JOHN PRINE TEXAS CONCERT REVIEWS 2005

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL, AUSTIN TX
SEPTEMBER 23,  2005

photos courtesy of jelyon.com
  It was a great set - only an hour. I didn't keep a set list, as I was too busy trying to get photos. He did start with Spanish Pipedream, and next was Flag Decal. I remember Sam Stone, Bear Creek, Lake Marie, Takin' a Walk, Glory of True Love... that's all I can remember. Hopefully someone at the Shrine left a set list.
  (Unfortunately, I didn't have the camera set quite right, and every photo is a little soft. Dang!)
  The moment of the day, though, was as John was getting ready to start, my friend Tom turned to me and said "There's no place else in the world I'd rather be right now." I agreed with that.
  Jason and David were hot, and John was obviously enjoying himself. His voice was a little rough on the first couple of songs, but smoothed out by the third.
  We also saw Steve Earle's set, Lyle Lovett's set, and a bit of Lucinda Williams and Robert Earl Keene.
  I *really* liked that John's set was at a reasonable volume. I could stand up front and experience no pain. Steve Earle's was L-O-U-D!! My ears are still ringing. Oh, no, that's the phone. No, no it's not...
see more of John's Fest photos here

By: Joe Gross - AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
So far 7 bands have canceled, but they've all been replaced. 
  So far, only seven acts have canceled their performances, mostly because of travel difficulties. Festival organizers have replaced all the canceled acts, including Nashville, Tenn., favorite Mindy Smith. When Iguanas guitarist Joe Cabral, evacuated to Austin from New Orleans, found out Thursday afternoon that Smith was forced to cancel, he put together a band calling itself The Texiles, featuring members of the Iguanas, the Radiators and Peter Gabriel's band. 
  ....ACL fest's first official event, the Soundcheck Gala benefit concert for KLRU-TV, took place as scheduled Thursday night at Zilker Park, with attendees — who paid about $500 a ticket — enjoying cocktails, dinner and music by John Prine and Robert Earl Keen. Both are scheduled to perform at the festival. 
  ......Nashville musician Billy Prine, brother of John Prine, was relieved nothing was canceled but added that he should have packed his swimming trunks. .... read the entire article here - http://www.austin360.com/xl/content/xl/acl2005/23ACLRITA.html

By: Ima Prinefan
More Reviews and photos http://www.austincitylimits.com/aclwrap/friday.aspx

By: Joe Gross
As countless songwriters have discovered, it's amazingly hard to write like John Prine. He is one of the finest songwriters of his generation, a Zen master of American vernacular who constructs remarkable beauty out of the disappointments and joys of everyday life. 
  Prine makes it look easy, but these sorts of songs slip into corn in a lesser writer's hand. Heck, they slip into corn in his -- one of these days "Sam Stone" will be retired as a Vietnam vet anthem -- but the way the crowd sang along with Prine at the headliner-sized Cingular stage Friday night, it won't be any time soon. 
  Kicking off with his back-to-the-woods anthem "Spanish Pipedream," Prine took the stage with a stand-up bassist and electric guitarist, both impeccably dressed in suits. Everything was impeccable about them, from guitarist Jason Wilber's flawlessly tasteful Telecaster solos to bassist Dave Jacques understated, mama's-heartbeat thump. 
  Prine's voice took a little while to warm up, but that didn't stop him from preaching to the anti-war choir. 
  "I retired this next song in 1978," Prine said to introduce "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore." "I thought it had outlived it's usefulness. The president made a liar out of me." 
  Everyday melancholy brings out the craftsman in him -- "Some Humans Ain't Human," the fabulous "Angel From Montgomery" and the dust 'n' bones ballad "Souvenirs" show Prine as a man who truly understand the old phrase "happiness is an occasion." 
  He knows that to articulate both joy and sorrow with equal vigor is the best way to keeps us human.
Read the full review here: at the Statesman.com

By: Chris Kengle Austin, Texas
John Prine was simply fabulous. Every person that chose to be at the Cingular stage withnessed a spectacular musical performance with plenty of energy and enthusiam provided by John Prine & Co..

By: Joe Gross - AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
So far 7 bands have canceled, but they've all been replaced. 
  So far, only seven acts have canceled their performances, mostly because of travel difficulties. Festival organizers have replaced all the canceled acts, including Nashville, Tenn., favorite Mindy Smith. When Iguanas guitarist Joe Cabral, evacuated to Austin from New Orleans, found out Thursday afternoon that Smith was forced to cancel, he put together a band calling itself The Texiles, featuring members of the Iguanas, the Radiators and Peter Gabriel's band. 
   ....ACL fest's first official event, the Soundcheck Gala benefit concert for KLRU-TV, took place as scheduled Thursday night at Zilker Park, with attendees — who paid about $500 a ticket — enjoying cocktails, dinner and music by John Prine and Robert Earl Keen. Both are scheduled to perform at the festival. 
  ......Nashville musician Billy Prine, brother of John Prine, was relieved nothing was canceled but added that he should have packed his swimming trunks. .... read the entire article here - http://www.austin360.com/xl/content/xl/acl2005/23ACLRITA.html

 ACL FESTIVAL PREVIEW
By: Janet Timmons - "Out the Other"

John Prine is a classic country singer-songwriter who sounds something like Guy Clark or Townes Van Zandt - a rough voice singing beautiful songs. Originally hailed as a "new Dylan" upon his debut in the early '70s, he has since settled into his own distinct singing and songwriting style. And although Prine has not received a great deal of commerical success in his career, he is continually lauded both by critics and by his peers in the industry.......... read the rest here: http://outtheother.typepad.com/blog/2005/08/aclfest_preview_29.html

Majestic Theater, Dallas Texas
September 24, 2005

By: V
Fabulous! I loved the new arrangements of the classic Prine songs. A lot of music from three musicians!

By: JohnB
John was hoarse from singing in the dust at the Austin City Limits festival the day before. Despite that, he performed for two hours that went by like twenty minutes. Third in the set was "Your flag decal won't get you into heaven any more" and that set the tone for the evening. The audience was John's from the moment he walked onstage and every song he sang was greeted like an old friend - even the newer ones from his latest album. Like any great onstage performer, John knows how to insert just a few of 'the new ones' into a set built from years of favorites and his performance that Saturday night should have garnered him a few thousand more sales of the new CD> For me, the night was a showcase of the man's years of putting his talent out there for us to enjoy. His humor and stagecraft are at the height of professionalism and yet me manages to bring the conversation to level of 'between friends'. A great night and one guaranteed to make everybody present want to see the next one.

By: Belvadere
Jason Wilber opened with a short 30 minute set. His songs, voice and musicianship were all wonderful. A 30 minute break seemed twice as long as it needed to be, but finally John hit the stage with Dave and Jason playing along. The set was excellent, although I was hoping to hear Far From Me, Down By The Side of the Road, How Lucky, It's A Big Old Goofy World, and so many more. I guessed wrong in thinking Please Don't Bury Me would be the encore song. Muhlenberg County was the encore. I don't think John's voice could hold out to sing all the songs I would have loved to hear him sing live though. I love his work. I was about 15 when I first heard of him (the year his first record was released). Timeless. The sound mix was terrible, especially when John strapped on an electric guitar (it was much better when he only played acoustic)...but I didn't care. I was so happy to finally see him live (as opposed to dead, I can hear him say). If he makes it back to Dallas, I'll go see him again. And I'll go see Jason Wilber, too.

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