John Mellencamp plays the Orpheum By Steve Newton MONDAY AND TUESDAY: Indiana rock legend John Mellencamp performs two shows at the Orpheum Theatre. TUESDAY: the Vancouver Canucks take on the high-flying Dallas Stars in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena. TUESDAY: Vancouver rockabilly band the Party Timers--featuring guitarists Jody Peck, Noah Walker, and Steve Charles, with … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, March 13 to 17
Tag: John Mellencamp
Newt’s top 10 Vancouver concerts to see in the first half of 2023
Jason Isbell plays the Queen E By Steve Newton Bowie Ball: the eighth annual tribute to David Bowie and fundraiser for the BC Cancer Foundation, featuring performances by local acts the Bad Beats, Rebel Valentine, Ophelia Falling, China Syndrome, Ford Pier, Cherry Maraschino, Mime, Left Spine Down, and Rat Silo. January 7 at the Rickshaw … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 Vancouver concerts to see in the first half of 2023
Newt’s Top 10 Albums of 2018
By Steve Newton This year I picked some instrumental rock, some hard rock, some southern rock, and some Beatles, but the underlying thread running through most of this stuff is the blues. You just can't beat the blues. Joe Satriani What Happens Next Bay Area guitar wizard hooks up once again with Langley producer Mike Fraser … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 Albums of 2018
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2017
By Steve Newton Welcome to the old-rocker department. You won’t find much in the hip-and-happening realm here, but it’s not all about the kids, ya know. Gregg Allman Southern Blood One of the hardest-hitting musician deaths this year was southern-rock legend Gregg Allman’s passing in May of complications from liver cancer. But he left his millions … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 2017
Album review: John Mellencamp, Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 12, 1996 By Steve Newton In 1994, John Mellencamp was scheduled to perform here in support of his Dance Naked release, but the show was cancelled when the then–four-pack-a-day smoker suffered a heart attack. He hasn’t toured since, and from the sound of this new CD, Mellencamp … Continue reading Album review: John Mellencamp, Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996)
Album review: John Mellencamp, Whenever We Wanted (1991)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 14, 1991 By Steve Newton First it was Johnny Cougar, then John Cougar, then John Cougar Mellencamp, and now John Mellencamp. On his next album he’ll probably just be John. But that’s okay, ’cause names aren’t important when your music’s as brilliant as it is on Whenever … Continue reading Album review: John Mellencamp, Whenever We Wanted (1991)
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1991
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 1991 By Steve Newton Rap and dance music made strong inroads in 1991, but the year wasn’t a total write-off. The sacred power of the electric guitar could still be heard above the soulless clatter of MC Moronitis and DJ Jerkaround. Danny Gatton 88 Elmira St. Fellow scribe … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1991
Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1993
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 23, 1993 By Steve Newton Popular music hit an all-time low this year with the outbreak of something called gangsta rap, an ugly, expletive-laden noise that degrades women and glorifies real-life crime and violence. We can only hope this latest strain of the rap virus will help bring … Continue reading Newt’s Top 10 albums of 1993
Drum great Kenny Aronoff was never afraid to go for it
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 25, 1999 By Steve Newton I’ve got a theory, and this theory, which is mine, is that everybody wants to be a rock ’n’ roll drummer. There’s just something irresistible about the idea of pounding away on a resonating circle until you’re sweaty and drained and then having … Continue reading Drum great Kenny Aronoff was never afraid to go for it
Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 20, 1999 By Steve Newton I like John Mellencamp, but my sister Julie and cousin Cory are crazy about him, so I did some serious scroungin’ and wangled three backstage passes to meet the Indiana rocker before he went on stage at GM Place last Saturday (May 15). Now, for those … Continue reading Perfecting the lost art of the backstage meet ‘n’ greet at John Mellencamp in Vancouver
John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 13, 1999 By Steve Newton John Mellencamp had the biggest-selling album of 1982 with American Fool, which boasted such huge radio hits as “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane”. I interviewed him in advance of a show at the PNE Forum that year, and at the time … Continue reading John Mellencamp cuts back on smokes, ramps up songwriting after heart attack
John Mellencamp’s killer repertoire runs fast and loose in Vancouver
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 5, 1992 By Steve Newton A couple of weeks back, the Straight ran a John Mellencamp interview in which the Indiana man characterized his debut acting/directing effort, Falling from Grace, as “a very slow and methodical movie”. Fortunately for the 13,000 or so rowdies who packed the Coliseum … Continue reading John Mellencamp’s killer repertoire runs fast and loose in Vancouver
Fogerty and Mellencamp: the ultimate double bill
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 25, 2005 When you get two singers like John Mellencamp and John Fogerty on a double bill, you've gotta hope to hell that they'll get together at some point during the show. Rock-star egos being what they are, such on-stage collaborations don't always pan out, but the two Johns have … Continue reading Fogerty and Mellencamp: the ultimate double bill