Tour has been three years in the making

Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee performed only five songs during tonight’s (Thurs, June 16th) The Stadium Tour opening in Atlanta before being replaced for the rest of the band’s 16 song set. The controversial musician played “Wild Side,” “Shout at the Devil,” “Too Fast for Love,” “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” and “Saints of Los Angeles” with broken ribs before addressing the crowd that Tommy Clufetos would be taking over.

“Man ya’ll ain’t gonna believe this shit!… I broke four fucking ribs! But I’ve been resting and healing and even though the doctor tells me I shouldn’t play at all, you know I’m stubborn and I’ll beast through the pain every show for as many songs as I can!” he shares on social media. “And have no fear, my boy Tommy Clufetos is here to help me out until I’m back at 100%… we’ve all been waiting years for this moment and there’s no way I’m missing this! On with the show!”

Lee didn’t explain how he broke his ribs, but says it happened two weeks ago and was playing against doctor’s orders. Fan filmed video of Lee’s speech from the stage can be viewed below.

Clufetos drummed on Black Sabbath’s last tour and is a member of LA Rats with Mötley bassist Nikki Sixx and Rob Zombie.

Opening night at Truist Stadium also featured a surprise appearance by Machine Gun Kelly who portrayed Lee in the band’s biopic, The Dirt. The film opened with astronomical numbers for Netflix. It was the highest audience rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at its time of release in March 2019, and saw the band’s popularity skyrocket and caused the band to destroy their Cessation of Touring agreement.

The Stadium Tour also features Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts hitting select US and Canadian cities through September, delayed after two years due to the pandemic. Twenty-five stops have sold out while amassing over one million tickets sold to eager fans wanting to see Mötley Crüe return seven years after their Cessation of Touring agreement.