Article and photos by Wendy Podmenik Darugar

Norfolk, VA– The line to get into the Skillet show- it stretched down the block, turned the corner, down again, turned another corner, and extended halfway down the backside of the block. Excited young fans clad in Skillet t-shirts abounded. One of the first major shows of this season, Skillet had rescheduled this event three times due to Covid considerations. People held onto tickets and watched their calendars in anticipation of “The Aftermath Tour”.

Opening acts Eva Under Fire and Adelita’s Way were strong; in particular, vocalist Amanda Lyberg worked the stage and showed a lot of enthusiasm and determination. After their sets, the anticipation for Skillet was high.

The show had originally been sold out- after the multiple reschedulings, the venue was no longer attended at max capacity but it still was a great crowd. Skillet deserves to be recognized for their stage show- plenty of consideration and talent was tapped in creating and directing the displays replete in lights and special effects. The extravaganza exceeded what some seasoned bands do at major venues. Adding to the excitement was the setlist addition of their newest single, “Surviving the Game”. Written as an encouragement and a rallying cry for listeners to power through the issues surrounding Covid, this song heralds the upcoming arrival of album Dominion. slated for release in January 2022.

The Christian rock band had recently been in the news, with lead vocalist John Cooper relaying a story of how he had been advised by a major music executive to pare down on promoting religion in their music to gain more popularity. John thought it over and ultimately re-affirmed that Skillet’s music will continue to serve as testimony to their belief and personal truths.

The evening’s set list:

Feel Invincible

Not Gonna Die

Sick of It

Whispers in the Dark

Legendary

Lions

Surviving the Game

Awake and Alive

Back From the Dead

Hero

Anchor

Undefeated

Stars

Comatose

Monster

Rebirthing