Creed and Friends Welcomed With Arms Wide Open on Summer of ’99 Cruise: Recap + Photos
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The post Creed and Friends Welcomed With Arms Wide Open on Summer of ’99 Cruise: Recap + Photos appeared first on Consequence.
Creed’s Summer of ’99 cruise recently set sail from Miami on April 18th, visiting Nassau, Bahamas along the way. The lineup included 3 Doors Down, Buckcherry, Fuel, Tonic, Vertical Horizon, The Verve Pipe, Louise Post, and more. Heavy Consequence photojournalist Liz Ramanand was on board the Norwegian Pearl, delivering the daily recap and photo gallery below.
Day 1 (Thursday, April 18th)
The excitement was palpable on the first day of the Summer of ’99 cruise, as Creed were set to play their first concert in 12 years. Luckily for the diehards who packed the Norwegian Pearl for the sold-out cruise, Creed got right down to business, kicking things off with a sail-away show as we drifted away from Miami. “Are You Ready?” was the first song of the set and fans were indeed ready for everything the band brought and more.
Fans filled the multiple levels of the ship surrounding the Pool Deck Stage. The crowd knew every word, every line, every beat of anthems like “What If,” “Torn,” “What’s This Life For?” and the one that started it all: “My Own Prison.”
The entire set was a giant exhale, a feeling of release for both fans and the band. Any pent up emotion or longing to see Creed live after well over a decade was let go with each song performed. The crowd’s appetite never waned as singer Scott Stapp belted out monster hits like “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open.”
It wasn’t just a celebration of Creed’s return, but also one of guitarist Mark Tremonti’s 50th birthday. Close family and friends even donned “MT50” T-shirts to commemorate his big day, and Stapp led the crowd in a sing-along of “Happy Birthday to You.”
Creed delivered an emotionally charged first set which ended with “My Sacrifice.” If this cruise performance was any indication, fans are in for a powerhouse show when Creed launch their full-scale reunion tour this summer.
Later on, Vertical Horizon christened the Stardust Theater with a performance of the Everything You Want album. It’s the 25th-year anniversary of the LP, and fans were bopping along to the title track, as well as other tunes like “You Say” and “Send It Up.” Frontman Matt Scannell was charismatic onstage and genuinely surprised that fans were singing along to every word.
The Stardust Theater also featured a set from Fuel, as they cranked out fan favorites. The crowd gave a loud welcome to founding guitarist Carl Bell and classic-era drummer Kevin Miller, as well as new lead singer Aaron Scott. Favorites like “Shimmer,” “Jesus or a Gun,” “Bad Day,” and “Hemorrhage (In My Hands)” received a warm welcome from the fans.
Back at the Pool Deck, Buckcherry kicked off a late-night gig with their hit “Lit Up” off of their self-titled debut, which is also celebrating 25 years. Ever-rebellious frontman Josh Todd turned the temperature up with “So Hott” and “Somebody F**ked with Me,” as the band wrapped up the set at the stroke of midnight.
Day 2 (Friday, April 19th):
Friday morning started off with a bunch of meet and greets. The luxurious Summer Palace dining room was the setting for an autograph signing with 3 Doors Down. Another meet and greet featured a number of the bands on board, including Buckcherry, Louise Post (of Veruca Salt), Vertical Horizon, Tantric, Nine Days, and more.
Fans packed the Pool Deck Stage once again for Creed for the second consecutive day, but this time it was for a Q&A session. Hosted by Eddie Trunk, each band member expressed gratitude and surprise at the success of the cruise. Guitarist Mark Tremonti revealed that the cruise was actually supposed to take place three years ago if not for the pandemic, but all the members agreed the time was right for it to happen this year.
Scott Stapp noted that there’s a chemistry to the band that’s undeniable. He also talked about the longevity of friendship between him and the group, and that he’s known Tremonti since high school.
Later in the day, Stapp inspired a bit of friendly competition as he competed in the “Stapp Up and Throw” basketball contest. Fans flexed their free throws and had some fun with the frontman.
The Deck stage saw a wide variety of action on the second day. Tantric hosted the hilarious Belly Flop competition. Vertical Horizon also performed their second set.
Over in the air-conditioned Stardust Theater, it didn’t get any cooler than The Verve Pipe. The band performed one of the most soulful sets on the cruise, as frontman Brian Vander Ark’s raspy vocals echoed throughout, and paired nicely with the powerhouse voice of “backup singer” Channing Lee. Forget 1999, we want more of The Verve Pipe in 2024!
