The Johns

Nothing like going to a rock and roll concert!!!!

Especially when it involves rock legends, and 5 GUITARS on stage, at once!!!! *AHEM* So, I like a little 'real' music every now and then.

Last night we checked out the JOHNS - John Fogerty and John Mellencamp at GM Place. What a show. My ears were ringing for a while after, and it was a great set. The crowd was totally in to it, the sound would just roll over you like a wave, lifting you up with it.

The show started on time?! with a fellow named Stoll Vaughn who starting the place a rockin - a solo man, with a guitar and not much else. You know you have a good voice when you can entertain a restless crowd with just that! A bit bluesy, blue grass, folksy, gritty kind of singing - something you want to listen to during the summer, sitting on your patio with a cold one.

After Stoll, it was the first of the Johns - and Fogerty was amazing. He played a lot of his old CCR stuff, and his voice was amazing. He played without fault, carrying you with songs from your childhood that are still amazing, like Old Man Down the Road, Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, Heard it through the Grapevine. The encores were great, and he say all the classics. His band was tight, and I was amazed by his voice - seeing him live was better than any recording. Hell, I knew the words to the songs- I didn't even to make them up, knowing no one could hear me anyways!!

Mellencamp rocked the joint - a spartan stage, and a powerful voice. Great band set up with fiddles, accordian, gee-tars, drums, etc. You don't realize how many songs you know until you go to the concert, and you realize the background impact that his songs have had in your life, playing as a bit of a soundtrack at different stages. Blood on the Scarecrow was great, Jack and Diane, Rockin in the USA, all the classics. Time went by way too quickly and 11 o'clock rolled by - the magic hour in Vancouver for concerts to end because of noise bylaws. BAH. They could have played all night!!!!!

What happened to concert t-shirt prices??? $40 for a tee!!! O M G !!! Highway robbery!! The crowd was an interesting mix too, I think I was one of the younger ones there - it was neat to see!! Especially who stayed in their chairs and grooved, and who actually stood up and danced!!!