
Creed extend their sold-out Summer of ā99 Tour with 23 additional dates.
Produced by Live Nation, the dates begin July 9 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY and wrap August 20 at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB with support from 3 Doors Down, Daughtry, Mammoth WVH and Big Wreck. *Check individual dates for lineup in each market.
When it kicked off in 2024, The Summer of ā99 Tour quickly became āone of the most anticipated tours of the summerā (USA Today) and āone of the hottest rock tickets of the yearā (Billboard) for a return that āmay be something this industry has never seenā (Pollstar). To date, CREEDās Scott Stapp, Mark Tremonti, Brian Marshall, and Scott Phillips have performed over 60 sold-out concerts throughout North America, selling over 800,000 tickets and breaking venue records in multiple markets.
āThirty years in, itās been a blessing to pick up right where we left off with longtime fans and to meet the next generation for the first time. Itās been an incredible ride, and we arenāt done, so hereās to a āSummerā that never ends. Weāll see you on the road,ā states Scott Stapp.
Creed will close out 2024 with shows in Las Vegas, NV (Dec. 30 & Dec. 31) and their newly announced dates in 2025 will follow their already sold-out Summer of ā99 and Beyond cruise sailing April 9ā April 13 from Miami to Nassau with Sevendust, Hoobastank, Lit, Hinder, Fuel and more. Also in April, the band - whose audience has included fans of mainstream, rock, and country for over 25 years - will perform at Stagecoach.
For more information on all Creed tour dates as well as the opportunity to purchase entry into Mark Tremontiās guitar clinic can be found at https://creed.com.
Tour Dates
CREED: SUMMER OF ā99 TOUR 2025 DATES:
3DD ā 3 Doors Down / D ā Daughtry / BW ā Big Wreck / MWVH ā Mammoth WVH
Wed Jul 09 | Lexington, KY | Rupp Arena ā 3DD/MWVH
Fri Jul 11 | Syracuse, NY | Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview ā 3DD/MWVH
Sat Jul 12 | Camden, NJ | Freedom Mortgage Pavilion ā 3DD
Tue Jul 15 | Wantagh, NY | Northwell at Jones Beach Theater ā D/MWVH
Wed Jul 16 | Scranton, PA | The Pavilion at Montage Mountain ā D/MWVH
Sun Jul 20 | Columbus, OH | Schottenstein Center ā 3DD/MWVH
Tue Jul 22 | Hartford, CT | Xfinity Theatre ā 3DD/MWVH
Thu Jul 24 | Charleston, SC | Credit One Stadium ā 3DD/MWVH
Sat Jul 26 | New Orleans, LA | Smoothie King Center ā 3DD/MWVH
Sun Jul 27 | Memphis, TN | FedExForum ā 3DD/MWVH
Tue Jul 29 | Wichita, KS | INTRUST Bank Arena ā D/MWVH
Fri Aug 01 | Lincoln, NE | Pinnacle Bank Arena ā D/MWVH
Sat Aug 02 | Ridgedale, MO | Thunder Ridge Nature Arena ā D/MWVH
Mon Aug 04 | Albuquerque, NM | Isleta Amphitheater ā D/MWVH
Wed Aug 06 | Chula Vista, CA | North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre ā D/MWVH
Thu Aug 07 | Palm Desert, CA | Acrisure Arena at Greater Palm Springs ā 3DD/MWVH
Sat Aug 09 | Mountain View, CA | Shoreline Amphitheatre ā 3DD/MWVH
Sun Aug 10 | Stateline, NV | Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys ā 3DD/MWVH (Not a Live Nation date)
Wed Aug 13 | Ridgefield, WA | RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater ā 3DD/MWVH
Thu Aug 14 | Auburn, WA | White River Amphitheatre ā 3DD/MWVH
Sat Aug 16 | Vancouver, BC | Rogers Arena ā BW/MWVH
Tue Aug 19 | Edmonton, AB | Rogers Place ā BW/MWVH
Wed Aug 20 | Calgary, AB | Scotiabank Saddledome ā BW/MWVH
Previously Announced CREED Dates:
Sat Dec 28 | Durant, OK | Choctaw Casino & Resort (Sold Out)
Mon Dec 30 | Las Vegas, NV | The Colosseum
Tue Dec 31 | Las Vegas, NV | The Colosseum
Apr 9 ā Apr 13 | Miami ā Nassau | Summer of ā99 and Beyond Cruise (Sold Out)
Sat Apr 26 | Indio, CA | Stagecoach
EHX Slap-Back Echo Demo
Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo Pedal
1978 rarity reissued with modern updates and a tiny pico footprint!
