![]() He spoke of his disdain for the “thoughts and prayers” so often espoused by those in power these days prior to launching into a dark and powerful new track “Hey God” which featured some great fiddle from Germano and guitar work from York on the resonator. True to his word, there were a number of recognizable tracks from his outstanding catalog but his keen eye and need to comment on the issues going on around him today were also on full display. After a breathless opening, Mellencamp announced that they’ll be playing “some songs you know, some songs you don’t know, some songs you can sing along with, some you can dance to, and some that might make you think a bit” and that “hopefully, by the end of the night we’ll have formed a bit of a community amongst ourselves.” Of course, it’s the gravelly tones of Mellencamp himself that everyone was there to hear and they are right there, raw and emotive as ever, cultivated from a smoking habit he developed at 10 years old (another thing he mentions he learned from the movies!). The rest of the band, made up of long-time member Mike Wanchic on guitar, John Gunnel on bass, Troy Kinnett on keyboards, Andy York on guitar, and the returning Lisa Germano on fiddle provide an evocative and solid platform upon which John can deliver his songs. Right from the off, the quality of musicianship is evident, with Clark’s drums prominent in the mix, driving the band forward. It’s like magic, it’s music and poetry informed by real American life and it’s a trick that very few outside of Petty, Young, Springsteen, and Dylan can perform as well as Mellencamp.Īs the final movie clip ended, the house lights went fully down and the audience erupted as Dane Clark’s booming drums kicked off the live music portion of the night and the band launched into a raucous version of “John Cockers” from 2008’s Life, Death, Love and Freedom. Regardless of whether you are from a small town in middle America (or even originally from America itself), it’s likely that on numerous occasions at a Mellencamp show, you’ll find yourself right there on Main Street or on a dusty road with the sun on your face. This is indeed true but Mellencamp’s genius is painting a picture so vivid with his songwriting that it puts you in the place HE was when he was writing it. He mentioned at one point that songs and movies are the only things you can watch/listen to and they take you back to the place you were when you first saw them. Whilst the audience got somewhat restless waiting to see their hero take to the stage in person, this introduction with John’s voiceover provided some fascinating insights into some of the art that, along with his real-life experiences, helped develop his worldview and inform his songwriting. Indeed, he mentioned that he used to joke that James Dean wasn’t dead, you just had to come to a small town in Indiana and you’d see that guy everywhere. These movies contained characters that reminded him of people he knew and came across in real life. They were, he said, his comfort movies, a place he could retreat to again and again, always noticing something new each time. It’s clear that his image is heavily influenced by both Brando and James Dean and he spoke to what a crucial part of his development as a musician/artist these movies were. ![]() He spoke to the fact that this was the first time he’s worked with a sponsor for his shows before a selection of scenes from classic movies, primarily featuring James Dean and Marlon Brando, are shown with voice-over between each clip from Mellencamp. It showed John Mellencamp sitting with a representative of Turner Classic Movies who is sponsoring his tour. ![]() The Chicago Theatre was about three-quarters full with people slowly filing in as the lights dimmed and a screen over the stage crackled into life. John Mellencamp performed his second night of a three-night engagement at the Chicago Theatre to a sold-out crowd. ![]()
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