The Good Fight

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005 | 8:17 a.m.

"I usually don't talk from stage very much, but I feel like I have to seeing that what's happening in Louisiana and Mississippi is sort of a failure," Mellencamp said before launching into his homage to the American farmer, "Rain on the Scarecrow"

"Did anyone happen to notice that all the people (suffering there) were black ... and poor? If you can't help the poor, then you're not winning the fight."

The concert's co-headliner, John Fogerty, made no specific reference to Hurricane Katrina's aftermath. But many of the one-time Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman's swampy tunes spoke of his love of the stricken region, particularly "Born on the Bayou."

"Wish I was back on the bayou / Rolling with some Cajun queen / Wishing I were a fast freight train / Just a-choogling on down to New Orleans," Fogerty sang, drawing one of the night's loudest cheers from the crowd of just more than 6,000.

This summer's pairing of Mellencamp and Fogerty is a natural, not only because their audiences overlap, but also because the two men share the same blue-collar, workmanlike approach to rock 'n' roll.

Another down-home singer-songwriter -- promising 24-year-old Bob Dylan disciple Stoll Vaughan -- kicked off the night with a 20-minute solo acoustic, coffee-house set that translated well in the arena setting.

"Y'all have come to the greatest concert of the summer," the Kentucky native promised, and when the show let out some 3 1/2 hours later, it was difficult to argue with Vaughan's assessment.

Fogerty took the stage first, bounding out with his denim sleeves rolled up and displaying an infectious energy belying the fact that he celebrated his 60th birthday in May.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer bounced in place as he tore through a Creedence-heavy song list that included classic rock radio staples ("Who'll Stop the Rain," "Down on the Corner," "Bad Moon Rising") and choice album cuts such as "It Came Out of the Sky" and "Bootleg."

Early on, Fogerty and his five-piece band -- one member larger than in their previous Vegas stopover -- sounded more ragged than in that ultratight 2004 performance at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel.

But the group coalesced as the evening wore on, to the point where the six musicians produced epic versions of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Keep on Chooglin' " that could have served as auditions for next month's jam-oriented Vegoose festival.

Fogerty also performed recent anti-war anthem "Deja Vu" alone under a blazing spotlight, after comparing the conflict in Iraq to the Vietnam War.

"I'm sorry to say we're doing the same damn thing all over again," he remarked.

The 53-year-old Mellencamp arrived wearing a royal blue sport coat, but soon discarded it, performing the remainder of his 85-minute set in a plain, white T-shirt befitting his lunch-bucket approach.

Though Fogerty might be considered the more legendary figure, Mellencamp proved to be the correct choice to anchor the concert, producing a nonstop string of tunes an audience mainly in its 40s and beyond knew by heart.

"Small Town," "Paper in Fire,," "I Need a Lover," "Authority Song," "Jack & Diane," "Hurts So Good," "Pink Houses." Mellencamp rattled off hit upon hit upon hit, and his fans danced and sang along with each and every one.

His crack seven-piece backing band -- which includes a violinist and an accordian player -- transformed each familiar tune into something vibrant and fresh in the live setting, while Mellencamp produced the letter-perfect vocals his devotees know and love from his studio work.

The group slowed the tempo for a sinister take on "Love and Happiness," which Mellencamp dedicated to the troops fighting a "useless war" in Iraq, and revved up "Crumblin' Down" to produce some of the set's most ferocious moments.

A three-song encore began with early Mellencamp single "Ain't Even Done With the Night," which the Indiana native is performing in concert this summer for the first time in decades, and ended with good-time pop-rocker "Cherry Bomb."

Sadly, the two Johns opted not to collaborate at the Vegas show, depriving many in the crowd of a once-in-a-lifetime memory fans in other cities have been treated to at points throughout the tour.

Otherwise, though, the night was a total success, and a reminder that bells, whistles and glitzy production are no match for the simplicity of heartfelt rock 'n' roll.