DARIEN — Saturday, they drove — some from across the state — to Darien Lake to experience Western New York’s premier Christian festival. Their car windows were painted with “Honk if you love Jesus” and proudly applied “Jesus Freaks” slogans. Monday through Wednesday night, they experienced more than 50 bands and numerous speakers to satisfy religious tastes of all ages.

And Wednesday night, they were rocked by the newsboys.

The Christian rock band with Australian roots gained the coveted 9:30 p. m. slot on the final day of the festival, and the anticipation of the crowd spilled over at the start of their set.

After drummer Duncan Phillips gave a formal introduction to new lead singer Michael Tait, the uniquely dreadlocked and endlessly energetic former singer of Christian rock group dc Talk said a preset prayer.

Then, it was all rocking, as “Something Beautiful” started with a crazy solo riff by punk-looking guitarist Jody Davis, complete with his Chuck Taylor hightops and skinny, loosened black tie. Whether it was the relief of finally starting the set or the heavenly anticipation of those in attendance, punk never looked so happy.

“Can Buffalo party with me?” Tait yelled before jumping into the Aussie-sounding, arm-swaying “Wherever We Go” as he displayed an interesting stiff-legged stomp across the stage. Tait’s energy carried him all across the Performing Arts Center stage, even up to the elevated drum platform and later to the sign language interpreter.

Tait was simply dynamic. If Elvis Presley stunned most of crew-cut 1950s America with his swaying hips and the musical diversity to transcend racial barriers, then the naive fan expecting calm gospel music out of Tait and the newsboys was surely blown away.

“Who says you can’t be a believer and rock for the kingdom?” Tait said before reciting a passage from the Book of Hebrews.

Davis then wooed the crowd with his long notes and even longer whammy action on “Blessed Be Your Name.” For all of the energy and passion of Tait, 20 lighting panels hanging around Phillips and his drum set turned into a wall of strobe lights, giving the experience of not just a concert, but a show.

Tait then belted out “Glorious,” a song about redemption that captured the feeling of those who have given their imperfect actions and intentions up to a higher power.

Spurred by the great response he was getting with his calls for alleluias from the crowd, Tait compared the crowd to a large black church “with a lot of white people.”

If the venue was a church of sorts, then the band went and moved the altar. It created an anxious buzz by disappearing into the crowd before emerging on a “B” stage in the middle of the tent.

After Tait explained the competitive yet friendly dynamic between dc Talk and the newsboys, the band played a short version of “Shine,” which Tait called “the song that changed my life.”

He explained that it was after the release of “Shine” that he simply had to take a bow for the newsboys and the hit they’d created.

He said, “If you can’t beat ’em. . . .”

The crowd completed Tait’s sentence for him. He then talked about learning about love as a young band living out of an airport shuttle bus, trying to make it in America.

Then, it was back to the heart-pounding enjoyment the newsboys do best. It was back to rocking.

Concert Review

The Newsboys

Wednesday night as part of Kingdom Bound, Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.