Third Day’s work on stage, in studio is a revelation

There’s nothing like touring to help a rock musician hone all the essential elements of great performance — rich sound, faultless ensemble, transporting improvisational moments, magical connections with audiences.

And there’s nothing like walking into the recording studio to make all those qualities vaporize in a heartbeat.

“By the end of the tour we feel pretty confident,” Third Day drummer David Carr said with a chuckle. “It’s amazing how quickly that gets crushed when you get in the studio. It’s like you’re a garage band. You’re like, ‘Wait — we’ve all lost our mojo.’ ’’

Relax. Fans of the Grammy- and Dove Award-winning Christian rock band — and anyone else who has picked up a copy of “Revelation,” its most recent album — know that there’s plenty of mojo to go around.

Singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee, bassist Tai Anderson and Carr have enough faith in each other and in the songwriting process to know that they’re heading in the right direction once the studio door closes. “It’s like an artist drawing a masterpiece — you start out with a very rough sketch,” Carr said.

“It’s a really fun experience,” he said of recording. “You don’t really fear it, but it’s a lot of hard, tedious work.”

Once they’re in the studio groove, the members of Third Day turn out high-quality rock tracks, as fans of “Nothing Compares,” “Show Me Your Glory,” “Mountain of God,” “Revelation” and “Cry Out to Jesus” and other hits can attest.

Live performance, by comparison, can seem effortless, and Third Day’s members love being on stage making connections with their fans, sharing moments where everything seems to fall into place.

“Connection is everything to me for music to be successful,” Carr said.

Sometimes it’s a specific lyric that strikes a listener’s heart, and other times it’s the way Powell puts it across.

“I think that’s been

the secret to our success — that God has given Mac the power to sing those lyrics,” Carr said.

Listeners frequently share stories about how specific Third Day songs built them up in tough times, helped them bounce back after tragedies or gave them a cheerful way to express their own joy. And that’s how the musicians know they’re on the right track — when sentiments that mean so much to them resonate with others.

“That’s more affirming than Grammys or American Music Awards,” Carr said. “When we hear those stories, when we get those e-mails, that’s when the rubber hits the road.

“Sometimes it makes you laugh; sometimes it makes you cry. Sometimes it just makes you feel good.”

Over the past year and a half, Third Day has made the transition from quintet to quartet since the departure of guitarist Brad Avery after a 13-year tenure. Carr said Lee does an excellent job keeping the sound powerful in a single-guitar format. “It was definitely an adjustment, and it still is at times. Two guitars always bring a full spectrum of sound,” Carr said. “Mark, our guitar player, has really stepped up with a full spectrum of sound.”