After learning that we dress up as old-timey revivalists for the Church Basement Roadshow, some have supposed that we are making fun of American religious tradition. This could not be further from the truth…

After learning that we dress up as old-timey revivalists for the Church Basement Roadshow, some have supposed that we are making fun of American religious tradition. This could not be further from the truth. Many who have attended the our Rollin’ Gospel Revival have been impressed with its surprising sincerity. On this tour we are discovering how well irony plays to an audience that is skeptical about direct marketing and fatigued by overly wrought manipulative messaging. At our shows we invite the audience to shout, “Hallelujah” “Glory” or “Amen” along with our 1908 characters preaching and singing revival songs in wool frock suits. People who might never otherwise be so demonstrative in their religious affections are remarkably and genuinely moved by our mock revival. Perhaps irony and camp are the means by which the Spirit touches a generation of hipsters– and in some strange way kitsch camp becomes real revival.