The Rock Resurrection Tour, comprised of rock heavyweights, Saint Asonia, Skillet and Theory of a Deadman has been travelling for nearly 6 weeks before finally making a long-anticipated stop at the Grand Sierra Resort- Grand Theater, in Reno, Nevada. It is no surprise that a show of this caliber would sell out the 2000+ capacity venue. In addition to general admission, and seated tickets, there was a vast array of VIP options available for every band on the tour, giving eager fans a chance to interact with the artists in a more intimate setting.

Even though I have been a long-time fan of Theory of a Deadman and have listened to Skillet and Saint Asonia for several years, it was the first time for me seeing any of these artists. I brought my family along to experience the magic with me, after combing the web looking for photos to get an idea of what to expect of this show- spoiler alert- we were not disappointed!

Saint Asonia opened the night with original material. Frontman Adam Gontier, formerly and most notably of Three Days Grace, introduced the band and backstory, and launched into some Three Days Grace favorites. Excited cheers broke out as “I Hate Everything About You” began to play, leading the entire crowd to belt the chorus at the top of their lungs, and “I Don’t Care”, which whipped the crowd into a frenzy, now recognizing the familiar voice behind Saint Asonia. With the crowd warmed up, they launched into a powerful rendition of their newest release, Devastate, off of their Introvert album.

Hard-rock juggernauts, Skillet, were next to grace the Grand Theater stage. The crowd becoming increasingly frantic as techs assembled the stage and performed last minute soundchecks to excited cheers and screaming. A slew of Skillet VIP passes dotted the crowd, showing the prominence of the Reno crowd favorites. As the lights dimmed, a roar of activity surged from the crowd, welcoming Skillet onstage in true Reno style. Skillet masterfully played a series of their top tracks, proving why they are one of the top performing modern day artists. In a short, but memorable moment, Frontman John Cooper blew the crowd away with Co2 boosters attached to his arms, flurrying the stage and crowd. Guitarist Korey Cooper energetically railed guitars and keyboards, with drummer Jen Ledger not missing a beat even during her singing parts. As the hits raged on, Skillet featured a live cellist, as well as bringing out Adam Gontier to sing their new release, Finish Line. Between the colorful displays, moving platforms, Co2 blasters, and raw energy, Skillet entranced the crowd with a performance that will not soon be forgotten.

To close the night, Sweet Caroline blares through the speakers fading into a creepy stop as Theory of a Deadman took the stage. They opened the night with the title track of their brand new album “Dinosaur”, followed by fan favorite “Bitch Came Back” fully igniting the crowd. Tyler Connelly brought a beautifully mirrored guitar to open the set playing light tricks with the crowd. Playing a mix of new material, fan favorites, and covers including a full cover of Wicked Game and partial covers including Pantera and Guns N Roses, Theory of a Deadman wound down the night with an energetic and fun performance. As the last song of the night, “Bad Girlfriend” got everyone from the pit and the seats dancing and singing along, while frontman Tyler Connely started gratuitously throwing guitar picks into the crowd.

No encore was performed, which was sorely missed, but overall, it was a great night at the GSR.