Day two of Summer of ’99 and Beyond carried the nostalgia forward, shifting toward alternative and hard rock before Creed closed the weekend.
Photos By: Lori Hynes
Written By: Kerri Nelson and Lori Hynes
After a night of nu-metal chaos led by Limp Bizkit, fans once again began filling Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre for another day of nostalgia, this time leaning more heavily into the alternative, hard rock and grunge movements of the ’90s. Those sounds became another cornerstone of the decade, shaping the rock music scene that continues to influence artists today. Newer acts such as Mammoth, Sleep Theory and Ashes of Billy joined the bands of the ’90s across both stages, carrying those influences forward while adding their own sound to the festival.
With perfect skies and no weather delay on the second day, concert goers arrived early and eager to get the day started. The festival kicked day two off with Ashes of Billy, a Danish rock band who performed their first ever United States concert at the Summer of ’99 and Beyond Festival.
If the alternative rock and Seattle grunge scene is the era of the ’90s you reminisce about most, then Ashes of Billy is one band to check out. Close your eyes and hit play on your streaming device, and you may feel as though you have fallen back into the era of Silverchair. The heavy, crunchy power chords and thick distortion create an interwoven blend of Frogstomp and Freak Show. But make no mistake: this trio is not just another teenage band riding the waves of those who came before them. Ashes of Billy takes those familiar influences and transforms them into something that feels fresh, authentic and entirely their own.
The band kicked off their seven-song set with “Burned Out,” released as a single in 2024. The fast-paced drums, distorted power riffs and alternative-grunge vocals provided the gas and the match needed to ignite a crowd ready to throw down like it was 1995. It was refreshing to hear the rawness of the vocals and the deep, tube-amp-style guitar tones without everything being buried beneath layers of backing tracks. This was the gritty, unpolished sound so many of us loved from that era.
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Ashes of Billy delivered an outstanding performance. This may have been their first concert in the United States, but it surely will not be their last. Their set left a lasting impression on the crowd, with many fans taking to social media to ask the band to return soon. We are looking forward to seeing what is in store for this young trio. The future is bright for Ashes of Billy.
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Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist-Ashes Of Billy-07/19/2026
1. Burned out
2. Obscene
3. Dont let go
4. Sikker
5. Never gonna get me
6. Something about your smile
7. Feel you around
Next up on the second stage was ’90s pop-rock band The Verve Pipe. Before the set began, lead singer and co-founder Brian Vander Ark enthusiastically addressed the crowd and asked, “Who’s ready for some medium-tempo music played at a reasonable volume?” Fans immediately embraced the joke, responding with a resounding cheer.
The Verve Pipe has remained a steady presence in the music scene since the massive success of their 1996 album, Villains. While the band has taken a few different creative paths over the years—including releasing music geared toward children during the 2010s—they have continued writing, recording and evolving. Their newest album, Reconciled, brings listeners back to the alternative pop-rock sound that made the Villains era so memorable.
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The Verve Pipe has had an incredible year, touring with the legendary Our Lady Peace earlier this year before joining Creed aboard the Summer of ’99 and Beyond Cruise. The band continues touring through late September with some independent dates as well as hitting the a bunch of shows with Our Lady Peace. They will join felling Summer of 99 band Candlebox for select dates in late fall.
One moment that stood out came when The Verve Pipe honored the alternative and grunge music that defined the decade with a cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” The band also leaned heavily into the songs that shaped their own success in the ’90s, including “Photograph,” “Villains” and, of course, their massive hit “The Freshmen.” Those songs had the crowd singing along to tracks that once played endlessly on the radio and remain forever tied to the soundtrack of our memories.
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PHOTOS BY LORI HYNES
Boston’s own Big Wreck was up next on the second stage. The band hit the scene in the late ’90s with their 1997 debut album, In Loving Memory Of…, which featured “The Oaf (My Luck Is Wasted),” “That Song,” and “Blown Wide Open.” They fit perfectly into the “and Beyond” theme that Sunday really leaned into. Big Wreck has that late-’90s rock foundation, but there has always been something a little different about them, especially when you start digging into the musicianship and the way they bring those songs to life onstage.
