Creed and Friends Welcomed With Arms Wide Open on Summer of ’99 Cruise: Recap + Photos

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.

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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.

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