Creed Hits the Road Again - At Full Speed SINGER STAPP SHOWS NO ILL EFFECTS FROM CAR WRECK

St. Louis Post-Dispatch August 18 2002

Singer Stapp shows no ill effects from car wreck

While Pearl Jam continues to remain more silent than fans want, Creed is handling things just fine on the mainstream alt-rock front. While not as adventuresome or respected as Pearl Jam, to whom the band has always been compared, Creed still admirably carved out its own place on a music scene during a time when teen pop was tops.

Creed did it with a handsome and charismatic singer in Scott Stapp and the blustery rock anthems full of memorable hooks and choruses found on the band's trio of blockbuster CDs. Creed is back on the road after a car accident that left Stapp injured (no signs of that now) and took the band off the road for part of its summer tour. In the second leg of its "Weathered" tour, Creed came to UMB Bank Pavilion on Friday night for a two-hour blast of modern rock often gently washed in spiritual undertones.

Set against a period castle set that included four colossal columns and an under-utilized ramp extending from one side of the stage to the other, Creed came out of the box on fire, literally, as opening song "Bullets" came with an eruption of flames and fireworks. The song, the first from the band's latest CD "Weathered," opened with its murky, ominous first verse, performed under muted lighting, before the pyrotechnics took hold and the song exploded.

From there, Creed plowed through songs like "What If" and "Who's Got My Back," and others that follow a similar, simple structure (both the musicians and Stapp's voices are great, but one-note). "Torn" and "One Last Breath" inspired big crowd sing-alongs, as did other favorites.

Halfway through the show, Stapp began introducing songs. He said that "Hide" was about his right to be comfortable in his own skin and that "With Arms Wide Open" expressed the feelings that came with fatherhood. And he dedicated "Stand Here With Me" to his fans and to Dave Williams, the lead singer of the band Drowning Pool who was found dead last week. Creed finished out the concert with a couple of requisite hits, "My Sacrifice" and "Higher," and well as "Don't Stop Dancing."

Singer Jerry Cantrell and the band 12 Stones were also on the bill.

.Kevin C. Johnson; Post-Dispatch Pop Music Critic