ABC - Classic Hits News

John Mellencamp breaks out the hits, brings back some classics at tour rehearsal

John Mellencamp performs onstage during the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala at The Beverly Hilton on May 16, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

John Mellencamp gave fans a sneak peek at what to expect from his upcoming Dancing Words Tour.

The rocker invited fans to an open rehearsal at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, on Wednesday. As promised when he announced the tour, he broke out some songs he hasn’t played in a very long time.

According to setlist.fm, some of those songs included “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to 60's Rock),” which he hadn’t played since 2015; “Love and Happiness,” his first performance of the song since 2012; the Van Morrison cover “Wild Night,” for the first time since 2005; and his 1978 debut single, “I Need A Lover,” which he hadn't performed since 2009.

The tour is billed as a greatest hits tour, hence he performed several of those as well. Some of those hits included "Ain't Even Done With The Night," “Small Town,” “Lonely Ol’ Night,” an acoustic “Jack & Diane,” “Rain on the Scarecrow,” “Authority Song,” “Crumblin’ Down,” “Pink Houses,” “Check It Out,” “Cherry Bomb” and “Hurt So Good.”

Fans were asked to bring nonperishable items to donate to the Evansville Rescue Mission to gain entry to the free rehearsal.

John Mellencamp’s Dancing Words Tour — The Greatest Hits kicks off Friday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, wrapping Aug. 12 in Mountain View, California. A complete list of dates can be found at Mellencamp.com.

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