Published on Nov 18, 2019
There was a time when John Fogerty refused to perform Creedence Clearwater music. That changed with the passage of time and his latest album. 50 Year Trip: Live At Red Rocks is a live, in concert celebration of his 50 year musical journey and is filled with primarily the best of Creedence Clearwater, plus a few solo songs.
If there is ever a criticism of John Fogerty, be it in the studio or live in concert, it is that he is too perfect. His live performances tend to mirror his studio tracks, note for note and vocal for vocal. He follows that formula on this album as he travels through a 19 song set that contains some of the best rock and pop music of the past 50 years. But it could have been a lot more.
John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater have always been all about the music. From “Born On The Bayou” and “Green River” to the concert ending “Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising,” and “Proud Mary,” the music just flows from one song to the next. Add in such songs as “Looking Out My Back Door,” “Down On The Corner,” “Who’ll Stop The Rain,” and “Centerfield,” and you have the perfect John Fogerty/Creedence concert.
The CD does not present the whole concert. What is missing are a number of 1960s covers, including The Beatles “With A Little Help From My Friends,” The Who’s “My Generation,” John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance,” And Sly & The Family Stone’s “Dance To The Music,” and “Everyday People.” The inclusion of this material would have made the album a lot more interesting and ultimately better. There is a film of the concert being released that contains the entire performance.
50 Year Trip: Live At Red Rocks is a basic John Fogerty primer. It is what it is and makes for a good place to enjoy his music. The negative part of the release is what was excluded, and that makes all the difference.