Blackberry Smoke will embark on a co-headline tour with Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs. Lead singer Charlie Starr shares, āWhat could be better than summertime rock and roll shows with Blackberry Smoke and the one and only Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs?ā
Blackberry Smokeās fan club will have early access to tickets with pre-sale beginning tomorrow, March 11 at 10:00am local time, with the public on-sale following this Friday, March 14 at 10:00am local time. Full details and ticket information can be found at blackberrysmoke.com.
In addition to the new dates, Blackberry Smoke is currently on the road with upcoming headline shows at New Orleansā The Fillmore, Houstonās 713 Music Hall, Austinās ACL Live at the Moody Theater, Dallasā Majestic Theatre and Maryvilleās The Shed (three nights) among others. They will also join Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Avett Brothers for select dates later this year. See below for complete tour itinerary.
Tour Dates
March 14āDouglas, GAāThe Martin Theatre*
March 15āDouglas, GAāThe Martin Theatre*
March 27āNew Orleans, LAāThe Fillmoreā
March 28āHouston, TXā713 Music Hallā
March 29āHelotes, TXāJohn T. Flooreās Country Storeā”
April 24āMontgomery, ALāMontgomery Performing Arts Centre§
April 25āPensacola, FLāPensacola Saenger Theatre§
April 26āTampa, FLāBusch Gardens Tampa - Gwazi Field
May 8āAustin, TXāACL Live at the Moody Theater#
May 9āDallas, TXāMajestic Theatre#
May 10āPalestine, TXāWiggly Thump Festival
May 15āMaryville, TNāThe Shed~
May 16āMaryville, TNāThe Shed%
May 17āMaryville, TNāThe Shed§
May 31āVirginia Beach, VAāVeterans Band Aid Music Festival
June 1āLexington, KYāRailbird Festival
July 10āPistoia, ItalyāPistoia Blues
July 11āMilan, ItalyāComfort Festival
July 13āWeert, LimburgāBospop
July 15āManchester, U.K.āAO Arena**
July 16āBirmingham, U.K.ābp pulse LIVE**
July 18āBrighton, EnglandāThe Brighton Centre**
July 19āLondon, UKāOVO Arena Wembley**
July 25āNashville, TNāRyman Auditoriumā ā
July 26āNashville, TNāRyman Auditoriumā ā
July 31āLewiston, NYāArtpark Amphitheaterā ā
August 1āPittsburgh, PAāStage AEā ā
August 2āColumbus, OHāKEMBA Live! Outdoorā ā
August 3āRoanoke, VAāBerglund Performing Arts Theatreā ā
August 5āNorth Charleston, SCāFirefly Distilleryā ā
August 7āRaleigh, NCāRed Hat Amphitheaterā ā
August 8āCharlotte, NCāSkyla Credit Union Amphitheatreā ā
August 9āAtlanta, GAāSynovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Parkā ā
August 10āAsheville, NCāAsheville Yards Amphitheaterā ā
August 21āBonner Springs, KSāAzura Amphitheaterā”ā”
August 22āRogers, ARāWalmart AMPā”ā”
August 23āEl Dorado, ARāMurphy Arts District Amphitheaterā”ā”
August 30āCharlestown, RIāRhythm and Roots Festival
*with special guest Parker Gispert
ā with special guest Zach Person
ā”with special guest Brent Cobb
§with special guest Bones Owens
#with special guest Jason Scott & The High Heat
~with special guest Rob Leines
%with special guest Taylor Hunnicutt
**supporting Lynard Skynyrd
ā ā co-headline with co-headline with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
ā”ā”supporting The Avett Brothers
For anyone serious about mixing their own recordings, itās a tool worth considering.