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The band took a bit of a break from 2002 until 2010, but that time apart would ultimately lead to a huge second chapter for Big Wreck. When they came back together, they created “Albatross,” the title track from their 2012 comeback album and the band’s first-ever No. 1 radio single.
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Big Wreck drew a massive crowd at Summer of ’99 and Beyond, including a few familiar faces watching from the side of the stage, Valerie Bertinelli and Wolfgang Van Halen. Their big, bold guitars and massive vocals were a perfect lead into the rest of the day, setting the tone for bands like Mammoth and Creed while still showcasing a style that is completely their own.
It’s no wonder Big Wreck has become a familiar name throughout Creed’s Summer of ’99 events. On land and at sea, the band has consistently found its way onto lineups celebrating that era of rock while proving they are still very much part of where the genre is heading. Big Wreck will head back out on the road this November with another rock-and-roll giant, Alter Bridge, while continuing to promote their newest album, The Rest of the Story, released in October 2025.
PHOTOS BY LORI HYNES
The last band to take over the second stage was fast-rising rock band Sleep Theory. These guys are very much part of that newer generation taking the influence of the ’90s and early 2000s and turning it into something completely their own.
Sleep Theory did an outstanding job of keeping the crowd involved from the second they hit the stage. They had the mosh pit moving from the very first song “Fallout” and later had the entire crowd waving back and forth during “Stuck In My Head.” There was no shortage of energy coming from either side of the barricade.
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The metalcore-meets-R&B band arrived on the scene out of Memphis, Tennessee, originally beginning as the vision of U.S. Army veteran and vocalist Cullen Moore before evolving into the full band fans know today. The rise was swift. At the beginning of 2023, Sleep Theory was still relatively unknown, but when the band posted a 17-second preview of “Another Way” to TikTok, it exploded, gaining half a million views in just 36 hours. Not long after, their debut EP, Paper Hearts, was released, gaining the band an even larger following and catching the attention of artists including Jelly Roll and David Draiman of Disturbed. That momentum eventually put them on the road with bands including Shinedown, Beartooth, and Falling in Reverse, just to name a few.
They really don’t fit into a neatly wrapped box, either. It would be easy to hear pieces of Sleep Theory and make comparisons to bands like Bad Omens or Sleep Token because all three have helped push heavy music beyond the traditional boundaries of metalcore. But Sleep Theory brings something different to the table. There is a strong R&B foundation underneath Cullen Moore’s vocals, mixed with massive pop hooks, electronic elements, hip-hop-inspired rhythms, heavy guitars, breakdowns, and screams. Moore grew up surrounded by singers and has talked about influences ranging from Linkin Park, Disturbed, and Saosin to Michael Jackson and the R&B music he heard throughout his childhood. The result is a band that can move from something smooth and melodic into something brutally heavy without either side feeling forced.
That range became even more evident with their 2025 debut album, Afterglow. Rather than finding one sound that worked and repeating it, Sleep Theory continued pushing in different directions, blending metalcore with R&B, pop, electronic music, and even touches of hip-hop. It is part of what has allowed them to reach well beyond a traditional metalcore audience. You don’t necessarily have to be a metal fan to find something in Sleep Theory that hooks you, but when they decide to get heavy, they absolutely have the ability to deliver it.
VIDEO FROM SLEEP THEORY
They closed out their set with “Static” from 2025’s Afterglow, currently one of the biggest songs in their catalog. Lead singer Cullen Moore switched things up live, adding an Auto-Tune effect to portions of the song despite having absolutely incredible vocals on his own. Moore made it clear to the crowd that it was simply an artistic choice, and it ended up being a fun twist on a song fans already knew and loved.
There are plenty of opportunities to check out Sleep Theory as they continue one of the busiest stretches of touring in their young career. The band will be part of Vans Warped Tour Montréal August 21–22, along with appearances at major U.S. festivals including Louder Than Life, Aftershock, and Sick New World this fall.
From there, Sleep Theory will head overseas in November as support for Papa Roach’s Rise of the Roach Tour, sharing arena stages throughout the UK and Europe with Papa Roach and LANDMVRKS. The touring doesn’t stop there, either. In February 2027, Sleep Theory will make its way to Australia for its first-ever Australian headline tour, bringing RIVALS along as special guests for dates across the country.
