John Mellencamp takes Plain Spoken Tour to Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Oct. 14
From a press release:
John Mellencamp’s Plain Spoken Tour has been called “a triumphant, career-spanning show” (Hollywood Reporter) and a “superb performance… still full of fiery defiance” (Boston Globe). The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer launched the tour in early 2015 to support his critically-acclaimed 22nd studio album, “Plain Spoken,” and extended it with dates through the spring of 2016 due to overwhelming fan demand.
Following a run of more than 100 sold-out shows, Mellencamp announced today the seventh and final leg of the Plain Spoken Tour with support artist Carlene Carter, including Friday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the F.M. Kirby Center as part of the Wilkes-Barre venue’s ongoing Wells Fargo Concerts & Comedy Series.
Tickets, which are $49.50, $89.50 and $122.50, plus fees, go on sale next Friday, April 29 at 10 a.m. and will be available at the Kirby Center box office (71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre), online at kirbycenter.org, and by phone at 570-826-1100. A special Kirby Member pre-sale will begin Thursday, April 28 at 10 a.m. Members buy first, so join today at 570-823-4599, ext. 225. VIP tickets will be available at mellencamp.com and aeglive.com.
Produced by AEG Live, the tour will see the Grammy winner travel to 13 intimate venues across the country, performing songs from his 22-studio album catalog. Praised as “arguably the most important roots rocker of his generation,” Mellencamp’s illustrious career has spanned more than four decades and continues to endure. His performance at the legendary Chicago Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 25 will be filmed to capture Mellencamp’s spectacular showmanship on-stage.
The ASCAP is set to honor Mellencamp with the prestigious Founders Award at the annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 27. The award recognizes pioneering ASCAP songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Past recipients include Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, and others. The very same evening, Mellencamp will appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Mellencamp’s career in music, spanning more than 35 years, has seen him transition from pop star to one of the most highly regarded songwriters of a generation. The Voice of the Heartland continued to evolve artistically with “Plain Spoken,” his 22nd full-length album.
Mellencamp is incredibly acclaimed. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Grammy winner, a recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, ASCAP Foundation’s Champion Award, the Woody Guthrie Award, and the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
He is also one of the most successful live concert performers in the world. The social activism reflected in his songs helped catalyze Farm Aid, the concert series and organization that has addressed the struggle of American family farmers for more than 25 years. The unique instrumentation of his band and his poignant songs about everyday life in the American heartland are widely credited with being the forbearer of the Americana/No Depression genre of rural-inflected music.
The musical “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County,” with music and lyrics by Mellencamp, is a libretto by author Stephen King and produced by T Bone Burnett. It completed two successful tours in North America and is currently in workshop in London. Recently, Mellencamp finished an 80-city tour in North American in 2015 and is continuing the journey for more lucky fans in 2016.