In the world of music production, the tools we choose profoundly influence the final sound of our recordings. I want to make the case for adding one tool that is rarely, if ever, in the āmust haveā or āsexy gearā spotlight but can deliver huge results to your mixes: the console summing mixer. Tighten up your beltsāthe Dojo is now open.
While digital audio workstations (DAWs) have revolutionized music production, offering unparalleled editing and flexibility, many producers, including me, still mix back into an analog console for the sonic character and three-dimensionality that it imparts. But buying a professional console isnāt cheap! This is where console summing boxes come into play, offering a unique way to enhance your mixes and elevate them to a professional level.
How Does It Work?
Very simply put, recording consoles have two basic sections: an input section (all the channels of mic pres, and EQ) and a center section (that sums all of the channels together and routes those signals to various configurable outputs such as inserts and aux buses). A console summing mixer is essentially the center section of a console and is designed to sum the individual audio channels, aux buses, stems, and submixes from your DAW in an analog domain.
In a DAW, digital summingāthe process of combining multiple tracks and buses into a stereo mixāis handled through complex binary algorithms that, while precise, can sometimes lead to a mix that feels lifeless and one-dimensional, lacking the warmth, depth, and cohesion that analog consoles impart.
One of the most significant advantages of using a summing box is the introduction of harmonic distortion, a natural byproduct of analog circuitry. This isnāt like amp or pedal distortion, but rather a subtle harmonic saturation that adds richness and character to the sound. Low-end frequencies gain girth and definition, while high frequencies have a smooth, silky quality. You can achieve natural compression through subtle variations in phase and amplitude, but that depends on how hard you push the summing mixer box.
But the best benefit, in my opinion, is its ability to produce an undeniably open stereo image. Digital summing, while accurate, often lacks dimension or a sense of space. Analog summing introduces subtle variations in phase and amplitude, creating a sense of width and depth that makes each instrument feel like it occupies its own space in a more 3-D stereo field, which results in a more engaging and polished mix. Iāve also found summing boxes encourage a more deliberate and thoughtful approach to mixing, as it requires submixing certain elements.
APIās ASM164 ($3,195 street) is wildly flexible, offering VU meters, multiple inserts, two separate stereo mix options, and more.
For those who work āin-the-boxā and arenāt in the market for a summing box, let alone a console, incorporating a summing box can also serve as a valuable learning tool. By running stems through a summing box and comparing the results to an entirely digital mix, you can train your ear to recognize the subtle qualities that make a mix feel warm, cohesive, spatial, and dynamic. This heightened awareness can then inform your in-the-box mixing decisions, even when youāre not using a summing box.
āWhether you want to add depth and dimension to your tracks, enhance your stereo image, or bring a touch of analog magic to your mixes, a summing box can be a gamechanger."
Itās important to choose the right summing box for your needs and budget, as different models offer varying sonic characteristics. Good summing mixers typically start around $2,000, such as Rupert Neve Designās 5057 Orbit Summing Mixer. While more expensive, APIās ASM164 ($3,195 street) is wildly flexible, offering VU meters, multiple inserts, two separate stereo mix options, and more. The key here is to understand your needs.
Pairing a summing box with high-quality outboard processors, such as compressors or EQs, will allow you to shape your mix in ways that are impossible within a purely digital setup.
Whether you want to add depth and dimension to your tracks, enhance your stereo image, or bring a touch of analog magic to your mixes, a summing box can be a gamechanger. For anyone serious about mixing, itās a tool worth consideringāone that can make the difference between a mix thatās good and one thatās truly exceptional. Until next month, namaste
Guest columnist Dave Pomeroy, who is also president of Nashvilleās musicians union, with some of his friends.
