Two Sold Out Nights Of Anthemic 90’s Alternative Rock Shake The Legendary Guitar Hotel – Photos and Review of the Creed and Sevendust Concert at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL

A pilgrimage of plaid shirts and sideburns took over the iconic guitar-shaped venue at the Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida this weekend as the legendary Creed returned to South Florida. For two nights, the electric buzz of the late 90s and early 2000s filled the air as “Creedmas” arrived, transforming the Hard Rock Live into a time capsule of post-grunge anthems. Friday and Saturday night served as a sold-out & full-throated communal celebration of a band whose legacy has been reclaimed as they come back to the state fresh off last year’s “Summer of ’99” reunion tour.

Each night, the evenings were ignited by a powerhouse performance from fellow heavy-alternative genre titans Sevendust, and the Atlanta-based band, known for their blistering blend of melodic metal and soulful aggression, acted as the perfect catalyst. Frontman Lajon Witherspoon commanded the stage with a potent mix of fury and grace, his soaring vocals cutting through the thunderous rhythms of Clint Lowery and John Connolly’s guitars. Tracks like “Denial” and “Black” were delivered with an intensity that felt both fresh and faithfully brutal, warming the packed theater with a communal heat and reminding everyone why Sevendust remains a revered live act all on their own.

After Sevendust finished up their set, the house lights fell once again and a video began to play onstage as strobes flickered and the band began to take their place on stage among a deafening eruption of cheers. As the opening chords of “Bullets” began to ring out, flames erupted all around and it was clear these two nights were about to be special. Scott Stapp, flanked by the formidable, interlocked guitar work of Mark Tremonti and a rhythm section that was both precise and punishing, sounded revitalized. His signature baritone, weathered and wise, carried the weight of anthems like “My Own Prison” and “What’s This Life For” with a newfound gravitas, turning each song in the intimate venue into a stadium-sized singalong that echoed all the way to the top of the roof.

The magic of these two Creedmas nights lay in this unbreakable bond between the band and their loyal audience. Every word to “Higher” was shouted back with fists in the air, a collective act of defiance and uplift. The spiritual yearning of “With Arms Wide Open” became a moment of shared, lighters-aloft (now cell phone lights) reflection. The band, feeding off this energy, played with a tight, muscular force, allowing the intricate musicianship of Tremonti’s solos and Brian Marshall’s driving bass lines to shine, proving their musical chops were always the bedrock beneath the radio-friendly sheen.

As the final, resonating chords of the encore (consisting of “One Last Breath” and “My Sacrifice”) faded in the night, the message of Creedmas was clear: some music transcends its era’s trends and criticisms. For two nights in Hollywood, Florida, Creed was not a “relic” as their detractors say, but a very present and powerful force. They offered a space where thousands could exhale their burdens and scream their hopes with arms wide open, united under the strings of the giant guitar high above them.