================================================ Subject: [ Creed Discuss ] cleveland plain dealer review From: "Lee Reed" To: Date: Tue 23 Jul 2002 01:29:06 -0400 ================================================ just thought i'd share the local paper's review of the creed show...keep in mind that this is the same guy who couldn't get into january's show here, and gave them a scathing review anyhow...since i totally disagree with his assessment of 12stones, i'll be emailing him... Lee (from the cleveland plain dealer, btw) Entertainment News Overblown Creed feeds its fans and huge ego at the same time 07/22/02 John Soeder Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic A car accident in April left Creed frontman Scott Stapp with a bulging disk in his neck and a torn disk in his lower back. The injuries forced his multiplatinum modern-rock band from Tallahassee, Fla., to miss 20 concerts. But when Creed headlined Gund Arena last night - the sixth stop on a rescheduled tour - Scott appeared to have made a full recovery. The 28-year-old singer strutted around like God's gift to rock 'n' roll. There seems to be no stopping him or the rest of Creed's core - namely, guitarist Mark Tremonti and drummer Scott Phillips. (They're joined on the road by bass player Brett Hestla.) The group's latest chart-topping album, "Weathered," has sold 5 million copies. "Bullets," a hard-lilting number, got the show under way with a bang, courtesy of some indoor fireworks. Flame-belching torches and giant pillars made the stage resemble an ancient temple, albeit one outfitted with video screens. Unlike Creed's gig here in January, this one wasn't quite sold out. There were a few empty nosebleed seats. Stapp didn't mind. "I can feel the love and energy in this room tonight," he said after the band tore through "Freedom Fighter." In the middle of the latter tune, he and Tremonti bobbed their noggins in unison along with a headbanging guitar riff. When Tremonti fired off a snake-charming solo during "Say I," Stapp shook his hips like a latter-day Elvis Presley. "What If," "Who's Got My Back?" and other crowd-pleasers often found Stapp tossing back his shoulder-length hair and crouching down to belt out deep-sounding if ultimately uninspired lyrics, as if the weight of the world were upon his shoulders. There was no denying the strong connection between Creed and its fans, who sang along fervently during "Torn," "With Arms Wide Open" and other overblown songs. Talk about preaching to the choir. At the same time, there was no overlooking the band's originality deficit. Pearl Jam and any number of other '90s grunge groups echoed in Creed's hand-me-down sound, which was coupled with an off-putting, self-important attitude. Opening act 12 Stones, surely one of the blandest offerings ever to emerge from New Orleans, made a futile attempt to impress with an earful of cliche-ridden hard-rock. "Are you guys still awake?" obnoxious singer Paul McCoy had to ask the unresponsive audience on several occasions. Some bands just can't take a hint. Up next was singer-guitarist Jerry Cantrell, formerly of Seattle grunge scenesters Alice in Chains. Backed by a four-piece group, Cantrell made the most of his slot. "Anger Rising," "Bargain Basement Howard Hughes" and other gripping dirges from his new solo album, "Degradation Trip," were cut from the same cloth as the finest Alice in Chains material, complete with murky melodies and monastic harmonies. Cantrell also dipped into his old band's songbook for sharp renditions of the flannel-flying anthem "Would?" and "Got Me Wrong." How was it for you? E-mail your concert comments to musicplaind.com. To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: jsoederplaind.com, 216-999-4562 _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com To unsubscribe or change your preferences for the Creed-Discuss list, visit: http://www.debbir.com/lists/Creed-discuss.htm