What is the earliest memory most of us have when it comes to music. I would assume that it is our parents playing their favorite songs while driving us to daycare, maybe blasting the radio while cleaning the house, or watching music videos on MTV when that was still a thing. These were always special moments for me when riding with my dad in his car or playing around the house with my mom in control of the radio. It introduced me to some of my earliest favorite bands that would now be considered “Classic Rock” with the likes of AC/DC, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Steppenwolf, and many more. A few bands that always stood out above the rest were Def Leppard and Journey, as these two bands have always held a special place in mine and so many people’s hearts. So, when a triple co-headlining tour with Def Leppard, Journey, and the incredible Steve Miller Band was announced, I had to be at this show no matter where it took place. After three hours in bumper to bumper traffic, I would find myself in San Diego at Petco Park ready to experience a line up of bands from my childhood.

Kicking off this triple co-headlining extravaganza was Steve Miller Band. To be honest, I have always known the name and I was certain I knew his music, but I probably couldn’t have named more than two songs from him. Launching into his opening track “Swingtown,” it unlocked a memory of this song that I didn’t know I had. Steve Miller started singing and I, along with the rest of the stadium, created a huge sing along with him. I had no idea where these lyrics were coming from in my mind, but I knew it was music my mom would have had to have played for me growing up. He played song after song, and I found myself singing along with each and every one of them. The man is in his 80’s and still rocking and grooving with heart, soul, and passion, and the crowd was feeding it right back to him. A special moment was when he went into his song “Rock’n Me,” and within a matter of seconds into the opening riff all the moms in the crowd absolutely lost it. The crowd was filled with women up and dancing while their husbands stayed seated. Many girls’ night out groups could be found dancing with each other and being transported back to their younger days. This trend continued through all of his songs which included “Serenade,” “The Stake,” “Living in the U.S.A.,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Abracadabra,” “Jungle Love,” “Take the Money and Run,” “The Joker,” and ending with “Jet Airliner.” When Steve Miller Band finished, I cheered, but all I could really do was thank him for writing music that helped bring fun and joy to my childhood.

The second of our triple co-headliners was Journey. Considered one of the greatest karaoke bands ever. Vocalist Arnel Pineda has cemented himself as Journey’s premiere singer with his nearly two decade tenure with the band. However, he could have just stood on stage and smiled at the crowd while never singing a single note, as the entirety of Petco Park turned the place into karaoke night at our local dive bar as we were all the lead singers of Journey this night. Even with Arnel being amplified by the speakers, his voice was no match for the love and passion that all the fans were singing with. Lead guitarist Neal Schon was nothing but smiles throughout their whole performance, coming to the edge of the catwalk frequently to be closer to the screaming fans. After 50 years of playing Journey tunes, he still hits every solo and note with a love and passion that is felt and seen by the crowd. Knowing this man has written some of the best arena rock guitar anthems of the past half century, the fans were nonstop dancing in their seats to every chord played. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain, bassist Todd Jensen, and drummer Dean Castranova were all jamming at the stop of the catwalk, but their love for the music could be felt by their playing. Castranova specifically handled vocal duty on one of my personal favorites “Lights.” A song about the bay area and San Francisco specifically, but I always hold that song close to me as it takes me back to any fireworks night at the Oakland Athletics coliseum with my grandpa growing up. Journey kept this drive and passion up for songs like “Only the Young,” “Be Good to Yourself,” “Stone in Love,” “Ask the Lonely,” “Escape,” “Who’s Crying Now,” “Faithfully,” “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’,” “Open Arms,” “Line of Fire,” “Dead or Alive,” “Wheel in the Sky,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and ending with “Any Way You Want It.” This was the greatest night of live band karaoke any of us could have ever asked for.

Our final triple co-headliner was Def Leppard. When I first discovered Glam Metal, Leppard was always a standout band in the genre for me. I was even fortunate to see them a few times at Irvine Meadows where they filmed the music video for “Two Steps Behind” (though that video was filmed decades before I ever saw them live there). But it had been years since these cherished live shows, and I was ready to take in every moment I could. Opening with “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop),” vocalist Joe Elliot still sounds amazing on the mic after all these years. Bassist Rick Savage was probably the biggest showman of the band, frequently walking to the edge of the catwalk and making eye contact with every person he could. I, myself, was momentarily star struck when Rick and I got caught eyes, that I forgot I was taking photos and was transported back to being a little kid staring up at one of his musical icons. Guitarist Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell are the backbone of the band with their guitar melodies and riffs. The band always keeps the instrumental track “Switch 625” in the setlist in memory of former guitarist Steve Clark who passed away in 1991. Clark himself was responsible for so many of the iconic guitar lines that helped cement the legacy that Def Leppard has become known for. Drummer Rick Allen is buried behind his specially modified drum kit but stands up any chance he gets to greet the crowd. Even with only one arm, he is able to be the rock that keeps the band in time and the songs rhythmically flowing. Throughout the set, the band would walk up and down the catwalks playing it up to the crowd. But we got a few songs where the whole band moved to the front thrust of the catwalk to perform “Two Steps Behind,” “This Guitar,” “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak,” “Rock of Ages,” and “Photograph.” This moment turned Petco Park into a small club setting where we had a more intimate moment with the band. Def Leppard blew the invisible roof off the stadium with other classics like “Rocket,” “Foolin’” “Armageddon It,” “Animal,” “Love Bites,” “Just Like ’73,” “Billy’s Got a Gun,” “Too Late for Love,” “Die Hard the Hunter,” “Hysteria,” and ending with the crowd pleasing “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” This was easily the best show I’ve seen from the band.

From moms having a girl’s night out, to dads reliving their bar crawl days rocking out to music, to couples dancing in the crowd to their wedding music, to parents handing down this music to their kids, Petco Park was packed with fans of all ages there to enjoy some of the best rock has ever had to offer. What is the saying, “You can’t beat the classics.” Def Leppard, Journey, and Steve Miller Band put on a show that holds up a very strong argument for that statement. There aren’t many tours like this where fans of any age can show up and know every song that is played and sing along with the bands. This music is the music of mine, and so many other younger kids in the crowds, childhood. And it will always hold a special place in my heart for the memories it has given me with my family.