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Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist-Sleep Theory-07/19/2026
1. Fallout
2. Just a Mistake
3. Gravity
4. Stuck in My Head
5. Numb
6. Words Are Worthless
7.Static
PHOTOS FROM LORI HYNES
Hoobastank kicked things off on the main stage for the night, leaning right into the nostalgia that Summer of ’99 and Beyond was built around. Lead singer Doug Robb asked the crowd if these were the songs that brought them back to high school and those years when this kind of music seemed to be everywhere.
Hoobastank arrived on the music scene in 2001 with their self titled debut album though the band formed in the mid 90s. The debut album featured to massive singles that brought them onto radios and music stations with “Crawling in the Dark” and “Running Away”
It would be the 2003 release of The Reason and, more specifically, the album’s title track that would take Hoobastank from a band known largely within the rock and alternative world to one known around the globe. “The Reason” exploded far beyond rock radio, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending an incredible 38 weeks on the chart. At its peak, the only song standing between Hoobastank and the No. 1 spot was Usher’s “Burn.” It was a level of mainstream success that completely changed the trajectory of the band and turned “The Reason” into one of the defining rock songs of the early 2000s.
Robb also shared the story of the moment he realized Hoobastank had really “made it.” He was shopping in a grocery store when one of the band’s songs came over the speakers. That song was “The Reason.” The crowd immediately knew exactly where the story was going, erupting in cheers as Robb used the memory as the perfect segue into one of the biggest songs of the band’s career.
VIDEO FROM THE PIT & THE PLAYLIST
Hoobastank isn’t only looking backward, either. In June, the band released, days before the festival, “How Do You Sleep?,” their first new original music in eight years. The single brought them back together with producer Howard Benson, who also worked with the band on The Reason and For(N)ever, while showing a faster, more aggressive side of Hoobastank than casual fans may expect. More than two decades after their biggest mainstream success, the band is still creating, still evolving, and proving there is more to their story than simply revisiting the songs that first made them a household name.
There are plenty of chances to catch Hoobastank live over the next few months, with the band continuing a busy touring schedule through the fall. They will join Staind, Seether, and Hinder for dates on Staind’s Break the Cycle 25th Anniversary Tour, along with additional festival and headlining appearances throughout the U.S. Their currently announced schedule stretches into November 2026, giving fans plenty of opportunities to hear both the songs that helped define the early 2000s and the new music the band is creating today.
Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist-Hoobastank-07/19/2026
1. Same Direction
2. Remember Me
3. Running Away
4. How Do You Sleep
5. Out of Control
6. The Reason
7. Crawling in the Dark
PHOTOS BY LORI HYNES
Candlebox was next to take the main stage. The band truly embodies the grunge-rock era of the ’90s, with songs like “Far Behind” and “You” dominating rock radio throughout the decade. Often lumped into the Seattle grunge and post-grunge scene because they arrived in the early 90s as that explosion was reaching its peak, Candlebox never completely fit into what people typically think of as the “Seattle sound.”
Their music carried a more polished, bluesy, good old-fashioned rock-and-roll edge that helped set them apart from the raw punk influence of Nirvana or the heavier, metal-driven sound of Alice in Chains and Soundgarden. They may have been grouped alongside those iconic Seattle bands, but Candlebox was always carving out a path and sound of their own.
The band arrived on the main stage and went straight into “Arrow” from their 1995 sophomore album, Lucy, immediately bringing that unmistakable ’90s Candlebox sound to the festival before throwing it back to their 1993 self-titled debut with “Change,” “Cover Me,” “Far Behind,” and “You.”
Sadly, the band didn’t make it through their entire set as they battled audio issues that ultimately forced them to cut things short. That meant the crowd probably missed out on some of the newer material Candlebox has consistently produced throughout the second half of their career. These guys are far more than a band frozen in the ’90s Seattle scene. Since reuniting, they have released five additional studio albums, including Into the Sun, Love Stories & Other Musings, Disappearing in Airports, Wolves, and 2023’s The Long Goodbye, continuing to grow and evolve as musicians along the way.
