the new record. I like playing

that one. I like the energy the guys bring to the table with the guitar riffs and stuff like that.

JD: What is the overall message you’re trying to send to your audience? Or even a personal message you want to send?

MH: Ah yeah, just that we’re broken people too and that we’re not any different when we’re on stage or playing music in a rock band. We don’t want people to think that we’re

God’s gift to anybody (laughing). We’re just trying to be humble and be gracious for what God has given us. We want people to see that and that as a community of people, of

us and our fans and our friends that we’re all just people kind of relying on God’s strength together and that’s what I hope people really get out of our music. That in our

weakness we draw closer to God.

JD: What is one of the greatest parts about being a member of Sanctus Real?

MH: Man, I just honestly love the group of guys I get to do it with. The three of us have been together for 12 years, the other guys have been with us for about three, and we’

re finally in a place where we all feel close and know each other so well and just have a great time. We’re good friends.

JD: Now do you have a favorite band besides yours?

MH: Christian bands, I just really love Leland. I mean, I know everybody does but there’s a good reason for it. It’s like people know when they hear something that’s very good

and people know when God is at work in something. It’s very obvious. And God’s at work with those guys and it’s just, really moving.

JD: So do you have a favorite story from the road or just anything crazy that has happened? Or like an interesting person you met?

MH: (laughing) Man we meet all kinds of crazy people on the road. I just like meeting and being friends with all the other bands in this industry. We are kind of like a community,

you know, and it’s so good to see each other all the time and we all get to share our stories of crazy people we encounter on the road. You meet every kind of person you

could ever imagine out there and it’s like you just realize how colorful this earth is.

JD: Do you have a favorite bible verse, one that kind of ties in with your music?

MH: Yeah, you know whenever someone asks me what my favorite verse is I always say Philippians 2: 1-11. And I love that ‘cause it says “Even Christ himself was humble.” I

mean it’s like He was GOD you know. He had every right to be like “hey, God just showed up guys, make me a sweet meal and just, you know, bring out the best.”  And he

never did that, he just said “what can I do for you” and that’s just the servant’s heart that Jesus had. I mean he didn’t even consider equality with God something to be grasped.

So how can we consider our selves anything except his workmanship and under His grace?


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