The Bryce Jordan Center flares its impressive lights in Penn State. All that is heard in the brisk, dark night as people descend upon the hill is the blast of the speakers from inside; it is time for Winter Jam. The 10 artist for $10 deal has been a tradition for 17 years and continues to be a hit as several thousand people crowded into the stadium. The Penn State show was just one of many on the 47 stop tour.

Headlining this year were Lecrae and Newsboys, both Grammy award winning artists, brought out all the stops to inspire the crowd. Lecrae has become a highly known hip-hop/rap artist escalating in 2012 his style is unique to any other Winter Jam band and he drew many fans who only attended to witness his performance. Newsboys, who closed the show, were supposed to be the ultimate head liners just seemed to be a cheap copy of the former band. In 2009 all of the band members of Newsboys, after achieving great status and making their name iconic, passed on the torch to Michael Tait. The new Newsboys, while pulling out all the stops in their performance had the luster of a big band without the greatness of their presser’s.

But the real talent at Winter Jam was not shown in the headliners, but before. Thousand Foot Krutch are a live band with energy and passion unsurpassed by most at Winter Jam. The presentation is inspiring, yet the sound not so overpowering that one cannot enjoy the music. Thousand Foot Krutch are not a hidden gem, but their popularity over the years has grown and it will be interesting to see what the future brings for this ‘hard rock’ band. While the showmanship is to be appreciated, my personal favorite Tenth Avenue North was not big on showy lights or big entrances, but concentrated on raw talent. Many of classic songs that many knew and sang along with created a moving atmosphere and was a highlight to the whole evening. Other bands that were present included: Plumb, Newsong, Colton Dixon, Love & the Outcome, Everfound, and Derek Minor. Overall, it was a great night that not only supported the artists, but Holt International, an adoption agency for children overseas.