John Fogerty with Willie Nelson
July 29, 2006
Alltel Pavilion
Raleigh, N.C.

Two of music's finest hit the stage in Raleigh on Saturday night for a diverse and entertaining evening.

While the ticket may have said 7:30, country music legend Willie Nelson hit the stage around 7:20.

With a large Texas flag hanging in the background, the 73-year-old strummed and sang his way through an hour-and-20-minute set.

"Georgia," "Crazy," "Whiskey River," "On the Road Again," "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" - they were all here.

He even sang a new song for the audience - a humorous song he wrote during a doctor's visit whose lyrics started something like, "Too many pills and too much pot, I'm trying to be someone I'm not. I ain't Superman."

He's still entertaining and many in attendance were happy to see him having so much fun on stage. It's no surprise that he left to a standing ovation.

John Fogerty followed the country crooner's quiet introduction with a loud and rocking set that lasted nearly two hours.

A video montage began his show, as the former frontman of Creedence Clearwater Revival hit the stage and tore into "Travelin' Band."

The Creedence-heavy, 24-song set was no surprise as I had the chance to catch Fogerty last year when he was on tour with John Mellencamp.

Dressed in blue jeans and a long-sleeve blue button-down, it was only a matter of minutes before sweat started to soak through his shirt.

By the end of the night, Fogerty was drenched, having spent the night running around on stage, jumping up and down and defying any stereotype that may be put on a man who is 61 years old.

A handful of songs into the show, Fogerty introduced Nelson who joined him for the song, "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)."

Fogerty didn't need a flashy stage as his music provided the message for most of the night.

For "Deja Vu (All Over Again," Fogerty spoke briefly about his time spent in Vietnam and how events of today are similar to that time period.

The song was performed while videos of Vietnam played on the screens to each side of the stage.

Once again, Fogerty played his baseball-bat shaped guitar for "Centerfield" and he closed the set with "Fortunate Son."

The volume was much louder for Fogerty than for Nelson, but most in the crowd didn't seem to care as they sang along or danced in their seats.

His two-song encore - "Bad Moon Rising" and "Proud Mary" - capped off an energetic evening by two living legends.

John Fogerty set list
Travelin' Band
Green River
Who'll Stop The Rain
It Came Out of the Sky
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) w/ Nelson
Born on the Bayou
Commotion
Rambunctious Boy
Lookin' Out My Back Door
Hot Rod Heart
The Midnight Special
Bootleg
Deja Vu (All Over Again)
Heard it Through the Grapevine
Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Keep On Chooglin'
Rock and Roll Girl
Hey Tonight
Down on the Corner
Centerfield
Up Around the Bend
The Old Man Down the Road
Fortunate Son

Encore
Bad Moon Rising
Proud Mary

Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at July 30, 2006 10:24 AM

Comments

John Fogerty was in the US army during the Vietnam War but did not serve in country himself.

Posted by: Mark Farrell at August 23, 2006 4:14 PM