"Man ya'll ain't gonna believe this s**!,” shared Lee on Instagram before the show. “I broke 4 f**king 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! 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 joined Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars for the first five songs of the set before taking center stage to address the crowd at Truist Park.
"We did it! You did it. We did it. We're f**king here," Lee told the crowd. "Two and a half years. Okay, well, anyway, what I've gotta tell you is about 14 days ago, I f**kin' broke not one, not two, not three, but four f**kin' ribs right here. I wish I had a f**kin' badass story, like me and Connor McGregor f**kin' scrapping out in some f**kin' bar or something. But I don't.
"Anyway, I hope you guys have a f**king great time,” he continued. “And my boy Tommy Clufetos back here, he's gonna help me get through this. 'Cause the doctors told me, 'No playing, bro. No playing.' And I was like, 'Are you f**king high, bro? We've got a f**king tour to do.' So anyway, I ain't f**kin' sitting out for s**t. My boy's gonna help me out here, and I'll see you guys later. On with the goddamn show."
Clufetos has played and recorded with a number of rockers through the years, including Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and Ozzy Osbourne, and notably performed with Black Sabbath as a touring member on the band’s 2012 reunion run and, later, a farewell trek in place of founding member Bill Ward.
Motley Crue’s tour launch performance – which included a guest appearance by Machine Gun Kelly on “The Dirt” – saw Lee return late in the set to perform on 1985’s “Home Sweet Home” before Clufetos closed out the show.
Def Leppard topped the bill in Atlanta, with the two bands alternating the headline role throughout the tour, which also features Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
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See also:
KISS and Motley Crue members to perform at Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in Los Angeles
Def Leppard detail plans for stadium tour with Motley Crue
Motley Crue and Def Leppard expand summer stadium tour
Eddie Vedder responds to Motley Crue feud
Search Motley Crue at hennemusic
Search Sixx:A.M. at hennemusic
