The Music Room: John Mellencamp Cincinnati Review
The Music Room By Tony Keefer
There are some concerts where everything just falls into place. The weather is beautiful, the setting is perfect, and one of America’s greatest songbooks is about to provide the soundtrack. You know it’s special when you walk back to the car and all you can say is, “Man… what a show.” That’s exactly how I felt leaving Riverbend Music Center after John Mellencamp’s Dancing Words Tour: The Greatest Hits.
If you’ve followed John Mellencamp over the years, you know you never quite know what you’re going to get. There have been nights when the audience has challenged John, and nights when John’s challenged the audience. That’s just who he is. Mellencamp has always walked to the beat of his own drum, often choosing to play what inspires him today instead of simply giving fans a parade of hits. Sometimes that has created unforgettable moments, and sometimes it’s created some tense ones. But on this night, the Dancing Words Tour: The Greatest Hits felt like the perfect match between artist and audience.
After the opening song, Mellencamp walked to the microphone, smiled, and said, “Hello, I’m John Mellencamp… and I’m not for everyone.” The crowd laughed, the ice was broken, and from that moment on, it felt like everyone was in on the joke. More importantly, it felt like John was genuinely enjoying himself, and that made the night even more special.
A Different Side of John Mellencamp
That relaxed attitude carried through the entire 24-song performance. Dressed in black pants, a plain white undershirt and, of course, a cigarette between his fingers, Mellencamp looked exactly like John Mellencamp. No elaborate stage entrance. No flashy wardrobe. Just one of America’s great rock storytellers walking onstage and letting the music do the talking. One classic followed another, but it wasn’t just the songs that made the night memorable. It was the personality between them. Whether he was joking with the audience or sharing a laugh with the band, this was a side of John Mellencamp that simply looked happy to be on stage.
“Jack & Diane” and a Perfect Moment
The perfect example of Mellencamp’s laid-back mood came during one of the night’s biggest classics, “Jack & Diane.” After the first verse, the Riverbend crowd did what crowds have probably been doing for decades and jumped right into the chorus. Mellencamp stopped the band, but not to scold anyone. Instead, he laughed and offered a friendly correction. “No, no, no… there’s a second verse!” he joked. “Everybody wants to go to the chorus after the first verse, but it took me a long time to write that second verse, so we’re going to do it right.” The band backed up, played it again, and this time the audience got the full song before launching into the chorus. By the end, Mellencamp even gave the crowd a few extra chances to sing along. It was one of those genuine moments that had everyone, including Mellencamp, laughing together.
More Than Just the Music
The fun moments just kept coming. At one point, a fan in the front row must have been singing his heart out because Mellencamp stopped, looked down at him and laughed, “You don’t sing very good… but you sure do sing loud.” Coming from just about anybody else, it might have landed differently. Coming from Mellencamp, it was classic John. The crowd laughed, the fan laughed, and the show rolled right along.
Even the intermission had its own personality. Instead of simply walking offstage after the first 12 songs, Mellencamp smiled and said, “Well, that was the opening band. We’ll be right back with the headliner.” It was another reminder that he was having just as much fun as the nearly sold-out Riverbend crowd, and it only made everyone more excited for what was still to come.
The Heartbeat of the Band
As fun as those moments were, they wouldn’t have meant nearly as much if the music hadn’t delivered. And boy, did it deliver. Sometimes you don’t realize just how many layers there are to a John Mellencamp song until you hear them performed live. For me, the heartbeat of the night came from violinist Lisa Germano. The sound of her bow gliding across the strings was woven into so many of Mellencamp’s classics that it’s easy to overlook on the studio recordings. Hearing it live was a reminder of just how much emotion and texture that violin brings to the music. Those songs simply wouldn’t have felt the same without it.
Crystal Taliefero was another standout. In addition to her incredible saxophone playing throughout the night, she stepped up to sing the Michelle Ndegeocello vocal on “Wild Night.” That’s no easy assignment, but Taliefero absolutely made the song her own. In fact, there were moments when I caught myself wondering if I was actually hearing Michelle’s voice. Then I’d see Taliefero pick the saxophone back up and remember it was all her. Looking around Riverbend, it wasn’t hard to see why the song became one of the biggest celebrations of the night. Fans were dancing, singing, and soaking in every second of it.
A Soundtrack for Summer
For me, the musical highlights were everywhere. “Pink Houses” once again reminded me why it’s my favorite John Mellencamp song, sounding just as powerful today as it did decades ago. “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)” brought a more laid-back feel to the evening, while “Wild Night” turned Riverbend into one big celebration. By the time “Cherry Bomb” rolled around, it didn’t even feel like a concert anymore. It felt like one big summer party, with John Mellencamp providing the soundtrack.
A Family Affair
After a 24-song marathon, John Mellencamp still had one more surprise. As the band prepared to close the night with “Hurts So Good,” the performance became a family affair. John’s brother, Joe, who lives in the Cincinnati area, joined him on stage to sing the opening verse. Then John’s son stepped in for the second. It was one of those moments you know doesn’t happen every night, and it made an already special evening feel even more personal. Seeing Mellencamp share the stage with his family wasn’t just a fitting way to end the concert. It was another reminder that beneath the legendary catalog is a guy who was simply enjoying the night with the people closest to him.
Final Thoughts
Summer nights were made for artists like Jimmy Buffett, Bob Seger and John Mellencamp. Buffett may be gone and Seger may have stepped away from touring, but thankfully, Mellencamp is still out there giving fans another chance to celebrate one of America’s great rock songbooks. Forget what you’ve heard, or what you think you know, about John Mellencamp. If the Dancing Words Tour: The Greatest Hits comes anywhere near you, don’t miss it. Celebrate these songs while you can. Celebrate this artist while we still have him.
And if my words still haven’t convinced you, let me leave you with one last thought. I didn’t walk into Riverbend Music Center planning to buy a concert T-shirt, but I walked out with one over my shoulder. When it comes to concerts, that’s about the strongest review I can give.