F 7/26/24 - Martin Klunder (no gummies) - Jiffy Lube Live - Est Att 22k - 75℉ - 81$
Music 7/10 Show 8/10 Overall Enjoyment 9/10
…Hosts the “Summer of 99 Tour”! Now originally, I had forgotten the name of the tour. Silly me. But yes, that was the name of their tour. Currently happening now in the summer of 2024. Like I said. I will do a write up for every show at Jiffy Lube Live this season, even the ones I don’t go to. There really isn’t any order in which I do these. I try to do them as quickly as possible before I forget stuff that happened along with the event. I still have a lot to do from June, but I feel like doing the Creed show right now! It’s also Sunday August 11th 05:00 am while I’m typing this. Huge time difference from Japan which is where we just were for 2 weeks. 13 hours ahead. So, my body is all mixed up since we just got back a couple hours ago. But alas…CREED!!!!!
Now honestly, I can’t say I know much about Creed. I didn’t know they were from Florida. I looked it up, based in the capital Tallahassee. Some of the members went to Florida State University together which is swag. I did, however, know that they were huge in the late 90’s. Where the turning of the tables in music was prominent. Just like the Grunge genre era that came and took over the Glam Metal scene in the early 90’s. Happened with Creed where this new movement was extremely popular at the end of the decade, taking over Grunge. Creed had two massive albums in the late 90’s when I was like 3 years old. Human Clay in the year 1999 is defiantly their most successful and popular album. So, I guess the name of the tour makes sense!
You can dig deeper if your curious about all the exact stuff, but basically “they” hadn’t played together in 10 years so when it was announced back in 2023 that "they" were going to re unite a bunch of 45 year old white people got very…very excited.
Now they originally back in late 2023 just announced a 3 month summer tour at pretty much all amphitheaters. Then in winter 2024 earlier this year they announced another leg basically starting in November at all the arenas. However the fall tour would take a different name “Are you Ready Tour”. So what I find interesting is that before they had even done their first show back together this summer, they had already dropped the dates for another big 2/3 month tour in the upcoming fall. Only what would be after taking just over a month’s rest in between. Sept 30 is the last date of the summer tour; Nov 2nd is the first date of the fall tour. So quick break for the squad! Much respect! That’s cool they are giving people more chances to see them! 2024 is big!
*Note they did first reunite and perform this winter for the Creed 2024 cruise. So I guess that was the first time. But that was slight and a one-off thing. So the Summer tour starting in July was the real deal. But disclaimer because I know Creed fans are knit picky. So I don’t want to get anything wrong. But like I said if I did say something wrong. Let me know! Expose me for the purpose of educational knowledge! 😊 But yes the very fist announcement of them playing together was back in Summer 2023 when they said they cruise was happening!
The wyld thing is, I saw their Saturday night show in Baltimore for Nov 2024. Tickets are like 45 dollars. The lawn tickets (which are almost always the cheapest) for Jiffy Lube were like 81$ dollars (both after fees, * Parks important to note). The CFG Bank Arena holds like 14 thousand. Jiffy Lube holds 25 thousand. So the prices don’t really make sense to me for this instance. How the bigger venue has more expensive tickets. Anyway, I wrote down all the prices back in May before the season started for JLL. I got the numbers directly from the Live Nation - Jiffy Lube Live website. The Creed tickets were top 3 most expensive item of the 2024 season! Not just at JLL but for every one of their shows. VB and all. So idk why it was so expensive! But 81$ for the lawn! That’s steep man. Just that show alone was 1/3 the price of my Lawnie Pass! So I'm glad I got to observe CREED!
I will say the lineup was fantastic. You know how I say, 3 bands or acts for a show is the perfect number. Well, this tour was chef’s kiss perfect in that sense. Creed obviously headlined every night. The middle acts were either 3 Doors Down or Daughty. Then the opening act rotated between Switchfoot, Tonic, Big Wreck, or Finger 11. For the Jiffy Lube show it was Finger 11 & 3 Doors Down. I woulda preferred Switchfoot #Dareyoutomove (Mr. Gavin) as the opening act. It didn’t matter anyway I guess because I only got there in time to see Creed. But anyway, you make that combination, it is a recipe for a loaded delicious evening of good music.
Now finally bringing me to the main topic! The show man! This Creed show was the last Friday in July this year. It was right in the middle of my run for another 6 for 6. When I tied my PR set just a couple months before in August 2023 hitting 6 shows in 6 consecutive days. So I was getting minded for sure. This run I coulda set a new record and hit 7 in 7. If I had started with that Foo Fighters show on that Tuesday July 23rd, but for another story.
So I was going and accomplished 6 shows in 6 consecutive days (again) ending on Monday at Nats park for the opening night of the North American leg of Green Day’s Saviors tour. This was also right before I was leaving on the trip to Japan on Tuesday morning after Green Day. So I decided as lit as the lineup is. The only goal, and probably same with everyone was to see all of Creed and that’s exactly what I did!
