April 8, 2006 - Peace Center Concert hall  - Greenville Sc - Band: Dave Jacques, Jason Wilber & Pat McLaughlin With Support Amos Lee

By: PJ
  "Oh, wow! I promised a good review this time, I know, and I'll do my best, but you'll have to forgive me....the set list as I remember it started with Spanish Pipedream and pretty much ended with Paradise. I had too good a time to write down the order of the songs.
  Amos Lee opened for John and he has this voice that just absolutely makes you wait for the next note. I'm not much into R&B, but Amos Lee was awesome! I bought his CD, and it's good.
  Pat McLaughlin was a wonderful surprise and a great addition. What a talented man!! Dave and Jason were, as always, wonderful. Jason seems to just keep getting better and better every year! John's voice sounded GOOD! He didn't seem as tired. I wanted to get up and dance during Bear Creek, but the audience was pretty subdued (maybe because no alcohol allowed inside the venue?????). John did a lot of old stuff, which I love, and a few off Fair & Square. All their voices and instruments just blended and the music was worth a 10 hour drive instead of just 3.
  All in all, this was absolutely the best John Prine concert I have seen in 20 years...AND
  ......thanks to a good fairy I happened to meet last year at the Prine Pre-Concert Party in Atlanta last April, and who shall remain unnamed, Susan and I got to go backstage to meet everyone and hang out for a while. I got my Fair & Square CD signed by John, Jason and Dave, got my picture taken with John and with Dave & Jason, managed not to stick my foot in my mouth this time....oohhhh, maybe I'm finally growing up??? Nah...... 
  What a memorable night that was! Wish all of you could have been there to see and hear John last night!
  Sorry if this is not a good "concert review" but it's my review and I'm sticking to it!
  The Still in Awe and Still Grinnin'

By: Steve Biondo
Let me begin by saying I've been a Prine fan since '71. I've seen him once before. w/ Arlo Guthrie in Norfolk in '87. I have all his LPs, tapes & CDs. But seeing him this weekend, at age 55, w/ my wife and my college-age son, was an awe-inspiring experience. What a Show! Local blues boy, Amos Lee, did a 35 min. opening, a gracious move by John Prine, who also brought Amos out for the encore finale of "Paradise," which ended the concert. Superb sound & energy on the part of the Master from Mayfield. John started the concert solo on his guitar & did four or five tracks right from his debut self-titled album, notably "Spanish Pipedream" and "Six O'clock News." Then he jumped to "Storm Windows" from Bruised Oranges and told an amusing story why he didn't name the song "Don't Let Your Baby Down." He sang "Fish & Whistle," screwing up the chorus only once & laughing in his inimitable way, and then halfway through "That's the Way the World Goes Around" paused to relate a hilarious story involving a brain-dead fan and enchiladas. You figure it out. Prine and his three-piece backup band -- on bass & upright bass, mandolin, and lead-slide guitar -- segued into the Fair & Square CD and played at least six tracks from it. Now almost two hours into the concert Prine returns to the standards: "Grandpa Was A Carpenter," "Sam Stone" and a haunting, mandolin-redolent version of "Hello in There" that made my wife weep. The concert ended, after more than three hours of music, when John & his band responded to a standing ovation by playing a five-song encore that started simply enough with the lyrics, "It was Christmas in prison & the food was real good..." to a powerfully compelling rendition of "Paradise." It was a night I will remember. I regret that no program was supplied by the Peace Center. That would have been a good souvenir, you bet. Sincerely, Steve Biondo. Anderson, SC

By: rowdydogg
Venue was too large, and crowd did not know the lyrics, that took away a lot. But Wilber on lead, captured the size of the venue. He is perhaps among the top lead pickers I have ever seen, and any JPRINE fan, goes a long way back. Instead of PICK IT OUT BILLY BYRD, it was WEAR THEM OUT WILBER, just the music with no lyrics, would have been a great show. John Prine was just the nice extra.

By: B&ERush
Loved the concert, theatre was beautiful, John and the other musicians were absolutely wonderful as always and Amos Lee was a huge surprise, we enjoyed him too.

April 9, 2006 - Koger Center - Columbia Sc - Band: Dave Jacques, Jason Wilber & Pat McLaughlin With Support Amos Lee

By: Rusty

What a treat! It had been about 28 years since I had seen John live in concert and he didn't dissappoint. I had gotten away from listening to him over the years until I saw him late night on tv. I got uo the next morning and went to the mall and purchased a tape. I played it for some teenage girls I had been coaching and they really liked it. John Prine is a unique performer and having reaffirmed my love for his great music, can't waith until he passes this way again.

By: DEBORAH T. FLOYD
MY 21 Y/O SON SURPRISED MY 16 Y/O SON, MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF WITH TICKETS FOR ALL- IT WAS GREAT, JOHN PRINE IS UNTOUCHABLE AS FAR AS SONGWRITING- THE PERFORMANCE WAS FANTASTIC-ONE OF MY KIDS SAID THE GATHERING WAS "GOP'S NIGHTMARE". WHAT FUN, I RARELY ATTEND CONCERTS ANYMORE BUT WOULD TRAVEL FAR AND WIDE FOR ANOTHER JOHN PRINE PERFORMANCE!

By: Dave Godshalk
John and his entourage gave a sterling performance last night at the Koger Center in Columbia, South Carolina. He played two hours and ten minutes non-stop and ended with our all-time favorite, Paradise. My wife and I were celebrating our 48th wedding anniversary, and what a way to be entertained. I am originally from Downers Grove, Illinois, and my wife is from El Paso, Texas. She grew up across the street from Hugh Prestwood, a singer song-writer who now lives on Long Island, New York. We also saw John at the Austin City Limits Outdoor Festival last September. He is among the best in live entertainment in the field of contemporary country folk music. Thanks, John!!!