John Mellencamp Confronts Fan Mid-Performance at Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour

Having played a part in the music industry since the 1970s, John Mellencamp produced hit songs like “Pink Houses”, “Paper in Fire”, and “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” He was even one of the founding members of Farm Aid, an organization focused on celebrating and supporting farmers and their families. But recently, Mellencamp shared his views on the current state of America. Although not one to mix his words, this wasn’t the first time the singer got a little heated while on stage. Not that long ago, Mellencamp decided to tell a fan to “shut the f**k up” for apparently being too loud.

Any person who attended a concert knows just how loud a venue can get. But when playing at Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour in New York, Mellencamp let out his frustrations on a noisy fan. While performing “Longest Days”, the singer stopped the entire concert to yell at a fan in a red hat. “Hey, you in the red hat, why don’t you shut the f*** up. You. I’m singing with a PA system and you’re louder than me. Yeah, I’m talking to you with the red beard. yeah, you… if you got something to say come on up here and f***ing say it, if not shut the f*** up.”

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♬ original sound – Outlaw

John Mellencamp Admits His Concerts Are “Performances”

After sharing his thoughts with the fan, Mellencamp looked to start the song over again. But before he started over, he wanted to know what the fan was talking about. And according to the fan, he was simply singing along to the song. But Mellencamp wasn’t buying it. Laughing, he said, “You were listening to me, you f***. Maybe you’ve had too many of those big things in your hand.”

Although some fans took issue with the incident, Mellencamp found it all part of the experience. He told the Washington Post after the video went viral. “My shows are not really concerts anymore. They’re performances, and there’s a difference between a performance and a concert. Look, I’m not for everyone anymore. I’m just not. And if you want to come and scream and yell and get drunk, don’t come to my show.”

(Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)

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