In his plaid flannel shirt and a wig cropped into a Friar Tuck haircut, Steve Blaine embodies John Fogerty of the seminal American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival - right down to his voice.
“Nobody puts the wig on,” says Blaine, with a smirk.
“Everybody trying to do a modern CCR. We thought we would go old school.”
As the lead singer of Bad Moon Risin’, the costume allows Blaine to truly rock CCR’s long list of hits.
“You’ve got to put a show on,” he says.
Bad Moon Risin’ is the tribute act of the Brick Yard Band, a dance rock quarter led by Blaine with Bob Bell on guitar, Jeff Juraski on bass and Rob Mellof on drums.
The Brick Yard Band never set out to start a tribute though.
“We’d play three or four CCR covers and people would just come up to us and tell us they love it,” said Mellof.
“We really get into the songs.”
Although they were only around for four years, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s music is still a staple of rock radio airplay with the band selling 26 million albums in the U. S. alone. Their list of hits are too many to count on two hands.
“Their songs are all popular, they are all danceable and fun to hear,” says Blaine, who watched a live recording of CCR several times to help him mimic Fogerty to a tee.
Mellof says the band is going to true, authentic 1970s-era CCR.
“We trying to reinvent it. Animate it a little bit,” adds Blaine.
“And Steve has the voice for Fogerty,” says Bell.
Blaine’s bandmates are quick to add that he’s the only one who actually resembles Creedence’s original lineup.
Bell isn’t trying to be Fogerty’s brother John, Juraski may have to grow a lush handle-bar moustache to resemble bassist Stu Cook and Mellof is no twin of drummer Doug Clifford.
“It’s easy to pull off a CCR tribute because no one knows what they look like,” says Juraski, with a laugh.
The band believes there’s a reason why audiences have embraced Bad Moon Risin’.
They’ve been building the tribute for the past two years and are slowly seeing success with bookings for corporate gigs as well as a chance to play in Memorial Peace Park this year for Canada Day.
“It’s because every CCR song is a hit,” says Blaine.
“Our set goes for about an hour and you’ll know every song.”
Showtime
• Bad Moon Risin’ plays the Haney Public House Friday, March 21. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Info: badmoonrisin-band.ca or brickyard-band.com.