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THE FANS WRITE IN...
HERE'S THEIR "LIVE ON TOUR" REVIEWS
STEVE GOODMAN TRIBUTE-
CHICAGO IL, NOV 15, 1997 MEDINAH TEMPLE
We thought the concert was great except for some problems with the sound system during the
first couple of acts. We enjoyed Jackson Browne as well as everyone else but,
of course, John Prine was our favorite and I'd just as soon heard more from him and a
little less from everyone else....but, oh well! No, we didn't go to the dinner and we
didn't know John usually sticks around after concerts because if we had known that we sure
would have tried to meet him!!!!! That would be GREAT!!! Thanks for the
info, ~Chris & Kathy
EAU CLAIRE WI, Nov 11
The Eau Claire Regional Arts Center was the site of the Eau Claire Prine concert. It is an
old, recently (in the last couple of years) refurbished theatre, which seats about 1200,
I'd guess. Our seats were in row E (5th row from the stage), and off to the left, so
that the bassist (extraordinaire) David Jacques was sometimes out of sight (but fortunately,
not out of earshot). Jason Wilbur played lead guitar (or mandolin). No Phil. John was
onstage for about 2 hours (the other two guys got a 20 minute "union break" in
the middle of the set). The crowd occasionally called out for favorite songs, to which
John replied that he had to do them in alphabetical order, so he could remember the
words. The performance brought back 20+ year old memories, listening to "Spanish
Pipedream", "Six O'Clock News" and "Angel from Montgomery" The
voice sounded just like the record (while I was somewhat shocked by seeing that Mrs.
Prine's boy had gotten older). I was thoroughly impressed with the show. He must have sang
20 or more songs. And I love his banter between songs. When describing his family
vacations, he recalled how his dad would stay up late with a quart of beer the night
before they left, and map out a route they hadn't taken before. I only wish he'd have sung
"Common Sense". It was a cold night in Eau Claire, but John and company got the
place warmed up (which he said he would at the onset). The bill was excellent. Leo Kotke
entertained for about an hour before John. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet him after
the show. I surely would have liked to shoot the breeze with him. As far as I know, he
didn't fling any picks. The encore was a three song set. "Daddy's Little
Pumpkin", "Illegal Smile" (on which the crowd did get to sing along), and
"Paradise". The show started about 7:30 (Leo Kotke), and didn't wrap up until
11:00, and it was on a work night. (and 11:00 is late for our little old sleepy town). I
am so glad these guys came to town. I hope they make it here again soon. ~Will
Jaskowiak
~ EUGENE OREGON, Oct 29, 1997 ~
I can't tell you about the entire concert, but I can tell you about the part I saw.
I'll start at the beginning: I work at a restaurant, The Oregon Electric Station, steaks
and seafood mostly, anyway I was at work Thursday evening setting up for an early banquet,
around 4:30 pm. We don't open for dinner until 5:00 so when a group of guys walked
in the lobby I went to tell them that we weren't serving dinner yet but that we served
appetizers in the lounge. I was a few steps away when I realized it was John Prine
standing there with his band members (3 of them). I know my jaw must have dropped to the
floor, I struggled to gather my thoughts, but words escaped me. They asked if they could
have dinner, I returned from shock and explained to them that they could have appetizers
in the lounge, including fish and chips, bbq ribs, and the like, they were satisfied and
took a seat. I had my own job to do and couldn't wait on them, but made sure everyone in
the restaurant knew who they were. I managed to pull myself together enough while they
were there to go to his table and tell him that I had been a fan since the late 70's, and
considered him to be a legendary poet. He was very kind, asked me if I had to work
all night, and I said maybe not. He asked me for my name and said he'd leave tickets and
back stage passes for me at the door. Needless to say I walked on clouds the rest of the
night, and couldn't wait to be done with work. I managed to get out by about 9:30 and ran
over to the Hult Center, two blocks from our restaurant. He played for another hour and a
half, I can only say it was great. The Hult Center is the cities performing arts
center where the symphony and the ballet perform. It's quite large, but has a homey, cozy
feel to it. I did get to see John after the show and thanked him again for the tickets. It
was a very special night for me. This was the 6th concert of his that I have attended. The
first in '77 or '78 in Portland, 2nd in '82 with Steve Goodman in Portland, 3rd in Little
Rock, AR in '87, 4th in Jacksonville, OR in '91 (at the Britt Festival), and 5th here in
Eugene, St. Patricks Day 1996. I still love him and always will, ~Nancy
~ PARAMOUNT THEATER, Denver, CO ~10/27/97
The show was excellent, this was actually only the second time I saw him. First was at
Telluride Bluegrass Festival this summer. The show was in the middle of a blizzard out
here, so I think John paid us all back for braving the weather to see him. Some of the
show highlights for me were Picture Show, Marie, and Late John Garfield
Blues.... Unfortunately did not get to tape, my rig is too big to try to
sneak in...plus I wouldn't disrespect their taping policy. They should reconsider though,
an open taping policy would make things much better for fans. ~Peace, Ben
Friday night at the Paramount in Denver-excellent show, very appreciative crowd. probably
my fifteenth time seeing Johnny-he seems to be rejuvenated the last seveal yers. What a
great band. ~ nono davnoc
I took my 12 year old daughter to Prine in Denver.
The show was outstanding. John had lots of energy and we really enjoyed it.
Greta, my daughter, has been listening to John from the day she was born. She could
sing along with the entire show. (Unlike the drunk behind us.) It was a
wonderful night for a Dad and his Daughter. The weather however
really sucked. It is normally a one hour drive from where I live to the
Paramount. (The site of the show). It took 3 hours to get there and 3 hours to
get home. We got hit with a real hard blizzard. Visibility was down to nothing
but we made it home safe and sound and glad we went. Funny thing is 13
years ago we went to a Prine show In Denver got caught in a storm on the way home and
flipped a VW convertable end over end. I have had some bad weather going to John's
shows but the weather will never stop me. I love John's music.
