A bad moon will be rising over Evergreen Theatre next Saturday, April 16, when Completely Creedence, a Vancouver Island Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) tribute band, returns to rock Powell River with its spirited renditions of the music that has backdropped counterculture revolution since 1969.
“The fact that CCR achieved worldwide fame in just three short years, while never having a number-on hit in the US, is testament to the band’s working class populism,” says Completely Creedence singer Jamie Robertson. “The music is raw, high energy and just gets inside of you. I like to think we bring that same energy and emotion to our shows.”
Robertson, along with guitarist Richard Spencer, bassist George Milutinovic and drummer Rod Campbell, have been playing together for more than a decade.
Completely Creedence’s shows typically feature people dancing in the aisles while Spencer leads the way; at times he employs acrobatics that would make CCR vocalist/guitarist John Fogerty blush.
“If you’re expecting a perfect facsimile of a 1970s CCR concert, prepare to be pleasantly disappointed,” says CCR fan Chris Baikie, who now counts himself among Completely Creedence’s growing fan base. “These boys have been together too long and are too good of showpeople to just stand at the microphone and play. They pour a ton of energy into their show.”
With the exception of Milutinovic, who could be original CCR bassist Stu Cook’s doppelganger, the members of Completely Creedence are not cookie-cutter copies of the original band.
Robertson and Spencer love to engage an audience, their opposing personalities often leading to entertaining banter that momentarily breaks the time-warping spell cast during the show. Luckily, Campbell is quick to send the audience back to the ’70s with his impeccable timing and gritty, textured beats.
Before long, the spell is recast. Robertson’s chilling performance of “Someday Never Comes,” for example, transcends the vocal range of Fogerty.
Robertson will summon the living legend to resonate through Evergreen Theatre when Completely Creedence brings its high-octane throwback to town.
Completely Creedence
When: 7:30 pm, Saturday, April 16
Where: Evergreen Theatre
Price: $32.50
Info: 604.485.2891, fb.com/completelycreedence
