Review+Photos: Skillet & Alter Bridge w/ Dirty Honey at The Pageant

Monday night brought a full house to The Pageant as Alter Bridge and Skillet combined forces as part of the “Victorious” tour, joined by the upcoming and sensational classic-rock enthused Dirty Honey. It seemed all three groups garnered their own fans, as The Pageant was filled with several fans sporting merch for one of the three performing groups.

Kicking the night off with their second performance in St. Louis was Dirty Honey, who brought their classic-rock inspired set. Using the stage extremely well, the band (who sported some interesting clothing options, adding a new element to their vibe,) really hit their mark. Having just spoke with the band member John Notto weeks before the show, it was an understatement to say that the band promised to deliver a great set. DH band members killed their performance of hit single “When I’m Gone,” before ending the show with the popular “Rolling 7’s.” The band was available at their merch table after their set, which quickly became populated as many fans were looking forward to the chance to meeting the performers.

Alter Bridge took the stage second, with a stellar set of their own. This wasn’t the first time the band has joined Skillet on the road, but it is the first time both teams collaborated for an entire tour. The rockers started off with a bang and didn’t let up until their very last note, noticing at least half the crowd was singing along to their favorite AB hits from over four studio albums. It seemed the energy didn’t let up, and the band left it all on the stage, finishing off their set with some incredible performances, including “Blackbird,” “Metalingus,” and “Open Your Eyes.”

Following fellow tour mates, the crowd loudly welcomed Skillet to the stage. From start to finish, this band did not let up, and still to this day hold my personal opinion of being the best rock band I have ever seen perform live. Their theatrics, stage presence, energy level and overall performance was absolutely incredible. Having many hit songs, Skillet had a lot of ground to cover. The set opened with a performance of “Feel Invincible” and that was the kickoff for a high-octane remaining hour and a half. Using the stage, each band member uniquely brought something different to the set, including front man and lead vocalist John Cooper attaching fog cannons to his arms and blasting the audience.

Jen Ledger, who shredded on the drums, did so while lending her talented voice to backup vocals, a feat that is not easy. With the band’s string accompaniment, light and smoke show, and band members Korey Cooper and Seth Morrison being elevated on the stage during an epic performance of “Awake and Alive,” I truly don’t know how so much punch was packed into just one show.

During the meet and greet, Cooper met a young fan who had told the band that he has had over ten surgeries and that meeting Skillet was one of the best moments of his life. Of this, the band dedicated a song to the young fan, being “Hero,” where Cooper joined the youngster in the front of the pit and performed for him and many eager fans.

It’s been years since I’ve had the opportunity to see Skillet live but what I can say is that every chance I get I will not hesitate. Their latest album, “Victorious,” is packed with new music from the same brand of rock this group has been creating for over 20 years. All three bands were absolutely incredible, and if given the chance, I highly recommend checking out this tour, as you won’t be disappointed.

Check out the gallery below for some of the photos from the show!