The Denver Show----Wonderful ~Fred
VANCOUVER, Vogue Theatre, BC Canada 10/19/97
Has it really been 25 years since I first saw John in
Concert? There were four shows with Steve Goodman, the show with a full band while
promoting the Common Sense album, one show with Arlo, a show with Dave that big Irish
sideman and 2 solo shows. Tonight is the first Vancouver appearance in some ten years.
After 25 years the anticipation of another evening of music with the master has not
waned. Met WOG at the Theater and we started chatting like lost long friends. But hey that
picture of his on the Net has to a Beta version, it has obviously been aggressively
touched up. Actually it was a delight to and talk with him, to him throughout Iris
Dement's set, ( talking only between songs of course ). I found Iris
hard to understand at first but a cleaning up of the sound and my rapt attention to her
lyrics revealed her to be quite a good songwriter with an apparent social conscience and a
unique voice. The contents of at least one song entitled I believe " Wasteland of the
Free" may not be to everyone's liking (i.e.. WOG ). As well a song called
"Letter to Momma" dealt with one of society's most despicable ills, sexual abuse
of children. I hope to get one or two of her disk's in the near future. Opening for Prine
cannot be an easy gig given the crowd's devotion to and anticipation of the man. However
she pulled it off nicely and was in fact encouraged to an encore.
After a short intermission John and his sidemen came out as the Vogue
erupted with applause. He launched into the standard rocking version of Spanish Pipedream
and then sheepishly acknowledged his prolonged absence. The mood had been set, the crowd
was eating out of his hands after one song. Some things never change. He followed with
close to two and a half hours of prime Prine. He did those songs about the people
that never made it to life's "A" list. A world inhabited by people like
Sam Stone, Donald and Lydia, Wanda and James Lewis, the old folks, and that old lady from
Montgomery. Comedic relief was provided by Dear Abby, Jesus The Missing Years, Space
Monkey, my all time favorite Please Don't Bury Me, and of course MA's signature tune,
Bottomless Lake. A magical version of Souvenirs was included, a poignant dedication
to Steve Goodman nearly brought tears to my eyes. Without Steve that song will never
be the same, John's abilities notwithstanding.
Newer material off Missing Years and Lost Dogs was recognized as
readily as the old nuggets. This speaks volumes for the loyalty of John's fans and his
ability to appeal to wide age range. The "newer" material included Picture
Show, You've Got Gold, All the Best, New
Train, Sins of Memphisto, Quit Hollerin' at Me, and fortunately a sublime rendition
of Lake Marie. After more than two hours of magic it was time for the standing
"O". He came out for the encores. They include duets with Iris on
Paradise and Unwed Fathers. Her harmony on the latter song was unreal. A
humongous improvement over the nervous breathings of Rachel "Ono"
Peer-Prine. A raucous version of Illegal Smile, including audience
participation wound up the set. Yes, even Canadians know of Judge Hoffman and
insurance selling friends.
Throughout the show John's voice remained strong. The timber of that
Whiskey? and Cigarette!!! soaked voice is an incredible magnet. His playing has
obviously improved over the years, I can still recall the three chord strummer that could
not go more than two songs without breaking one or more guitar strings. The backup
provided by Dave and Jason was outstanding. Tasty, innovative and yet reverential licks
were added on many songs. While many of the old tunes were performed with little variation
from the original songs, their input allowed major reinterpretations of Six O Clock News
and Late John Garfield Blues. Clearly John encourages their input and seems like a
proud father acknowledging their musical abilities. John's smile ever wavered and in
the end it was hard to tell whether he or the audience was having a better time.
Could this evening get any better? UH-YES.
The icing on the cake followed when I had the chance to meet John after
the show. I Asked " Where the hell you been". After he apologized profusely we
spent a few moments reflecting on previous Vancouver shows, including those with Steve
Goodman a performer who will forever be intertwined with John in the minds of his long
time fans. He signed my WOGSTOCK T - Shirt, mentioning that he had one at home as well.
WOG took a picture my wife and I with John and he promised not to stay away so long this
time.
How do I sum up the nearly two and a half hours of music and the few minutes
with the man himself? I guess you could say I was in heaven before I died. <©
1997>Martin Adams
what did you think of the audience last nite WOG ....do you think John got a warm fuzzy
from them? ~Gid
What can I say - It was outasight! He hasn't been here in over 10 years. He apologized and
said they wouldn't stay away so long again, and that they would make up for it tonight. He
had one backup on electric guitar, mandolin and harmonica, and another on standup and
electric bass. They did a three hour set with just John and his
guitar for over an hour covering all the standards. He was as good as the last time I saw
him with Steve Goodman. I have to admit, even though it's been around a long time -
"Hello in there" was my favourite of the evening. He's still smoking and
having fun. I went with two people who have never seen him, and they were totally blown
away. Iris Dement did the warmup act. She was great. For John's second encore
and standing ovation, he brought Iris out and they did Paradise together. I've been a
Prine fan for over 20 years and hope to be one for another 20. I don't get a lot of email,
so if you have something to say - feel free. Cheers from the Left coast, Ron
SEATTLE, Washington 10/18/97
hi-just got back from Seattle-John was GREAT! We had seats in row S-but Wog said that
there was 2 open seats in the third row-so we got to sit there!-In Portland we got to the
concert 3 hours early & got front row seats-I had a great time! met Colony & Bear
& Wog in Portland & Scott in Seattle-bye & i forgot to say how very nice Wog
was-sorry Wog ~ Maureen
PORTLAND, Oregon 10/17/97
Howdy folks! Saw Prine and Iris in Portland....Both put on a GREAT show! First time in 8
concerts that I saw Prine without Phil, though, and I gotta admit it seemed a teensy bit
sparse....The sound is more full when the keyboards are added....but it was great fun
anyway. See y'all tonight! Can't wait to hear MA's ecstacy! ~ BEAR
john prine gave a killer performance in Portland on friday night!!!! He played till past
11:30 pm . Played to a sold out house. ~ colony
Saw John in Portland. Even had my picture taken with him. He put on a great show! I am new
a being a Prine fan and really enjoyed his music. I also met several chat line people. It
looks as though he has a large following in the Northwest!!!! ~ ladyn
JIMMIE RODGERS TRIBUTE in Cleveland 09/21/97
Mini-review from Jimmie Rodgers'
tribute in Cleveland 09/21/97
Wow - what a yodeling night by joel barrett
(a full review of show will appear in Star Beacon, Ashtabula, Ohio this Friday)
My wife, Lisa, and I got press passes for the show primarily because of JP's appearance.
