This Is How We Rise Up: When Skillet Comes to Bulgaria

by Elvira Dimitrova
Jul 1, 2018
4 min read

Skillet had their first headliner's concert here in Bulgaria on the very evening of 30th June and wow - that is the best way to welcome July morning! Euphoria and adrenaline intertwined into a never-ending bond. Even though they have been to Bulgaria before at a previous rock fest in Sofia, this time they had the show entirely to themselves and Universiada hall was full of people craving to see them.

This concert was the best rock performance I've ever seen so far (along with the one of Three Days Grace on Hills of Rock). Skillet were the magicians on the stage, but instead of decieving the spectators with tricks, they showed true magic and spells, enchanting us and having us becoming spell-bound. It feels like I could go to hundreds of their concerts and it will never be enough. Skilletoholic. That's my term for the addiction to their music. I used to listen to their tracks and records for hours as a teenager and now it seems like I will give my best to see them perform live as many times in my life as possible. Way to make an impression on your audience, eh?

Now, to actually begin my review of the event, I think everything was quite well organized. There was a large queue right from the moment we approached Universiada, but it didn't take long to get through security. The security level was high and there were some bars where you could get drinks if you feel like it (doesn't have to be alcohol - against the assumption that when you go to a rock concert you should always drink beer :D).

Der Hunds were the band that did the warming-up for this fest and they did their job successfully. They are a Bulgarian band and it was very nice to listen to them. Their music was great and they managed to get the audience hyped right from the start. You can definitely look them up and see if you'll find something you'll like.

When Der Hunds finished with their performance it was time for the main reason everyone had bought their ticket and had lined up on a queue 3-4 hours earlier - Skillet. They entered in a fury and lifted everyone up from the moment they started playing and singing. It feels so hard to describe. The band were everywhere on the stage, jumping around, clapping hands, engaging the audience, rocking it out with their music instruments, and effortlessly making you sing along.

It was as if they were masters of the four elements: they made the whole hall shudder with their music and you could feel it vibrate through you and resonate in your ears, just like an earthquake; they were like true airbenders, lifting up our spirits so high that it felt like we were flying "like eagles, arms out wide"; they released a wave of their love and admiration for the Bulgarian audience and fans and it hit us like a tsunami, making us show them our love for them in return - we were all in an endless cycle of emotions; they were fully in control of fire, lighting up the stage, igniting every single flame within each person in the audience, and showing their passion for music. Like I said, unquestionably they were the rulers of the elemental forces and they revealed they were as mighty as lions.

In addition, the lighting effects contributed immensely to the distribution of their songs, adding quite the impact to them. There were moments when combined with the artistic performance on the stage, they made us feel like we were part of a well directed film with the protagonists showing the world how to "fight for what you believe" and how to "rise up heavy as a hurricane, louder than a freight train". The sounding, on the other hand, wasn't at the top level at all, which was the organizers' fault. The amazing and unique vocals could barely be heard. However, that didn't stop anyone of us from going crazy and from enjoying the band giving their best.

Skillet performed hit songs from all of their albums, amongst which "Hero", "Monster", "Whispers in the Dark", "Feel Invincible" and many others. Jen Ledger (the drummer and female vocal of the band) sang a track from her new album too and it was incredible to hear her sing a whole song with the band exploding with the music to the maximum.

When the concert finished and the band left the stage, there was a turmoil of emotions and applause as everyone wanted them to keep playing. It was just impossible for us to let them go. And they returned with a massive blast, performing "The Resistance".

So, want to know how to set a whole building on fire (metaphorically of course)? Then go to a Skillet concert right now. I mean it. Right. Now. Wherever you are around the world, don't waste a chance to see this band perform live, especially if you are their fan, or if you're into rock music. Check out the dates they could be coming to your country, city, etc, and go let them show you how to get #unleashed.