Mellencamp shines on casual, intimate stage

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This article was published 23/10/2018 (2539 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The last time John Mellencamp played Winnipeg, it was for a sold-out crowd at Centennial Concert Hall in 2015.

And though he was in a bigger room in front of a bigger crowd Tuesday night at Bell MTS Place, he still brought the theatre vibe. Well, actually, it was more like a gritty roots-rock club vibe, the stage floor replicating the aged wood planks found in all the best dive bars, a single laser-beam of a spotlight circling Mellencamp like a halo as he walked on stage with his guitar.

As he has in the past, rather than an opening act, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer started things off with a 25-minute film that was a bit of a career retrospective before he and his band rolled through the first handful of tracks — which included Lawless Times, Minutes to Memories and Small Town.

After a quick chat with the audience, throwing in a few self-deprecating-American quips for good measure, the guitar came off giving him the opportunity to show off some pretty decent dance moves leading into an absolutely electric cover of Stones in My Passway. At 67, Mellencamp’s vocal grit has increased for the better, giving his bluesy holler even more authority and adding an emotional texture to quieter moments, such as the heart-tugger Longest Days.

Mellencamp favours the “evening with” tour format, and that’s probably because it suits him so well; he’s an engaging, not to mention funny, storyteller and isn’t hesitant to interact with the crowd, whether that’s responding to interruptions with biting humour or leading the group in a sing-along of Jack & Diane.

The format also allowed for every possible variation of band to be easily executed, expanding and contracting from song to song; whether on stage as a powerhouse six-piece for Rain on the Scarecrow or whittled down to a solo Mellencamp with only keys to accompany him for The Full Catastrophe, every formation was a good one.

Mellencamp is touring a new record, 2017’s Sad Clowns & Hillbillies, though only one track from that album snuck its way onto the set list — the semi-spoken-word political track Easy Target. Everyone loves the hits, it’s true, but a couple more new songs would have helped freshen things up for those who have seen him before.

The back half of the set was jammed with some of Mellencamp’s heaviest of hitters, including Crumblin’ Down, Authority Song and Pink Houses, but energy on stage seemed to wane a bit as the 90-minute set came to a close with full-band rendition of Cherry Bomb, the crowd, now on their feet, carrying the show home.

As a live performer, Mellencamp is consistent; you always know you’re in for a good show when he comes to town. He’s certainly not the most exciting musician to watch — his stage show is minimal and the musical side of things did at times feel a bit formulaic — but where Mellencamp really shines is in his ability to create a casual and intimate environment. Just as his fans feel they know him through his work, Mellencamp makes it feel as though he knows them, too. It’s a skill not many performers have mastered, but one that is appreciated and important. What Mellencamp does isn’t groundbreaking, but he gets the job done and done well.

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NireRabel