He gave us a condensed 4-song set that included
1) a Carter Family number that I didn't catch the name of
2) Treasure Untold - a jimmie Rodgers' number that seemed to have been written for JP.
3) Peaceful Waters - the highlight of the night. Went on for 15 minutes or so, JP was
accompanied by Iris Dement's backup band...or maybe it was his and she just borrowed it
earlier.
4) Ludenburg County - I guess it's a rodgers' song but I always thought it was a
traditional (no known writer) We had box seats next to the second floor stage door and artists kept
popping in and out to watch others play.
Iris Dement sat in our box for a while (during prine's set)... Anyhow - in a box 20 feet
away Prine appeared to watch Levon Helm's set with Max Weinberg (ex-E-street and now of
Conan O'Brien TV show)
When he got up to refresh his drink (or maybe to relieve himself) I grabbed my program and
pen and met him at the box door. I introduced myself, my wife (who was hot on my tail).
asked for his autograph, held his drink for him while he signed, my wife asked about the
new baby in his family, I asked if he had seen the Shrine pages, he said the baby's fine,
yes, he'd seen the web site and Reeda had given him a book from it (I assume email from
lost dogs like us), and no he won't be playing anymore that night, except during the
finale. Shook my hand and Lisa's again and bid us farewell. Later I looked at the
signature - "Thank You, John Prine" No it is us who should be thanking him,
Maybe Lisa will want to frame it. The close encounter made the evening complete.... joel
INTERLOCHEN, MI - Kresge Auditorium - Wed August 27, 1997
Six of us motor-homed it from Grand Rapids. None of us had seen
John Prine in concert before. We had CDs going, getting primed. During a live cut which
was all acoustic, I told my buddy "I would be happy if the whole show was like
this"... It was a perfect evening. A light breeze thru the pavilion, the lake
currents drifting behind the stage, and three musicians. (Bass, guitar and guitar...you
never missed the "band " feel of drums , etc) Prine must have enjoyed playing to
such a respectful audience! He had everyone in his pocket. They played together for an
hour or so, then John took the stage by himself. He closed with "Lake
Marie", a perfect ending to a perfect setting. We all want to see that show
again, but don't have a schedule of any remaining dates! ~FERN28
MADISON WI Aug 1997
You are not going to believe this!!!!! It is
monday morning and I am still filled with so much excitement about the John Prine
concert this weekend. Where do I start?
First, I have been listening to
John Prine since I was 12 and I am now 32. I have loved his music and just like all
the other JP fans - I know the words to every song. I never
really heard about John playing too many places around here until it was too late.
He played at Navy Pier in Chicago and we missed the announcement by a day. So, I thought I
would give it a try and see if there was anything on the Internet, and if this is your
page Reeda - I owe this night all to YOU!
My husband and I drove from Chicago to Madison, WI on Saturday
with so much excitement we just couldn't believe we were finally going to see
JP. We got to the theater about 4:00PM and the doors opened at 7:00. We were the
third ones in line. It was general admission so we could sit anywhere. We were in
the front row leaning on the stage. RB Morris opened for him he is very talented and we
enjoyed his show.
But, when John Prine came out - it was like OH MY GOD- he is
right there in front of me. I wanted to almost cry. The show was
incredible. He was WILD that night and so was the
crowd. The show was sold out but the theater only holds about 800 people. Does
he ever play at bigger venues? I sang every song and I was still in total
shock. The fans just love him! He gave one oncore and he leaned down and shook
a few hands, and guess what I was one of them. I couldn't believe it I shook John
Prines hand. But, the night only got better.
One of the stage managers was handing out the song list and I
grabbed one and we waited around to see if we could get his autograph. But,
they ran us out if we didn't have back stage passes- How do you get them anyway? So
we bought a T-shirt and went around back to see if we could just see him leave
or something. There was about 15 people standing around and the doors opened and it
was a stage manager and he asked us if we wanted to meet
John. I was so excited I almost peed my pants. We went into the basement and
he was sitting there signing autographs. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it
was going to jump out of my chest. I had this whole speech planned to tell him,
how long I have listened to him, great show, etc...... It was my turn and I
was in such awe that my mind drew a blank. I think I blurted something
out. I asked him if he ever lived in Kentucky because he sings alot about Muhlenburg
County and Bowling Green and that is where I grew up. I told him I was from
near Central City and he said that is where he wrote Paradise and he asked me my last
name. I had so much to tell him and I was in such shock that I drew a blank. Now I
am really upset with myself. But, he signed the song list and the T-shirt. I
was so excited that I even forgot to have him put my name on the shirt so it say
"Thank You-John Prine". But that is good enough for me. Wow!
What a night - what a show. He was a wild man that night. I can't believe I
was so lucky. I must have done something right to deserve such a special
night..." ~ Christi
TELLURIDE FESTIVAL, CO Tue, 24 Jun 1997
Thought you might be interested in what someone from the Guy Clark list thought about the
Telluride Concert. Thought we would pass it along for your info. ~Julie
Prine went over very well with the "Festivarians", as we were called. He had the
prime time spot on Friday night, if memory serves. We had seen him about 6 weeks before at
Flores Store in San Antonio, and his show was pretty similar. About half was done with his
band, and the rest with him alone on stage. Since the performers were limited to about
1:30 sets, the show was a little shorter. Among the numbers he did were: Illegal
Smile; Sam Stone; Dear Abby; Angel From Montgomery (which Johnny Cash's daughter had
covered the previous night); It's A Big Old Goofy World; and The Sins of Memphisto.
