Skillet in Decatur, IL
If you were in Decatur, Illinois on June 6th, I hope you found your way to the beautiful Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater. Decatur’s very own, Icon for Hire, stormed the stage with relentless energy and never let up. Ariel Bloomer’s incredible dynamic range and Shawn Jump’s edgy riffs created an electric atmosphere that kept everyone's heads banging. After an amazing set, you could tell everyone in the crowd wanted more! If you missed out on this show, you can catch Icon for Hire closeby in Bloomington, Illinois on September 27, 2024 at the nostalgic Castle Theatre. Up next though, Icon will join headliners Citizen Soldier on the Save Your Story Tour. Keep up with them on bandsintown or instagram, @iconforehire, for their news and tour dates. You’ll be glad you did!
The Memphis, Tennessee legends, Skillet, took the stage next. Icon for Hire prepared the crowd better than I have seen before, leaving everyone ready for more shred. Blasting into 'Feel Invincible', lead singer John Cooper kept the heads banging and the fans belting out the lyrics in unison. If you were lucky enough to be on the rail, there was a good chance of John leaning over and extending the microphone your way.
Skillet played an incredible 16 song set that I wouldn’t have minded if the encore was a repeat of the entire set. The setlist included favorites such as 'Rise', 'Legendary', 'Awake and Alive', 'Hero', 'Comatose', and 'Monster' just to name a few. With so many songs going at least platinum, designing a setlist can’t be easy. However, for this incredibly talented lineup, creating setlists will only become more difficult as they write future hits.
It’s difficult to put into words how incredible this show was. Korey Cooper is an incredible guitar player and her stage presence is one of the best in the business. Jen Ledger is hands down one of the best drummers on tour. Did I mention Jen and Korey’s vocals? Skillet achieves a rare and dynamic dimension blending John’s vocals with Jen and Korey’s. There isn’t a band out there that does it better.
Seth Morrison rounds out the band on lead guitar. If you’re a guitar player, Seth will have you wanting a PRS guitar before the end of the show. Belting out solo after solo, Seth held down stage left commanding the crowd note by note.
Skillet continues their Day of Destiny tour that includes several Canadian stops in mid-June. Skillet is the type of band that you will want to see several times. I made a 6 hour round trip for this show and I’d definitely do it all over again. Check them out on instagram, @skilletmusic, and keep up with their latest news. I highly recommend seeing both Icon for Hire and Skillet. You will not regret it.
