Caedmon's Call, a Houston-based Christian rock band, played to a near capacity crowd yesterday evening in Sanders Theatre.

While Caedmon's Call has performed on numerous college campuses across the country, last night's concert was their first in New England. The concert was the 14th stop on a nationwide 51-concert tour that started in Mississippi.

"It's great to see a band of such high caliber music gain this much recognition and support," said Andrea S. Kim '98, one of the concert organizers and a member of the Asian American Christian Fellowship.

In addition to the standard guitar and drum ensemble, Caedmon's Call includes a string bass, a Hammond B-3 organ and a percussion set of bongos, congas and a djembe.

Danielle Young, a vocalist and the only woman in the group, claimed the Indigo Girls and Sarah McLachlan as major influences on the band's music.

"I'd always felt like God had called me to use my voice," Young said. "It's about something God's doing through me, all I am is an instrument."

Although Caedmon's Call has had a predominately Christian following since its inception six years ago, the band says it wants to broaden its audience.

"We as Christians are called to go out into the world to teach and minister to others," said Christie L. Hughes, the band's road manager.

Young said that while Caedmon's Call sees its music as a spiritual calling, its goal is to "at least challenge somebody to think about things."

"Music itself isn't a religion," she added.

The concert was arranged under the auspices of four Christian student groups--Christian Impact, the Asian American Christian Fellowship, the Christian Fellowship and Under Construction, a Christian a cappella group.

Mary L. Naber '98, the student producer of the concert and co-president of Christian Impact, estimated that the band's proceeds of between $3,000 and $3,500 from ticket sales will not fully cover its costs for the performance.

Naber, a former Crimson executive, worked with Heather A. Lindman '99 and other members of Christian student groups to bring the band to campus.

Naber has been in touch with Caedmon's Call since she met the band at the Spirit West Coast festival in Monterey, Calif. last July.

Band member Randy Holsapple, who plays the Hammond B-3 Organ, was very excited about playing to a filled theater.