Even though there was audio issues and a short set, Candlebox still got in the iconic “Far Behind” and “You” which was a full on sing along with the band in the crowd. Kevin Martin spent the solo in “Far Behind’” singing drum sticks and throwing them out into the crowd. While during “You” he was down in the crowd shaking hands and letting the crowd sing the iconic lines:
“…Come around town, steal another dime, don’t you push your drugs in my faceYes, I feel it, feeling fineDon’t you push your drugs in my face or I’m gonna put you in your placeF*ck you, I don’t want it no more…”
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Candlebox is currently working on their next album and remains very much active on the road. The band kicks off the Can’t Quit You Tour in mid-September, with the run continuing through the end of October. That includes a stop at Citizens House of Blues in Boston on October 28 with another iconic ’90s band, Sponge, providing support. The Verve Pipe will also join Candlebox for select dates along the tour.
We will definitely be at the Boston show to finally catch a full Candlebox headlining set. The energy these guys bring is high, and they still sound incredible. It may have been more than 30 years since Candlebox first came onto the scene, but if their current chapter is any indication, they are nowhere near slowing down, or saying goodbye anytime soon.
Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist- Candlebox -07/19/2026
1.Arrow
2.Change
3. Cover Me
4. Far Behind
5. You
PHOTOS FROM LORI HYNES
Mammoth was next to take on the main stage. These guys always show up and deliver a big, full rock-and-roll show. It is a musical masterpiece to watch them play together, with each member making what they do look almost effortless. If you are looking for a show packed with solos, crunchy riffs, and musicians who are simply fun to watch play, Mammoth is the band to catch.
The band took the stage to AC/DC’s “Night Prowler” before launching into “The End,” the title track from their newest album. It is one of those songs that you really have to see live to fully understand just how talented Wolfgang Van Halen is, not only as Mammoth’s lead singer and guitarist, but as a musician across the board. While Van Halen surrounds himself with an incredibly talented touring band onstage, Mammoth begins with him in the studio. He writes the material and tracks the vocals, guitars, bass, drums, and everything else himself before bringing those songs to life with the full band on the road.
VIDEO FROM MAMMOTH
We all know Mammoth was not around in the ’90s or early 2000s. In fact, when Creed really started making waves with My Own Prison in 1997, Wolf Van Halen was only six years old. And while we are well aware that he is insanely talented—and there is a solid chance he was already knocking out a few solos—we’re pretty sure Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen were not sending their tiny kid out on tour just yet.
Wolf even acknowledged that Mammoth was very much part of the “and Beyond” portion of the festival. But Mammoth is also the perfect example of what that “beyond” can mean: taking elements of the rock sound that dominated the ’90s, carrying them forward, and adapting them into something current and fresh while still delivering the kind of big guitars, heavy riffs, and musicianship that fans of that era love.
The band played an excellent mix of their popular tracks from Mammoth and Mammoth II, while also mixing in newer songs from their latest album, The End. One of the standout moments came when they brought their newest rendition of “Stone,” from 2021’s Mammoth, to life. Van Halen explained that he was inspired to rework the song after attending a Nine Inch Nails show, and what came from that inspiration completely transforms the song live.
The piano intro slowly builds in intensity before exploding into the full weight of the band. It takes the original version of “Stone” and amplifies everything that already made it such a great song. Hearing it is one thing, but watching Van Halen move from the piano into the massive sound of the full band is something you really have to experience live.
Mammoth will be showing overseas fans plenty of attention for the remainder of 2026. At the end of October, they will head to Santiago, Chile, for two shows supporting the legendary Iron Maiden on October 31 and November 1 before heading into a lengthy European run. Mammoth will headline dates throughout November and December on The End Tour: Finally, Coming to a Town Near You, with Florence Black joining them as special guests on many of the European dates. They will also spend four nights supporting another legendary rock band, Deep Purple, across the UK.
While U.S. fans may have to wait a little longer to catch the guys again, Mammoth is well worth the wait—and with the way this band continues to grow, we have a feeling they’ll be coming to a town near you again soon.
Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist-Mammoth-07/19/2026
1. Night Prowler
2. The End
3. Another Celebration at the End of the World
4. The Spell
5. Epiphany
6. Same Old Song
7. Stone
8. Don’t Back Down
9. I Really Wanna
PHOTOS BY LORI HYNES
As the night progressed, BUSH was next to take the stage. BUSH is a core band of the ’90s, with their 1994 debut album, Sixteen Stone, and 1996 sophomore album, Razorblade Suitcase, helping launch the band into worldwide success. They quickly found themselves touring around the world, selling out arenas, and becoming one of the defining alternative rock bands of the decade. The band kicked off with “Machinehead” off of Sixteen Stone, reminding fans why they were one of the more influential bands of the 90s.