Bands such as and Fuel, Tantric, and Buckcherry knocked out their second sets of the cruise, while the Atrium Lounge featured noteworthy performances from Nine Days and Louise Post (of Veruca Salt). Fans swarmed to see a dynamic set from Tantric, as well.
One of the highlights of the day included a karaoke contest judged by Tremonti and 3 Doors Down frontman Brad Arnold. The handful of singers were incredibly talented, and the ultimate winner was Daniel Sheets, who sang the Shinedown version of “Simple Man.”
Then Tremonti and Arnold took to the stage to perform their own karaoke go-tos. Tremonti sang Frank Sinatra while Arnold tackled a Garth Brooks tune. They both came together for a duet of Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” a worthy second choice after realizing that Prince’s “Purple Rain” wasn’t available on the karaoke machine.
Arnold was busy throughout the day and spent the night cranking out some memorable hits during 3 Doors Down’s first set. Song after song was a radio banger, but ballads like “Be Like That,” “Here Without You,” and “Away From the Sun” were especially serene and entrancing as we sailed under the night sky.
Day 3 (Saturday, April 20th):
We woke up to the sunny skies of Nassau, Bahamas, on Saturday. While fans and bands enjoyed the sunshine, some stayed aboard the Norwegian Pearl and enjoyed the solace of a tranquil boat.
Just as the Deck Stage ended on the night before, so it began…with 3 Doors Down and a sail away show. As the band started, we were still docked in Nassau, so a crowd that formed on the enormous Independence of Seas boat watched the band play, too.
Fans on both boats rocked out to upbeat classics like “Duck and Run” and “Better Life” to kick off the set. As the sun beat down on the deck stage, we sailed away to notable hits like “Loser” and “Kryptonite.”
A couple dozen lucky Creed fans attended a painting class with guitarist Mark Tremonti and the instructor, Tim. Tremonti and Tim met each other through a painting class that Tremonti had taken with his wife. As it turned out, Tim attended Woodstock ‘99 where Creed performed….but Tim was actually there to see Limp Bizkit.
The hour-long paint session had a canvas which had a decal in the shape of Tremonti’s PRS guitar and within it fans created a beach scene. Fans and Tremonti were excited and apprehensive as they were painting, but the scene eventually took shape on the various canvases and they each walked away with a killer souvenir of a unique memory from the cruise.
Creed’s second set was just as electrifying as their first, and if there were any nerves on the first night, they were totally gone this time around. Scott Stapp and company began the set with “Bullets” and “What If,” and ended the set with hits “With Arms Wide Open” and “Higher.”
This set featured some deep cuts, as well, including “Pity for a Dime” and “Inside Us All.” And fans who hoped for a performance of “Rain” got what they wanted.
After the show, we snuck over to get inked by the good folks at Liberty Tattoo, and we saw a fan get a sizable Creed tramp stamp, one of a several Creed designs available.
Day 4 (Sunday, April 21st):
The first 500 cabins that were booked for the cruise were awarded with a special photo-op with Creed on Sunday morning. It was a special experience for about a thousand-plus of the diehards on board.
The hot sun beat down on the Deck Stage as Vertical Horizon, Fuel, and Tonic delivered their last sets. Over in the Stardust, it might have been air-conditioned but Dishwalla and Tantric were heating things up in the theater.
In between the music, there were a good amount of activities for the day, such as playing flip cup with Creed drummer Scott “Flip” Phillips and a pick-throwing contest with Creed bassist Brian Marshall.
The last performances of the cruise included Buckcherry and Louise Post each delivering powerful sets during the final hours of the evening.
Creed and a number of the same bands (with Daughtry taking the place of 3 Doors Down) are setting sail again on the Summer of ’99 and Beyond cruise, departing from Port Canaveral on Saturday (April 27th). If that cruise is anything like the first one, fans are in for a memorable and nostalgic experience.
Fans who weren’t able to hit the high seas with Creed on these cruises can catch the band on their extensive 2024 North American reunion tour, with 3 Doors Down providing direct support on both the summer and fall legs. Tickets for those shows are available via Ticketmaster or StubHub.. See Liz Ramanand’s photos from the Summer of ’99 cruise in the extensive gallery below.
Photo Gallery: Creed, 3 Doors Down, and more rock the Summer of ’99 cruise (click to expand and scroll through):
Creed and Friends Welcomed With Arms Wide Open on Summer of ’99 Cruise: Recap + Photos
Liz Ramanand
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