Earlier this year super groups Alter Bridge and Skillet announced they would be co-headlining the Victorious Sky Tour in support of their recently released albums, Victorious (Skillet, August 2nd) and Walk the Sky (Alter Bridge, October 18th).  This was a 20-city tour beginning on September 22nd at the MECU Pavilion in Baltimore, MD. Florida fans were lucky enough to get a double dose as the tour closed out with performances on October 24th and 25th at the House of Blues, Orlando.  Dirty Honey joined the tour as the opener and as someone who was already excited to cover the show, hearing that I would get to cover them was the icing on the cake.  

The night was not like others at the House of Blues. The lines were long and filled with fans who were bursting with anticipation to see their hometown Guitar God, Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge. The doors opened at 6pm and the fans slowly made their way past security and to their spots on the floor.  The house was packed to the brim as Dirty Honey (formed in 2017 in LA) took the stage at 7pm.  For me, this band is like a breath of Rock and Roll infused fresh air.  My friend and colleague Brandon Amos referred to their style as “Shake your ass rock and roll” and I couldn’t agree more. They quickly gained the audience’s attention when they opened with “Scars”. The crowd was dancing and shaking to the music as they played their hit single “When I’m Gone” and then they closed their set with “Rolling 7’s” leaving the crowd feeling good. If you haven’t heard them, their self-titled, 6 song EP Dirty Honey is available everywhere.

Alter Bridge took the stage, and the crowd erupted!  The set started with “One Life” and “Wouldn’t You Rather”, both from their newly released Walk the Sky album. If you’re familiar with Alter Bridge, then you know there was no shortage of talent on the stage. These guys are one hundred percent full throttle from beginning till end. They definitely blur the line between hard rock and heavy metal with Mark Tremonti’s flawless guitar chords and Myles Kennedy’s powerful vocals. They were there to give the fans what they came for and they didn’t disappoint. The set ended with “Blackbird”, “Metalingus” and “Open Your Eyes”. 

What came next is a concert photographer’s dream. Skillet is known in the photography community as having some of the best lighting in the industry and this was definitely one of those times. Skillet took the stage in front of a crowd that had just had their bellies filled with rock and roll and they served up dessert. The set was opened with “Feel Invincible”, followed by “Not Gonna Die”.  The crowd exploded with their hit “Awake and Alive” and carried that through their closing number “The Resistance”.   The only way to truly experience Skillet is to see them live, to feel their music, to witness their stage presence.  From Korey Cooper’s infectious excitement as she plays guitar (and her larger than life hair whips) to John Cooper’s use of a Co2 cannon, this show is non-stop from start to finish.  With Jen Ledger on drums and vocals and Seth Morrison bringing it all together with his powerful chords …Skillet is a definite GOTTA SEE LIVE band!  

Enjoy photos from the last stop on the Victorious Sky Tour at House of Blues Orlando. All photos copyright and courtesy of Chris Cornett.