Mellencamp raises his own lofty standards
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John Mellencamp at Freedom Hall
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By Jeffrey Lee Puckett
jpuckett@courier-journal.com
Courier-Journal Critic
There's no way to actually do this justice, so just play along for a little while. It's not every day that '60s icons, best-selling authors and Little Bastards from Indiana convene.
If you went to the John Mellencamp show Sunday night at Freedom Hall - no, make that the best John Mellencamp show ever Sunday night at Freedom Hall - your pulse is likely still racing and you're probably still wondering: Was that really Stephen King playing rhythm guitar on "Pink Houses"?
Yes, it was. And Donovan was blowing a harp solo. And not only that, but it was the best version ever of "Pink Houses," a real hair-raiser.
It was that kind of night, again and again and again. Mellencamp, long one of rock 'n' roll's most inspiring live acts, raised his own lofty standards with a show that not only stacked highlights 10 deep but also underscored the emotional thrust of his entire career. The combination was dazzling.
The first half of the show strung together songs that cut to the heart of Mellencamp's core message. "Small Town," "Lonely Ol' Night," "Rain on the Scarecrow" and, especially, "Minutes to Memories" dealt with honoring and appreciating the values and traditions inherent in any family or community. It wasn't sugar-coated, but it was celebratory.
In a neat twist on the opening act convention, Mellencamp then turned the stage over to Donovan. Oh, that must have been cute, you might be thinking. Big rock star throwing a bone to the oldies act.
Wrong. Donovan's 30-minute set was a total triumph. It began with him and Mellencamp sharing "Sunshine Superman" and quickly escalated, peaking with a mind-blowing version of "Season of the Witch" that might be one of the year's top-10 rock moments.
Mellencamp came bounding back as "Mellow Yellow" was fading and upped the ante with a full clip of anthems.
"I Need a Lover," "Jack & Diane," a fierce "What If I Came Knocking," "Crumblin' Down" - it was like getting pummeled by Ali. And then Mellencamp brought out King, with whom he's developing a Broadway play, and took it up another level. Even "Hurts So Good," a song that should have been retired years ago, had new life.
Mellencamp earned his gold star as a performer years ago. Last night, he proved that he isn't ready to start coasting. Not by a long shot.
^^ Back to top
This is what I did last night...I was on the 3rd row...about 10 feet away from him....I have been to hundreds and hundreds of concerts..this one was one of the top 10...it was a religious experience..........
PHOTO GALLERIES
John Mellencamp at Freedom Hall
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other
GUARDSMARK, LLC One of the nation's lea...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Healthcare
You're on to SOMETHING Exceptional with...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technical
MedVenture Technology
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales Marketing
SALES PROFESSIONALS Prosperous 23 year-o...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Healthcare
DIRECTOR OF NURSING RN LPN POSITIONS Hil...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DRIVERS
DRIVERS If you are looking for a driving...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Top Jobs
About Top Jobs
By Jeffrey Lee Puckett
jpuckett@courier-journal.com
Courier-Journal Critic
There's no way to actually do this justice, so just play along for a little while. It's not every day that '60s icons, best-selling authors and Little Bastards from Indiana convene.
If you went to the John Mellencamp show Sunday night at Freedom Hall - no, make that the best John Mellencamp show ever Sunday night at Freedom Hall - your pulse is likely still racing and you're probably still wondering: Was that really Stephen King playing rhythm guitar on "Pink Houses"?
Yes, it was. And Donovan was blowing a harp solo. And not only that, but it was the best version ever of "Pink Houses," a real hair-raiser.
It was that kind of night, again and again and again. Mellencamp, long one of rock 'n' roll's most inspiring live acts, raised his own lofty standards with a show that not only stacked highlights 10 deep but also underscored the emotional thrust of his entire career. The combination was dazzling.
The first half of the show strung together songs that cut to the heart of Mellencamp's core message. "Small Town," "Lonely Ol' Night," "Rain on the Scarecrow" and, especially, "Minutes to Memories" dealt with honoring and appreciating the values and traditions inherent in any family or community. It wasn't sugar-coated, but it was celebratory.
In a neat twist on the opening act convention, Mellencamp then turned the stage over to Donovan. Oh, that must have been cute, you might be thinking. Big rock star throwing a bone to the oldies act.
Wrong. Donovan's 30-minute set was a total triumph. It began with him and Mellencamp sharing "Sunshine Superman" and quickly escalated, peaking with a mind-blowing version of "Season of the Witch" that might be one of the year's top-10 rock moments.
Mellencamp came bounding back as "Mellow Yellow" was fading and upped the ante with a full clip of anthems.
"I Need a Lover," "Jack & Diane," a fierce "What If I Came Knocking," "Crumblin' Down" - it was like getting pummeled by Ali. And then Mellencamp brought out King, with whom he's developing a Broadway play, and took it up another level. Even "Hurts So Good," a song that should have been retired years ago, had new life.
Mellencamp earned his gold star as a performer years ago. Last night, he proved that he isn't ready to start coasting. Not by a long shot.
^^ Back to top
This is what I did last night...I was on the 3rd row...about 10 feet away from him....I have been to hundreds and hundreds of concerts..this one was one of the top 10...it was a religious experience..........
VIEW 8 of 8 COMMENTS
I'd consider doing a swap (if it sounds suitably delicious) but I think it might get mangled in the post