John Mellencamp
October 21st, 2016
Stranahan Theater
Toledo, OH
I've seen Mellencamp live twice already on the Plain Spoken tour, but
this show tops it all!! I was certain that he was going to play the same setlist, but when he spontaneously mixed "Pop Singer" into the bag, I thought it was a dream! I had no clue he would perform that song on the 3rd leg of his tour. What a pleasant surprise for fans like me who want to see him at every opportunity we can get!
Turns out that John had a cold, and he informed us that his team was considering
cancelling the show. The crowd was so extremely relieved when he told us he'd stay and continue the show for us. He is really dedicated to his fans and it shows! It feels like an honor to have John Mellencamp perform right in front of you. He plays music with so much class.
The audience reaction was rather silly that night. John was about to tell a story about how his grandmother lived to be 100, the story that would lead into an extremely heartfelt song called, "Longest Days". But it was slightly delayed due to the fans showering John with extreme affection! First it began with a guy behind me who screamed, and then some ladies followed along. The
whole venue exploded with cheers and praise. John stepped aside and bowed, waiting for the audience to quiet up. Only it didn't happen. Right when he was about to speak, fans continued up again, screaming things like, "I love you, John!" and various song titles that fans hoped he would play. John waited patiently, until he realized that the audience would not hush into a low down. So he joking asked if we would "shut the fuck up"! Which only made it worse for him- the audience
roared this time with an intensity that felt like a roller coaster. You could feel the screams in your heart; this is how much the audience loved John Mellencamp. I never experienced anything like that before at any of the shows I went to. It was a magical thing.
Eventually, after several minutes of hoots and hollering and flocks of girls screaming "I love you!" (
I was one of those girls) he began to get a little annoyed so the audience stopped. Then he continued the rest of the night on a happier note. He was sick but it certainly did not seem like it! During the second half of the show, John was all smiles. He moved around on stage, danced, and brought so much joy to the audience to help them keep engaged! As a matter of fact, during "Authority Song", you could
actually feel the floor shaking. It felt exactly like we were rocking on the waves beneath a boat! It was
intense.
Something really cool happened to me during the last few songs of the night. John walked over to the left side of the stage, where I just happened to be right in the front. I was holding a rose in my hand, dancing, singing all the words and just simply soaking up all the energy of the night when John did something I will
never forget! He blew me a kiss! About 3 or 4 ladies around me turned to face me and their eyes grew really big. Five seconds later, we all screamed!!
"John Mellencamp blew you a kiss!" They screamed in a frenzy.
"I know... I know!" I said, closing my eyes and holding the rose near me. I couldn't even fathom what just happened to me.
And then it gets better, becuase I had planned to give the rose to John during "Cherry Bomb", his last song. When he approached me again, I held out the rose and closed my eyes tightly.
"Please take it... please please
pleaaaase..." I begged.
I could feel him take the rose out of my hand. I looked up, and sure enough, he was holding the rose and smiling down at me. I swore I was about to be swept beneath my feet and faint, but I managed to hold on and watch as John took the rose and placed it in Mike's mouth! Then he took it out and put in in Mike's suit. They smiled real goofy at each other, and then continued the song in the greatest, happiest mood of the night. I don't think I stopped smiling once a that show- their energy is infectious!
The rose stayed in Mike's suit until they ended "Cherry Bomb", then Mike threw it beside the drums and walked off stage. Who knows what they did with it after that. But that rose has one hell of a story behind it- just as I do now, too!
So if you haven't seen John live yet, you are missing out on a legendary, lifetime experience just like this! He is classy, talented, and still goes at his music with a certain charm. He may not be spending anymore "wild nights" like he used to, but it doesn't make him any less of an extraordinary performer. Both he and Carlene Carter are spectacular people with an amazing ability to perform and please an audience.
I happened to meet Carlene before John's act, actually. I gave her a hug and asked her,
"What's it like to work with John Mellencamp?" And she said,
"He's a very hard-working man, and likes to get things done. But I do to, so we really get along."
I smiled when she told me that, because it was just so cool and a real honor to speak to Carlene and ask her what she thought of the
very man that I look up to. I got a hug and a picture with her, as well as her autograph. I couldn't express how
lucky I felt that night. And it wasn't just me. Both John Mellencamp and Carlene do everything they can to help make sure that everybody in the audience is having a good time... which leaves everybody walking out that venue feeling like they're in a lucky haze!
