Photo Credit - David Molnar (from official Facebook page)

Winter Jam is an unlikely candidate for top-attended concert tours by most people’s standards. Or is it? Perhaps you’ll understand this sentiment by the end of this review.

Winter Jam was started in the 1990s by Newsong, a Christian vocal group that wanted to take the best in Christian music and make it affordable to the masses in the form of a multi-city US tour every winter.  Newsong has since made appearances on every tour, and grown its stature to one that routinely sells out arenas and features the best in Christian acts, both crossover and worship oriented.  This year, Winter Jam featured headliners Skillet and Sanctus Real, both Grammy nominees.

My group showed up the Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center just in time for the pre-show jam party, beginning just after doors opened at 5 PM. The first group to play was hard rock quintet We As Human, who recently inked a record deal with Atlantic Records.  They played three songs with fervor, including their popular hit as an indie band, “Dead Man”.  While perhaps soundng a bit similar to many other radio rock bands found alongside Seether, Breaking Benjamin, and others they clearly love what they do and hopefully they will find themselves playing on a tour very soon where they are promoted from a warm up act.  They were followed by For King and Country, a pop-rock duo with a worship bent that also gave an engaging performance.  Dara Maclean concluded the warm up acts with her brand of CCM that would fit right in with Francesca Battistelli and Natalie Grant on the radio.

The lights dimmed around 6 PM and hip hop group Group 1 Crew emerged to the sounds of LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” before playing a 15 minute set of high energy funk-inspired hip hop, complete with an appearance of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration.”  The group (which seemed to be operating just as a duo tonight) concluded their set with lit-up suits that seemed to be inspired by America’s Got Talent act Team iLuminate.

Building 429 followed up with a rousing set surprisingly devoid of old favorites, instead opting to highlight their new record Listen to the Sound.  Their street team was well prepared for this, and in minutes several beach balls with the band logo were bouncing around the floor.  The set was bookended by the anthemic “Made For You”.  This was my first exposure to the newer version of Building 429, who seems to be jumping on the CCM dance rock trend alongside bands such as Manic Drive and Abandon.

A more worshipful vibe then filled the arena for the next three acts. Newsong performed a trio of worship songs next, including their classics “Arise My Love,” “The Same God,” and “Come to My Rescue.”  A translucent sheet dropped in front of the band for the first song, showing a gradual “painting” of Jesus get projected on it.  It was a neat effect.  Plainly, this group was vocal based, if a little indulgent in this area at times.  Kari Jobe then led her own trio of extended worship, concluding with the popular “Revelation Song.”  Nothing about her set was indulgent, and she had a knack for genuine worship that was contagious.  Nick Hall then gave a brief, Gospel centered message culminating in an altar call of sorts directed at first time believers and those wishing to rededicate their lives to Christ.

Peter Furler with his backing band, which featured fellow former Newsboy Phil Joel on bass, performed a half dozen song set, opening with his current solo artist hit “Reach.” It was great to see Furler in a live setting again, even if it was sans the usual Newsboys.  After another new song, Furler and Joel transitioned into some classic Newsboys songs such as “He Reigns” and “Entertaining Angels”, the latter being Joel’s signature song.  Watching the stage banter between Joel and Furler was entertaining and semi-nostalgic.  Furler and Joel closed with the worship anthem “I Am Free”, in which Furler delivered a motivational monologue toward the end in his signature charismatic manner.  Too soon, Furler’s set was over.

Following a 20 minute intermission, Sanctus Real revved up the audience with “Take Over Me,” positioned in various spots among the floor audience of the arena.  Rather than finishing the song, they segued into a medley of around 5 of their better known hits, including “I’m Not Alright,” “Whatever You’re Doing” and “Everything About You”.   Fortunately (or not) they would play 3 full songs, all off their recent release Pieces of a Real Heart.  “Lead Me” moved the audience, as did “The Redeemer” and finally “Forgiven”, which at one point featured “F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N” spelled out on the back lights onstage.  They sounded great, but they should have had a longer spot for a co-headlining slot.

Undoubtedly many, many people showed up to hear crossover favorites Skillet.  I won’t say too much about their live bells and whistles, lest I spoil their “shock and awe” element for future concert-goers, but suffice to say they deliver as an arena rock band.  Are they cheesy? Yes.  But do they rock hard? Oh, yeah.  Their 9 song plus a string interlude set featured all hits from their Comatose and Awake records, only slowing down once to play the power ballad “Lucy”.  John Cooper’s motto of “shut up and rock” rang true throughout the set, and with roof-raising explosions and eardrum shattering bass they wrapped up the evening with their smash “Rebirthing.”

Winter Jam is living up to its reputation as one of the most prolific tours in America.  If you want to see a production that is top-notch with a crowd thats safe yet electrifying, this is the tour for you.