Unshaken Festival 2026
The D.C. Area’s Christian Music Festival
By Cody Cooksey
Unshaken Festival brought everything you could desire from a Christian music festival. The day was filled with loud, engaging artists, songs that anyone could sing along to, and testimonies that many could relate to. With a lineup consisting of Blanca, Building 429, Terrian, Andrew Ripp, Tenth Avenue North, Micah Tyler, Colton Dixon, and Jeremy Camp, the festival provided a little something for everyone, no matter what your preferred genre is. What exactly did the day entail? Read below to see photos of your favorite artists, and just how they led a room in worship!
Blanca
The former Group 1 Crew member was first up! Hailing from Puerto Rico, Blanca sported a relaxed fit of a jersey, cargo pants, and sneakers, perfectly polished with hoop earrings. She brought the beat! Her song “Worthy”, under pink and purple lights, was an outpouring of worship, reminding the crowd to keep their lives postured in submission to the Creator. It transitioned beautifully into a rendition of “Worthy of It All” by CeCe Winans, in English first, and then en español! Then, a snippet of “Holy Forever” by Chris Tomlin to finish the electric time of praise. She thanked God for the opportunity to worship and glorify His name in His house. Her band members on the drums and keyboard made a joyful noise unto the Lord, and got the day off to a fantastic start. She shared her testimony of a broken family and addiction, showing how God used every single moment.
God is building your character in trials, He is showing you that nothing is wasted. Her song “Something Better” fits this, which she played next! “I’m Yours” unashamedly underscores the Christian’s identity in Christ, no matter the past, calling to mind 2 Corinthians 5:17, with yellow lights this time, reminiscent of a beautiful butterfly in the “SONshine”. He loves us not for what we do, but because that is who He is — even at our worst — conveniently the next song. “Even At My Worst” roared throughout the auditorium, spilling out into the lobby. Concluding with a brief cover of “Goodness of God”, hands raised to Heaven all over the room. Blanca provided an exciting first performance, setting the literal stage for what was to come.
Building 429
Building 429 started off with an acoustic set, complete with a cajon (played by frontman Jason Roy’s son) and loop pedal, opening with a wonderful cover of “The Lion and The Lamb” (popularized by a We Are Vessels Media favorite Big Daddy Weave) under soft golden light, mimicking the mane of a majestic lion! Moving his capo just slightly, Jason started his lineup of original songs with “Where I Belong”. Starting out in 1999 (just like the author of this article), the band members have clearly built strong bonds after nearly three decades together, praising God through it all. Calling the crowd friends, he noted that “events like this are meant to be dialogue, not a monologue”, encouraging everyone to “sing together to glorify the King.” When the band gets quiet, the crowd must fill in!
Their lively stage presence was explained by how they like to “blow things up for Jesus.” They even made mention of how a reunion was going on among old friends backstage! They then played their song “Press On”, which coincidentally features Blanca! The song is about continuing on, as we can rely on God even when we do not understand, reminding the crowd of Proverbs 3:5-6 and Philippians 3:14. Next up was “We Won’t Be Shaken”, notably an anthem to envelope the entire day in melody. Their final song was a new one, “Give Him Praise”, where the necessity of a human heart to praise something, anything, ought to be Christ! Their energy was infectious, and we didn’t want it to end.
Terrian
Terrian entered the stage with a boom! Giving Brittney Spears in a layered sweater vest and button up combo, and even pigtail braids, she exploded the stage with passion for Jesus and His people! Charging the crowd to stop their weeping and their mourning, she played a newer song called “Joy is Coming”, directly referencing Psalm 30:5. Next, a lively doxology discussing the Trinity, communion, and God’s character and many of His names, titled “King of Kings”. Another direct pull from Scripture results in “Stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3)”, reminding the crowd that perfect peace is promised in focus on Christ alone. Multicolored RGB lights and her own personal hype crew/backup singers made for an exciting time of worship with Terrian. A beautiful, slowed-down version of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” followed a flashlight-waving performance of “Honestly I Think We Just Need Jesus”, which was met with such excitement and engagement from the crowd. Next, “Testimony,” reviewing miracles recorded in Scripture like parting the Red Sea, highlighting God’s marvelous way of making what is broken beautiful again, proclaiming what the Lord has done for her, which can be true for everyone! She ended up taking out her inner ear by this point in her set, worshipping in full force! Next, a fan favorite, “He Sees You”, extending a hand to the hurting, inviting them into the rescue provided by Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection: “Bring your burdens, bring your shame… bring your worries and fear of failing, lay it down, no more waiting, you are a child of the living God.” She left the crowd lacking nothing by finishing with an extended version of “Big God”, which made for one of the most hype moments of the day!
