Between 2005 and 2008, John Fogerty came to Paris every year, after a first visit to France in 2000, opening Tina Turner. Since then, there has been too much news, if not three solo albums, including only one composed of original titles, the second being covers of his original band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and the third also, but made with his children.
The Seine Musicale, the superb venue located on the island Séguin, in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) at the gates of the capital, roars with pleasure when the 78-year-old rocker finally makes his entrance, this Wednesday evening around 21 pm. An arrival preceded by a nice first part, the psychedelic group Hearty Har, in which we find Shane and Tyler, two of the sons of the star. Nothing transcendent, with even a sound too loud – the sound system of the room briefly falters during the second piece – but the audience gives a good welcome to the musicians. Including the two Fogertys, who return a few minutes later to accompany their father, after a long video showed him explaining the why and how of this new world tour, called "Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Celebration Tour".
A square of aces of entry
And it is true that the songs of CCR, who lived only from 1967 to 1972, the time to release seven studio records, and to sell thirty million copies in the United States alone, constitute almost the entire repertoire of the evening: only four pieces from Fogerty's solo repertoire, against sixteen from his original group...
The hits line up as at the parade, with a square of aces: "Bad Moon Rising", "Up Around The Bend", "Green River" and "Born On The Bayou". At 78, the American rocker, eternal jeans and plaid shirt on his back, moves on stage like a dashing young man. Before the third song, he shares with us his enthusiasm to be here tonight, and especially to have recovered the rights to his songs, after a long legal battle that lasted decades. "Rock And Roll Girls", embellished with a saxophone solo, is the first escape to the artist's own repertoire, before a return to fundamentals.
Which are not just absolute classics, even if many answer the call, such as "Who'll Stop The Rain", "Lookin' Out My Back Door", "Down On The Corner" or "Travelin'Band". Fogerty also selects some lesser-known titles, or more played for a long time, such as the very political "Effigy" (the man is a convinced democrat), or the cover "Cotton Fields", by bluesman Lead Belly.
Solos galore
Many are also very happy to hear again the intense "Keep On Chooglin'", which, in CCR's time, could turn into a shamanic trance of a quarter of an hour. In a shorter version, it is preceded tonight by a guitar solo by Fogerty, who plays it briefly Eddie Van Halen, with a demonstration of tapping at the key, this technique where the fingers tap the strings of the guitar on the neck. Then the track houses a short drum solo, as well as a furious guitar solo harmonized between Fogerty and one of his sons.
The musician now tours with his family, with two of his sons, Shane and Tyler. GregH Photographer
Very family, the American tells us several times about his wife, Julie, and pays tribute to her during the sweet "Joy Of My Life", during which multiple photos of the group are broadcast on the giant screen placed behind the musicians. The final title, "Fortunate Son", provokes the rush of part of the audience to the front rows, many spectators seem frustrated to have had to sit on their chairs throughout the concert...
The short encore begins with a "happy birthday" addressed to the musician, who celebrated his 78th birthday three days earlier. As a result, Fogerty tastes a little champagne, delivered on a rolling table, before he launches into two last classics. First "Rockin' All Over The World", made into France very popular thanks to Status Quo who covered it, then the ultimate "Proud Mary", dedicated to Tina Turner, who had given a second life to this 1969 hit. A real jukebox evening of an hour and a half, whose only flaw was really that it was too short.
