Cincinnati Review

[walktall2010]

Despite losing some range, Mellencamp still belts

There was a reason to be fearful heading into the Aronoff Center Saturday night for the John Mellencamp show.

It was the third date of his 80-show Plain Spoken Tour, and the fact that he named the tour after his last album could have been an indicator that he was going to go heavy on relatively unknown "Plain Spoken" material at the expense of his crowd-pleasing back catalog.

Yes, we get it. Mellencamp, 63, is still a viable artist: "Plain Spoken" debuted at 18 on the Billboard charts in October, so there are people that still want to hear what he has to say, and he wants to say it.

But who wouldn't want to hear the old stuff over the new, song for song? Me. I would have taken "Hand to Hold On To," "Jackie O" and "Rooty Toot Toot" over any three new ones.

That said, it didn't turn out to be that bad in terms of a new-to-old ratio: Eleven of the 20 songs in Mellencamp's nearly two-hour performance would have to be considered old favorites, and he put them forth with help from a fantastic six-piece band. The show, in the Aronoff's Procter & Gamble Hall, was sold out.

He opened with "Lawless Times," a new one with the full band muscling into it. Its looping bluesy rhythm brought to mind Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women," and its lyrics were packed with swipes at the police, Wall Street and Catholic priests. "You better watch your behind," Mellencamp sang.

He got deeper into the blues a few songs later with a stripped-down version of Robert Johnson's "Stones in My Passway," a performance with just him, Andy York on slide electric guitar, John E. Gee on upright bass and drummer Dane Clark. Mellencamp's voice has lost some of its range from the hit-making days to now, but he is still a belter, and he wailed effectively on that one.

Two newer songs that the crowd paid little attention to were two of the best performances of the night. Each came from "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County," a 2012 musical by Mellencamp and author Stephen King. Mellencamp called show opener Carlene Carter to the stage, and she sang "Away from This World" and "Tear This Cabin Down" as many people in the audience chatted or left their seats.

Songs like "Authority Song," "Pink Houses" and "Cherry Bomb" drew the opposite reaction. The crowd stood and clapped along. "Jack & Diane" provided the biggest moment of classic-rock sharing between crowd and performer. The band cleared the stage, leaving only Mellencamp and his acoustic guitar, and he let the crowd do most of the singing.

Carter's opening set was great. She performed solo, playing acoustic guitar and piano and singing renditions of Carter Family songs like "Storms Are on the Ocean" and "My Dixie Darling" and her own songs like "Every Little Thing" and "Easy from Now On."

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/01/25/john-mellencamp-cincinnati-concert/22312395/

[sugarmarie_1980]

He is by no means a nostalgia act.

http://www.ootb646.com/review/plain-spoken-tour-20150124.html

John Mellencamp's sold-out Plain Spoken Tour stop at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnati felt more like 3,300 old friends getting back together rather than 3,300 strangers meeting for a night of music--that's the effect of Mellencamp's music. It feels good and familiar, like going back home after being away for years; and Saturday night,
it felt damn good to all that attended. Using Mellencamp's words, much of his music reminds listeners of "Talking about the good old days."

The night opened with singer-songwriter Carlene Carter. For those unfamiliar with Carter she is the daughter of late June Carter Cash. The highlights of her set were mainly old Carter family songs, including "Little Black Train" from her newest album Carter Girl. Although she mainly stayed on guitar, she moved to the piano to do a beautiful rendition of a song she wrote back in 2003 when her mother passed away. The song titled "Lonesome Valley 2003" was a moving and honest look at the pain and grieving one goes through when losing a loved one. Carter sang it beautifully and really touched the crowd. She closed the set with some fine guitar fingerpicking and her energy set the mood for the headliner.

Although the words "good old days" are often used to describe John Mellencamp, he is by no means a nostalgia act. He proved this when he hit the stage with two straight album tracks from his new album Plain Spoken. The tracks "Lawless Times" and "Troubled Man" follow familiar themes in his music: music about everyday life and people. These songs resonate as much as any of his older material, but when he hit the third song "Minutes to Memories," you knew what the crowd was here for. 

The rest of the show felt like a sing-along for many in the crowd as he veered from the Robert Johnson blues of "Stones in My Passway" to an intimate rendition of one of his first hits "Jack and Diane" with him alone on his acoustic guitar. Mellencamp seemed to really be enjoying the crowd's enthusiasm as they sang every word. 

The real ace in the hole of the night was his fantastic band. Led by longtime guitarist Mike Wanchic and lead guitarist Andy York, the band stood out on a number of tracks. Accordion player Troye Kinnett and hometown girl violinist Miriam Sturm gave the band a brief intermission while playing "Overture." They really are the secret weapon of the band, adding elements you just don't get in many rock bands. 

The final seven songs were like a greatest hit's record--from an outstanding rendition of "Paper in Fire" to a rocking version of "Authority Song" that had the crowd dancing in the aisles. To close out the show, he went back to a song about them good old days. When he started "Cherry Bomb" it made you think about days gone past, as the lyric states:
"when holding hands meant somethin' baby." His songs bring back an innocence and introspection that made the crowd all feel 20 years younger. As Mellencamp walked off stage to thunderous applause, it was obvious he had made us all feel like we were young again sharing his songs with each other.

- See more at: http://www.ootb646.com/review/plain-spoken-tour-20150124.html#sthash.sxQfJVVf.dpuf

[sugarmarie_1980]

Photo gallery from Cincinnati show:

http://www.ootb646.com/photography/john-mellencamp-20150124.html#.VMWXYJaSRMU.twitter

[sugarmarie_1980]

"If I Die Sudden" taken with my iPhone, Cincinnati, OH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hFqNUWpqpY