Skillet, formed in 1996, are an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee and set about giving a fantastic energetic performance at the bp pulse live arena. The band currently consists of husband and wife duo John Cooper (lead vocals, bass) and Korey Cooper (rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) along with Jen Ledger (drums, co-lead vocals) and Seth Morrison (lead guitar)
Their set was a journey through their extensive back catalogue kicking off with Feel Invincible which got them up and running straight away. Then into Rise followed by Surviving the Game during which John Cooper had a harness where he fired out dry ice into the air, making a spectacular sight.
Through every song the band’s Christian rock roots were evident in their messages of resilience and hope, resonating deeply with the audience. Next was Awake and Alive followed by Hero, the unbound less energy of Korey Cooper saw her jumping and head banging across the stage.
Whispers in the Dark followed by Psycho In My Head followed by Be Thou My Vision a traditional Christian hymn of Irish origin.
Drummer Jen Ledger was playing a local gig as she was born in Coventry and attended Coventry Blue Coat Church of England School and played drums in a local band and was a finalist for the United Kingdom Drummer of the Year competition in 2006 before relocating to the US at the age of 16.
The set ended with Monster then The Resistance, what a brilliant start to the evening.
Black Stone Cherry
On a wet, cold night in Birmingham the boys from Black Stone Cherry bought a little bit of Kentucky sunshine to the West Midlands as part of their Screamin’ At The Sky UK tour to their devoted Cherry Heads. As usual the boys gave a fantastic performance of Southern rock and hard-hitting riffs kicking off with Me a Mary Jane followed by
Burnin
‘ then
Again. Frontman Chris Robertson has in brilliant voice and a captivating stage presence. Their set contained a mix of old and new, reflecting this they played new song Out Of Pocket followed by Rain Wizard from their first self titled album then Blind Man from their second album Folklore and Superstition. Steve Jewell Jr. – bass and Ben Wells –guitar were constantly moving across the stage their energy seemed inexhaustible.
The bp pulse live arena were in loving it, singing along, clapping and jigging about, notably during The Mess You Made and crowd favourite Like I Roll. Next was Cheaper to Drink Alone including a fabulous John Fred Young Drum Solo, followed by Things My Father Said which featured a blockbusting Chris Robertson guitar solo. The set also included American Horse (The Cult cover) with Ayron Jones and John Cooper of Skillet coming back onto stage to fulfil the roles they played on their latest single.
The set ended with White Trash Millionaire, Blame It on the Boom Boom and the fantastic Lonely Train before returning for the sing-a-long emotional Peace Is Free. This show totally encapsulated the band’s reputation for connecting deeply with their audiences and they loved it
