As much as I liked John Mellencamp's set Thursday at Tullio Arena, it would have been nice to hear a few more songs. He played 110 minutes but spent a lot of time talking, which limited the set to 18 songs. The encore -- "The Authority Song" -- felt like a too-quick send off, though it rocked hard.
Would have been nice to hear "Cherry Bomb" or another song, just to flesh it out a bit. Other than that, it was a first-rate show with Mellencamp smiling and dancing a lot. He can seem surly in photos and interviews but seemed to genuninely be enjoying himself -- and the crowd's loud, fervent reaction as well.
This was also the first night of the second leg, which probably contributed to some of the pent-up energy. Mellencamp mentioned that he has been ailing a bit, and he took lots of water breaks and cleared his throat a couple times. But it sure didn't seem to affect his voice at all. Lucky we got him when we did; he may sound more hoarse on future dates.
And Los Lobos was cool, too. They packed in 10 songs in 45 minutes, and rocked pretty hard. Loved the "Dear Mr. Fantasy" cover with flute solo. Very nice.

Look for a Showcase interview with comedian Jim Gaffigan on Dec. 6. Coincidentally, Dec. 6 also brings the new-look Showcase. You'll find a whole new design, and some new features but also the core stuff you come to expect, including Around Town listings, Music Muse and Take 30.

Bluesbeaters kick off their annual Christmas swing with Friday/Saturday shows at Peek 'N Peak. If you'd rather hear their enjoyable, bluesy take on Christmas favorites in Erie, you're in luck. They will also play Christmas sets Dec. 7 at Mound Grove; Dec. 14-15 at Presque Isle Downs; and Dec. 21 at Billies before playing the Peak again Dec. 28-31.

Cattle Cruisers are back Saturday at 5 p.m. at Norb's Bar. This is their 19th anniversary show. The owner of Norb's Bar requested they learn at least one new song for the occasion, so it'll be fun to see what they pull out.