If it wasn't for COVID-19, today I'd probably be writing some words about yesterday's Eric Clapton concert at Ziggo Dome (he's one of the few old-time-greats still touring whom I've somehow managed to miss), and preparing for tomorrow's Graspop Festival featuring Aerosmith, Deep Purple, and a dozen more of metal and punk bands. As it is, all these (and more) were cancelled because of the pandemic. So I'm sitting at home, reading a piece about Fogerty in Uncut Magazine and reminiscing about the only time I caught him live, 3 years ago in Amsterdam. I don't know why I didn't write anything about the concert at the time on the blog - probably the fact that I hadn't taken any decent photos of the show (above you can see the clearest one) had something to do with it. Well, time to rectify that. Below you can read about Fogerty's first live CD Premonition, released about 20 years earlier. Fast forward to 2017, Fogerty's voice still sounded as fresh as always, songs performed so well you'd be forgiven for suspecting he was miming to the original studio versions - but no, you can't fake the enthusiasm of a live performance. He even proudly presented us his two (adult) sons Shane and Tyler, who played and sang together with him on a few tunes. The only thing that escaped me was the "1969" connection: for some reason, that tour was celebrating the 48th anniversary of Woodstock. Fogerty recounted a few anecdotes from playing there, and they opened with a video of events from 1969. One might expect that the gimmick was to only play songs originally recorded by CCR in 1969 (they had released no less than 3 LPs in that single year) but no - it was a straight greatest hits setlist, also including solo numbers.
One thing that wasn't surprising was his refusal to acknowledge his bandmates in Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR): his bitter legal fight with them and with Fantasy Records boss Saul Zaentz was long and hard, capped by two decades of self-sabotage during which the singer, main songwriter and lead guitarist of CCR refused to play any of their ever-popular hits. The live CD/DVD Premonition meant his triumphant return to the songs that had marked a whole era, and him claiming his rightly won status as a national treasure. His guitar and voice is in fine form, band is sympathetic, and songs are tight, with arrangements similar to the original ones. He opens with two of their trademark swamp rockers ("Born on the Bayou", "Green River"), followed by two covers CCR had already made their own (written by two Hawkins, "Susie Q" by Dale, and "I Put a Spell on You" by Screamin' Jay). The middle of the concert smartly alternates beloved CCR material and the highlights of his solo career, as if saying he had never gone away, we just hadn't been listening: "Almost Saturday Night" and "Rockin' All Over the World" got more attention when covered by Dave Edmunds and Status Quo respectively, than when he released them in 1975. 1984's Centerfield was a more successful affair, and that album's highlights (the eponymous country rocker and boogie "The Old Man Down the Road", featuring some hard rock solos) shine here. From 1997's Swamp River Days (he averaged one good solo album per decade) we get the eponymous rocker, the country ballad "Joy of My Life" and the rockabilly-ish "Hot Rod Heart". After an entirely new swamp/Southern rock tune called "Premonition", he finishes the show with a string of impeccably executed CCR classics: "Bad Moon Rising", "Fortunate Son", "Proud Mary", and closing with a short and spunky take on "Travelin' Band". Maybe not playing these songs for two decades helped, because they never sound tired, unlike, say, the Stones' millionth rendition of "Satisfaction" on their various live albums. One of the few live albums that also function as an artist Best-Of. The only possible (and minor) complaint is that the songs don't deviate from the originals enough to make this an essential purchase. On the other hand, this is literally the only CD you'll ever need on your car stereo.
***** for Born on the Bayou, Susie Q, Who'll Stop the Rain, The Old Man Down the Road, Fortunate Son
**** for Green River, I Put a Spell on You, Premonition, Almost Saturday Night, Rockin' All Over the World, Down on the Corner, Centerfield, Swamp River Days, Bad Moon Rising, Proud Mary, Travelin' Band
*** for Joy of My Life, Hot Rod Heart
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