The final day of Alive Festival has arrived and this was the busiest of the three. The parking areas were filling up early in the afternoon, and the people were camping out at the main stage before 2:30pm, the earliest they have opened that area up. Excitement was building for the artists that would take different stages throughout the day. At around 85 degrees, today was slightly warmer than the previous two, but that did not stop people from filling up the stage areas.
I was able to visit the Woods Stage today, where I was able to see Josiah Queen. I was able to catch a few of his songs as he opened the day on the main stage. Josiah has a light-hearted blend to his music, fusing folk, pop, and country. He started his set with “In the Fire,” which is a story about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. He slowed things down for a bit for “Altars Over Stages.”
The crowd filled the Wood Stage for Josiah and were really engaged with his entire set. The crowd especially seemed to know “I Am Barabas,” which was a trending sound on TikTok, along with “I Am the Prodigal.” He did a medley of the popular worship song “Gratitude” and “Great Are You Lord,” which had everyone in the field lifting their hands in worship.
The crowd did not thin out at all for the Woods Stage as John Cooper of Skillet was taking the stage for what Alive calls “The Heart of the Artist.” It is an interesting break in the music because you get to hear what has inspired these songs and share what is on their heart. John discussed when Skillet started playing Alive, which was in 1998. He also discussed touring in the mainstream arena and how it is to be a Christian artist touring mostly mainstream. John stated that he always said if Skillet was going to tour mainstream they would never be apologetic for being a Christian band and dance around that. They finished the “Heart of the Artist” session discussing their new album that is coming out in August and their upcoming Fall Tour with Seether.
I finished out my time at the Woods Stage seeing Disciple. If you thought the crowd would leave after John Cooper, they did not. The crowds today were ready to rock! Disciple rocked the Woods Stage. They start out with a bang and don’t let up till the end of the set. Disciple started their set with “Panic Room,” a song addressing the issues of anxiety and pressure off their Love Letter Killshot album. They kept the energy going with the fist pounding “Skeleton Psalms” and “Bad Words,” which are off their newest release, Skeleton Psalms. Bandmates Kevin Young, Josiah Prince, and Andrew Stanton know how to work the stage. Drummer, Joey West, wasn’t able to be at Alive unfortunately, but friend of the band and member of Relentless Flood, Marshal Huffman filled in for Joey.
They slowed things down for a little with the powerful song “Erase” from their album Long Live the Rebels. This song is about no matter what you’ve done, God will be there and erase all your mistakes. They then took the tempo back up to the guitar and drum heavy “The Executioner” off their newest album, which had the crowd jumping. Next was arguably one of their most popular new songs called “Promise to Live,” also off their Skeleton Psalms album. This song is an anthem to those who have dealt with thoughts of suicide and self-harm. As I made my way to the main stage, I heard the hard rocking anthems of “Dead Militia” and “Radical” to close out their time on The Woods Stage. Disciple never ceases to put on an amazing show with an authentic message.
Setlist:
1.) Panic Room
2.) Skeleton Psalm
3.) Bad Words
4.) Erase
5.) The Executioner
6.) Promise to Live
7.) Dear X
8.) Dead Militia
9.) Radical
Pillar was a band that was a Christian Rock mainstay in the early 2000s. The same time that Skillet and Disciple were getting their start so was Pillar. Pillar decided to stop touring in the early 2010s, and released new music only in 2015 with an album called One Love Revolution. Pillar decided this year to do a small three show reunion tour this summer, with Alive Festival being one of the shows.
They did not disappoint. Pillar brought the rock and the crowd was into it. It was like they never skipped a beat. Playing fan favorites like “Fireproof” and “Hypnotized” had everyone in the crowd on their feet jumping. Their driving music and powerful vocals left the audience wanting more, and they gave it. They melted faces with tracks like “Turn it Up,” a song paying homage to other musical artists of the 2000s like Skillet and Disciple. The did slow it down for songs like “Underneath It All” and “Simply.” Pillar left everything on the stage with fan favorites “Bring me Down” and “Fireproof.” There were hints at more shows in 2025, so we hope to see more of them!
Pillar:
Rob Beckley – Lead Vocals
Michael Wittig – Bass
Lester Estelle – Drums
J.R. Bareis – Guitar
Ben Hershberger – Guitar
Setlist:
1.) Fireproof
2.) For The Love of the Game
3.) Hypnotized
4.) Simply
5.) Turn It Up
6.) Everything
7.) Underneath It All
8.) We Ride
9.) Bring Me Down
10.) Frontline
Hulvey took to the stage and brought the rap music. He always tries to blend his heavy hitting upbeat songs with more melodic tracks so that everyone has a chance to engage. Hulvey took the stage about 5:30pm and the field was already packed. He started his set with the songs “Beautiful,” “Walk,” and “More of You.”
Every song he sang had conviction in his voice and the ability to flow from song to song. The crowd was energetic and focused on his every word. He sang “Can’t Tell It All,” which had the crowd energized. By the end of his set he slowed it down with some worship songs like “No Longer Bound” and “Glory to the Father.” He ended his set with a new and unreleased song titled, “Anxiety.”