VIDEO FROM BUSH
The band ran into a rocky patch in the early 2000s following the release of 2001’s Golden State, which would become the final album featuring the original lineup that had exploded onto the ’90s alternative and grunge scene. BUSH disbanded shortly after and remained apart for nearly a decade. During that time, Gavin Rossdale formed a new band, Institute, which featured Chris Traynor on guitar. Traynor would later become part of BUSH’s reunited lineup when the band returned with The Sea of Memories in 2011. Rossdale also stepped out on his own during the hiatus, releasing his solo album, Wanderlust, in 2008.
The Sea of Memories would kick off the band’s second wind, reestablishing BUSH as a powerhouse and beginning another chapter that has seen them continue producing hit after hit while putting on the kind of live show fans have grown to love. Their shows are immersive experiences, with Rossdale always going the extra mile to connect with fans. He often ventures out into the crowd, and not just across the floor—we are talking all the way into the rafters. It’s that kind of connection and unpredictability that continues to set BUSH apart from so many other bands.
Summer of ’99 fans got to have that exact experience when the band launched into “Flowers on a Grave” from their 2020 album, The Kingdom. From the front of the crowd all the way out to the lawn, Rossdale made his way through the audience, connecting with fans who had no idea when they arrived that night that they would have the chance to get that close to BUSH’s frontman.
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They played a nice blend of older and newer material throughout the night. Their newest album, I Beat Loneliness, showcases elements of BUSH that fans have known for decades, infused with the sound of a band that has continued to grow and evolve throughout more than 30 years in the industry. The album, their tenth studio release, still holds onto those grunge-driven roots while pushing their sound forward. Earlier this year, they wrapped up The Land of Milk and Honey Tour, a 20-date headlining run that brought longtime veteran fans and a new generation of BUSH fans together, proving that more than three decades later, the band is still finding ways to connect with both.
There were also moments outside of Gavin dashing into the crowd that we would be remiss not to talk about. “Swallowed” was a beautiful moment, with just Rossdale onstage to begin a stripped-down version of the song. Originally released on 1996’s Razorblade Suitcase, BUSH revisited the track earlier in 2026 with “Swallowed (30 Suns of Sound),” a reimagined version celebrating the song’s 30th anniversary. The rest of the band came in for the final chorus, bringing the song to a powerful finish. It was a great way to slow the set down while also creating a bridge between the older songs fans have known for decades and the portion of the set that would showcase more of BUSH’s newer material.
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The set came to a close with “Glycerine” and “Comedown” from 1994’s Sixteen Stone. Both songs would reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative chart, with “Glycerine” becoming one of the most recognizable songs in BUSH’s entire catalog.
As “Glycerine” filled the venue, the crowd held their phones in the air with flashlights glowing as they belted out the lyrics alongside Rossdale. There is something that catches your breath when you hear thousands and thousands of people take hold of lyrics written more than 30 years ago and sing them back together. It was one of those moments that shows exactly why these songs—and BUSH—have continued to connect with generations of fans.
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BUSH will head overseas for much of September and October before returning stateside for Shinedown’s Lunatic Ball Beach Weekend, happening October 23–25 in Miramar Beach, Florida. BUSH will take the stage on Saturday, October 24, joining a lineup that brings together another mix of veteran rock bands and newer generations of artists.
Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist-BUSH-07/19/2026
1. Machinehead
2. The Land of Milk and Honey
3. Everything Zen
4. Human Sand
5. Swallowed
6. More Than Machines
7. Flowers on a Grave
8. I Beat Loneliness
9. Glycerine
10. Comedown
PHOTOS BY LORI HYNES
As the last of the daylight faded, Creed took the stage, igniting it with lights and pyro and closing out a weekend built around the music that helped define the ’90s and early 2000s.
