As one of my fellow concert-goers pointed out, it's not really Creedence without John Fogerty. On Sunday's mainstage, the former frontman drove that point home, filling his set with both group and solo hits that the thousands in attendance happily sung along with. Playing with a fantastic backing band, Fogerty took the lead without completely overwhelming his colleagues. When it was another guitar player's turn to shine, Fogerty let himself fade to the background. When it was his turn to rip a solo, though, he wasn't shy to assert his abilities. This is not just a distinctive vocalist, this is a formidable guitar player and showman. "Thank y'all so much for singing along," said Fogerty. "It makes me feel great."
My allegiance to Fogerty's solo performances runs deep - I was raised listening not only to CCR, but also to Fogerty's live album Premonition. In fact, I am probably just as familiar with Fogerty's live phrasing as I am with his recorded versions. As a result, I found myself singing along as loudly as the next person, excited to predict the movements the music would make next. This was classic Classic Rock that called for friendly voices on the refrains.