Dave Pomeroy, whoās played on over 500 albums with artists including Emmylou Harris, Elton John, Trisha Yearwood, Earl Scruggs, and Alison Krauss, shares his thoughts on bass playingāand a vision of the future.
From a very young age, I was captivated by music. Our military family was stationed in England from 1961 to 1964, so I got a two-year head start on the Beatles starting at age 6. When Cream came along, for the first time I was able to separate what the different players were doing, and my focus immediately landed on Jack Bruce. He wrote most of the songs, sang wonderfully, and drove the band with his bass. Playing along with Creamās live recordings was a huge part of my initial self-training, and I never looked back.
The electric bass has a much shorter history than most instruments. I believe that this is a big reason why the evolution of bass playing continues in ways that were literally unimaginable when it began to replace the acoustic bass on pop and R&B recordings. Players like James Jamerson, Joe Osborn, Carol Kaye, Chuck Rainey, and David Hood made great songs even better with their bass lines, pocket, and tone. Playing in bands throughout my teenage years, I took every opportunity I could to learn from musicians who were more experienced than I was. Slowly, I began to understand the power of the bass to make everyone else sound betterāor lead the way to a train wreck! That sense of responsibility was not lost on me. As I continued to play, listen, and learn, a gradual awareness of other elements came to the surface, including the three Ts: tone, timing, and taste.
I was ready to rock the world with busy lines and bass solos when I moved to Nashville in the late ā70s, and I was suddenly transported into the land of singer-songwriters. It was a huge awakening when I heard the lyrics of artists like Guy Clark, whose spare yet powerful stories and simple guitar changes opened up a whole new universe in reverse for me. It was a reset for sure, but gradually I found ways to combine my earlier energetic approach in different ways. Playing whatās right for a song is a very subjective thing.
āIf the song calls for you to ramp up the energy and lead the way like Chris Squire, Bootsy Collins, Geddy Lee, Sting, Flea, Justin Chancellor, or so many others, trust yourself and go for it.ā
Don Williams, whom I worked with for many years, was known as a man of few words, but he gave me some of the best musical advice I ever received. I had been with him for just a few months when he pulled me aside one night after a show, and quietly said, āDave, you donāt have to play whatās on the records, just donāt throw me off when Iām singing.ā In other words: Itās okay to be creative, but listen to whatās going on around you. I never forgot that lesson.
As I gradually got into recording work, in an environment where creativity is combined with efficiency and experimentation is sometimes, but not always, welcome, I focused on tone as a form of expression, trying to make every note count. As drum sounds got much bigger during the ā80s, string bass was pretty much off the table as an option in most situations. Inspired by German bassist Eberhard Weber, I bought an electric upright 5-string built by Harry Fleishman a few years earlier. That theoretically self-indulgent purchase gave me an opportunity to carve out a tone that would work with both big drums and acoustic instruments. It gave me an identifiable sound and led to me playing that bass on records with artists like Keith Whitley, Trisha Yearwood, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, and the Chieftains.
In a world of constantly evolving and merging musical styles, the options can be almost overwhelming, so itās important to trust yourself. Ultimately, you are making a series of choices every time you pick up the instrument. Whether itās pick versus fingers versus thumb, or clean versus overdrive versus distortion, and so on ⦠you are the boss of your role in the song you are playing. When the sonic surroundings you find yourself in change, so can you. Itās all about listening to what is going on around you and finding that sweet spot where you can bring the whole thing together while not attracting too much attention.
On the other hand, if the song calls for you to ramp up the energy and lead the way like Chris Squire, Bootsy Collins, Geddy Lee, Sting, Flea, Justin Chancellor, or so many others, trust yourself and go for it. Newer role models like Tal Wilkenfeld, Thundercat, and MonoNeon have raised the bar yet again. The beauty of it all is that the bass and its role keep evolving.
Right now, I guarantee there are young bassists of all descriptions we have not yet heard who are reinventing the bass and its role in new ways. Thatās what bass players doāwe are the glue that ties music together. Find your power and use it!