I've heard a LOT of good music in the last 4 days, and there were other tunes too that I
can't remember right now. An interesting sidelight to me was the effect Prine had on my
22-year old nephew who went with us. He had heard of John Prine, but probably could not
have named a tune beyond "Dear Abby" or maybe "Angel From Montgomery",
yet Prine was his favorite of the entire Festival. He bought "The Missing Years"
cd, and plans to head to the record store on his next payday to load up on more. I
recommended the "Anthology" set as a good intro; but would be interested in what
some of you Prine "specialist" think. ~ Regards, Barry
WOLFTRAP PARK, Vienna VA Jul 1997
John plays 'Wolftrap' every year. This was his eleventh performance there.I've only
seen him a couple of times but, Iv'e enjoyed his music since he broke into the business in
1971 or 72. I still have the original LPs that I purchased in the years that they
were released. I didn't get to meet John....although I read on another web page that a few
of the fans did get back to see him after the show. I guy called WOG ( wise old
gyser ) did a nice reveiw of the show. You can read that by going to the 'Prine Shrine'
John is always great and with five or six thousand screaming fans in the background is was
a memerable experience. I hope I will get to meet him soon. I'm a songwriter myself and I
learned alot of what I know by listening to John's music. If I ever meet him I'd like to
give him credit for that. If you get to see John any time soon ...write me and tell how it
was. Talk later.....Rick
STRAWBERRY MUSIC FESTIVAL, Camp Mather, Yosemite CA May 1997
My boyfriend and I just got back about 2:30 a.m. from the Strawberry Music
Festival. We drove up just for the evening to see John Prine. Having never been to the
Fest, we were somewhat overwhelmed with what we had encountered. The drive up, no signs or
advertising...just a small sign that we missed the first time that said Mather Camp 7
miles (down this narrow but paved road). We knew that is where the festival is held, so
away we went. After 5 or 6 miles, seeing absolutely no one on the roads we almost turned
around, thinking this can't be the right place. Finally some civilization. We hit
campgrounds. Ad the road narrowed and partially paved, we weaved our way into some road
cones and a helpful person that said we were at the right place and this was the way in
(perhaps we accidentally found the back way in?). He led us down more windy, narrow paths
with campgrounds and people everywhere. People were camping in cars on the paths to get to
wherever we were going. I felt like I had stepped into another world. We were directed to
park after driving through the maze of cars and people and found the Main Stage. I was
still somewhat amazed and overwhelmed with all of this. We found a spot and through our
blanket down. We got to listen to Laurie Lewis and the Wild Colonials before John came on.
Here he comes, a little after 9 p.m..... I can't hold back my excitement. I
didn't even know who John Prine was until I met my boyfriend almost 5 years ago. We
listened to John Prine all the time and I became a quick Prine junkie. I even feel our
relationship had a lot to do with my introduction to John Prine and his love for his
music. See, my bofriend is 13 years younger than me. I just turned 39!
Anyway, the awestruck groupie I have become. We decided to try and get closer
to the stage. We were able to get as close as we possible could on the left side of the
stage avoiding the people who had stationed their chairs earlier in the day. He was so
close. (We saw him at the Fillmore in SF and the Catalyst in Santa Cruz his last tour here
in CA...we were stage front...of course!)
This was such a great show because he did music we didn't get to hear live
the last two times we'd seen him and the band. "Jesus, The Missing Years"... I
thought my boyfriend was finally going to loose his composure....I'm the one jumping up
and down, flapping my arms and rambling on with excitement during these experiences.
Well, the shows over. We heard some great stuff and just so high on the
night's performance. We hung out for a bit....my boyfriend (TOM), had me watch this area
behind the stage while he went to check out the OH BOY booth. When he returned, I told him
I didn't yet see anything...of course we were waiting to see if John would come out.
Overhearing a conversation, we got some insight on where to hang and maybe get an
autograph.
IT WAS SO COLD....according to John and all others. Weren't sure if John was
going to come out because it was so cold. Tom and I were so excited we may get an
autograph, the cold didn't phase us.
There were about 5-6 of us in line. They let us go through and we were to
wait at this table for the signing. I was literally jumping up and down with excitement
and rambling on and on.... I just couldn't stand still. Tom was quiet with just a big grin
on his face. Then...we were asked to step up and go into John's tent...He would sign
autograph's in there..... OH MY GOD! I walked in and I was actually trembling...(I do
excite easily...but this was way beyond what I ever imagined). We stood there, I think the
3rd of 4th person in line. Tom started talking to "the Squeeze" and Jason. I
couldn't think. I watched John ahead of me talk with the others. It's my turn and I
almost...almost went speechless (that truly is not me). I was so nervous and excited I
couldn't think of what to say.... "Sign this..oh thank you...can you sign this too
please, oh thanks....I started to walk away because others were waiting...."Oh, can I
shake your hand"...(hand shake)..."how about a hug"...(hug)....then I was
rambling about whatever..."we saw you twice last tour, we wrote you letters (oh how
stupid--but it was more than just letters...there was a purpose)..."you're so
awesome",,, Tom went to shake his hand and was wearing a John Prine hat (and t-shirt
too) and I said to Tom "let him sign your hat" Tom, being very modest and not
wanting to impose on anyone said "no, that's okay"... so I just grabbed the hat
off of his head and said "here, will you sign this too?".... I was losing it...
I wanted to say more but did not know what to say....
As we left from the tent, Tom and I kissed and hugged....I was jumping up and
down with excitement and disbelief. We went on and on and on about it and how we wish we
would have said this or that or asked this or that....we both froze up or became so
nervous. We talked on the drive home after the whole episode how it just didn't seem real.
I truly felt my whole experience was an "out of this world" type feeling as if I
was in some movie or something.
Well, it's now about 10:00 a.m., I've been home for 7 hours or so and have
John's autographs to prove it happened...it wasn't a dream! We finally got to meet him.