Andrew Ripp
Starting out under a bright blue light, Andrew Ripp greeted the crowd like old friends, exclaiming “good to see y’all!” Having almost missed the day due to flight troubles, you could tell he was relieved to be on stage, ready to lead a full room in worship. He started with “Fill My Cup”, a lively but low-key, feel-good song to get the crowd excited for how God fulfills lives and eternities. He played a cover of “Rescue Story” by Zach Williams, and he noted a personal story of how it took full surrender to find victory in Christ over panic attacks, toiling all night, and catching nothing, and it resonated with him.
Creatively playing a harmonica to pay homage to Williams’ gritty country style, this stripped version rendition resounded through the auditorium. Taking a suggestion from the crowd to play “Breakdown”, followed by his many moments of laughter, it was clear that Andrew was a fun, engaging act! He continued on to play hits like “Love’s Got A Way” and “Jericho”, which was clear a fan favorite, judging by the crowd’s singing along. Andrew Ripp provided another lovely addition to the roster of Unshaken, successfully inviting everyone in attendance to bring all burdens and gratitudes to Christ.
Tenth Avenue North
Tenth Avenue North was up next! Sporting giant white letters spelling out “TENTH” on the stage, the band made it immediately clear that we were in store for a unique time. Lead singer Mike Donahey was bouncing off the imaginary walls of the stage before the music even began! The first song was “Letting Go For Dear Life”, followed quickly by “Losing”, both about surrender. Next, Mike asked the crowd to jump with him, celebrating the beginning of “Control”, my personal favorite. They also played a song “Learning to Trust You”, about once again, relinquishing control to God, and charging the crowd to have faith even as small as a mustard seed. Mike joked that he likes to talk more than sing, and despite his own self-cautioning, he spoke the perfect amount!
He stated “We like to write songs that acknowledge what God says, and what is true and about the difficult struggle it is to believe those things. Romans 12 says not only to rejoice with those who rejoice but also to weep with those who weep… wherever you are on that spectrum you are welcome here tonight.”. Up next was a medley of some vintage TAN, like “Broken People" and my personal favorite “By Your Side”. During the Meet & Greet, a fan, Laura, told Mike that she choreographed a dance to “By Your Side”, which led to him bringing her onto the stage and performing the special dance! It was truly a highlight of the evening. We had the opportunity to interview Laura after the set, which you can check out on our Instagram! Mike referenced Ephesians 4:11-16, expressing his desire to do the ministry of reconciliation. The band as a whole left an impact on the evening, with lots of laughter, heart, and even more of a desire to continue worshipping.
Micah Tyler
Micah Tyler is a fan favorite, and someone who was highly anticipated throughout the day. As he has a roster of songs that are easy and fun to sing along to, they are also relatable for anyone who goes through troubles, questions why they are where they are in life, or simply wants to praise God in a lively way! After some technical difficulties that were humorously cast aside, Micah made his way to the stage and provided an ecstatic performance! Rocking his signature cap and flannel, he shouted his set of songs loud enough for all of D.C. to hear! Micah made it clear that we are all broken people, ensuring that all are welcome in the arms of God. For anyone who fears, “there’s a perfect Love that casts out that fear”.
This message was further reinforced in his song “People Like Us”, which was accompanied by hits “Praise The Lord”, “God Did It”, and newcomer “Perfectly” (check out his remix with Colton Dixon!). Micah was far from a stationary act, as he was sure to leave a footprint on every corner of the stage. Accompanied by lots of red, green, and bright lights, he gave it his all. His song “Even Then” was especially resonating for many in attendance. As it highlights the fact that we all go through hardships, some of which seem impossible to escape, God is still present and making a way for us. This festival was full of highlights and key moments, and Micah Tyler was a contender for many of those moments.
Colton Dixon
Each part of Unshaken brought something unique to the table, and of all performing acts, Colton Dixon provided a set that was not only unique, but also loud in the best ways! Colton came to the stage ready to rock, sporting a bright red jersey with his initials “CD” on the front and “Dixon 26” on the back. Going fully into a rock aesthetic with songs like “Devil Is A Liar”, he leaned into the emotions that can come from living a Christ-like lifestyle. This segment also gave any metal-heads in the crowd a time to shine. Thrashing through all of the silhouettes in red, Colton gave everyone a good time with contagious energy, accompanied by impressive vocals!
