In late 2023, Creed surprised the world by reuniting after over a decade-long hiatus. This was a reunion that many people never saw coming. In 2024, they hit the road on their Summer of ’99 Tour across North America, bringing back the classic sound that made them legends in the music scene. The tour was so successful that they announced a second Summer of ’99 Tour for 2025. This time, they aimed to hit new venues and cities they missed last time, including a stop at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in San Diego, CA. Their Southern California stop featured hard rockers Daughtry and the legendary Wolfgang Van Halen with his band Mammoth as openers. Fans packed the outdoor venue for a night of dad rock classics.

Opening the night was the musical prodigy Wolfgang Van Halen with his band Mammoth. Wolfgang has been carrying on the legacy of his namesake with pride and determination. He’s set out to make a name for himself, refusing to play any Van Halen music and only performing songs he writes with Mammoth. This is incredibly commendable, and he doesn’t need the gimmick of playing his father and uncle’s music. Instead, Wolfgang infuses the spirit of Van Halen into his own music, creating the next evolution of the Van Halen legacy.

From catchy choruses to driving guitar lines and finger-blistering solos, Wolfgang delivers everything a rock fan could want. He’s essentially a one-man wrecking machine of a musician, who would play every instrument on stage if it were physically possible. Backing him is a stellar band featuring Frank Sidoris on guitar, Jonathan Jourdan on guitar, Ronnie Ficarro on bass, and Garrett Whitlock on drums. Together, they brought Wolfgang’s music to life with songs like “Another Celebration at the End of the World,” “The Spell,” “Epiphany,” “Take a Bow,” “Don’t Back Down,” and “The End.”

Wolfgang is set to hit the road on his own headlining tour later this year, supporting his upcoming third album, The End. If you love Van Halen or just rock music in general, Mammoth is worth the price of admission.

As the sun set behind the stage of the amphitheater, fog and lights filled the space as Daughtry took the stage. Led by vocalist Chris Daughtry, his energy was palpable, and fans screamed as the band launched into their opening song, “The Reckoning.”

One of Daughtry’s strengths is crafting big, catchy choruses that had the entire crowd singing along. Guitarist Brian Craddock wrote melodies that perfectly complemented Chris’s vocal lines, elevating them to a majestic tenor. Bassist Marty O’Brien was the biggest performer of the band, dancing and posing across the stage while plucking his instrument and playing up to every fan in the theater. Keyboardist Elvio Fernandes locked in with the melodies, adding brightness to the songs when needed. Meanwhile, newest drummer Anthony Ghazel easily found his footing, keeping the music rocking and staying in the pocket.

Daughtry had the crowd rocking out, swaying, and even shedding a few tears with songs like “The Day I Die,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” “Pieces,” “It’s Not Over,” “Waiting for Superman,” “Home,” “The Dam,” “Over You,” “Heavy Is the Crown,” and ending with “Artificial.” Daughtry has proven to be a standout support act for some of the biggest rock tours every year, but it feels like we’re overdue for a Daughtry headlining tour.

When Creed went on hiatus back in 2012, many fans weren’t sure if they’d ever get the chance to cheer for them again. Over a decade later, in San Diego, the name Creed was emblazoned on 30-foot-tall LCD screens as fans rhythmically chanted the band’s name. The anticipation was palpable as fans who had waited so long finally got to see these generational artists.

Opening their set with “Bullets,” vocalist Scott Stapp began with a somber build at the center of the stage before stepping to the foot of the stage as the chorus kicked in. Fifteen-foot pyro blasts ignited along the backline, signaling that Creed had officially returned to San Diego.

Hearing Stapp’s signature baritone voice live carries a presence that doesn’t fully come across on record. Fueled by the live crowd, Stapp is the perfect frontman, consistently playing up to the audience as a larger-than-life entity while frequently interacting with his bandmates to draw them into the show.

Guitarist Mark Tremonti has written some of the most iconic post-grunge riffs of the ’90s, and he still performs them night after night with passion and energy. His smiles and snarls on stage show just how much he enjoys performing this music again. Bassist Brian Marshall is calm and collected, delivering basslines filled with groove and feel that the crowd unknowingly locks into. Drummer Scott Phillips adds texture and nuance to his beats while staying in the pocket.

These four men have been performing together for three decades, and their tenure shows. They are locked in tight, knowing when to take the limelight and when to pull back to let others shine. Creed was in top form, performing all their classics, including “Ode,” “Torn,” “Are You Ready?,” “Never Die” (dedicated to Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down, who is currently battling stage four cancer), “My Own Prison,” “Freedom Fighter,” “Say I,” “What If,” “One,” “What’s This Life For,” “With Arms Wide Open,” “Higher,” and closing with a two-song encore of “One Last Breath” and “My Sacrifice.”

During their heyday, Creed often found themselves the butt of jokes from hard rock gatekeepers. But there’s something you can’t deny: the longevity of their music. Fans turned out in droves to sing along with the band and experience one of the best live shows touring this summer.

If Creed really were a joke, there’s no way they’d be performing to massive amphitheaters and arenas on the second leg of this comeback tour. I can guarantee that even those old gatekeepers have been in the crowd, singing with their arms wide open