Winter Jam 2026 Review

February 20, 2026
Bon Secours Wellness Arena – Greenville, South Carolina

Winter Jam returned to Greenville with a packed arena and a lineup that covered a wide range of Christian music styles. I attended with my kids Max, Leo, and Thea, along with their friend James. It was also special to have my friend Carl Moorhead from Australia visiting and able to join us for the night.

We arrived early and the arena was already filling up. Outside there were games set up for kids while everyone waited for the doors to open, which was a nice addition for families who came early. Carl pointed out how well organized the event felt and how encouraging it was to see families, church youth groups, and community groups all filing in together to fill the arena.

The night started with the pre-jam featuring Jeremy Rosado, Heath Brothers, and Cliff Preston. The early sets had the relaxed feel you would expect while people were still entering the arena and finding their seats, but the crowd that arrived early had plenty of music to enjoy before the main show began.

Emerson Day helped get the main portion of the evening started and connected well with the crowd. Her performance was pretty good and helped set the tone for the rest of the night.

Hulvey brought a different energy with his pop leaning hip hop style, which connected especially well with the younger crowd.

Then it was time for Disciple, who were on ten as always. This marked the nineteenth time I have seen them live, and they continue to be one of the most consistent bands out there. Tight musicianship, high energy, and a clear message. It was also Carl’s first time seeing them live, and that quickly became one of his highlights of the night. He especially loved how they engaged with the crowd and wished they could have played a couple more songs.

My son Max summed it up simply.
Disciple should have more play time. The whole show was really good.

Zane Black followed with one of the more impactful moments of the night, sharing a strong message and leading an altar call encouraging people to follow King Jesus.

NewSong, who have been doing this for a long time, showed exactly why they remain a staple of the tour. Their musicianship is tight and seasoned, and many in the crowd clearly knew the lyrics.

Matthew West ended up being one of the surprises of the night for me. As more of a metalhead, I was not expecting to like his set as much as I did, but he was funny, talented, and very engaging. One of the standout moments was when he brought his daughter on stage for an acoustic duet. Carl also really enjoyed Matthew West’s set and mentioned that he was right there with the crowd, making the performance feel uplifting and personal.

Katy Nichole delivered both musically and personally. She spoke openly about her struggles with mental health and encouraged anyone in the crowd who might be struggling to reach out and get help. That honesty gave her set added weight and made her time on stage connect in a deeper way.

The night closed with Chris Tomlin, who led a straight worship set that had the entire arena singing together and brought the evening to a fitting close.

For Carl, one of the most meaningful parts of the night was seeing so many people gathered to worship Jesus together while also hearing the Word of God preached. He described it as a fantastic experience and the kind of event he would gladly attend again and again.

For our group, Winter Jam was a night of music, ministry, and memories shared together. Between seeing my kids enjoy it, having Carl there for his first Disciple show, and taking in such a wide range of artists, it was another memorable stop for Winter Jam in Greenville.