For once, a familiar classic rock act stood out from the pack.
On a week when Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is hosting daring and edgy younger acts Fiona Apple and Andrew Bird, along with the peculiar pairing tonight (Thursday) of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and bluegrass’ Del McCoury Band, Creedence Clearwater Revisited actually tossed a change-up pitch on Wednesday with its battery of tried-and-true classic rock hits.
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Not only that, but the 90-minute concert starring two founding members of Creedence Clearwater Revival – bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug “Cosmo” Clifford – sold out a couple of hours before showtime, something Apple couldn’t claim and Bird likely won’t achieve.
Thank all those nostalgic baby boomers flailing and shaking what their mamas gave ‘em for that, with the graying audience of 1,900 swaying and crooning ardently to 43-year-old hits like “Down on the Corner” and “Bad Moon Rising.”
Even Cook and Clifford, both 67, weren’t afraid to flaunt their senior citizen-ship, proudly acknowledging having first joined forces as 13-year-olds more than five decades ago.
After 50 years, Cook said, he thought “we’d be done by now, but they keep moving the finish line on us. … We never wanted to grow up, so we stayed musicians.”
At heart and on stage, Clifford crowed, “I’m really 24.”
That might be stretching things a bit, but there’s no doubting the enthusiasm for the band displayed by quite likely the oldest Meijer Gardens crowd to witness an amphitheater show outside of visits by Garrison Keillor.
With singer John “Bulldog” Tristao taking the place of John Fogerty, the band rolled through more than a dozen of CCR’s biggest hits, from “Suzie Q. (Part One)” to “Hey Tonight,” leaning on lead guitarist Kurt Griffey and keyboardist/guitarist Steve Gunner to add all the right touches and CCR nuances.
Although no one can actually fill Fogerty’s shoes, Tristao produced his best impression on songs like “Bad Moon Rising” and “Proud Mary,” which matched the original frontman’s register, Tristao’s sometimes-hokey stage presence notwithstanding.
The band even uncorked a lengthy rendition of “Heard It Through the Grapevine” (just like the album cut), with extended guitar, bass and drum solos. But “Fortunate Son” ranked as the evening’s highlight, the tune’s political fire taking on a more rousing vibe in a live setting.
And unlike another 60-something performer who played a too-brief Meijer Gardens show earlier this year, Cook, Clifford and the rest of the band returned for two encores, delivering a particularly animated “Up Around the Bend” in the process.
Check out a full photo gallery from the concert at MLive.com here.
Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com