All I want to do after writing all of this is just say THANKS JOHN! If you
only knew how much that meant to me but especially to TOM. He is such a big fan of yours
who knows so much about you just by listening and taking such an interest. You made his
whole life...he said this was the best thing ever that's happened to him and the happiest,
Funny how we see things some times....but these things in life is what make good stories,
good lyrics. or just good memories.
Thanks for providing a truly wonderfuly memory for us. We will never forget
this moment.
JOHN, YOU'RE GREAT! ~Karen and Tom from Oakdale,
California
NIGHT & DAY (an insert in the SanDiego newspaper )
Live on Tour CD
by Michael Kinsman
"Singer Songwriter John Prine's deceptively simple songs work on many levels, and he
demonstrates that on only the second live recording of his career. Prine has pulled songs
from his recent history such as "Quit Hollerin' at me" "Space Monkey"
and "Humidity built the snowman" to stand up alongside such time honored
treasures as "The late John Garfield Blues" and " Illegal smile". The
feeling here is one of sincerity and pleasure, of Prine enjoying his songs as much as his
audience does. Over the past 25 years, there may not have been a songwriter as revealing
as Prine, one who has a knack for finding insight in everyday experiences by looking at
them from the outside." ~Lost Bear
JACKSONVILLE FL, April 1997
I have seen John in concert several times. However, the concert here will go down as the
most memorable one. I took my wife, Kathy, and my youngest son Benji. Kathy had put in
16 hours the night before as a nurse and then endured the three hour drive down. She was
not in the best of moods. John opened up with "Spanish Pipedream" followed
by "Six O'Clock News". He had the audience eating out of his hands. I really
enjoyed "Ain't Hurtin Nobody". He actually stopped for a second during
"Dear Abby" and posed for a lady taking his picture. The show lasted two and
one-half hours and I could have stayed all night. I have been a Prine fan for 25 years and
have actually turned a few people on to him. I've rocked my oldest daughter to sleep
hundreds of times to me singing his songs. After this great show I met WOG. He wore a red
Alpo cap so I could find him. We had a pleasant conversation. I introduced him to Kathy
and Benji. He in turn introduced me to John Prine, the man whose music I have so admired
over the years and who is the finest songwriter in the world. It was a Kodak moment but I
didn't want to steal any soul. I will always remember it. I left sooner than I would have
liked, but my wife was really sleepy. Next time I will leave her at home. Thanks John for
the fantastic evening, thanks WOG, and thank you PMS for a great page.
~Nutt
HELOTES, TX Concert
We don't know the words to thank you for having the Prine Shrine! It is so
great and we know it takes a lot of work. We enjoy it so much and the chat line is
wonderful, it is just great to get to talk to other fans. We wouldn't have know that Prine
was playing in Texas if not for the info. It is hard to find information on him when most
people around here have never heard of him. After we found out Prine was playing in
Helotes and Austin we wanted to go so bad but didn't think we could. That weekend is the
Kingfest that is Walt's family reunion that we help host. Other than our boys, Walt is the
only King and that makes for a lot of responsibility. We were afraid they wouldn't
understand and we would be "disowned, disinherited, and generally hung from our
thumbnails". But the closer we got to the hill country, the antsier we got. We had
made a copy of the schedule, phone numbers and made a map on our computer from Buchanan
Lake to Helotes. We called on the road and they said they still had tickets and they
wouldn't sell out. (Can you imagine? We thought for sure they would have sold out a month
before!) When we found out we could get tickets, we had ants in our pants, drove like bats
out of hell to get to the lake and see if we could wheedle our way to the concert that
night. ( We had our dates mixed up and thought that one was on the next night when we were
responsible for the fish fry.) Anyway, with much pleading, we were forgiven and given
permission to skip out! You should have seen Walt dance in the street! I guess we were
selfish, we left the kids there to fish so we could go alone. After 20 some years for
years of us, waiting and dreaming to see John Prine, we wanted to go alone, with no kids
and no distractions. We quickly unloaded the surburban, jumped back in and drove like
crazy, afraid we wouldn't make it in time. The vehicle started acting up, we were like
cats on a hot tin roof by the time we got there, afraid we would break down, get lost or
they would be wrong and there would be no tickets left. We worried that we might be
disappointed after waiting and wanting to see John Prine for so long. Would our bubble be
burst? Was he really as great as we thought he would? (We had been badly disappointed by
Bob Dylan years before in 1978-79? in Austin) We got there about 7:00. We saw Prine's bus
and it all became real. We got in line, got our tickets and started scoping it out. We
found seats on the 2nd row, next to the middle aisle. We couldn't believe our luck! It was
meant to be. Helotes Country Store is a neat old wooden building that servers barbeque and
beer mainly. The stage is outdoors with picnic tables and folding chairs, trees and the
night air. We just kept saying "We can't believe we are here." and "Boy,
can't wait to tell people on the Shrine." and "Wonder if any of them are here,
wouldn't it be great to meet them." We found ourselves looking around wondering if
any of these fans were people we had talked to. We got in line for some food and all of
the sudden started hearing "Hey, Walter Silar, Walter Silar!" Not too many
people know Walt's middle name, sure enough there stood our Best Man from our wedding
almost 19 years before and some other friends! It was great to share the night with them!
We got our food and sat down to wait. If we had only known that Wog was there, we would
have loved to meet him! R.B. Morris came on at about 8:00, he didn't play very long. We
especially liked the poem he did, "Riding with O'Hannan." He didn't get a great
response and wondered if he cut he act short. He was pretty good though. Of course, we
were so excited and anxious to see John Prine, that we may not have given him the full
attention we should have. There was about a 45 minute break then. THEN, Walt said,
"There he is Julie!" And there he was. In real life, right before us, smiling.
It was the greatest! It had finally happened, a lifetime of wishing and there he was! He
opened with "Spanish Pipedream". Yes, John Prine was all we had dreamed and
more! It just got better and better. We listened awestruck, we sang along, we wanted to
dance in the aisles, we yelled and clapped and stomped our feet, we wanted it to never be
over! He seemed soooooo happy. He seemed so kind and seemed to really watch the audience.
