Park City • Some rock legends seem as though they can play forever.
Such was the case with 67-year-old John Fogerty on Thursday night at Deer Valley.
On a beautiful summer evening, thousands spent two hours standing on the grass and dancing the night away, while Fogerty turned back the clock.
The swamp rocker with the distinctive voice fronted a crack band that played hit after hit after hit. This was pure rock and roll with no fancy video screens or pyrotechnic frills. The music was all that mattered, a refreshing change from so many modern performers who are all flash but little substance.
The high mountain altitude didn't seem to slow Fogerty in the slightest. In fact, it's difficult to believe he could have sounded any better.
The tour is billed as a return to the artist's Creedence Clearwater Revival roots. Indeed, there were plenty of the unforgettable hits, and nearly every audience member knew the words.
Forgerty and his band made hits such as "Green River," "Fortunate Son," "Bad Moon Rising," "Lodi" and "Proud Mary" seem fresh and new by adding a guitar solo here and a slight change in the beat there.
But there were also plenty of surprises, including covers of John Prine's "Muhlenberg County," Rick Nelson's "Garden Party" and Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman."
And Forgerty pulled lesser-known gems, such as "Gunslinger," from older, solo albums, brought out his baseball-bat shaped guitar for "Centerfield," and had folks singing along with "Old Man Down the Road."
There were blues songs featuring great harmonica play, some amazing fast-paced drumming and a mixture of classic rock.
The thing that's easy to forget about the veteran artist is that in addition to his distinctive voice, he plays a very mean lead guitar. In hit after hit, the guitar playing seemed nothing short of great as Fogerty strutted and bounced across the small stage with the energy and enthusiasm of a man half his age he's 67.
You don't come to a Fogerty concert to hear a lot of chat. He might share a story about Woodstock or talk briefly about his young daughter and the breakup of CCR, but it's pretty much about the music. And, on a beautiful and memorable evening under mostly clear skies with an appreciative audience ready to dance and celebrate summer, that was all that was really needed.
wharton@sltrib.com
John Fogerty
R Where • Deer Valley, Park City
When • Thursday