Originally released in 1980 as
The Royal Albert Hall Concert
but quickly retitled when the label discovered the show it captures was recorded in California at
the Oakland Coliseum
on January 31, 1970,
The Concert
is as simple as its name. The album simply captures
Creedence Clearwater Revival
at the height of their powers, when they were the most popular American rock & roll band. They released three albums in 1969, all of which went into the Top 10. They had three number two singles that year (
"Proud Mary,"
"Bad Moon Rising,"
"Green River"
) and one number three single (
"Down on the Corner"
). They were simply a phenomenon and this record shows why. It's not as good as a compilation of hit singles;
CCR
were the rare excellent live band whose studio recordings were as ferocious as their stage work, and those were better detailed, too. Still, it's a pretty terrific little record, since the band is in fine form, tearing through the hits and such album favorites as
"Tombstone Shadow,"
"Don't Look Now,"
"Born on the Bayou,"
"The Midnight Special,"
and
"Keep on Chooglin'."
Only hardcore fans really need to pick up this record and they might not even spin it all that often. But when they do, they'll wind up satisfied. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine