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WHILE many past Centrestage performances have been held in the Boardwalk complex amphitheatre, the winter venue for the Port Elizabeth leg of the tribute to the popular rock band – Rink Street‘s Uptown Theatres – was chosen to stave off the cold.

But the show – called Hey Tonight! – venue could have been open-air as the electrifying performance by the five-member band had the audience singing and dancing up a storm.

Centrestage‘s debut of the tribute to popular 60s and 70s rock band Creedance Clearwater Revival (CCR) several years back was so popular that they are doing it again. They have already played to a sell-out East London audience and because of its popularity in Port Elizabeth, an extra show has been added tonight.

Unlike the original four-member CCR group, which consisted of lead guitarist and vocalist John Fogerty, his brother Tom on rhythm guitar, Stu Cook on base guitar and Doug Clifford on drums, Centrestage brought in five of their leading men. Dubbed the All-Star band, live-wire Wayne Kallis heads the group as Fogerty. Joining him is guitarist and vocalist Donovan Hattingh, Mike McAuley on bass, Kanya Matomela on keyboard and Gino Fabbri on drums.

The show wastes no time in getting lively as Kallis kicks off with Travelling Band, a lesser-known CCR track. From the second song, the well-known sing-a-long Down on the Corner, the capacity crowd was jiving and singing along.

Though Kallis is well-versed in guitar and as the lead vocalist, an aspect of the show which kept the audience engaged was the interchanging of lead vocalists.

Kallis had the audience in stitches during his interludes, while Fabbri downplayed his usual funnyman antics and even showed his talents on the harmonica during Run Through the Jungle. Guitar maestro Hattingh shone during his rendition of I Put a Spell on You, and typically mum McAuley proved he is a bass guitar wiz.

The audience were on their feet for the country side of CCR, singing along to classics such as Cotton Fields, Looking Out My Back Door and Jambalaya. Other crowd favourites include Suzi Q, Heard It Through the Grapevine, Born on the Bayou, and the ever-popular Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising and Have You Ever Seen the Rain.