John Mellencamp
March 22, 2024
Emens Auditorium
Muncie, Indiana

Source: Sound Professionals CMC-08s (AT943s)->SP-SB-20->Roland R05->
Audacity->CDWave->TLH
Taper: ironchef

Total time: 98:45 (1:38:45)

01. John Cockers
02. Paper in Fire
03. Minutes to Memories
04. Small Town
05. Human Wheels
06. Jackie Brown
07. Troubled Land
08. Check It Out
09. The Eyes of Portland (Acoustic)
10. Longest Days (Acoustic)
11. Jack & Diane (Acoustic)
12. The Real Life (w/Joanne Woodward recorded recitation)
13. Rain on the Scarecrow
14. Lonely Ol' Night
15. What If I Came Knocking
16. Crumblin' Down
17. Pink Houses
18. band introductions
19. Cherry Bomb
20. Hurts So Good

Notes: Recorded from the third row of section E (main floor far right side) about 15 or so feet straight back from the PA.
The bass drum is usually quite prominent in the mix for John's shows, so I was concerned that it might be overpowering the mics
being that close. I chose my seat knowing this but decided to gamble and take a chance with it. There's definitely a lot of kick, but
it didn't get distorted.

The crowd around me was pretty well behaved overall. There are a few bits of quiet chatter here and there, but it's
not much. Of course, it's just when the band comes onstage that someone shows up in the aisle with an usher asking for help finding
his seat when there's just been a twenty minute compilation of classic film clips played as the "opening act". The last clip played is
from A Streetcar Named Desire which leads straight into the band coming onstage. Last year's tour was presented by Turner Classic
Movies which was the reason for the film compilation as the opening of the show. This tour doesn't have TCM listed anywhere, but
obviously John decided to keep the format. Still, it's slightly amusing to hear the crowd grow a little more restless with each clip as they
can't just be patient and appreciate the fact that the artist wants us to see this for a reason. And it's not like it's a closely guarded
secret that this is part of the show. Such things may be found on the googles.

I saw John at the end of last year's tour in June in South Bend, Indiana. The setlist is almost the same except that we got one more song
this time around. Even with that, this one is a full 20 minutes shorter than last year's show was. He talked a lot more last summer. I don't
know if he was a bit more talkative then because he was in a better mood since the tour was almost over or if it has anything to do with
the recent incident with a heckler at the Toledo show that irritated him so much that he walked offstage. This time around he didn't tell
the stories behind the songs "The Eyes of Portland" and "Longest Days" like he did last year. Also, they dropped the "Gloria" jam that had
been part of "Crumbling Down". I don't recall seeing this litttle detail last time, but I did notice at the very end of the film clips that a
message was shown on the screen telling the audience something to the effect of "please follow theater etiquette". Amen to that, brother!!
You'repreaching to the choir on that one. If that wasn't there before, I wonder also if that little bit got added as a result of the unruly fan.

The show was excellent, as expected. During "Hurts So Good" John brought up a little girl that's probably about 7 years old that was
in the front row. He gave her the mic and let her sing for a bit and sang and danced along with her to help her out. Go see him on tour if
you can. Enjoy!