LARNED — The Christian rock band Robbie Seay Band will highlight the Santa Fe Trail Days entertainment at 7 p.m. Saturday night. The Russian-based Everfound band will open the outdoor concert in downtown Larned.
Robbie Seay serves as the group’s voice and principal songwriter and plays the acoustic guitar.  Other band members are  Ryan Owens, bass; Matthew “Frodo” Kidd, electric guitar, banjitar, banjo, background vocals, looper/pads; and David Keil, drums.Owens approached Seay eight years ago at a concert to ask if they needed a bass player and has been with them ever since.  
“In a lot of ways, we’ve grown up together,” Seay said of the group.  “We have walked side-by-side for nearly a decade, in the context of our community and living a normal life together.  That makes the music more meaningful for us.”
Houston’s Ecclesia Church is home base for the Robbie Seay Band, forming as much of their identity as the music they play.
Pastored by Robbie’s brother, Chris, Ecclesia’s services are a mix of the liturgical (weekly communion, communal prayer) and experimental (artists painting during the service).
Aside from touring, the band can be found leading worship for the several weekly gatherings at Ecclesia.
But it has always been the poetic and vulnerable lyrics that have set Robbie Seay Band apart.  
“This project contains a lot of the stories of our lives from the past two years,” said Robbie.  “It is a missional record, almost a rebirth of how we’re seeing our faith and how we’re seeing a lot of young Christians respond to the great need around the world and at home,” explains Robbie.  “As believers, we are being awakened to the call of Christ to give of ourselves, to live out life together honestly, in community.  As we find hope together, it pushes us to be proactive in our faith.”
“Rise,” which charges Rise, rise—people of love, rise/Give yourself away.  “New Day” is a pop hit-in-waiting written to Seay’s wife, Liz.  “Shine Your Light On Us” is vintage Robbie Seay Band, a part of their repertoire that Robbie says people really connect with.
The Robbie Seay Band is taking steps to raise awareness of the tragedy affecting many children in Uganda.  Inspired by the film “Invisible Children,” and the book “Girl Soldier” (by Grace Akallo and Faith J.H. McDonnell), the group hopes to help educate others about the plight of the Ugandan people.  The band encourages its audiences to support Compassion International, or another outreach of their choosing, during its shows.  
The key, Robbie says, is to do something.
“I hope my music — and life — somehow may serve to encourage other believers to be proactive in their faith,” Seay said.  “For it is only as we bless others and offer grace that faith goes beyond words, and truly comes alive.”