2024 Year in review! Jiffy Lube Live 2024 highlights!

Summer 2024 kicked off a little early with a 78-year-old carrying an electric guitar.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse absolutely rocked Jiffy Lube Live back in May! With the Washington Post saying, “Has anyone in rock history been this good at making music this loud at this age? I say nobody.”

Alongside his trusty, and long-time, collaborators the Crazy Horse band: bassist Billy Talbot, drummer Ralph Molina, and the young guitarist Micah Nelson (son of Willie Nelson) — Neil opened an absolutely incredible show with a 10-minute rendition of “Cortez the Killer” I guess for Neil, age really is just a number.

“If he spends an hour playing songs about T-bones and mashed potatoes, I’m still gonna go away satisfied.”

“The show was incredible! Drove from NC to VA as never seen Neil with Crazy Horse and they delivered. The show was shy of two hrs and Neil never took a break, never left the stage. We had the same # of songs as TN, but we were fortunate that he added “Helpless” at the end (don’t think he’s performed on the tour or if it has, it’s rare.) what we got was Neil in full form straight improvisational jamming nonstop. Look at the set list from TN to VA and you will see the similarity with same # of songs w/ 3 additional songs in VA per our recollection beyond the posted set list. We got the encore folks without the pageantry of departing and returning. What a night, I felt like I was in a dream! I did hope for a comment or two about the state of our country!”

Overall best Country-rock Gig?

It’s a toss up really… Country Hall of Famer Hank Williams Jr. doing some insane covers of ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. And also, gone are the days of obscure opening bands, as Hank brought along Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

“A major attraction of the evening for me was the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who played an hour set before Hank’s performance. As bandleader Jeff Hanna noted during their set, they’ve been around for nearly 60 years, and they’re wrapping things up later this year. Hanna also mentioned they played their first song with Hank Jr. about 40 years ago.”

Vs Chris Stapleton’s SOLD OUT All-American Road Show, where this happened;

“My boyfriend, Zachary, proposed that night at the concert! Chris Stapleton is such a wonderful performer, an incredible evening❤️”

And the SOLD OUT, “Mind of a Country Boy” Tour with Luke Brian came with a little more than just the hot country star.

“AMAZING SHOW!!! It was hot, but we moved past that and enjoyed the show.”

Or did you go Hard all night long, and ‘Quit’ that country standard to raise hell with HARDY, Kip Moore, Travis Denning & Ella Langley? Well, Hardy definitely did… While his support seemed to keep it more country than rock.

“Hardy killed it but def needs wayyyy better opening acts, none of them made sense to open for him.”

“Lost track of how many times he dropped the f bomb in the first 5 minutes”

Sam Hunt spent a lot of time walking the crowd and high fivin’ and even the little bit of rain didn’t slow down the feel good country vibe of this one!

“Loved it!! Even the rain!! Making memories. Thank you”

Jason Aldean back doing what he does best, another SOLD OUT gig with Jason looking the country part for sure. When the lights come on, everybody’s screaming, and you ain’t never seen so many country air guitars in your life! While his support, Chase Matthew and Hailey Whitters certainly kept it interesting. Just, you know, make sure you’ve got the same political views to enjoy this one.

“LOVE. JASON ALDEEN”

Classic Rock takes on… well, slightly less classic rock?

Styx and Foreigner along with John Waite in July bringing their ‘Renegades and Juke Box Heroes Tour’ which had the audience ready to believe it was 1981 again.

“For Styx, a pair of original members were on stage at Jiffy Lube Live to present quite a few songs from Paradise Theatre and 1977’s The Grand Illusion. Frontman Tommy Shaw and guitarist JY Young rocked through “Too Much Time on My Hands,” “Rockin’ the Paradise,” and “The Best of Times” with vitality and grit alongside their bandmates. In the case of Foreigner, the band’s 21st century team, fronted by the energetic Kelly Hansen, thundered through “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Urgent,” and “Juke Box Hero” to mad applause.”

