PHOTOS: Skillet and Colton Dixon at Circle Drive-In in Dickson City, 10/02/20
Multi-platinum-selling rock band Skillet has toured all over the world and played all kinds of shows over the last two decades, but Friday, Oct. 2 marked their first-ever drive-in concert.
While the nearly sold-out crowd at the Circle Drive-In Theatre in Dickson City was socially distanced across the lot, the group was so thrilled to back in front of an audience that their performance remained as passionate as ever, jumping and thrashing around as they opened with “Feel Invincible” and “Not Gonna Die.” For “You Ain’t Ready,” vocalist John Cooper came out with C02 cannons strapped to his arms, blasting fog into the air as he sang.
Throughout the night, rectangular screens flashed images behind them and sparks and smoke shot up from the stage, though nothing could obscure the big smiles on their faces, as they were obviously having such a good time.
“It’s been tough to not rock out with our fans over the past five months, so we are psyched,” Cooper said before the show.
The Christian quartet played songs from six of their 10 albums, focusing largely on their latest, 2019’s “Victorious,”. Last month, the record received a deluxe edition, “Victorious: The Aftermath,” with bonus tracks, and some were packaged with their second graphic novel, “Eden II: The Aftermath,” that ties into the music.
Closing their 16-song set with the hits “Monster” and “Rebirthing,” they responded to screaming fans and honking horns with one more song, “The Resistance,” from 2016’s “Unleashed.”
“We love you! Thank you so much, Scranton!” Cooper shouted before the bright lights dimmed on their 90-minute outdoor concert.
Fellow Christian and Tennessee native Colton Dixon, who was seen on the 11th season of “American Idol,” opened the night with a more subdued solo set featuring keyboards and electronic drums.
While it wasn’t the start of their planned summer tour that would have taken them across the country and Europe this year, Skillet seemed thankful just to be there at all, and the satisfied “panheads” who drove in from all over agreed as they left for home under a full moon.
Skillet setlist, Oct. 2, 2020, Circle Drive-In, Dickson City:
Feel Invincible
Not Gonna Die
You Ain’t Ready
Whispers in the Dark
Legendary
Awake and Alive
Back From the Dead
Save Me
Hero
Anchor
Savior
Undefeated
Victorious
Comatose
Monster
Rebirthing
Encore:
The Resistance
Photos by Jason Riedmiller Photography/Scott Kucharski Photography/NEPA Scene