When anyone thinks back to rock music from that era, Creed is one of those bands that immediately comes to mind. Their debut album, 1997’s My Own Prison, was a massive success, eventually reaching six-times platinum. All four singles from the album, “My Own Prison,” “Torn,” “What’s This Life For,” and “One”, reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
VIDEO FROM CREED
There was a time when it felt nearly impossible to turn on rock radio, VH1, or MTV without hearing or seeing Creed at some point. From the very beginning, they were everywhere, and that debut album was only the start of what would become one of the biggest rock careers of the era. The beauty of it all is that almost 30 years later, you still can’t go very long without hearing Creed being played. It is a testament to the staying power of their music and the messages behind it.
Like many of the bands on this lineup, Creed also experienced breakups, extended breaks, new bands, and solo projects before officially coming back together in 2023. No matter where the journey took each of the members individually, somehow it all led them back to this moment, headlining festivals together again with fans who could not be happier to have them back.
For Creed, stepping away gave each member the chance to explore, refine, and grow as an individual artist before finding their way back to one another. That growth is evident in the version of Creed standing on stage today, a band that feels stronger than ever and is putting on one of the best rock shows of this era.
Right out of the gate, Creed came out strong, diving into “Bullets” from 2001’s Weathered. The song is the perfect way to build anticipation, beginning with Scott Stapp speaking before his voice slowly builds alongside the guitars and bass, getting heavier and more intense until everything finally explodes. Match that with a massive pyro show erupting across the stage, and fans are instantly getting the dopamine fix of a lifetime.
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Throughout the show, Scott Stapp shared intimate stories about his life and his faith over the years. He spoke openly about the struggles he has had with his faith, including times when he felt he wasn’t living a Christ-like enough life to spread the word of Jesus. As time has gone on, though, he said that growth in both life and faith has taught him to worry less about trying to be perfect and instead focus on becoming the best version of himself he can be.
The setlist was a perfect blend of My Own Prison, Human Clay, and Weathered, with one song coming from Full Circle, released in 2009 when Creed reunited and released their first album in eight years. The album featured a heavier version of Creed. Foundationally, it was still unmistakably them, but the music gravitated more toward hard rock than their previous albums. No doubt some of that came from the natural growth of the band, but also from the experience each member gained while working on solo records and with other artists and bands during their time apart. Those years expanded them not only musically, but also in what each member could bring back to Creed from a performance standpoint.
The band spent the next few years touring before quietly becoming inactive again in 2012, allowing the members to return their focus to the other bands, albums, and projects they had created over the previous decade. Some incredible music came out of those years, and much of it remains a major part of the rock scene today.
Mark Tremonti (guitar), Brian Marshall (bass), and Scott Phillips (drums) would all become part of Alter Bridge, formed in 2004 after Creed’s original breakup, with vocalist and guitarist Myles Kennedy completing the lineup. Alter Bridge has become wildly successful in its own right and, even with Creed’s intense touring schedule, continues to make its own music and tour today. In June, the band even held its inaugural Blackbird Festival at Cardiff Castle in Wales, bringing Alter Bridge together with Skindred, Florence Black, Cardinal Black, and Mammoth for the first edition of the festival.
Beyond Alter Bridge, Mark Tremonti launched Tremonti, putting himself behind the microphone on lead vocals and allowing him to explore an even heavier side of his music. He has also gone completely outside the rock and metal world with Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra, a project that has allowed fans to see an entirely different side of him as a vocalist. The Sinatra project continues as well, with another string of performances scheduled for this December.
Scott Phillips has also stepped outside Creed and Alter Bridge with Projected, joining Sevendust’s John Connolly and Vinnie Hornsby along with Tremonti guitarist Eric Friedman. The band has released three albums, with its most recent, Hypoxia, arriving in 2022.
Scott Stapp took his own path, launching his solo career with The Great Divide in 2005 and continuing to consistently release music outside of Creed. His most recent solo album, Higher Power, was released in 2024. Stapp also spent time fronting the supergroup Art of Anarchy, appearing on the band’s 2017 album The Madness, before that chapter eventually came to an end with Stapp leaving.
What makes all of those projects important to Creed’s story is that none of the members stopped evolving when Creed stopped. They spent those years developing as musicians, performers, songwriters, and frontmen in their own right, bringing all of that experience with them when Creed ultimately found its way back together again.
