When this Indiana-based roots rocker first broke big in the late ’70s he was known as Johnny/John Cougar. In the early ’80s he became John Cougar Mellancamp. Now, he’s John Mellancamp.
Mellancamp’s a little too “American heartland” for my taste. Myth has a strong hold on the American psyche. And anything that offers an overly romantic portrait of the U.S. at present I’m wary of. But Mellancamp’s songs do have valid social commentary. It’s not like he’s Toby Keith. So I imagine his show tonight at Conexus Arts Centre would be one worth seeing.
There’s a documentary on Mellancamp at 7 p.m., and the concert follows at 8:20 p.m. Tickets range from $46.50-$130.
To close, here’s the video of one of his first hits as Johnny Cougar “Hurts So Good”.