CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISITED
Challenge Stadium, Perth, Western Australia
Wednesday 13th October 2010

By Shane & Trulie Rockpit

It’s a good night for some old time rock n’ roll and that’s exactly what we get tonight from the revisited Creedence. But it’s as still as a summer’s daybreak inside Challenge Stadium as the lights go down and the new CCR - comprising half the original band in drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford and bassist Stu Hill - strolled casually onto a stage for which the adjective “sparse” would be an exaggeration.

With just a couple of small amps, and a drum and keyboard riser – no backdrop, no frills whatsoever – Creedence let the music do the talking tonight, playing a selection of classic songs that soon got the near-capacity crowd jumping and singing along.

Despite the first few songs falling on a very subdued crowd, ‘Lodi’ was the first genuine classic and the crowd started to find their voice. Through ‘Who’ll Stop The Rain’, ‘Suzi Q’ and………. the swampy guitar tone pierces the night air, ringing out these anthems into a new decade.

The guitars, courtesy of The Cars’ Elliot Easton (who knew he could be so fiery and wild when let off the leash!) and singer Johnny “The Bulldog” Trisdale, haven’t aged a bit – or been watered down for an aging crowd like a Clapton or Phil Collins. Creedence were there at the beginning of rock n’ roll pretty much, and the effortless cool and ultimate chops they exude shows that, and every song showed an authentic and original rawness and potency.

The concert is an exercise in nostalgia - certainly there’s no half-arsed new album to peddle in an attempt to try and justify their continued existence - but there’s nothing jaded or tired about a single one of these classic tunes. The same perhaps can’t be said of Bulldog’s between song “Dad jokes” though, which make my jokes seem hilarious by comparison!

By the time the first encore featured ‘Have You Ever Seen The Rain’ the crowd were foot stomping, whoop whooping and Loud! Finishing on a couple of cover versions at the expense of ‘Up Around The Bend’ was a little unusual, but no-one was complaining after an hour and a half of irresistible singalong-worthy rock n’ roll.

Setlist:
Born on the Bayou
Green river
Commotion
Lodi
Run run run run run run
Who’ll Stop The Rain
Susie Q
Hey Tonight
See The Light
Down on The Corner
Out My Back Door
Heard It On The Grapevine
Midnight Special
Bad Moon Rising
Proud Mary
Fortunate Son

First Encore:
Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Travellin’ Band

Second Encore:
Good Golly Miss Molly
Mighty Quinn