John Fogerty: Comin' Down The Road - At The Royal Albert Hall [2009]

I did not go to this concert simply because while living close by in London, I had seen Fogerty several times on each of his recent UK tours including Wembley Arena with my family preceding this event, so could not justify it to myself. Then seeing the subsequent internet entries via Wikipedia criticising how the concert had been handled given it was to be filmed (as covered at length in another review here) I counted my lucky starts that I did not. However with its final release in edited form all that can be thankfully ignored and forgotten as this DVD is quite possibbly John Fogerty's greatest live recording and is definitely I believe the one to get, just pipping the 1998 release "Premonition".The reasons are that firstly this is a masterpiece of audio recording (remembering the cavernous Albert Hall by design is more suited to classical than rock music concerts) and film editing, compared with all prior Fogerty DVDs and the now very outdated few Creedence film recordings especially the original Albert Hall concert. Having viewed the Stones/Scorsese "Shine a light" effort just before this DVD, you realise that director and editor Michael Darren with probably a much lower budget and less technical effects than Martin Scorsese has achieved much more in conveying the spirit of rock'n'roll. The standards on show here are exemplary and while you inevitably get odd shots of hand held camera crews scurrying around stage they do not mar the sheer energy and enjoyment that are well communicated throughout.Fogerty is certainly in fine voice on all songs with great lead guitar playing as always and because of the stage lighting and layout for filming, his regular band are more easily seen plus participate better than on all prior Fogerty DVDs. The inclusion of a back up chorus on appropriate songs and a talented multi instrumentalist Jason Mowery to play on certain songs help take this event as was the case with "Premonition", even further out of the more standard Fogerty and backing group live rock concert recording.Add to this that the Fogerty song repertoire in the final cut drops standard concert favourites ("Green River" & "Have you seen the Rain") to include some lesser performed but great songs by the man ("Almost Saturday Night" & "Rock and Roll Girls") plus some very well handled country numbers ("Southern Streamline" and Blue Ridge Mountain Blues" shine especially) and the man by the end of the 1 hour 40 minutes recording simply amazes on all counts given he is now well into his sixties.While I started this review with a comment on the pre-release noise around the original June 2008 concert, there is one interesting historical facet on show here. When Creedence made their original Albert Hall appearance they closed with "Keep on chooglin'"and despite a tumultuous reception refused to do any encores. In this set the song is performed at mid point (as is now common in Fogerty's live set) in a shortened version. Fogerty instead does a storming 3 song encore of "Travellin' Band", "Rockin' all over the world" and "Proud Mary" to finish off the set in grand style. John makes reference in the film and in the sleeve notes to the DVD that he has been through some dark times in his mid-life. If any evidence were needed that the man is now at the top of his game this fact together with the full DVD provides it in loads!

This is it! No, not that. This. After eighteen months of rumour and speculation for creedophlies the length and breadth of Blighty, the DVD of the Royal Albert Hall gig has finally arrived. The fact is that director and editor Michael Darren, who pissed off so many fans that night, has done a really, really good job. The swathes of purple and blue lighting are stunning: Fogerty in black and gold with gold top Les Paul, and the band in black, justifies the costume change hiatus. Darren is a quality audio editor, using Bob Clearmountain's recording of the dead RAH sound, the band are powerhouse strong and rockabilly tight, with invisible transitions merging audience applause into a seamless whole. Unlike his physical presence, Darren's visual editing is slick and unobtrusive, using split screens on `Fortunate Son' and icy blue gels on `Blue Ridge Mountain Blues' to maximum effect. A comprehensive filming vocabulary allows him to slice a variety of angles, shots and movements, close ups on the band, hands, crane pans of the flesh-pressing with the whipped-up Dutch fans at the front and a subtle use of fades, into one finely edited product. Quick flowing cuts anchor the pacey songs, so mercifully there is only a clip of the wife and flowers after the emotional `Broken Down Cowboy', and the stool pantomime on `Gunslinger' is history. Tension apparently makes Fogerty's curt remarks more declamatory than usual to begin with, but they are kept to a minimum too. He loosened up considerably towards the end of what became a memorable gig - the cynic might point to seats vacated by protestors, but you wouldn't really notice. The Beatlesque appearance of Tyler and Shane Fogerty on `Up Around The Bend' is included, but not all the evening's set makes the final cut: Billy Burnette's heroics during the shirt hiatus have been trashed, along with the Carl Perkin's cover that replaced `Bad Moon Rising'. This DVD is a lesson in how to slight the reputation of and simultaneously provide a facelift to, a roots rocking phenomenon and southern fried speedball genius. Job done Mr Darren, I guess.

Here's John Fogerty age 64 performing like a man half his age.John has one of the most distinctive and inimitable voices in Rock music,vocally he has lost none of his power or diction over the years.As a guitarist i rate him alongside other greats like Clapton,Hendrix,and Beck,he seems to have a recipe for Rock of his very own the ingredients of which are Rockabilly,Country,and Blues.When they are stirred together,you have some very tasty music A La Fogerty. John is excellent as a live performer,and a special mention must also go to his band who are also exceptional musicians.This D.V.D.is a quality production both visually and audibly,and was filmed in one of the best auditoriums in Britain.My only whinge is Bad Moon Rising isn't included,which I find a bit odd for a British show,as it was a number 1 hit in Britain.However,the rest of this show more than makes up for that omission,and if you like John Fogerty,you'll enjoy this premium performance !!

This DVD shows John Fogerty in Royal Albert Hall performing some of the good old Creedence Clearwater Revival songs and some from his solo albums. I can recommend this DVD and it seems to be 'better' after some views.

I JUST LOVE JOHN FOGERTY. IT WAS HATEFUL WHAT HE WENT THROUGH TO GET BACK HIS MUSIC RIGHTS. IT TOOK A LONG TIME BUT HE PREVAILED IN THE END. WARCH THIS YOU WILL ENJOY THIS AS YOU WILL ALL HIS IOTHER CDS AND DVDS. BUT IT AND EDJOY THE CREEDENCE WATER EXPERIENCE. HE IS A ACCOMPLISHED SINGER AND GUITARIST. HE IS THE CREEDENCE CLEARWATER. HIS SONS I AM SURE APPEAR IN THIS DVD FORA SONG OR 2 WITH HIM.

This was a present to myself as I’m a big John Fogerty/ CCR fan

This is John fogerty the legend at his very best in concert loving every minute of it and the fans lapping it up this is what a live concert should be like thanks John long may you turn out performances like this and the dvd arrived aspromised the next day thank you