John Mellencamp Tour
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Frequently Asked Questions
What songs will John Mellencamp play in concert?
The allocation of tunes from Mellencamp’s catalog remains about the same, but the songs switch out. The artist performs one song each from American Fool, Human Wheels, and Life, Death, Love & Freedom, but the songs change, such as the switching out of Human Wheel’s title track and the longer ballad, “What If I Come Knocking.”
A few more odd song choices crop up. The most glaring is the placement of one of his biggest career smashes “Hurts So Good.” It is either omitted from the setlist entirely, or performed right at the end of the show. This sort of defiance is part of the character of John Mellencamp.
Mellencamp gives the majority of the focus to two albums in particular: 1985’s Scarecrow and its 1987 follow-up, The Lonesome Jubilee. These two records, back to back, mark Mellencamp’s clear prime and a good portion of his classic hits come right from them. The former features setlist standards like “Small Town” and “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” The latter includes the excellent “Cherry Bomb” which is often saved as a show closer and the lesser known “Paper in Fire.” The last major hit from Mellencamp’s catalog is “Authority Song,” which is reserved towards the end of the set. Ultimately, the artist performs nearly all his chart topping hits, excluding one or two songs.
Another track not forgotten is “Jack and Diane.” The song is reconfigured live in the form of a laid back country song, which makes for a unique approach to this soft pop/rock hit.
Human Wheels
I’m a Troubled Man
Minutes to Memories
Check It Out
Jack and Diane
Longest Days
Small Town
New Hymn
Rain on the Scarecrow
Paper in Fire
Crumblin’ Down
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
Pink Houses
Authority Song
Cherry Bomb
Hurts So Good
Does Mellencamp play any new material?
The artist has a new record forthcoming in late 2014 called Plain Spoken. The final tracklist and release date is still a secret, but he has been performing a sole new song called “I’m a Troubled Man.” This marks the only new track he has been consistently performing.
How long is a John Mellencamp concert?
John Mellencamp performs a reasonable 90 minute set.
Who is opening the show?
He does not have an opening act for this tour.
Who is John Mellencamp’s publicist and press contact?
The musician works with Hoffman Entertainment based out of New York City. His main management contact is Randy Hoffman. His public relations manager is Claire Mercuri. You can contact both through the contact form on Mellencamp’s official website.
How do I get access to presale tickets for John Mellencamp’s tour?
His official website has made some presale details, pertaining to this upcoming tour, public. Presales are made completely free and do not require any fan membership. On the other hand, you can access VIP specialty packages through the Club Cherry Bomb, though these presales are no longer available for this tour.
Follow the five steps outlined on the artist’s official website which requires users to review the tour page and select their date of choice through the presale option button. Logged in members are provided a presale password right before the presale access begins which is used prior to the public onsale.
Mellencamp has always been known to offer special premium access to a few lucky fans as announcements are made on his Facebook page. For a shot in the dark, keep circling this fan page.
Lastly, the online resource Presale Passwords Info has collected some presales for a handful of dates. The resource is an intuitive one-stop shop for presale data, though you pay for convenience with an upfront fee and an account with the website.
Concert Reviews
“More than almost any of his stylistic forebears, or contemporaries, John Mellencamp has faced aging not with the sage understanding of a Bob Dylan or a sad searching of a Bruce Springsteen, but with the same defiance that has always marked his music. That still was the case, perhaps more than ever, during Mellencamp’s nearly sold-out show Monday at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music.” – John J. Moser of Lehigh Valley Music
“Fans coming to the show to hear the radio anthems of their youth may have been a little upset about some of the reconstituted material, particularly on numbers like “Jack & Diane,” which was transformed from a hook-laden rocker into a light and breezy country swing ditty. “Pink Houses” was another tune that was a little hard to listen to in its new country-fried format.” – John Voket of the SoundSpike
“It wasn’t until the evening’s 18th performance which finally placed Dane Clark behind his full drum kit where for the remainder of the show the delivery of the songs veered towards menace. By restraining themselves for 90-minutes, the full band attack came across as a world under siege. It was a meticulous move that worked.” – Anthony Kuzminski of The Screen Door
Tour Archive
John Mellencamp 2012
Tour Opening Acts: Kenny Chesney
Started May 19, 2012 in Bowling Green, Kentucky | Ended October 14, 2012 in Washington, DC
John Mellencamp Words and Music Tour 2011
Tour Opening Acts: His Story Worth
Started February 3, 2011 in Lowell, Massachusetts | Ended November 19, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana
John Mellencamp The Best That I Could Do Tour 2010
Tour Opening Acts: Cowboy Junkies
Started August 8, 2010 in Lincoln, Nebraska | Ended November 27, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois
John Mellencamp 2009
Tour Opening Acts: NA
Started January 18, 2009 in Washington, DC | Ended December 6, 2009 in Washington, DC
John Mellencamp Life, Death, Love & Freedom Tour 2008
Tour Opening Acts: NA
Started June 28, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Ended November 3, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
John Mellencamp Life, Death, Love & Freedom Tour 2007
Tour Opening Acts: John Fogerty
Started September 9, 2007 in New York, New York | Ended December 13, 2007 in Providence, Rhode Island
John Mellencamp 2005
Tour Opening Acts: John Fogerty
Started March 25, 2005 in Tallahassee, Florida | Ended October 29, 2005 in Mountain View, California