CONCERT REVIEW: Creed makes the best of second chances

SCRANTON — After a nearly decade-long disappearing act, Creed is back. But does anybody care?

The answer, at least judging from what transpired Wednesday night at Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain, is yes.

The band, especially the oft-ridiculed frontman Scott Stapp, cares. It’s undeniable when he punctuates a vocal line with a jab of his fist or throws his head back, eyes closed, when delivering a lyric. And, after the long layoff, the multiplatinum band is working hard to regain the fans’ interest, even if that means taking what has to be a smallish paycheck — how much can you make when there are promotions for $10, $20 and free tickets? The fans seem to care, too, because even if tickets were discounted, they still had to show up, and about 9,000 did.

After an energetic opening set by Christian hard rockers Skillet, Stapp delivered a short spoken-word intro as the band took the stage and plowed into “Bullets,” a dark, moody opening song enhanced with blasts of pyro in sync with Scott Phillips’ drum accents. “My Own Prison,” the title track from Creed’s 1997 breakthrough debut album, was an early standout, with lead guitarist Mark Tremonti and touring guitarist Eric Friedman adding nice harmony vocals.

“That was 1997. And this is today,” Stapp said, before the group charged into “Overcome,” the hard-hitting first song on “Full Circle,” the aptly titled Creed reunion record released last year.

The more well-known songs, like “Torn,” “One” and “What’s This Life For” served as reminders that Creed is, and was, much more than “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open” — there are about 10 Creed songs you probably know, even if you’re not a fan.

More obscure tunes were part of the setlist, too. “Say I” might have sapped the energy of some audience members, but if you paid attention, it was worth the effort. The intricately constructed song contained some deft fretwork from Tremonti, who, at one point, played some Middle Eastern-sounding runs.

The brooding yet driving sounds of “One” made for a crowd favorite and ratcheted he energy level back into place. “I feel angry, I feel helpless/ Want to change the world,” sang Stapp. It might be a personal mission statement.

The energetic singer, in a tight black T-shirt, prefaced “What’s This Life For” with a story about a child with cancer. Midway through the song, the music dropped out, and Stapp repeated, “Tell me, what’s this life for?” with no accompaniment. Then the band slammed back into the tune, a fine display of dynamics.

The end of the set featured “With Arms Wide Open,” Tremonti playing a nice linear lead line as the crowd sang along; “Rain,” which showed off some strong melody; and an anthemic “My Sacrifice.”

Creed returned to the stage for “One Last Breath,” which inspired another audience singalong, before Stapp rolled out a custom motorcycle the band is giving away. He revved the bike and made an impassioned speech about U.S troops fighting overseas, urging fans to contact local military bases to ask what they can send to help the troops. He led the band into “Higher,” one of Creed’s most massive hits, and it was well-performed.

When Creed arrived in the mid-’90s during the tail end of the grunge era and became a commercial sensation, it wasn’t long before a backlash ensued and tensions crept into the band’s ranks. But after Creed went away for a while before returning to relative prominence, it seems that whatever was wrong has been fixed. And with fewer distractions, it’s easy to see why so many listeners have forged strong connections to Creed and its music after a show like Wednesday’s.

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