While Creed’s SOLD OUT ‘Summer of ‘99 Tour’ with 3 Doors Down and Finger Eleven was nothing short of spectacular, marking a memorable return to the area for the rock icons. The Bristow, Virginia venue provided the perfect backdrop for an evening of powerful music and nostalgia. And for fans of the band who missed it, it was the emotional rendition of “With Arms Wide Open,” which saw most of the concert-goers raising their hands and singing along, that took the win in this case.

“The band kicked off the night with “Bullets” followed by “Torn” and the high-energy “Are You Ready?” immediately setting the tone for the evening. The set list was a well-curated mix of their greatest hits and deep cuts, catering to both die-hard fans and casual listeners. Highlights included fan favorites like “Higher,” “With Arms Wide Open,” and “My Sacrifice,” which drew the loudest cheers and sing-alongs from the crowd.”

“It was 1999 that night for sure!!! I loved every minute of it!!! Please bring them back next year!!!”

And the Best of All Worlds Tour with Sammy Hagar was the ultimate tribute to Van Halen. Notable songs included “I Can’t Drive 55,” “Mas Tequila,” “Heavy Metal,” and Van Halen favorites like “Panama,” “Right Now,” and “Why Can’t This Be Love.” The performance of “5150” and “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” particularly stood out, showcasing Satriani’s impressive guitar skills and the perfect homage to Eddie Van Halen’s legacy.

“Great show in Bristow !! Sammy, Mikey and the guys were awesome! Thank you for putting this show together!!”

And again another throwback for the millennials with Limp Bizkit’s LOSERVILLE!

“Took my son for his first concert, and I’ve waited over 20 years to see them, and it was freaking amazing. Way better than I ever would of thought.”

“Crazy show for sure! Fred Durst killed it!!!!”

Still keepin’ it millennial with Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan by late August and no, only a fool would think this tiny chick has been replaced by a doppelgänger. Playing arguably three out of four of her biggest hits across her albums, she started out with “Girlfriend,” “What The Hell,” and the song that started it all, “Complicated,” getting the audience roaring with excitement at what was about to come.

“Overall, this has probably been my favorite show of the year so far, and I’m hopeful to try and catch another show on this tour just to see it again. At the very least, the next time either of these bands come to town, I know I’ll be buying tickets. Hopefully in the pit for my chance to relive the excitement and joy I had on Saturday night.” – ParkLife DC reviewer, Carol Lowe

Ultimately, it looks like the millennials won, with more from +LIVE+ and Stone Temple Pilots, plus, the heavy stuff from Falling In Reverse. Against such bands as Deep Purple with YES, Lynyrd Skynyrd & ZZ Top and some classic heavy with Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper with Ministry and Filter.

Meanwhile, Jam bands just can’t compete…

Dave Matthews Band, as usual, in a league of their own.

“The circle pits were crazy for this show”

But Hootie & the Blowfish are certainly out to give Dave a run for his ticket money!

“What a great concert! Can’t beat a summer Saturday night with awesome music outside under the full moon.”

But the ultimate in Parties?

You needed to look no further than when Pitbull kicked off the Party After Dark Tour. Smooth beats, hot babes and insane energy were just the norm! Making his usual grand entrance, with his live band and dancers, Pitbull turned the venue into a giant dance floor. Running through all his biggest hits like “Fireball,” “Timber,” and “Time of Our Lives,” each one just sent the energy up another notch.

“Pitbull didn’t leave anything on the stage. Awesome show😎”

Or maybe you just needed to wait one more night for the Imagine Dragons SOLD OUT ‘Loom World Tour.’ Winding up the year of the Dragon, these guys killed it… as usual.

“Such a fantastic show! A great setlist, awesome lighting, phenomenal stage presence, all around positive vibes, and mental health advocacy! The best concert I’ve seen, and I’ve been to many! 🔥”

Then again, maybe you came for the ultimate in chill out with The Marley Brothers and a fine, fine way to end the summer.

“Loved the show and the vibes, what a way to end the season.”