John Fogerty at Radio City Music Hall

Shane Fogerty (left) and his dad, John Fogerty

John Fogerty was born in Berkeley, California, and grew up in El Cerrito, California. Inspired by rock and roll pioneers while in junior high school, the vocalist/guitarist formed a cover band in 1959 called the Blue Velvets with bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford. Later, Fogerty's brother Tom Fogerty joined the Blue Velvets as rhythm guitarist. In 1964, the Blue Velvets signed with a record company which changed the band's name to the Golliwogs without the band's knowledge. In 1967, the band changed its name again to Creedence Clearwater Revival. After four years of chart-topping success, including headlining appearances at major rock festivals, tensions within the band led to a breaking point. Tom Fogerty left Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1971, and a year later the rest of the band dissolved acrimoniously. In 1973, John Fogerty launched a solo career, at first calling himself the Blue Ridge Rangers; for many years he refused to perform the Creedence Clearwater Revival catalogue. Fogerty's ninth and most recent studio album, 2013's Wrote a Song for Everyone, is a collection of re-recorded hits and new songs.

Before he traveled upstate to Bethel, New York, where he would commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock Music & Art Festival, Fogerty brought his "My 50 Year Trip" tour to Radio City Music Hall. The program began with four hippie-dressed flower-laden members of his entourage dancing and twirling in the aisles to the blaring sound of 1960s hits. Fogerty and his band (guitarist Shane Fogerty, keyboardist Bob Malone, saxophonist Nathan Collins, trumpet player Julian Dessler, trombonist Adam Miller, bassist James Lomenzo, and drummer Kenny Aronoff) came on stage and opened with Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou." From there on, Fogerty mirrored the band's set at Woodstock exactly 50 years earlier. Now performed by a much larger band than the original group, the songs were played well, as images and film clips of Woodstock and other period pieces helped transport the audience back to the Age of Aquarius. Fogerty was in fine voice, a uniquely raspy take that rocked his country and delta blues-rooted songs, and extended jams gave several of the songs new life. Whereas at one time Fogerty would play only his solo material, he went in reverse this time, playing all the Creedence hits but only three songs from his solo work. The weakest part of the show, however, was the half hour or so of the two-hour performance that Fogerty dedicated to covering songs by other 1960s musicians; this time could have been spent digging into deep cuts or introducing newer songs. As such, the name of the tour was a mislabel; there was little music that suggested a time continuum. Nevertheless, Fogerty successfully provided a partial soundtrack for the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival.

Setlist:

1. Born on the Bayou (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
2. Green River (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
3. Lookin' Out My Back Door (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
4. Susie Q (Dale Hawkins cover)
5. Who'll Stop the Rain (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
6. Hey Tonight (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
7. Up Around the Bend (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
8. Rock and Roll Girls
9. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Gladys Knight & The Pips cover)
10. With a Little Help From My Friends (The Beatles cover)
11. Long as I Can See the Light (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
12. Good Golly Miss Molly (Little Richard cover)
13. Everyday People (Sly & the Family Stone cover)
14. Dance to the Music (Sly & the Family Stone cover)
15. Give Peace a Chance (Plastic Ono Band cover)
16. The Star-Spangled Banner (John Stafford Smith & Francis Scott Key cover)
17. Run Through the Jungle (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
18. Keep On Chooglin' (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
19. Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
20. Down on the Corner (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
21. Centerfield
22. The Old Man Down the Road
23. Fortunate Son (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)

Encore:

1. Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)
2. Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival song)