Many fans waited outside in icy temps to catch Sunday’s Christian music tour stop which also featured sets by Colton Dixon, Trip Lee and more. The review, photos and set lists at Local Spins.

On Fire: Skillet closed out Sunday’s Winter Jam with blazing energy. (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
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Yes, it was the annual Winter Jam tour stop in Grand Rapids, and winter weather was the operative word.
Fans lined up nearly all the way around Van Andel Arena in mid-teen temperatures and single digit wind chills on Sunday, waiting for doors to open for the 25th anniversary Christian music tour spectacle.
But once inside, things warmed up quickly, culminating with the hard rockers Skillet and their multiple fiery pyrotechnic blasts in songs such as “Showtime” and “Feel Invincible.”
The heat was on.
Lead singer John Cooper was his forceful best, his raspy voice still loud enough to scream through a lyric or two without straining.
“Do you feel it tonight, Grand Rapids?” he yelled to the crowd.

Anne Wilson: Her set ended with the hit, ‘My Jesus.’ (Photo/Jamie Geysbeek)
These days, drummer Jen Ledger is doing more vocals than ever, several times coming out from behind the drum set to sing.
During “Hero” was an unexpected turn: both Ledger and Cooper, microphones in hand, moved around the edge of the arena floor on portable platforms. Even as they exchanged high fives while passing by audience members, the two didn’t miss a note of their back and forth vocals before meeting again on the main stage.
Cooper reiterated his three most important life considerations – faith, family and freedom. They all went into their new song, “All That Matters” from the band’s first-ever indie release, “Revolution.”
“I think we’ve got to get a little bit rowdy,” he said before their crunching “Monster” and set-closer “The Resistance,” all shown with concept video plus live artist images.
Earlier, Colton Dixon led off his set with the bouncy “Up + Up,” a pure, shiny pop mix, following it with his Christian radio hit “Miracles,” later seated at the keyboard to debut his new ballad, “In Spite of Me.”
The artist said he was impressed with the cold-weather audience turnout of more than 8,000. His daytime walk from the arena to a coffee shop proved that he “did not dress appropriately for Michigan in January.”
REGALING FANS WHO WERE ‘LIKE A LITTLE KID WAKING UP AT CHRISTMAS’
Anne Wilson, meanwhile, was at her country best for her portion of the evening, delivering songs such as “REBEL” and “Hey Girl” while sporting glitter boots (no cowboy hat, though nearly all her band members wore theirs).
The ballad “Rain in the Rear View,” with Matt Butler on cello, provided a musical contrast as well as a transition time. Immediately after the song, Wilson and several bandmates quickly made their way to the satellite stage at the arena’s opposite end.
Once there, Anne shared a bit of her story – how her first ever public performance, a song at her brother’s memorial service, unexpectedly led to her burgeoning singing career. “Dirt Roads in Heaven” was dedicated to her brother who died in 2017.

Staving Off the Cold: Fans did what they could to stay warm ahead of the show. (Photo/Terry DeBoer)
Wilson’s signature tune, “My Jesus,” closed her set with all hands back on the main stage.
The full evening (at least four hours of music), also included singer-songwriter Micah Tyler, NewSong (the tour’s host band), and hip-hop/rapper Trip Lee. The event began with a “pre-jam” hour of The Band Table, SEU Worship and We Are Vessel.
Robert Vander May, 36, of Wyoming, was rewarded for being first in line at Winter Jam. He sauntered up to the arena’s main entrance doors around 8:30 a.m. Sunday to wait until 4 p.m. when the doors officially opened. He was able to nab a seat back on the main floor, behind some fans who had early entry privileges.
“For me, waking up on the day of Winter Jam is like a little kid waking up on Christmas morning,” he said.
This year provided extra incentive, with his favorite band Skillet headlining.
“(Today) makes my 22nd time seeing Skillet since their 2008 ‘Comatose’ tour,” he said.
Winter Jam makes another Michigan stop on Feb. 2 at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypilanti.
PHOTO GALLERY: Winter Jam at Van Andel Arena
Photos by Jamie Geysbeek
Winter Jam 2025 at Van Andel Arena
Skillet
1. Showtime
2. Feel Invincible
3. Awake and Alive
4. Ash in the Wind
5. Nothing But the Blood (duet with Colton Dixon)
6. Hero
7. All That Matters
8. Unpopular”
9. Monster
10. The Resistance
Colton Dixon
1. Up + Up
2. Miracles
3. Devil is a Liar
4. My Light
5. In Spite of Me/Amazing Grace
6. Build A Boat
Anne Wilson
1. REBEL
2. God & Country
3. Sunday Sermons
4. Hey Girl
5. Strong
6. Rain in the Rearview
7. Dirt Roads in Heaven
8. Amazing Grace
9. Songs about Whiskey
10. The Cross
11. My Jesus
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