Summer 2024 music tour

When I bought all these tickets, I don’t think I realized just how close all these concerts were going to be. This year seems to be a great year for any kind of my music. It started with the Sammy Hagar tour and then expanded from there. This was so great, but I am really tired and not sure how long it is going to take to get rid of the ringing in my ears.

Live music and concert like these are one my of things. With one of my other things – conventions – slowly fading away, I have reinvested more time into concerts. Like I said, this seems to be a great time for 80s and 90s music that I like. Some bands are getting old enough that they are getting on one more tour while others are getting back together and doing a throwback tour.

Sammy Hagar and the Best of Both Worlds Tour

July 19,2024

Outstanding. Loverboy opened and I remember during college giving them a try. I liked the lead singer but he usually did not have a lot of back up in their songs and I really enjoy harmony in my rock music. His voice was good enough that with a great back up vocalist, they could kick ass but back when they were popular, all their songs kind of left me unsatisfied. Of course they played all the greats like Working for the Weekend, Turn Me Loose and The Kid is Hot Tonite and the lead singer – Mike Reno – sounded just like he did back in the day. For nearly 70, he wasn’t bad. He was just kind of boring on stage – they all were. Their age showed.

However, that is not true for Sammy. While he wasn’t jumping around a ton, he was pretty dynamic for a 76 year old. Along with him was Michael Anthony (of course), Joe Satriani (phenomenal!) and Jason Bonham. While he doesn’t replace Eddie Van Halen, Joe is a great substitute. He’s incredible. These guys really looked like they had fun. One thing to note is that Sammy sang Jump. I am not sure about the story, but as I understand it, Sammy said he would never play it. He even said on stage “Never say never!!” So cool!

So many of these songs were my theme songs from the Summer of 87 and 88. Best of Both Worlds is one of my favorite songs of all time, Panama is a classic, and I can’t drive 55 is quintessential Sammy. I know I would get hate from this (as if anyone really reads this) but I am a Hagar over Lee Roth kind of fan. Sammy just fit in that band. I loved it then and still do. Like Sammy would sing … So good! So good! So good!

Creed – Summer of ’99 Tour

July 24, 2024

Creed has a special place in my heart. I was listening to them when my life took a drastic change and one song in particular helped me get through a lot of dark times. Their concert in 2000 was my wife and I’s first date. So good. So magical. I don’t care how much it was going to cost, we were not going to miss it once we heard they were back together. They are sort of experience a renaissance here in 2024, with new attention brought on them by some sport teams using them as hype music and their cruise. I truly believe they will have a new album out soon.

The intention was Finger 11 and then 3 Doors Down would open but due to weather, Finger 11 sat out. Not sure how those contracts work but I would not like to be the band that was told they are not important enough to go on stage because they want to make the concert shorter because of bad weather. However, 3DD was nice enough to let Finger 11 play once set with their instruments and the crowd went wild. Honestly, they got more energy out of the crowd than 3DD in their entire set but perhaps it was because it was a surprise.

Another interesting note is that the lead singer of 3DD – Brad Arnold – did a little Christian testimony on stage. That was kind of nice and they gained a little more respect from me. I liked some of their music but not all, but now I like it just a little more.

What can be said about Creed. They played great. For all the drama about their break up, behind Scott Stapp and his struggles in the past and current, it was like none of that mattered. They were buddies on stage once again. Opened with Bullets, Torn, Are You Ready?, and My Own Prison and encoring with One Last Breath and My Sacrifice, it was a great night one of my favorite bands of all time.

He got political at one point, since Trump was in town as well. I knew he could not resist. But it was just the lead-in to One, a great song that I can’t help but belt out every once in a while.

Skillet with 10 years at Carowinds

August 2, 2024

Since my son and his cousins work at Carowinds, we had an opportunity to see Skillet for free. I had already seen them in December of last year but only as an opening band. This was a headliner for them and I wasn’t going to miss this. Getting in free was just icing on the cake.

10 Years opened and I bought at least one of their albums back in the day when people still bought CDs. They reminded me of a less darker version of Tool, at least in the vocals. They were pretty good but I think their sound was off because I could not hear the lead singer well. Maybe I am getting old. Their stage show was not all that great either, just kind of boring but the music was good!

Then Skillet came out! Now if you have not been to a Skillet concert, it is definitely something you should do (if you like this kind of music). John L Cooper is insane on stage. I love his showmanship and his passion. They opened with Feel Invincible, Rise, Surviving the Game, and Legendary, and of course included hits like Comatose, Monster, and Rebirthing. They encored with The Resistance. Vocally, John, his wife Korey and Jen all were amazing and on point. Their stage show has a few minor gimmicks – the rising platforms they used once and the smoke guns strapped to John – and their light/video show was awesome. So much positivity, energy and love. You can’t come out of a Skillet concern feeling nothing but happy and excited.