From seasoned veterans to stage newcomers, “The Supernatural Tour” Monday night at Hilton Coliseum was a showcase for several of Christian music’s current and soon to be stars.

Opening the show was swingin’ youngsters The W’s, who instantly provoked a surprisingly empty Hilton to its feet.

Despite being a swing band in a coliseum with chairs, The W’s were extremely energetic and did a superb job involving the crowd as much as possible. (Swingsters in the aisles were quickly dealt with by the friendly Hilton staff.)

A horn section dressed in prison outfits with the words “Swing Band” on the back pumped out powerful harmonies behind lead singer/guitarist Andrew “Little-A” Schar’s infectious swing riffs.

Looking like Michael Stipe gone swing, bassist Todd “The Rodd” Gruener poetically contrasted drummer Brian “Nigel” Morris, who broke several sets of sticks throughout the show.

A short set disappointed, with the band only playing five or six songs. The W’s went out on a high note, however, by finishing with the humorous single, “The Devil is Bad.”

Second on “The Supernatural” line-up was Jennifer Knapp, who crooned her emotion-filled ballads to a seated Hilton.

With a style consisting of country influenced pop melted by melodic vocals, Knapp was not complacent. Her aggressive guitar riffs and excellent playing impressed, leaving no doubt as to her musicianship.

Seeming somewhat out of place, however, Knapp’s songs were far from the energy bombs put out by The W’s and the act yet to come.

DC Talk, headliner and namesake of “The Supernatural Tour,” came out in classic DC-style. A two and a half hour set consisting of songs from the bands most recent album, “Supernatural,” as well as old school classics and past hits, left no doubt as to Talk’s stature as accomplished musicians and songwriters.

Playing all but three songs from “Supernatural,” the three veterans from Washington D.C. mixed plenty of new with the old, playing more than a few past hits.

In typical DC Talk concert style, the group came on stage with the energy and experience of a band that has been rocking coliseums for years. Playing a set of high energy songs, DC Talk did not disappoint energetic fans.

The group’s lyrical emphasis on its relationship with God was not hard to miss. Powerful lyrics, as well as a testimony given by Toby McKeehan, left no doubt as to DC Talk’s purpose for playing music.

By adding a DJ to its live touring band, DC Talk added a new twist to its show with frequent sampling and scratching complementing the bands hip-hop-based sound.

A showcase by the DJ was quite possibly the highlight of the show, with a remix of songs ranging from tracks off of the groups first self-titled album to popular beats from the Beastie Boys and Busta Rhymes.

By adding a short acoustic set in with its high-intensity show, DC Talk touched on many aspects of its ever evolving style.

Sitting on stools at the end of a runway that split the floor audience in two, the band sung several of its mellower songs, along with hymns and a cover of U2’s classic “40.”

“The Supernatural Tour” was an excellent showcase in three completely different styles of Christian music.