Next Level Productions, a new concert promoter in the Tulsa area, decided to start things off right by bringing in popular modern-rock band Skillet. The group, hasn't been to the area for a couple of years, but was greeted by a large crowd of about 250, including some who drove about five hours up from Dallas for the show.

Local ska sensation The Ivy League opened the show. Fortunately for the League, this was a crowd that came prepared to bounce, skank, and otherwise move to the music. The League obliged them for 35 minutes, and then cleared the stage for Skillet's tour guest, the Elms.

The Elms are a recent Sparrow Records signee, and they took the stage with a mission: to prove that rock isn't dead; it just packed its bags and moved to Indiana. Their short set was replete with fully driven, distortion-laden guitars, complete with mid-song guitar solos, a trend that has sadly threatened to disappear in this era of three-minute songs. Lead singer Owen Thomas even jokingly tossed off a bit of rock-star attitude: "Hi, we're the Elms. We're glad to be here, and we came all the way from Indiana, so you'd better like us." Don't worry, Owen, we did.

Since the last time Skillet visited the area, they've lost a guitar/synth player, Ken Steorts, but have added a new synth player, the beautiful and talented Korey Cooper, wife of bassist/vocalist John Cooper. About Korey, John remarked, "If any of you guys think you're hearing a word from God that she may be the one, she's not." They also added a new guitar player, Kevin Haaland.

Skillet played most of the material from their second album Hey You I Love Your Soul, including the title track and all of the first side, mixing in earlier material such as the classic "Promise Blender." Those who feared that the loss of Ken would cause the band to lose their edge found that worry to be unfounded; the band performed with great intensity. Skillet's lyrics have always been extremely worshipful, but with the additional volume and intensity of their live show, the concert turned into a worship experience: 

"Hold me down because I want to know You 
You bring calm to my rage 
You are life and I'm thirsting for You, 
Hold me, hold me, locked in a cage."

John spoke briefly near the end of the show about the necessity of living what you say you believe. He challenged anyone there who was not living on-fire for God to get right that night.

The band closed with two tracks from their debut self-titled disc, "I Can" and the chorus to "Gasoline", before releasing the crowd into the night. Before they headed out, the band hung out with concert-goers, signing autographs and posing for photos After grabbing a quick autograph, a poster, and a couple of promo stickers for the new album Invincible (which is coming in February 2000).

If Next Level can maintain this level of technical excellence and great band choices, they will be a strong force on the concert scene in the area.