Show Review: John Fogerty and Steve Winwood at Tanglewood (Sept. 6, 2026)

# Overview On September 6, 2026, Steve Winwood and John Fogerty performed at Tanglewood in a two-act bill. Winwood opened the evening with a set that drew on his work with the Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, and Blind Faith plus mid-80s solo hits. Fogerty followed with a lively, guitar-forward set of Creedence Clearwater Revival tracks and solo material, backed by younger players connected to his sons' band.

# Steve Winwood: measured, multi-instrumental opening

At 78, Winwood's voice showed age but remained serviceable. He faced monitor problems that affected volume and the mandoline on "Back in the Highlife," but the issues were addressed onstage. Highlights included two solos during "Dear Mr. Fantasy," where Winwood blended staccato guitar chords and a segment invoking "Beck's Bolero" as a dramatic ending. He closed with familiar crowd-pleasers "Higher Love" and "Gimme Some Lovin'," drawing multiple standing ovations and warming the audience for Fogerty.

# John Fogerty: energized and personal headline set Fogerty's performance leaned into storytelling and instrument variety. The show opened with a prerecorded interview clip about his songwriting. He then launched into "Bad Moon Rising," quickly getting the crowd to its feet.

Fogerty spoke about finally owning his songs after long legal battles, thanking his wife and the audience for keeping the songs alive. He rotated through several guitars, including a custom Louisville Slugger bat guitar for "Centerfield," and a 1969 Rickenbacker he said he played at Woodstock and only recently reacquired. He identified that Rickenbacker as the guitar he wrote "Who'll Stop the Rain" on, then counted the band into that song.

At 81, Fogerty displayed strong stamina and vocal confidence, often performing songs in their original keys. Instrumental highlights included intense guitar solos on "Green River," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," and "Fight Fire," and a harmonica solo during an expansive jam on "Keep on Chooglin'." He engaged the audience with stories and prompted singalongs throughout the night.

# Takeaway The evening presented two different approaches by long-established artists. Winwood offered a compact set focused on musical craft across multiple instruments, despite technical hiccups. Fogerty delivered an exuberant, audience-facing performance that mixed reclaimed instruments, personal anecdotes, and high-energy renditions of CCR and solo songs.

# Practical notes

• Date and venue: September 6, 2026, Tanglewood.