Live Review: Skillet - Academy, Manchester
14th April 2023
Support: Eva Under Fire, Like A Storm
Words: Dan Barnes
Photos: Rich Price Photography
All the way from Memphis, Skillet open their European tour with two UK shows; tomorrow it’s down in London but they begin the Day of Destiny trek on a Friday night in the Manchester Academy.
The two and a half thousand capacity venue is already close to capacity as Eva Under Fire take the stage. Rated as One of the Artists to Watch in 2023 by Pandora Radio, it’s easy to see how big things are predicted for these Michigans.
The blending of soaring melodies and crunching guitars sets a precedent for the whole evening and the crowd respond as though Eva and co are the main attraction. The most recent record, Love, Drugs and Misery is heavily represented tonight with every song, barring the cover of Journey’s Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), coming from that record. Even though Heroin(e) has an edgy title, the song itself is an inoffensive, radio-friendly rocker; Coming for Blood is grounded a big riff that meanders off into bar-band territory and even features some hip-hop.
“Manchester knows how to show up” states Eva before Unstoppable, which segues into Queen’s We Will Rock You and comes with the obligatory hands and voices raised. As tonight is Eva’s birthday there’s an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday to You before Blow ends the set. As this is the band’s first foray onto European soil, I’d say it was a hit, a palpable hit.
Auckland, New Zealand to Manchester is a heck of a trip for Like a Storm, especially when they haven’t played a show in three and a half years. Any ring-rust the band might be feeling is quickly gone as they hit the stage with a dirtier, grimier sound than Eva, pushing the evening into the PG13 category.
Chemical Infatuation and Just Save Me show the band can mix the hard edge with the fragile and even manage to play through increasing sound gremlins. Enemy lands as a ballsy rocker with lead vocal duties being shared throughout the evening by brothers Chris and Matt Brooks.
The Devil Inside blends the slow and steady with the fast and furious and, just like all good Antipodeans should, Like a Storm bring their cover of AC/DC’s TNT to the table and, let’s face it, if that don’t get you riled up, nothing will.
That just leaves Love the Way You Hate Me from the Awaken the Fire album to close out the set, leaving Chris to comment that the evening has been the finest show of his life.
It’s fair to say Skillet’s crowd did not need much warming up as a rare appearance outside London was enough to pack the Academy. They arrive like conquering heroes, playing in front of video screens and with an even fatter sound then either Eva or Like a Storm managed. Immediately, it is confirmed the band mean business with the opening Feel Invisible coming out fighting. Rise follows with its fast and furious progression and through a simple, yet effective, lightshow. Skillet deliver big hooks and a full-on hard rock show without overstepping the mark of what constitutes family entertainment.
Might seem oxymoronic to call a rock show by such a term but the core beliefs of the band are such that anything else would seem hypocritical. In fact, it’s only during the introduction to Hero that vocalist, John Cooper, speaks of his faith before being joined at the front of the stage by drummer Jen Ledger for a rocking twin-voiced rendition. As suitable replacement was brought in to cover the percussion while Jen was on secondment to the microphone, as was a bassist for John’s singer-only moments.
Guitars are handled by Seth Morrison and John’s wife, Korey, who deliver positive message after positive message through the medium of hard rock. A smoke-machine - akin to Bruce’s flame thrower on the Legacy of the Beast tour - is donned for Surviving the Game, the enraptured audience sing back every word of Legendary and a forest of phones greets the cello as the delicate opening of Awake and Alive transforms into as savage as Skillet become this evening.
In his admission that Skillet do not come to Manchester enough, John talked about the positive affect music can have on people; it can bring joy and hope in equal measure and, I suspect, if you’re reading this article in this Webzine, you’ll understand where he was coming from. Considering what we’ve all just been through, I think we all need something to bring us together and inspire hope.
Skillet’s positive messaging and their sublime choice of touring partners certainly goes someway to buoy that hope.
All photo credits: Rich Price Photography
