A couple of years ago, Def Leppard and Motley Crue were embarking on generically titled jaunts like “The Stadium Tour” and “The World Tour.” This fall, they’ll be headlining an event whose title promises a little more action: Rock the Tides, an all-inclusive destination festival in Mexico. The bands are leading a lineup that includes Poison frontman Bret Michaels with a solo set, Extreme, the Struts, Buckcherry, Dorothy, and Living Colour, among others.
Rock the Tides will take place over three days — Nov. 7 – 9 — at two resorts in Riviera Maya: Barceló Riviera Maya and Barceló Maya Grand. Presale tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on April 23 via the festival’s website.
“Mexico has always been one of the most electric places we’ve played — the energy is just unreal,” Mötley Crüe collectively tell Rolling Stone. “Some of our most unforgettable shows have happened there, and we know this one will be no different. We’re excited to head back, team up with Def Leppard, and throw one hell of a party for everyone making the trip. It’s going to be an epic night.”
The event’s producers, Festication — who also staged Tool’s recent Live in the Sand fest — are offering festivalgoers the option to stay at the five-star resort Barceló Riviera Maya. Packages include a resort room, unlimited food and drinks, tickets to all the concerts, and transportation from and to the airport. They’re also offering tourist excursions like swimming in a cenote, snorkeling, or riding a catamaran as add-ons.
“This experience goes way beyond the show — it’s a weekend in paradise, a dream vacation with intimate performances from two legendary bands,” Festication’s Donnie Estopinal says. “We’re pushing the boundaries of what a live event can be and this is one fans will never forget.”
“One of the most important lessons my dad, Barry Fey, ever taught me was that it’s all about the fans,” Festication’s Tyler Fey says. “It still says this on the Feyline website to this day: ‘There is only one VIP, and that is the person who bought the ticket.’ That mindset is a big reason we’ve leaned so heavily into destination events.”
Prospective ticket buyers can pay in full, split the cost with friends, or put down as little as 10 percent of the price.
Last year, in an interview about a Hysteria graphic novel he wrote, Def Leppard’s Phil Collen told Rolling Stone about how busy the band has been, even on the road. “We’re constantly working, even on tour in hotel rooms,” he said. “Me and Joe [Elliott], we just go, ‘I’ve got this idea, come down in the room.’ We’re singing it on the phone and getting the ideas across. At some point, there’ll be new Def Leppard music.”
