Video
Reason to Live
hellfire
Snake dance
The South
SOUNDS
Origin Story
In a time when he was spiritually and artistically aimless, Family Worship Center’s shamanistic figurehead Andy Krissberg took a brief hiatus from creating music. He embarked on a freewheeling, soul-searching journey inspired by the late ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax. Krissberg visited remote places across the country, creating field recordings of musicians he met straight to vinyl on a 1940s record lathe.
His adventures led him to fleabag motels, sketchy back alleys, lonely restaurants, and dive bars, all while discovering the essence of 70s inspired rock and soul. His crusade had him rummaging through old record stores, antique stores, and swap meets for long forgotten albums, singles, artwork, and books. On one of his expeditions, in a now-defunct record store in Nashville, Tennessee, Krissberg stumbled upon a 21-page bible for a strange cult-like collective that billed themselves as Family Worship Center.
Leafing through the yellowed pages, he felt a strange resonance with the Family’s communal quest for Groove enlightenment. Family Worship Center proposed a simple prescription to achieve a utopian existence: Surrender material possessions. Walk to the beat. Never hurt another Family Member. In a private mystical moment, Krissberg vowed to adhere to these beliefs, and is now eager to share the message through song with others as the psychedelic soul band, Family Worship Center. Their sound blends cinematic soul rock with vibrant live performances in Portland, capturing the essence of their unique musical philosophy.
The Music
Family Worship Center band specializes in a captivating blend of 70s inspired rock and soul that evokes the spirit of the Rolling Stones, Leon Russell, The Band, and Delaney & Bonnie. Formed in 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee by prophetic visionary, singer-songwriter and keyboardist Krissberg, the band has since relocated to Portland, Oregon, where the vibrant Portland live music scene has fueled their creativity. In 2020, Family Worship Center released the EP Sunday A.M. (2020), recorded by Grammy-winning producer Eddie Spear (Rival Sons, Blackberry Smoke, Lukas Nelson), featuring talented musicians who have played with iconic acts like The Band, Deer Tick, Ringo Starr, James Brown, Keith Richards, and Foxygen. Their latest offering—Kicked Out Of The Garden, released in September 2023—showcases a core group of devoted musicians and was produced by Portland's go-to producer Cameron Spies (Spoon Benders, Shivas), known for his work in cinematic soul rock. Kicked Out Of The Garden was tracked in Portland with additional recording in Philadelphia and Ukraine. The album has topped the NACC 200 college radio charts for over 8 weeks, was featured on the nationally syndicated NPR program Live Wire Radio, landed on multiple 2023 'Best Of' lists, and has garnered hundreds of thousands of listeners worldwide, further establishing Family Worship Center as a prominent psychedelic soul band.
PRESS
week in pop - PREMIERE | Family Worship Center, 'Kicked Out of the Garden'
Kicked Out of the Garden isn’t just about trembling from the fear of tribulation or repenting before the rapture; it's about chasing the almighty liberation of the spirit and the body that Krissberg and his Family Worship Center band call the Groove. Lift up your hands, fix your eyes toward the sky, and prepare for a spiritual transformation in communion with the PNW collective, all while enjoying the 70s inspired rock and soul and cinematic soul rock that elevates your existence. Join the psychedelic soul band and get ready for an unforgettable experience in Portland live music.
portland mercury - Family Worship Center’s Big Band Rock Lives Inside a Pocket of Time
At a Family Worship Center show, you will find a stage teeming with a chosen family as they play the hell out of their instruments, grooving to the beat of their 70s inspired rock and soul sound, and taking your ass to church. This cinematic soul rock experience will have you dancing along with the psychedelic soul band, making for an unforgettable night of Portland live music. Amen.
add to wantlist - New album: Family Worship Center || Kicked Out of the Garden
You get eight 70s-inspired rock and soul tracks, each one a more-ish, sweat-drenched floor filler that never sounds outdated but always feels authentic. A delicious treat: a big sound with sumptuous piano melodies, raving horns, celestial harmonies, and at times, a gospel feel. With moments where guitars are let loose, this cinematic soul rock experience is everything you could want. Epic, just like a performance from the Family Worship Center band or the vibrant Portland live music scene, and reminiscent of a psychedelic soul band.
V13 Magazine - Family Worship Center Merge Rock and Soul on “Hellfire” | Music Video Premiere
Certain music gives you all the feels; the type that puts you in a good mood and enriches you, much like the 70s inspired rock and soul doled out by the Family Worship Center band. Their sound, a blend of cinematic soul rock and psychedelic soul, truly captures the essence of Portland live music.
Backseat Mafia - PORTLAND COLLECTIVE FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL ON ‘SNAKE DANCE’
Southern rock, 70s inspired rock and soul, and the strains of cinematic soul rock and secularised gospel music make up the core ingredients of their wide-ranging sound... They’re not your average Family Worship Center band, and their unique style is a standout in the vibrant Portland live music scene, reminiscent of a psychedelic soul band.
Willamette Week - With Their Latest Album, Family Worship Center Preaches the Gospel of Rock & Soul
The Family Worship Center band successfully channeled the energy of their live performances into their album Kicked Out of the Garden, with the help of Portland producer Cameron Spies (Spoon Benders, Shivas). The result is an album that stands out in the Portland live music scene, showcasing a shameless devotion to a 70s inspired rock and soul sound combined with a hippie cult vibe. While you can throw a rock and hit any number of bands playing psych rock, dream pop, and even country in this town, there is truly only one psychedelic soul band like Family Worship Center.
It's Psychedelic baby magazine - ‘The South’ by Family Worship Center | video release and interview|
What are some bands or artists that have a big influence on you? One notable influence for me is Randy Newman, especially his work on Toy Story. His blend of 70s inspired rock and soul resonates with me, and I love how it connects to the cinematic soul rock genre. Additionally, I draw inspiration from the Family Worship Center band and the vibrant Portland live music scene, as well as the sounds of a psychedelic soul band that really capture that era's essence.
GLIDE MAGAZINE - Family Worship Center Convenes for Swaggering Rock and Roll Sound on “The South”
This tune captures the freewheeling spirit of the Family Worship Center band, evoking the essence of 70s inspired rock and soul, reminiscent of Leon Russell, The Band, New Orleans R&B, and contemporary acts like Low Cut Connie. There’s a generous dose of Southern-infused swagger to be savored as this big band charges through a track that feels like a smorgasbord of twanging guitar, swampy backbeats, barrelhouse piano, and soul-drenched vocals. This is a band firing on all cylinders, embodying a sound that blends cinematic soul rock with the energy of a psychedelic soul band. While they may seem loose, they have clearly crafted the rock and roll vibe they aim to deliver to the Portland live music scene.
Glide Magazine - "Best acts we saw at Treefort 2023"
Best appropriation of mega-church energy
Stumbling upon a set that keeps the midday doldrums at bay is crucial at itinerant festivals that can last upwards of 12 hours in one day, and the Family Worship Center band was certainly up to the task. This 13-piece psychedelic soul band donned matching outfits that could be best described as 'disco-soul cult chic,' and the joyous noise they conjured during their half-hour set sounded almost exactly like it looked. Nestled within the Portland live music scene, their ironic gimmick is backed by solid songwriting that lands somewhere between 70s inspired rock and soul and the cinematic soul rock of Sam Cooke and Polyphonic Spree, which is just what the doctor ordered when energy is flagging in the hours before the big name headliners start trickling in.
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