By Tim Collins
“The term ‘roots rock’ had not yet been invented when Creedence came along but, in essence, they defined it.” – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
It was the music of a generation that drew on musical icons like Little Richard, Hank Williams, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley. And although about a half-century has passed since Creedence Clearwater Revival broke up, their songs continue to be a part of every rock lover’s list of greats. Most every rock enthusiast knows the words to Proud Mary or Born on the Bayou and those who truly love rock can sing along when Bad Moon Rising, Midnight Special, Down on the Corner or Midnight Special come up in our playlist.
“Good music is timeless. It resonates with everyone, and you can really relate to it,” said Jamie Robertson the frontman for Completely Creedence, the Victoria-based tribute band. Completely Creedence has managed to capture the imagination of long-time Creedence fans while re-introducing the music to a new generation of Creedence lovers.
“There was a time when our audience was mainly over 50, but that’s changing. There are a lot of younger people discovering this music for the first time and they love it,” he said.
Robertson comes by his love of the music honestly.
“I’ve been a musician my whole life. My dad was a musician and used to play Creedence songs and I learned how to play guitar pretty much as soon as I could walk. But playing this music is just amazing. I think we’ve managed to capture the essence of what made Creedence so great and their music so enduring.”
Robertson is joined by Lance Lapointe on bass guitar, Murray Atkinson on guitar and Grant Baird on drums. Together this talented foursome brings a palpable passion to the stage that transports the audience to a time when Creedence first captured their souls.
“I think that keeping this awesome music alive is important,” Robertson said. “We’ve been together for about eight years now and I can tell you that the enthusiasm just keeps growing.”
In addition to Creedence, Robertson continues to work on original material of his own, albeit in a classic rock style.
“There are very few bands out there now that are putting out music with a modern rock feel, and I think that people are ready for it,” Robertson said.
Completely Creedence’s dedication to meeting the hunger for true rock music has made the group one of the most sought-after tribute acts in Canada, and they’re currently looking at touring across Western Canada.
Completely Creedence will be appearing on Thursday, March 21 at the Charlie White Theatre in Sidney, and on Saturday, June 15 at the McPherson Theatre in Victoria. For those who don’t mind a little driving, the group will also be appearing at a host of venues across BC in the coming months.
Tickets for the Sidney performance are available at marywinspear.ca/event/completely-creedence . Tickets for the Victoria performance at the McPherson are available at rmts.bc.ca.
READ MORE: The Hounds of Cuchulain take fans on a rollicking musical journey