It was packed, let me say that. Friday afternoon = no way I’m going to get there by 6 pm anyway for the opening act. No chance. JLL had announced that they were expecting heavy numbers. So I decided to wait and arrive later after the rush. Worked out perfectly. As smooth an arrival as you’re going to get. No traffic on the road or going into the venue. So clean. Now they didn’t say it was Sold Out on the page like they did for Luke and Chris. But I mean slammed. Lot D was being used, that’s when you know it was a big crowd. I got there so late there were no parking attendants even out. I got one of the best spots you can probably get. It was in lot F. But right next to the side entrance. The closest spot to the exit. Right next to the big light. Maybe it wasn’t a spot, but nobody was there and it was an absolute bless of a place to park. Basically, I had the first, fastest, and best opportunity to get out of the lot based on my location. Worked out magically. Thank you Jiff Lube Live.
So I park and as I’m making the normal long walk between Lot F and the gate I can hear “Kryptonite” being played as 3DD is finishing up their set. It said Creed was supposed to start at 21:15. So I get to the gate right at 9 pm. It’s July so it’s just a little bit of light out at that point. Not to hot or cold. Like mid 70's at 9 pm. Excellent evening to be outside in July amen. Basically, everyone was already in. Nobody in the lots or line to enter the venue. So easy!
I end up walking along the pathway towards house right side of the venue. Remember no gummies this evening! I was abstaining! But still do the bathroom break, wash hands, refill water and then walk up the hill just at 9:15 when they were scheduled to come on. I walk up as their opening video and intro music comes across the speakers! Stage is still all black at this point! But seconds from eruption!
The lawn was absolutely packed man. It was insane. I was like dam, okay I didn’t have my chair in the hiding spot, not that I woulda mattered much anyway. It was so slammed, finding a spot for a chair woulda been tough. During their first number I walk along the top to the rock on the house left side with the cart ramp. I don’t see Joe or any Lawnies, at least that I knew. I actually only saw 3 or 4 people with Lawnie passes that night. Kinda of surprised. Still haven’t seen Wes or his wife yet. Thought they woulda been at the creed show for sure… ☹ Love you Wes and Sharon
I can barely see shi* it's so packed. I peek over the rock and see what. Just what I thought. Again, plenty of room in the 100 level. Section 101 house right. The side next to the VIP entrance. Makes no sense man. I’m not talking about a couple empty seats! I mean almost whole rows. 12 seats across, empty. In the last row of the section. Row in front of that 10 empty seats. Etc etc. Just strange for how crowded the show was, but that pocket was empty man! It was noticeable from any view. I truly don’t understand it. I saw the openings from way back on the lawn. So I quickly walk down to the 100 level section and get in. Using my upgraded 101 section e ticket that I was blessed by the venue for being a Lawnie back earlier that month from the Slightly Dirty tour two Fridays ago. I don’t even go to the lawn anymore. I just use that ticket again and again and it has worked every time. Huge hack. Bless up. #UpGradeSeason
I shoulda just went there in the first place. I really thought it woulda been full down in the seats based on how crowded of a show it was. But it wasn’t. I looked at the website day off and there were still plenty of little green circles of un boughten tickets (not even purple resale). So “as is written” as the great Moahdead Ray said. Thank you JLL <3
I pull up and kick back and relax and enjoy the show. With nobody even near me. My rule of thumb is this. If I can have a box of empty seats around me, I am in absolute heaven. That means empty seats in the row I am sitting in to my left and right. 3 empty seats in the row in front of me so I can kick my feet up. Then behind me is less important but 3 empty seats behind me so I can totally be free and not bother anybody. I was in row X which is the last row anyway. The walkway behind me separating the 100 and 200 sections. But I have nothing to complain about. My overall enjoyment was HIGHER!!!! It was a perfect scenario. No body bothered me and I just stayed there and enjoyed the rest of the show. Not getting up or leaving till the end!
Creed gets the a okay from me. They played well over the hour and half requirement. Probably just over 100 minutes. Finishing up their encore and saying thanks and goodbyes right till 11 pm when house lights came on. I have seen people throw guitar picks and drum sticks into the crowd before plenty of times. They were throwing paper airplanes at the end into the pit which I thought was funny and cool. Also surprised the pit was not SRO full opened like I thought it would be. There was a little box for that. Then in the rest of the orchestra section was seats!
First off their singer and drummer are both named Scott and have been with the band the entire time. I guess when they first started it was a 5-member band. Their rhythm guitar player and bass player were both named Brian. So that is very confusing just to start out. But I guess they went down to a four-piece band shortly after they formed. Because all the pictures showed Creed as a 4-member band. But during the show they had a 5th person. But from what Wikipedia says they’re current touring musician Eric plays rhythm guitar with them, not Brian. But imagine two double sets of names. 3 names 5 people haha. That would get my head mixed up as management.
Tie for my favorite part of the show. Scott (singer) brought his son with him on stage for a little bit. Gotta love the kids. Children are the tomorrow people! Let’s give them the best so we can all be the best in the future! Also they gave out a guitar to a fan who according to them “was acting the most wyld” haha. It ended up being some lady in the front in a yellow shirt. So that’s lit she won. However, they did recognize all the shirtless guys going nuts in the pit. Haha wish they coulda split a guitar or something, those dudes were hype.
Now the music I didn’t know to much of. But it was good. Not too muffled or loud. I thought the mix was solid. I just didn’t know many of the songs, which really isn’t important to enjoy a show. But the energy from the crowd was just massive all night long. I was sober as I said previously, but for songs like “Higher” people just went bonkers man! I think Arms Wide Open was my favorite song of the evening.
I am also starting to really try and check out for every show the merch each group has. I usually don’t get anything anyway but just stopping by to see what the bands have in the merch tents as options and prices makes me wonder. I gotta say the Stapp football jersey might have been one of the best merchandise items I have seen. I couldn’t tell ya the price exactly but I know it was a lot of $$$$$☹.
But Scott Stapp the singer wore this jersey in the famous video from I think early 2000s. I believe it was the Dallas Cowboys football game on Thanksgiving Day 2002. Where Creed are playing “Higher” during the halftime performance. Stapp has the blue and white (unofficial) cowboys’ jersey on. So the replica in the merch tent was so lit. I saw a few people wearing those during the show. I also loved it when Creed asked the crowd, to raise their hands if this was their first Creed show. Probably 90% of people raised their hands, including me! 99% white, 75% male as the demographic of the audience that evening.
But the show ends and people start to clear out. I go up to the hill and take a chair from the lawn. There are so many cops and staff over near the big chair rental shack on the house right side. So I go to the smaller one of the house left side. I slide it under sneakily for later! I find over at the big rental chair shack on the other side a really nice Tommy Bahma chair. I hate to take someone’s stuff. But I’m one of the last people on the lawn. Some people come by me as I’m carrying the chair and are like “good show “ blah blah… I was like yea, Creed was good!
Idk why I asked one of the people from the groupe if this was his chair because it clearly wasn’t. But he was drunk and was like ooo yea that’s my chair when I asked him and showed him what I had under my other arm. Like it clearly wasn’t his chair, and it also wasn’t mine. It was a very nice expensive chair. But didn’t care. So he took it and I say “enjoy” and then went down the stairs along the back of the hill to the front gate. Now there are still people along the concourse just not in the seats or lawn. So I wasn’t at the very end of the crowd leaving but certainly wasn’t the first to exit. Its like 11:15 at this point as I’m leaving. But finally…
I ask the guest services booth what the attendance of the evening was.!?! They seem annoyed at me this time. Usually, they will tell me. They said something like we don’t know or sir we can’t give you the information. It was strange. Usually they are cool and say, ooooo like 12 thousand. They didn’t give me an answer!! I told them, I had heard it was 22 thousand for this evening, and they said yes and shook their head in agreement. Just strange why there were being so slight.
Now we all know I can get minded when it comes to SOLD OUT! I like to bluff and fluff that saying up, yes I’m aware. Now I try to be accurate and honest with numbers. I know more about capacities associated with theaters, arenas, amphitheaters, ballparks, stadiums then probably 99% of most people. I’m a werido I know. But I love this shi*. But don’t dam me and say it’s a Sold Out show when it says capacity on your venue is 25k. 10k in the seats under the pavilion 15k in the lawn! The band says to the crowd during the show they heard its 22k in the crowd. There are also plenty of not sold seats. Giving me the opportunity to sit extremely close again with nobody next to me! It was packed, very crowded for sure, no doubt g. Even with variations of the pit and SRO can alter the numbers and possibilities. But it better be withtin a thousand or less for me to give you the check off on that information. If it’s 24 k I will round up etc and give you the respect. Chris & Luke were sold out. I couldn’t sit where I did for Creed. But 22/25 thousand is NOT Sold Out! #SorryNotSorry #JohnOhFacts
I get back to Lot F just around 11:30. The place is a sea of red lights. Lot is a madhouse as expected. I shot off a 200 gram six shot repeater Proud Patriot. Which I purchased from Keystone Fireworks in PA for 10$ the day before on the way home from Hersheypark Stadium show with Parky. Literally an insane sale for that kinda quality firework. Creed fans eat that shi* up. People are honking and yelling as I the shots go off! As the great Moeiwi (aka the Rock) from the movie Moana said “Your Welcome”. I pour a little bit of water on the firework after it’s over. Boy Scout fireman’s safety code! Tip it over into dirt so its safe. Turn on the car Goo Goo Dolls are playing. Put all the windows down and crank the radio up. Again, I’m in a fantastic position to exit. Line is already backed up but I slide right into place. Maybe 5 mintues of delay, on that last street to Wellington round but i can’t complain and I’m on my way home. Smooth ride home. Thanks Creed 😊 xoxo Love Martin
Comments