I will add that he may need to do something about his hair, but it does add to his
lovability! To do what you love so much must be as great for him as for the fans. He did
joke around some. Once he asked if we had read or heard about the Heaven's Gate people and
said that, You know they wore all black and drank vodka and took drugs and he looked down
at himself and said maybe he was supposed to go to the UFO too. The guys playing with
Prine were great, excellent musicians and we enjoyed watching them almost as much as
Prine. It was a total show. Prine stayed on stage 2 and 1/2 hours, never leaving. Probably
about 1 hour of that was him by himself. He is amazing. I won't go into all the songs and
all, I think Wog probably did that and much better than I can. They came back for 2
ovations and we were really sorry for it to be over. I am sure Prine was exhausted! Of
course all good things must come to an end but we wanted to hear every song he had ever
done. It exceeded all our hopes and dreams, there are not sufficient words.
We waited for him to come out with our t-shirts and cd in hand. We got to
talk to all of the musicians and got them to sign the cd or t-shirts. They were all very
kind. I gave one the net address. He said he would look it up when he had a chance. When
it was our turn to talk to John Prine, I didn't know what to hardly say except thank you
and what a good show it was. Walt asked him if he would ever play in Lubbock, Tx and he
said he had asked them (whoever them are) to book him into Lubbock this year but it didn't
work out but that he would really like to. I asked him if he had got a chance to look at
the "Prine Shrine" on the net yet and he said, "I haven't but a girl at the
Peoria concert gave me this big book of stuff from that, I think her name was Reeda?"
We said "Yes, that's right, try to look at it if you can." We told him that was
how we knew about this concert. He signed our shirts and CD and we thanked him and told
him we had been fans for more than 20 years. He was very kind and patient with everyone.
The only bad spot on the evening was when we were waiting in line to see John, there was a
lady and her husband, very excited to meet John and was having him autograph some things
and telling him how much they admired him. Well, there was one rude man somewhere behind
us that remarked, "Oh, get on out of here you fat cow!" He was talking about the
lady talking to John. I don't believe John or her heard it but those of us that did,
didn't hesitate to say how rude that was. We were all excited to see John and anxious for
our turn, but were each willing to wait for our moment in the sun. We haven't gotten our
pictures back yet, hope they are good. We didn't get one of John at the autograph table.
Too awestruck I guess.
We really hated to leave and go back to reality. We chattered all the way
back to the lake and for days thereafter. I am sure Walt's familly got tired of hearing
about it. Yes, they were knocking on our door at the crack of dawn since we had been gone
the night and didn't drive in until about 4:00a.m. It was worth every minute. We can't
wait to get to go again. Sure wish we could join everyone at Strawberry! Now that we have
seen John, our kids are even getting into his music more! I guess, us seeing him live made
him live for them. Hallelujah!!! ~ Julie King
MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS, St Louis, MO - March 23
My name is Brian Nolan, in a suburb of St. Louis, a little town called Wentzville (where
Chuck Berry lives). I attended the March 23 Prine show at Mississippi Night's in St.
Louis, it was INCREDIBLE! I had never seen him, he just blew me away. I took, or we took
each other, my father, from whom I caught the Prine bug many years ago. An absolutely
dynamite performance, one of the best I've ever seen regardless of the artist. The St.
Louis Post Dispatch had a glowing review the following day. ~keep an Illegal Smile on.
Brian Nolan (See Brians copy of the review in the St Louis Post Dispatch......Click Here)
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch today printed the review of John Prine's March 23 concert at
Mississippi Nights'in St. Louis.
The critic is Terry Perkins
..... "For more than 25 years, John Prine has written and performed songs with a
decidedly working class point of view. From a drug addicted Vietnam vet portrayed in
"Sam Stone" to the husband and wife grilling Italian sausages on the shores of
"Lake Marie", Prine has exhibited a rare knack for capturing the harsh
realities
of everyday middle American life with unflinching lyrics and wry wit. So it's no surprise
that Prine's performance packed the kind of solid value Midwesterners appreciate. Prine
delivered more than two dozen tunes from throughout his career in a non-stop, two hour
concert. The enthusiastic audience sang along on just about every tune, and cheered
Prine's every move throughout the show. Prine has a deep-toned, gritty vocal style that
takes some getting used to. But like many great lyricists, his interpretations more than
make up in nuance, inflection and meaning what what they may lack in vocal precision.
Prine opened the show with an up-tempo rendition of "Six O'Clock News," then
moved quickly through crowd-pleasing tunes like "Fish and Whistle" and
"Picture Show". Prine and his backing duo created a full, textured sound made
more flexible by the lack of a drummer. After nine tunes with his backing band--including
a fine version of "Angel from Montgomery," Prine settled into a solo section
that highlighted his knack for connecting with his audience. Prine featured many of his
early classics like "Dear Abby", "Donald and Lydia,"
"Souvenirs," and "Sam Stone" In this solo section. Although he's
undoubtedly performed these tunes thousands of times over the years, Prine brought
conviction and energy to every note. Prine's band returned and he finished up the show
with a series of songs highlighted by excellent instrumental solos. Jason Wilkins
contributed sparkling slide guitar on "Quit Hollerin' At Me" and his strong solo
on "Pretty Good" kicked up the band's energy several notches. After a moving
version of "Hello in There" that featured a fine bowed solo on acoustic bass,
the crowd gave Prine and his band a standing ovation and called them back to the stage for
a lengthy encore. At this point, it was hard to tell whether the audience or Prine and his
musicians were having more fun. Certainly it was a performance that everyone lucky enough
to be there will remember for quite awhile." (Terry Perkins, St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
MADISON THEATER, Peoria, IL - March 22
Is HE the greatest or what?! One of the best concerts I've ever been to. The place was
packed and from the looks (and sounds) of it, everybody had a great time. John played
every song that I had hoped he would. He sounds exactly the same in person as he does on
his albums. It was fantastic! We headed back home for the 2 1/2 hr ride. It was a long
trip, but definitely worth it...and we had a little Prine music to help us along. It's
like a dream come true for me. I've wanted to see John for over 20 years and finally I did
(from the 9th row, no less!) I'm still feeling goofy! ~The best to you and yours. Another
Prinehead, Mary Mc
DECC , Duluth, MN - March 18
We went to the to see John and here is how it went....First thing I gotta
know... Who puts the roll of quarters in this guy now?!?...
