Creed and Status Green @ PNC Bank Arts Center

August 16 2009 The Aquarian

By the time Creed hit the stage the Arts center was completely packed. I was amazed at the crowd these guys can still command. This band has always been embroiled in artistic controversy having been hailed as the hard rock U2 and scoffed at as dramatic Pearl Jam phonies, but either way, after a six-year separation guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall, drummer Scott Philips and Creed singer Scott Stapp have put their differences aside and gotten back to the business of Creed. And it’s been a complex business since the Weathered tour in 2003, and frontman Stapp’s infamous drunken meltdown in Chicago, a show that made rock and rolls most shocking concerts list and allegedly ending up with Stapp being sued by fans (the suit was dropped).

Sporting aggressive new material, attitude and a sober perspective, Stapp and crew ran through a mixture of Creed standards and raw new tunes from the soon to be released new CD titled Full Circle which includes their first targeted hit, “Overcome” a sound that’s good enough for me to move them out of the “Winger” category and back into the “serious rock and roll contenders” section.

You could tell the band was working hard on towing the line and projecting a streamlined image with new tunes, returning to a darker, more edgy Creed than their former ‘90s stadium stuff. Fewer ballads in the mix equals more muscle when your coming back up against Daughtry or good ole’ Nickelback.

Many groups that are lucky enough to survive and reform come back strong because they are genuinely grateful and matured. If Creed can hold this course with new tunes like “Overcome” and “Away In Silence” they just might reclaim their crown. Check up on Creed over at creed.com.