What was even more impressive was his range in worship styles. He didn’t shy away from playing both ends, as he showed a different level of empathy and heart with his new song “In Spite Of Me”, highlighting the heartbreak that can be found behind misrepresenting Jesus. Colton showed lots of love for those in attendance, giving special attention to each side and row of the church. “Build A Boat” and “Up + Up” were highlights of the evening, proving to be songs that anyone and everyone cannot only worship to, but have fun dancing to. We thoroughly enjoyed Colton Dixon’s set, and hope to revisit it again at a future show!
Jeremy Camp
The wonderful evening put on at Unshaken Festival all led to an energetic, engaging, and emotional performance by Jeremy Camp. Coming off of his latest hit “Revival”, and recent album “Deeper Waters”, Jeremy has been leaning into the rock aesthetic, which was more than a welcome surprise. Wearing a vintage-styled shirt that looked like paint had been thrown at it, Jeremy fully leaned into the 2000’s throwback that just about every act had. He didn’t shy away from his radio hits, giving electric renditions of many of his well known songs such as “Dead Man Walking”, “Christ In Me”, and “Same Power”, all of which display the musical storytelling of being empowered and made new through Christ. Jeremy also shed some light upon his roots, including his debut album “Stay” which includes “I Still Believe” (of which he made a reference to the 2020 film, joking about how “Lieutenant Dan” (Gary Sinise) played his father). This song, alongside “Walk By Faith”, was the backdrop for an emotional moment, as Jeremy shared how these songs truly are heartbreaking.
Coming off the loss of someone close to him, it became clear that everyone in earshot could relate in some way. This world comes with heartache, but Jesus repairs it all. I am to “walk by faith, even when I cannot see”, as are you, the reader! It is evident that God can move through testimony, and Jeremy’s was a prime example of this. From jumping around the stage, shredding the electric guitar alongside his brother Jared Camp, and slowing things down with an acoustic set, this finale to the eventful day brought everything to a peaceful and impressive conclusion. He capped off the night with a new fan favorite “No Survivors”, which included lively and loud vocals, fire and smoke machines, and giant balls of confetti that were thrown into the crowd! It was truly a unique experience to see hundreds of people jumping around, trying to pop the enormous balloons, and seeing thousands of confetti shreds make their way to the floor. Jeremy Camp gave this finale his all, and gave everyone a new insight into worshipping our loving God.
Sponsors
The evening was filled with many iterations of worship and music, alongside other opportunities! World Vision, NorthStar Church Network, WGTS 91.9, Leland Seminary, HOPE, EverBliss, Prison Fellowship, and thrivent were exciting sponsors who shared many ways that can help in continuing to worship beyond the festival, whether that be through discovering new music, bringing the Gospels to other nations, or helping churches expand. If you are interested in learning more about any of these organizations, or want to take action, please visit Unshaken Festival: Get Involved.
Meet & Greets
One of the most exciting aspects of this festival was the Meet & Greet! Those who purchased VIP tickets had the opportunity to take a photo with each performing act, which led to lots of photos and signatures. There were many moments of big smiles, laughs, and quick stories that further enhanced the specialty of the day.
The following are just a few special moments:
I asked Mike Donahey to make some funny faces during his set, and he assured me that he would (he surely did).
A particularly fun moment was when a fan brought a white bucket hat, nearly covered in signatures from other Christian artists! Micah Tyler hilariously chose to sign her hat near the brim, as he wanted to “be buddies with Crowder”, as he had previously signed her hat.
I met Micah Tyler back in November of last year when I photographed a previous show of his, and it was so nice to find out that he remembered me when I met him again here!
I shared with Colton Dixon that he was one of the first shows I photographed, as I shot for him at WinterJam 2025. Getting to share this with him in person was a full circle moment.
Meeting Jeremy Camp felt like a bucket list achievement. Having grown up on his music, it was a treat to not only meet him, but photograph and write about his performance. This is all truly for the glory of God, and it is so neat how God aligns these events in His particular ways.
Conclusion
Unshaken Festival was nothing short of amazing. There were endless testimonies shared by artists and attendees alike. People praised in their own unique ways, all done for the same God. Standing in a room of hundreds of believers, singing many different genres and stories directed to God, was truly an unforgettable experience. Each act gave it their all, bringing their own levels of uniqueness and praise to a stage directed to Christ. While Jamie Grace sadly could not make it to the festival, we are hopeful to see her next time, and will continue to keep her in our prayers. As the theme verse Hebrews 12:28 says “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” (NKJV), be reminded that you have grace, and continue into this life with reverence and godly fear. You cannot be shaken! We cannot wait for Unshaken 2027, and we anxiously await what is to come from it!
Thank you Unshaken Festival for allowing us to come and photograph, document, and take part in such a special day!
