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John Fogerty
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Just as the Saturday night deluge was winding down, leaving a soaked but intensely dedicated core crowd, John Fogerty had the chance to open his set with one of the greatest rock songs about rain. After all, he’s written two of them.
He opened with “Travelling Manâ€? instead, but got to “Who’ll Stop the Rainâ€? by the third song of his set. The audience sang along enthusiastically with the chorus, many pointing one finger aloft at the wet, gray skies, as if trying to summon some primeval power.
(He got to “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?� later in the set, and man had we ever by that point.)
Forgerty gave the people just what they wanted, all the old hits, played pretty much the way they remember them - “Down on the Corner,â€? “Green River,â€? “Midnight Special,â€? “Lodi,â€? and so on. Even one of his post-Credence songs, “Centerfield,â€? which really wasn’t a huge hit when he released it in the mid ’80s, has been played so much by every baseball team in America that the crowd knew the chorus as well as if it had been “Happy Birthday to You.â€?
No frills, not a great deal of patter, just Fogerty, the hits, a singalong crowd and a tapering off of rain. More than enough. � Phil Kloer
Comments
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By David
June 12, 2005 8:38 AM | Link to this
I went to MM Saturday mainly to see Bloc Party and the Pixies. But I wasn’t going to miss a chance to see Fogerty and I’m glad I got to see him. Honestly, it was the highlight of the day. John has to be around 60-years-old but I swear that guy sounded like he was in his prime. And as far as spectacle goes, he blew Tom Petty off the stage. But the crowd for Petty was probably double the size. I love TP, but Fogerty’s stash of hits are as good as any American artist in rock history. And it smacked me right across the face as the guy pumped out great song after great song all the while looking like he was having a blast. THIS is what makes a great festival gig (oh, and actually being able to get near the stage doesn’t hurt).
By David McWilliams
June 12, 2005 9:57 AM | Link to this
John Fogerty, after all of his lable troubles, and after having left the game when he was on top, came out on the stage looking like he never left. He was clearly overjoyed at being there to play some of his best songs for those of us for whom the songs were the soundtrack for our high school and college days, as well as those who heard their parents playing him growing up.Who’ll stop the rain was climate appropriate but also brought back all the sentiment of a time when the war was uppermost in most of our minds. Willie and the Poor Boys was a boisterous and good-timey as when it came out. And Born on the Bayou and Green River botrh reminded us of that special feeling that pervades the South. He rocked and he rolled. He excited and he satisfied. And ….he delivered.GREAT show!
By Naida
June 12, 2005 12:43 PM | Link to this
Fogerty ruled. It’s that simple. He sang like a madman (and those vocals in an a high register, too). Also, he played most of his own guitar solos. I’m surprised he didn’t take a piano solo, do a number on the drums, and then on the bass. He was all over it. Not only that, he had Bill Clinton’s former chief adviser, James Carville, on the drums. Very, very cool.
By David
June 12, 2005 12:47 PM | Link to this
James Carville! Funny. Sure that wasn’t the lead singer of Midnight Oil?
By kath
June 12, 2005 2:13 PM | Link to this
Just had to make a comment about John Fogerty - I saw him at Chastain about 5 years ago and the man knows how to put on a show!! Thanks to corporate tickets I was a regular Chastain go’er for a bit and saw a lot of great shows. Albeit, when I speak of my fond memories of Chastain - John Fogerty is always the highlight, INXS (Michael Hutchinson RIP) & BB King were also excellent show.
Wish I could be at Music Midtown this year, went to the first 3 and they were great!! It’s great uncovering bands that I had never heard heard of and wished they would get there due airplay.
By Praveen
June 13, 2005 1:48 AM | Link to this
Along with the White Stripes show, the Fogerty show was the most enjoyable show for me at Music Midtown. Song for song, no one can match Fogerty. To hell with his treacherous bandmates. Fogerty is a true american genius and it’s nice to see him have fun. Fogerty was also able to to take some digs at the political establishment without being preachy(Deja Vu and Fortunate Son) ony because he is so direct.