I mean... years ago... way back when we saw him the very first time.... he came out on
stage, perched on a little stool and was this "folkie" kinda guy who did all
these clever little tunes that had wonderful messages and melodies...... And NOW.....He
comes out on stage and it's like... "ROCKIN' JOHN HAS COME TO TOWN!!!"
Age must be goin' backwards on him. It seemed like he could hardly stand
still the whole night... He started out with "Spanish Pipedream" like the
proverbial house a-fire.... "Picture Show" was a rocker true to form,
"Pretty Good" came cranking out in 4/4 like it was on steroids.... "Quit
Hollerin' at Me" would of made Mark Farner put his fingers in HIS ears...
"Bruised Orange" was benchmark tunnage... And in the middle of it all, when he
came out of the solo spot in the show with "Sam Stone" he proved he could still
grab us by the throats when he wanted to...He rocked and rolled and gyrated all night
long.... I thought he even might of split his pants a couple of times....(Ouch John,
you're gonna be feeling that tomorrow morning...) He quipped quite a bit between songs
too, said "..it took him 25 years to get to Duluth and now that he was there he was
going to stay a while". When he did "All the snow has turned to water.."
someone hollered out "Not yet!", and he grinned.... and afterwards dedicatedly
dedicated it to Steve. He messed up a short ways into "Jesus, The Missing
Years".... stopped, laughed, turned around and it looked like he was checkin' a
"cheat sheet" or something... turned back around and said this was "Jesus,
The Missing Words"... Later on he found them in another tune, but I forgot which one
it was.
R.B. Morris opened up the evening... Man, this guy has the hardest job in the
word, in my opinion... Is he an ex-brother in-law do you suppose??... He holds is own.
Someday he's gonna latch on to one really fine tune and all the others are gonna fall into
place. His band of prine-pickers this time around was Dave Jenks on bass, the cherubic
Jason Wilbert on guitar and mandolin, and at the very end, the instrument wrangler joined
in on mandolin for a resounding version of "Paradise"... John introduced him as
Maple Burns (hmmm... any relation to Jethro I wonder??..) AND he was darned good!... THEY
WERE ALL DARNED GOOD!!! (My apologies for any of those names not being spelled properly,
it was a little noisy in that place what with all the whoopin' and hollerin'...) Must of
been a solid two hour long show but I never once even looked at my watch.... 5 tunes in
the encore... my ears are still ringing.... whoaaa.....
Hey *red!... Kathy comes up behind us before the show starts and we launch
into this thing like we've know each other for years.... all on account of just having met
once at a show last year, conversed at the chat page, and occasional pilgrimages to your
"Shrine"... Gee, it makes a guy think like we could be on the verge of the
solution for all problems of the world, you know what I mean?!??...
Folks, if you buy go buy tickets for a show to see and hear John Prine play,
you get MORE than your money's worth... But that's just a figure of speech... Money can't
ever be a measure of what you get from John Prine. ~~~-Sscott "GQ" Been To The
Mountain Top
GQ is exactly right John came out like his tale feathers were on fire. I
always used to say that I wished he would do a little more than bend his knees, well he
cetainly took care of that. He played his guitar so hard I thought it would break in half.
Well needless to say everyone of his concerts I've been to are always fabulous, but this
one was shear heaven. JOHN really outdid himself this time. My hats off to John for giving
a show I thought I'd never see. After the show was over autographed guitar picks was
thrown into the audience, so all you guys be ready maybe someone that comes to chat will
be able to catch the one I didn't! Again I'd like to say it was a complete thrill to me GQ
and his wife, it was wonderful conversation it's just to bad we didn't have more time! He
is truly correct though I felt as though I've known him for years. Mr. and Mrs. GQ it was
truly a pleasure!!!!!!!! ~ Kathryn F Carroll (aka Kathy47)
Knoxville, TN~ March 8,
Hey, anybody see the John Prine show in Knoxville, Tn Saturday night? I did. It was
great!!!!!!!!! It was kind of like an unplugged show. No drummer. Only Prine, his bass
player, and lead guitar player. Instead of concentrating on the Lost Dogs and Mixed
Blessings album, he played a lot of older stuff. Most of the show was just John on stage
by himself with an acoustic guitar. It was great. He did, however, mess up on the words to
Donald and Lydia. Everyone stood up and clapped when he messed up. MA, he started into the
line "nothing is wrong, nothing is right", and instead he said "nothing is
right....." Then he stepped back and grinned. That's when everyone stood up and
clapped. The place went wild. I guess it's almost an honor to have heard the great
John Prine slip a song. He didn't hang around after the show. I went out bar hopping at
hotel lounges hoping to run into him. As soon as the show was over, we rushed to the rear
exit of the theater. There were a few cars and a bus out back, and some big burly security
type guys stopped us. We couldn't even hang out and watch him leave, so he probably was
enjoying a big slab of meatloaf. I missed the opening actwhich was R. B. Morris. It was
pretty civilized. The show was in a very very nice theater, so no one really got loud or
rowdy. I was wearing a shirt that said "John Prine on Tour" on the back, and a
lot of people thought I was a roady or something. That was pretty cool. The Tennessee
Theater was a non-smoking facility, and John took great pleasure in taking deep drags off
his cigarette on stage and blowing the smoke out into the smokeless crowd.~ Mannie
Arrived a little late to hear all
of RB Morris, but was in time for all of Prine. He opened the show with a great verson of
"Spanish Pipedream". The crowd went crazy. Many in the crowd was obviously under
the influence...of alcohol and/or their drug of choice. The only drawback to this was,
when JP was talking, the drunks were yelling out stuff. That was almost as funny as the
other people telling them to 'shut up!' The encore began with "Illegal
Smile" and the crowed erupted once again. As is generally the case, the crowd sang
the final chorus, not too badly I might add. After many songs (I didn't write them
down, so I'll not make a list) and a couple hours passed, he closed the show. Boo Hoo. As
ususal, the closer was "Paradise", with RB Morris, and JPs brother Dave helping
out. The only drawback to the entire show was that it took several hours to get
home. I am looking forward to April 8 for the release of 'Live On Tour'. C Ya --
Jody
~ LEXINGTON,KY, March 7~
I was gifted with the tickets to the show in Lexington on March 7th from my brother. It
was an incredible show. Mr. Morris deseves an apology from all the Prine fans there,
who came in late and were quite rowdy through his performance. I was very embarrassed.
