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Concert viewing tip: if one wishes to sit still during a concert, one should NOT go to a concert at which John Mellencamp is going to perform.

If one wishes to have John Mellencamp in front of one’s face and one does not wish to dance like a spastic monkey, one should stay home and watch a video.

As for me and my monkey friends, we shall dance.

  With abandon.

  Without apology.

Somebody count to four!

Yes, at Mellencamp’s concert at the Les Schwab Amphitheatre in Bend, Oregon on August 27, 2010 there were actually those who wished to remain planted in their seats, even when the night’s entertainment was started by Mr. Mellencamp hollering into the microphone, “Y’all ready?  Somebody count to four!”

Before the audience was through screaming out “four” for all they were worth, the first chord of “Pink Houses” was rocking Central Oregon.

Without pause came “Paper in Fire”, “No Better Than This” and “Check it Out” (the latter played with ferocious determination repeatedly emphasized with the air punch for which John Mellencamp is so well known.)

Finally the delighted crowd was allowed to catch their collective breath while the singer made the decidedly unnecessary but well received comment, “Good evening.  I’m John Mellencamp.”

Next was a solo performance of the intriguing “Save Some Time to Dream” from the new album No Better Than This. It’s an outstanding song with mesmerizing lyrics.  However, if you want to hear the song, buy the album or go to a concert.

  While it is available as an MP3 download, Mellencamp himself cannot recommend the poor copy resulting from digital compression.  The best version, of course, is the live one.

Still think you can just sit there?

A single verse from “Cherry Bomb” preceded the haunting “Don’t Need this Body”, a song that encapsulates the title of its album Life, Death, Love and Freedom.

  After Mellencamp played a solo version of “Small Town” (with an unintended momentary switching of verses) violinist Miriam Sturm with Troye Kinnett on accordion played an unexpected “The Old Rugged Cross”, giving the rest of the band a break.

  It was a rest well spent because they came back with an absolutely fierce “Rain on the Scarecrow”.  I double-dog dare you to sit still for that.

Mellencamp was in fine form.  He looked good.  He sounded great.  He engaged the crowd with smiles and waves and pointedly winked at those who tried to stay seated.  Trim and energetic, his defiant rooster hair still flopped forward as he chewed his gum and belted out his songs.  His voice was strong and his guitar was clean. 

This concert was NOT phoned in. 

The band of the aforementioned Sturm and Kinnett, plus Andy York on guitar, Dane Clark on drums, Jon E. Gee on both stand-up and traditional bass guitar, and Mike Wanchic (who has played guitar with Mellencamp for 35 years) enthusiastically backed up the boss but had excellent solo turns as well.  Miriam Sturm’s fiddle was wicked in “If I Die Sudden”, Jon E. Gee blistered his bass in “Crumblin’ Down” and Andy York was well planted at lead guitar.    There were times my hair became airborne by the force of the tuneage.

That doesn’t happen with a video at home.

Can I have an "Amen!"?

After only one hour and twenty minutes (I know, but with the Dough Rollers opening, Bob Dylan closing and the local curfew ruling all, what are you going to do?) Mellencamp closed the set with a song he wrote when he was 22. Claiming he still felt the same way even all this time later (almost 37 years) he launched into an exuberant “Authority Song”.

The audience was more than willing to help out, you know, just in case he forgot the words again, and there was a joyful session of good ol’ gospel call-and-response that left the clearly happy crowd quite limp and towel-ready.

Yeah, dying to me don’t sound like all that much fun but fun is certainly what a John Mellencamp concert is.

Dare you to sit still.

Set List

"Pink Houses"
"Paper in Fire"
"No Better Than This"
"Check It Out"
"Save Some Time to Dream"
"Cherry Bomb"
"Don’t Need This Body"
"Small Town"
"Old Rugged Cross"
"Rain on the Scarecrow"
"Troubled Land"
"If I Die Sudden"
"Crumblin’ Down"
"Authority Song"