Setlist:
1.) Beautiful
2.) Walk
3.) More of You
4.) Use By You
5.) Have Me
6.) Closer
7.) Can’t Tell It All
8.) Real Love
9.) Love Like That
10.) No Longer Bound
11.) Glory to the Father
12.) Anxiety
At about 7:45pm, Cain took the stage. This band known for their melodic harmonies, high energy, and colorful set, and they did not disappoint. They brought all that and more to the Alive Stage. Cain’s set started with “Yes He Can,” and then went into “Wings,” which had more confetti cannons much to the audience’s delight. They sang a new song called “What would Jesus Do.”
One thing to love about Cain’s set was that they infuse their sets with stories. Each member had a chance to tell a story that impacted them and a song that they wrote about it. It showed the authenticity of the song and the heart behind it, like when they sang “Friend in Jesus,” “Windows Down,” and “Honest Offering.”
As they neared the end of their set, they took the energy level up with “Glorious Day” and “Rise Up,” which the audience loved as it is one of their most well known songs. They ended with “I’m So Blessed,” another popular song, which gave another chance for the audience to have confetti rained down on them. You can always guarantee to leave smiling from a Cain show.
CAIN Band:
Logan Cain – Vocals/Guitar
Taylor Cain Matz – Vocals/Guitar
Madison Cain Johnson – Vocals/Bass
Ben Garrett – Guitar/Keys
Aaron Raney – Drums
Zach Howell – Guitar
Jacob Trunzo – Keys
Setlist:
1.) Yes He Can
2.) Wings
3.) Any More
4.) What Would Jesus Do
5.) The Commission
6.) Made For Heaven
7.) Friend in Jesus
8.) Come Together/Trouble
9.) Jesus Music
10.) Windows Down
11.) I Surrender All
12.) Honest Offering
13.) Glorious Day
14.) Rise Up
15.) I’m So Blessed
Encore:
16.) Blessed Assurance
The sun was beginning to set on Alive Festival as the final day was coming to a close, but there was still one more band to see. The people had crowded in on all sides of the stage and all the way up the hill waiting for this moment — the culmination of three days of music. Skillet took the stage at 9:30pm and a set full of fist pumping rock was about to commence. They left nothing on the stage from John Cooper, as an engaging frontman, to Korey Cooper and Seth Morrison’s passionate and enthusiastic guitar playing, and Jen Ledger’s assist on background vocals and impeccable drum playing.
The crowd knew what they were in for, and they had been waiting all weekend for this moment. Skillet pulled no punches and started the set off strong with “Invincible” and “Rise,” which has recently returned to the setlist rotation. The heart pounding, adrenaline-filled “Surviving the Game” was next, which is always fun when John Cooper dons the cryo gloves. “Awake and Alive” saw Jen step out from behind the drums to sing at the beginning to go into the hand clapping “Back from the Dead.”
The energy didn’t stop with the fan favorite anthems “Hero” and “Not Gonna Die.” They slowed it down a bit for the melodic call to God in “Anchor,” but pick it right back up for “Comatose” and perennial favorite, “Monster.” The crowd did not let up as Skillet kept coming with the rock, finishing up with “Rebirthing.” The crowd wanted more and Skillet gave them the energetic and rock anthem, “The Resistance,” which saw Seth dawn his Ohio State jersey and bring out his Ohio State guitar.
There is nothing like a weekend full of music that not only is uplifting, but builds community. All weekend people talked about how many years they have been attending Alive, and how it has changed their life. Long running festivals like this become pillars in families for generations to come, events they can come back to year after year. Alive 2025 will be here before they know it, another weekend fill will faith, family, and fun.
Skillet:
John Cooper – Lead Vocals, Bass
Korey Cooper – Guitar, Keyboard, Background Vocals
Seth Morrison – Lead Guitar, Background Vocals
Jen Ledger – Drums, Background Vocals
Setlist:
1.) Invincible
2.) Rise
3.) Surviving the Game
4.) Legendary
5.) Awake & Alive
6.) Back From the Dead
7.) Hero
8.) Not Gonna Die
9.) Whispers in the Dark
10.) Psycho in My Head
11.) Anchor
12.) Comatose
14.) Monster
15.) Rebirthing
Encore:
16.) The Resistance
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Music and the appreciation of coverts and live music was introduced to me at an early age. I love the shared experience of live music. Christian Rock was a mainstay in my from early in my childhood to present day. My parents introduced me to the pioneers of Christian Rock, like Petra and White Heart. This only progressed me in my love of music and concerts. My musical preferences are a wide range of genres and artists.
While in college, I received my bachelor’s in communication. While in college, I had my own Christian Rock show on the college radio station. I also interned with two different radio stations. I always have had a passion for sharing music and musicians’ passion and artistry. That has since progressed into some concert photography and being able to capture that passion from bands on stage. I have be able to photograph many artists across the Midwest region.
