Former Cougar still has claws (photos)

From the opening notes of Tom Cochrane's Human Race it was obvious that the Friday night concert at the Steelback Centre was a double-bill.

Tom Cochrane and Red Rider was much more than an opening act for America's King of the Heartland, John Mellencamp.

And the capacity audience only drove that point home by demanding an encore from the Juno Award-winning Canadian rocker.

Reunited with original Red Rider members Ken Greer and Jeff Jones, Cochrane opened those beautiful pipes of his and breathed new life into timeless hits, such as Lunatic Fringe, Big League, White Hot, Life is a Highway and my personal favourite, Boy Inside The Man.

Gracefully acknowledging the talent that was to follow him that evening, Cochrane stated matter-of-factly that "Mellencamp's Scarecrow is one of the greatest albums ever written."

He also performed a few selections from his most recent album No Stranger, which has received a nomination for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the 2008 Juno Awards.

The entire album, including his spectacular cover of Spirit In The Sky, can be previewed on Cochrane's website.

With a new album, Life Death, Love and Freedom, on the way and the honour of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this coming March, John Mellencamp delivered a most unforgettable performance, and quite possibly the best concert to tour through Sault Ste. Marie.

At least that's the word on the street.

It was the first song of his set, Pink Houses, that drove the crowd to its feet.

And it was Mellencamp's charm and splendid song writing that kept it there for nearly two hours.

He dug deep into his vast repertoire to present definitive hits, including Paper In Fire, Lonely Ol' Night, Check It Out, Rain On The Scarecrow, Crumblin' Down, Jack and Diane and his encore selection, Authority Song.

But it was the raw and inspiring solo acoustic performance of Minutes To Memories, Ride Back Home (Hey Jesus), Young Without Lovers and Small Town that confirmed the 56-year-old's staying power.

Never afraid to put his political neck out there, the biggest cheer of the night followed his simple statement: "One year from now, George Bush will no longer be president."

There was no need for him to expand on his statement.

We all knew what he was getting at.

Mellencamp may have dropped the "Cougar" from his name long ago, but there is no doubt this cat still has claws.

Thank you to all the faithful SooToday.com readers who submitted images for inclusion in the photo gallery below.