What I did hear, was to say, the least "collection material". I look
forward to picking up his new disc. I'm a stickler for the comedy in Prine, so the
new release "Space Monkey" was wondrful addition to his collection of classics.
I have to admit it was a much bettr show than when he was in Lexington with Arlo. A
buddy of mine says, (after seeing John seven times) that if the lights are up enought that
he can see the crowd, he's not nearly as loose and the show is quite routine. I
don't see it, but regardless, I'm making plans for Telluride in June to catch the last
show this season. I'm sure it'll be the best. I'm looking forward to his return to
Kentucky. The fans here are as thick as mud!! ~ Kevin Hagan, Lebanon, KY
~March 1, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville, NC~
R.B. Morris opened for John. I wasn't very impressed, but in all fairness I'm always so
anxious to see John that no opening act stands much of a chance of making me happy
:-) John opened with Spanish Pipedream - sang all of his best known tunes - encored
with three more including Illegal Smile. Two hours of heaven... Was hoping he might spring
a new one or two on us but no such luck. His energy level was way up there and his voice
was at it's best. And, when he sang Souveniers for Steve I cried. Always do. When I saw
John two years ago he was on stage solo. This concert he had two fellas up with him
playing bass, some mandolin, guitar, etc. They were very good. Been trying to decide
though if I liked it as much as him alone. When he was by himself it kinda reminded me of
the days in Chicago when I would see him in the small clubs. Just good guitar, good music,
great lyrics, great voice.Well, that's about it for the concert I guess. Oh yeah, he did
break a guitar string *S*. I'm looking forward to joining the chat Monday night. I'm
always amazed at how much people have in common outside of music when they have the same
tastes in music. Should be a great place to make some new friends. ~Denise
~Greensboro, NC The Carolina Theater 2/28 ~
I saw my first John Prine concert this year early in Greensboro N.C. I live in Georgia,
and my best friend lives in Kernersville, NC. We had made a pact 18 years ago, that,
if the time was right, we would see him together. We had spent many nights before
marriage, babies and adulthood listening and riding around in her mg. He hit a familiar
chord in us sent we were both born in KY. and were raised there. Western KY, is one
of our favorite places ever and the city that WAS paradise has been visited by both. The
concert was (I heard) at the start of a new tour. He was fabulous. We had
seats (only one row) in the orchestra pit at a old theatre. It was great and we
almost felt as if we were part of the show. For 30 something girls we had a great
time!!! Going to try to do it again soon. ~Pamela J Johnson
Dear PMS, This was my first JP concert and of course I was totally intrigued by every
song. Since I'm a new fan I'm not sure what I can offer about the show. It was held in the
Carolina Theater which is awesome--very lavish, old style with heavy curtains and
intricate molding. I'm describing it because I think it gave the show a certain
atmosphere. Kind of an oxymoron between JP's wit and style and the propriety of the house.
He had a bass player and a guitarist and they delivered a lot of sound. Somewhere in the
middle it was just him and his guitar. He opened with (sorry I don't know the title, I'm
sure it's one of his trade marks) the one about blowing up your TV and throwing away your
papers. It was much faster that on the album (the only album I had heard at that point). I
was surprised how many songs I knew, which probably indicates he played a lot of his first
album. And since I got his latest album yesterday, I realized he played most of it also. I
definitely had a good time and it will stick with me for a while. Sorry I can't be more
specific. I guess I'll just have to see some more shows ;) --Burnitup Dave
JP was great in Greensboro last night. Wish it could have lasted longer. The first time
I've ever seen him when he didn't sing illegal smile and let the crowd join in. But, loved
every minute. ~sally
I am writing to let you know about JP Friday night. It was the most incredible concert I
have ever seen! I felt like I was seeing an old friend for the first time in a long time.
He played for 2 1/2 hours and did a selection of old and new stuff but way more old stuff
than I would have thought he would do. He played songs that I had forgotten about but as
soon as I heard the chords from the guitars the words flowed back into my memory like deja
vu. I have seen him two other times. Once in a bar in Colorado in the late 70's and once
with Bonnie Raitt like in 91 or 92. He was great both times but not like this. WOW!!! I
feel like becoming a Prinehead and following him around the country. :-) I hope you get a
chance to see him this tour. This was the opening show for his tour and I couldn't help
but wonder if he could possibly keep up that kind of energy for the whole thing. If you
haven't figured it out yet, it was awesome and I really enjoyed it. I also saw people at
the concert that I haven't seen in years so it was old home week as well. ~Sue
Report from opening show Greensboro 2/28; What a night! John is in great form. lots of
energy. his voice and strumming are right on. A great mix of rockin' and acoustic tunes. A
good sample of early tunes, which are wonderful, but the real heart of the show comes from
the last 3-4 releases. Excellent co-performers. Good karma amongst them. Summary: don't
miss it! Also , a great surprise is RB Morris who opens for about 40 minutes. Very
compatible stuff with John's. He'll sell lots of albums from this tour. You'll want one
after you hear Devil Woman! ~mark
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