During “What’s This Life For” and “Are You Ready?,” the band took moments to speak about how much they respect and love one another. You can see that love when you watch them live, and the Summer of ’99 Festival was filled with those moments. It was in the general energy on stage, the smiles between band members, and the way they seemed to genuinely take in what they were experiencing together. None of it felt forced. There was a real sense of gratitude for being back on that stage together.
A perfect example came later in the night with “With Arms Wide Open” from 1999’s Human Clay. Thousands of cellphone flashlights filled the amphitheatre while thousands of voices sang along with the band, creating one of those moments where the connection between Creed and their fans felt just as powerful as the connection happening between the members on stage.
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“Higher” from 1999’s Human Clay came next before the band reached their encore, ending the night with two of the most successful songs from Weathered, “One Last Breath” and “My Sacrifice.” Both songs reached entirely new levels of energy as the band and fans fed off one another. Every single fan in that amphitheatre knew every single word.
And that really is the story of Creed. We can sit here and write over and over again that it was one massive, epic, spiritual rock-show singalong, but there was something deeper happening throughout the night. From the newest generation of fans to the OGs who have been there from the beginning, people felt the music just as deeply as Creed did. For some, it meant reliving core memories from days gone by. For others, it meant reopening hardened wounds just enough to finally allow them to heal.
Creed doesn’t just sing about spirituality, struggle, redemption, and finding your way through life—they embody it on stage. It is difficult to fully explain what that feels like from the outside. It is something you need to experience for yourself.
There are still a few opportunities to catch Creed over the next several months and into next year. The band will play the 93X Half-Assed Morning Show Summer Bash with Candlebox, P.O.D., and Tim Montana on September 5 at Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee, Minnesota, before heading to Dyersville, Iowa, on September 6 to headline the final night of Velocity Music Festival.
Past those two dates, Creed does not have another extensive touring run announced just yet. Mark Tremonti will also be shifting his focus back to Alter Bridge, which has touring dates scheduled throughout the fall and into December.
For those out west you will get a small Christmas surprise, Creedmas returns for 3 dates out in Las Vegas on December 11th and 12th in Las Vegas, Nevada at Fontainebleau Las Vegas and on December 14th they are at Yaamava’ Theater in Highland, CA. Tim Montana will be joining them for support on that run. Presale begins on Wednesday, August 12th at 10 AM PDT. General Public sale starts on Friday, August 14th at 10AM PDT.
That said, there is one massive festival happening on a ship next spring that you may already be familiar with. The Summer of ’99 and Beyond Cruise will set sail once again April 17–21, 2027, aboard the Norwegian Joy, with Creed joined by Breaking Benjamin, Sevendust, Zach Myers of Shinedown, Hoobastank, Our Lady Peace, Hinder, Fuel, Drowning Pool, Fastball, Sponge, The Flys, Ashes of Billy, and more still to be announced. It is going to be epic, And this time, The Setlist will be on the ship, taking in all of those Summer of ’99 and Beyond moments firsthand.
Staterooms are currently sold out, but all hope is not lost if you are still hoping to sail. The cruise has an active First Available program, with fans encouraged to check back on Fridays for any staterooms that become available. You can check that out here.
There is also more Summer of ’99 and Beyond Festival to look forward to for anyone who missed the boat—or simply has no interest in spending four days surrounded by water. Dates for the next festival have not been announced just yet, but the official festival site currently leaves fans with a pretty promising message: “Thank you all! See you next year!”
So keep yourself locked into the Summer of ’99 and Beyond Festival site for those announcements. If the past three years have shown us anything, this celebration of the music that defined an entire generation isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Summer of 99′ and Beyond Festival Setlist-CREED-07/19/2026
1. Bullets
2. Freedom Fighter
3. My Own Prison
4. Say I
5. On My Sleeve
6. Torn
7. What If
8. One
9. What’s This Life For
10. Are You Ready?
11. With Arms Wide Open
12. Higher
ENCORE
12. One Last Breath
13. My Sacrifice
PHOTOS BY LORI HYNES
CREED
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
BUSH
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
MAMMOTH
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
CANDLEBOX
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
HOOBASTANK
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
SLEEP THEORY
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
BIG WRECK
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
THE VERVE PIPE
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Youtube | Spotify
ASHES OF BILLY
Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Youtube | Spotify
SUMMER OF ’99 AND BEYOND FESTIVAL
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