Creed Brings Their Summer Of 99 Tour To The MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tampa, FL. (September 20th, 2024)
In 1999, the music scene began its shift back toward rock as the grunge era waned. That year, Creed emerged as one of the defining bands of the time, releasing Human Clay, an album that produced multiple hit singles and earned them a Grammy Award. Fast forward twenty-five years, and the band has reconciled their differences, ready to hit the road again. Thus, the Summer of ’99 Tour was born. They’ll be joined by 3 Doors Down and Finger Eleven, promising an unforgettable night of nostalgia and rock anthems.
When the tour finally made it’s way to Tampa’s MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre you could sense the excitement build. Finger Eleven kicked off the evening with a burst of energy that set the tone for the night. From the moment they took the stage, it was clear they were ready to make a lasting impression. Guitarist Rick Jackett commanded attention, skillfully tossing his guitar around while delivering flawless riffs. Their set was a whirlwind, showcasing some of their biggest hits despite the limitations of being the opening act.
They launched into “Above,” instantly capturing the crowd’s attention. The band’s sound was tight and polished, a testament to their years of experience. Other standout tracks included “First Time,” “Quicksand,” and “Together Again,” each met with cheers and sing-alongs from the audience. “Adrenaline” got everyone moving, but it was their final song, “Paralyzer,” that truly electrified the amphitheater. The clever interlude of “Back In Black” added a fun twist, seamlessly weaving classic rock into their set and leaving fans buzzing.
Next up was 3 Doors Down. They kicked off their performance with “Train” from their self-titled release. The years of touring and performing immediately showed as the from the first note, everything was delivered with a fierce precision. One after another they rapid fired off hit song after hot song playing crowd favorites such as “Loser”, “It’s Not My Time”, and “Duck And Run”.
The band decided to give the crowd a breather and take the intensity down a notch with “ Here Without You”. While it may have been a slower tempo song, that didn’t stop their fans from singing along note for note. As the band was getting ready to play “Away From The Sun”, lead singer Brad Arnold shared an inspiring message about the pressures of social media, reminding everyone that they are enough—an ideal introduction to the song.
In a surprise move to all their fans they even introduced a new song “Never Look Down” that elicited plenty of cheers and love from the crowd. But it was the final two songs of their set that had everyone on their feet singing along. First was “Kryptonite, and the last song of the night was “When I’m Gone”. Closing their set with these beloved classics was the perfect way to end their part of the show.
Finally, it was time for the band that people had been clamoring for years for, Creed. When the stage lights went dark the energy in the amphitheater was palpable. How would they sound? Would the chemistry that drove them into the stratosphere be there? When Creed was finally flashed on the video displays behind the stage, the crowd erupted. The long time in the making reunion of this much beloved band was finally happening for the sold out crowd.
With the band on stage, and singer Scott Stapp directly in center they launched into a powerful rendition of “Bullets”. Any questions that their fans had about the long hiatus were immediately answered. For lack of a better description they were simply amazing and the band was firing on all cylinders. Choosing that song to start the show was clearly a statement saying that we are back! Of course all the pyro that was going on as well just made for a dynamic and impressive start to the show.
They quickly followed things up with “Torn”. The band nailed the dynamics of this song. Mark Tremonti and fellow guitarist Eric Friedman would go from heavy power chords and hard riffs to the clean parts with ease. Of course the rhythm section of drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall easily matched their intensity. Then there was singer Scott Stapp, the power behind his delivery has never been better. Not only was his singing on point, but he was the perfect frontman, standing right out front seemingly grabbing the audiences absolute full attention.
The fan favorite song “Are You Ready” was next. Once again the pyro was going full force as everyone was captivated by the thrilling show before their eyes. Scott Stapp would take some time to introduce many of the songs attaching an inspirational message to each. During these moments you could see that he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. During “My Own Prison” Stapp and Tremonti would trade lyrics and harmonize showing the crowd that not only is Tremonti not only a world class guitarist but a great singer in his own right.
As the band was getting set to play “What If”, Mark Tremonti said to the crowd that whoever is the craziest in the crowd he would give them his guitar. Of course the crowd was incredibly loud and rowdy throughout the song. When they were done, true to his word Tremonti found a kid who was on crutches in the pit and brought him on stage and handed over the guitar to him. Indeed that was a nice touch to reward the fans in attendance.
It wouldn’t have been a Creed show if they didn’t play “With Arms Wide Open” the song that earned them a Grammy award, as well as “What’s This Life For” and “Higher”. All of these were played to perfection and showed that the band not only recaptured the energy of their heyday but showed that their music has stood the test of time. After a brief break for the band to catch their breath, they came back out to finish the night with “One Last Breath”, and “My Sacrifice”. Of course everyone was singing note for note and enjoying every second of the night.
Comebacks can be a gamble. If a band fails to recapture their former magic, fans will voice their disappointment loud and clear. However, Creed’s performance demonstrated something remarkable. They played with a newfound maturity and an appreciation for their journey, both past and present. This, combined with their immense talent, proved that they are back in a big way. The Summer of ’99 Tour, along with all the bands involved, was not only a resounding success but also one of the best concerts of the year.
Creed:
3 Doors Down:
Finger Eleven:
MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheater: