Extreme Bring Guitar Firepower and Old-School Swagger to Virginia Beach
Words and Photos by Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography
Virginia Beach has this way of making big shows feel like backyard parties. The salt air rolls in from the ocean, the crowd is already half-charged before the first note, and by the time the lights drop, you’re reminded that this seaside town knows how to host a proper rock spectacle. Recently, the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater shook under the weight of Extreme — still loud, still cocky, and still more fun than a band with that much technical precision has any right to be.
Extreme didn’t waste a second easing into things; although they were there to open Def Leppard, they were going to ensure they too were remembered long after the night was over. “Decadence Dance” hit like a shot of whiskey — brash, fast, and dripping with attitude. The riff cut through the cool night air with a nasty precision, and Nuno Bettencourt’s guitar tone was so sharp you could feel it ricochet through your rib cage.
Gary Cherone stalked the stage with the same wiry intensity that made him such a magnetic frontman back in the early ’90s, leaping between monitors and locking eyes with the front rows like he was daring them to keep up.
It was a bold opener, the kind that announces, “We’re not here to warm up — we’re already at full speed.” And honestly, that’s exactly what you want from a band like Extreme. They don’t play like they’re proving anything anymore, they play like they’ve already won, and they’re just letting you in on the celebration.
They were reminding anyone willing to listen that they’re more than the MTV clips, more than a power ballad everyone’s mom slow-danced to. Extreme are alive, still dangerous, and still a hell of a lot of fun.
Watch the official music video for “Decadence Dance” by Extreme on YouTube:
Right after, they dropped “#REBEL,” one of their newer cuts, and it blended seamlessly with the classics. Sometimes bands struggle when they bring out recent material — the crowd takes a bathroom break, or the energy dips. Not here. “#REBEL” had teeth. Heavy riffing, catchy chorus, and that classic Extreme swagger that bridges funk and hard rock in a way only they can pull off.
What struck me most was how the song didn’t feel like an intermission before the “real stuff.” It felt alive, vital, and even in a set that leaned on nostalgia, it stood toe-to-toe with their older catalog. It’s a reminder that this band isn’t just a relic of the late MTV era — they’re still writing songs that work in the here and now.
When “Rest in Peace” arrived, the energy shifted. There’s always been something haunting about that song, a mix of idealism and cynicism wrapped in Nuno’s guitar gymnastics.
Live, it takes on this almost sermon-like power. Cherone’s vocals were sharp, expressive, still carrying that slight theatrical flair, while Nuno used his solos to stretch the song into new territory. You could hear pin-drop silence during the quieter moments, only to be blown back when the full band kicked in again.
And maybe it’s just me, but hearing “Rest in Peace” in 2025, in a world still messy and loud and fractured, feels different than it did in 1992. The song felt less like a memory and more like a statement — Extreme reminding us that their music still has something to say beyond just riffs and harmonies.
Watch the official music video for “Rest in Peace” by Extreme on YouTube:
Then came the wild card — “Play With Me.” If you’ve ever watched Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, you know this song as the one that soundtracked Beethoven shredding a mall keyboard. Live, it’s pure chaos in the best way. Nuno played it like he had a vendetta against his guitar, ripping through the solo with a kind of joyful violence.
The thing about “Play With Me” is that it’s almost comically fast — like someone dared them to play every note ever written in three minutes. Yet live, it’s not just technical fireworks; it’s fun. It’s the band reminding everyone that rock and roll is supposed to be a little ridiculous.
Cherone was practically sprinting across the stage while the rhythm section — Pat Badger and Kevin Figueiredo — held the whole thing together with military precision.
Just when you thought they might cool it, they ripped into “RISE,” another newer track that carried a distinctly modern edge. Heavy, sharp, and built on one of those riffs that could grind granite into dust, it showed a band that isn’t just replaying the past but still writing songs that demand attention.
Cherone owned it, snarling every word like a street preacher delivering a warning. Nuno’s solo was molten, not just technical but alive, full of bends and dives that made the Pavilion feel like it was tilting sideways. If anyone in the crowd thought Extreme was just about “More Than Words,” “RISE” burned that thought right out of their brain.
After that storm, the acoustic guitars came out and suddenly the Pavilion felt like a summer porch. “Hole Hearted” is breezy by design, but live it takes on this warm, communal vibe. The crowd sang along, arms swaying, couples leaning into each other.
It’s almost disarming how well it fits in the middle of a set built around shredding and swagger. But that’s always been the secret weapon — Extreme can knock you out with riffs, then turn around and hand you a singalong that feels timeless.
Nuno took center stage for “Midnight Express,” his acoustic instrumental showcase. It was delicate, fast, intricate in a way that never lost its musicality. He’s one of those players who can shred without losing emotion, and the Pavilion fell silent watching him weave melodies at lightning speed. It was a reminder that under all the showmanship and swagger, Extreme is built around a generational guitarist.
Then came “More Than Words.” You knew it was coming. Everyone knew. It’s the song that both defines and haunts Extreme — the one that made them famous and the one that sometimes overshadows everything else.
But live, stripped down to Cherone and Nuno side by side, it’s still magic. Nuno’s harmonies were pristine, Cherone’s delivery tender but still commanding. And here’s the thing: yes, it’s overplayed, yes, it’s the “ballad,” but in that moment, none of that mattered. It was beautiful. The calm didn’t last. Nuno ripped straight into Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee, a solo so fast it sounds like a human impossibility. It was a flex, sure, but also a nod to fans who’ve been trading bootlegs of his solos for decades.
Watch the official music video for “More Than Words” by Extreme on YouTube:
Then came the surprise. Extreme closed with a medley that mashed “I Don’t Know” into “Bark at the Moon,” then through “Crazy Train,” “War Pigs,” “Paranoid,” and “Iron Man.” It was a love letter to Ozzy and Sabbath, and it was glorious chaos.
Cherone growled and howled, Nuno nailed the iconic riffs, and the band played with enough conviction that it didn’t feel like a gimmick — it felt like a victory lap.
People love to pigeonhole Extreme as “the More Than Words band.” But nights like this are proof that’s way too narrow a box for them. They’re funk, they’re metal, they’re theater, they’re fun. They’re a band that grew out of an era where technical chops and over-the-top performances went hand in hand, but they’ve aged with a kind of defiant grace.
Watching Nuno tear through solo after solo was like watching an athlete who never lost a step — fluid, explosive, almost too good to be real. Watching Cherone work the stage reminded you why Van Halen tapped him (however briefly) to front their juggernaut.
And seeing the band lock in together, pushing songs that are decades old but still brimming with energy, made the whole night feel timeless.
From “Decadence Dance”’s opening punch to the whirlwind of “Play With Me,” to the Ozzy and Sabbath mash up, Extreme proved they’re not a nostalgia act — they’re a living, breathing rock band that can still light up a stage and leave a crowd hoarse from singing.
Setlist
1. Decadence Dance
2. #REBEL
3. Rest in Peace
4. Play With Me
5. RISE
6. Hole Hearted
7. Midnight Express
8. More Than Words
9. Flight of the Bumblebee
10. Get the Funk Out (aborted after bass intro)
11. I Don’t Know/Bark at the Moon/Crazy Train/War Pigs/Paranoid/Iron Man
Here are some photos of Extreme performing live at Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater on August 31, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Michael Sprouse/ Odd Rocker Photography.
