John Mellencamp has never been one to fear confrontation, as some talkative fans learned during his concert in Cleveland on Thursday when he told them to “shut the f–k up.”
Signs in the lobby at Playhouse Square warned fans, “This show respects theater etiquette,” and Mellencamp himself reiterated his stance during the show, saying, “I don’t like people screaming from the f—king audience,” yet that didn’t stop one audience member from shouting at Mellencamp to “play the f–king music” after he reportedly appeared to criticize the United States.
Mellencamp responded in kind, yelling, “Listen, hey, you guys, if these people don’t shut the f–k up I’m just going to leave, OK? Because I’m not used to this crap. Look, guys, if I wanted to play in this type of drunken environment, I’d play outside or I’d play in an arena.”
This wasn’t the first time Mellencamp has gotten confrontational with fans. In March, he told a crowd in Texas, “This is the quiet part, so keep your f–king mouth shut,” and when a woman shouted his name, he replied, “What did I just f–king say? But thank you.”
It also isn’t the first time Cleveland chompers have annoyed a performer. A concert by Angel Olsen was ruined by the crowd’s inability to shut up according to a Cleveland Scene reviewer.
John Mellencamp is currently in the midst of Live and in Person tour, which launched earlier this year and concludes in South Bend, IN on June 24th. His 25th album, Orpheus Descending, is due out June 2nd. For more information including a full list of upcoming shows and ticketing details, visit his website.