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Kelowna was treated to a rockin’ Saturday night as John Mellencamp rolled through Prospera Place.
Despite the tour being held in support of Mellencamp’s 2017 release, Sad Clowns & Hillbillies, only one song made its way onto the setlist amongst many golden hits.
Once the lights turned low, fans were treated to a mini-documentary featuring a timeline of Mellencamp’s 30+ year career. After the mini-doc, his milestone accomplishments and the adversity he faced before his six-piece band made their way onto the stage.
Known for his Salt of the Earth attitude, Mellencamp stepped into the spotlight dressed in modest dark coveralls, to humbly greet his fans before launching into 2014’s “Lawless Times”, setting the tone for a night filled with blues-infused heartland rock.
It took little to no time for Mellencamp to open the nostalgia floodgates. Two songs in and he hit fans with “Minutes to Memories” and smash single “Small Town,” from the 1985 album, Scarecrow.
Now at the age of 67, Mellencamp seems to only embody his discography even more than in the past. His antiqued, smoke-enhanced voice only deepening the visceral impact of his blue-collar, rural lifestyle, lyrical themes.
Though the show may have lacked in the glitz and glam department, it was strong over-all and gave attendees the opportunity to truly sop up the raw, unwavering talent demonstrated by the Hall of Famer and his band of impeccable musicians.
Fans from various generations were gifted a performance that consisted of the radio’s most favoured folk and country influenced rock anthems including, “Paper in Fire,” “Crumblin’ Down,” “Check it Out,” and “Pink Houses.”
Crowd highlights, though there were many, can be narrowed down to a stripped-down rendition of iconic singalong, “Jack & Diane,” the rebellion struck, infectiously catchy “Authority song/1000 Dances,” mashup, and the energetic encore performance of “Hurts So Good.”
My personal favourite would have been Mellencamp’s revamp of Robert Johnson’s 1937 Delta-blues song, “Stones in my Passway,” Which featured heart-wrenching guitar ripping, Elvis-esque dance moves and the pinnacle of Mellencamp’s vocal performance.
Despite it being a two hour performance, fans may have left feeling a minor glimpse of disappointment, as early ballad “Ain’t Even Done with the Night,” and monster hit “R.O.C.K in the U.S.A” were both left from the set list.
All in all, Mellencamp and his band brought the Okanagan an awe-inspiring show filled with memorable peaks and minimal vallies.
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