It was inevitable that the wave of nostalgia that music brings would eventually get to the 2000s, or, more precisely, the Summer of 99. After a lengthy second hiatus, Creed returned to the stage in 2024 with their brand of arena-ready hard rock. Their ongoing Summer of 99 tour has featured runs with a stable of openers, this current incarnation features Daughtry, filling in for 3 Doors Down, and Mammoth.
Please scroll down for the MisplacedStraws Creed live photos and review.
Mammoth (sans the WVH moniker) took the stage first. I’ve seen this band throughout their brief career and have seen a ton of growth. The band that took the stage in Hartford was confident, polished, and, most importantly, a band. Yes, Wolfgang Van Halen is the undisputed frontman, but over the years he has allowed the band to gel and their personalities to show on stage. Wolf is extremely talented but doesn’t have a ton of stage presence, so guitarists Frank Sidoris and Jonathan Jourdan, as well as bassist Ronnie Ficarro prowl the stage and inject energy into the show.
Their standard 6-song set for this tour features material from both releases, as well as 2 tracks from their upcoming third release The End. For this show, however, a seventh song was added. Van Halen announced the passing of Ozzy Osbourne from the stage (he was one of the artists to pay tribute to Ozzy at his recent Hall of Fame induction) and then the band launched into “Mama, I’m Coming Home” as a tribute to the fallen legend.
Chris Daughtry and his eponymous band were up next. For those who remember Daughtry from his stint on American Idol or the monster pop success of the band’s debut record, this isn’t that. Since the 2006 debut, the band has evolved into a harder, modern rock sound as opposed to the pop-radio friendly singles early in their career. That evolution has resulted in a series of rock-radio hits and packed shows.
Daughtry was supporting their 2024 EP Shock To The System, and the set featured four of the record’s six songs. The band’s debut record provided another large part of the set, with one track from 2021’s Dearly Beloved (“Heavy Is The Crown”) and the new single “The Day I Day” also played.
Two covers were added in the set, an explosive version of Journey’s “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and a solo acoustic take on “Away From The Sun” by 3 Doors Down. Halfway through the set, the band left the stage, and Chris grabbed his acoustic guitar. He mentioned to the crowd how 3 Doors Down was supposed to have Daughtry’s spot on the bill, but they had to back out due to frontman Brad Arnold’s cancer diagnosis. Daughtry proceeded to play a beautiful version of “Away From The Sun” as a tribute to Arnold and the band. The brief acoustic set also provided a fantastic take on “Home” with Chris saying that he probably wouldn’t be on that stage without that song, and dedicating it to Ozzy Osbourne.
Now it was time for Creed’s return to Hartford. The band hasn’t played the Capitol City since 2009. The downside is that minus the tracks from the then-current Full Circle record, it was pretty much the same set. It’s hard to believe Creed has only released 4 records, considering their string of hits. While the first 3 are canon, the previously mentioned Full Circle is forgettable. The sparsity of material leads to familiar sets, even if some tracks are shuffled up or down the set list tour-to-tour.
The source material may be limited but it is mighty. My Own Prision and Human Clay provided 12 of the night’s 15 songs, with 2001’s Weathered providing the other three. These records were instantly iconic upon release, defining the sound of post-grunge rock radio. The audience, some who looked far too young to remember the Summer of 99 (the tour’s name is a reference to when Human Clay came out) sang every word along with vocalist Scott Stapp and roared for every riff played by guitarist Mark Tremonti.
It wasn’t just the music that was a throwback, Creed put on an old-school rock show. The stage was huge and used the screens to great effect. There was also plenty of lights and fire that added to the top-notch performance. In addition to Stapp and Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips were joined by guitarist Eric Friedman. Their sound was full and heavy, but most importantly, it was crystal clear. You could make out every word and every note of these classic songs.
Stapp is the focal point of any Creed show. He has clearly hit the weight room since Creed’s initial run, looking almost unrecognizable with his shortly cropped hair. Stapp approached every song with a determined intensity and engaged the crowd between nearly every track. He described each track in very spiritual, metaphysical terms. I’m not sure if the packed crowd understood all of it, but the intensity he brought to every song drew the packed crowd in so that they hung on every word.
As a band, Creed is fantastic. Tremont, Marshall, and Philips are a well-oiled machine after countless tours with their other band Alter Bridge, while guitarist Friedman is part of Tremonti’s solo band. The familiarity they all have with each other shines through on stage. Even if Creed has gone long periods of time without playing, these musicians still perform together and create a rock solid unit.
Post-grunge rock was a strange beast. The genre splintered into factions featuring power pop, punk, nu-metal, and more. While many of those bands sound dated when listened to today, Creed has stood the test of time. It will be interesting to see what the band’s next steps are. Will there be new music? Will it be up to par with the classic material? Only time can tell, but until then, enjoy a great outdoor show and remember the Summer of 99.
