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SIX O'CLOCK NEWS
I GOT EXCITED JUST BEING PART OF THAT SCENE
REVIEWS OF THE
JOHN PRINE IN '99 CONCERT TOUR
EUROPEAN SHOWS
- RIALTO THEATRE,
DERRY IRELAND, JULY 7, 1999
FROM: Desi Fisher
Thanks for info!! We had a wonderful holiday in France with great weather, great
wine and great Craic!. We had a barbecue one night with some of the other campers and we
introduced them to JP's "The Missing Years". A lot of people in Ireland
would know "I wanna dance with you" (due to Daniel O'Donnell) and
"Speed of the sound of loneliness" (due to Susan McCann or Nanci Griffith's, who
resides in Dublin most of the time!!). Our boat back was delayed by 3 hours so we just
arrived back from France to go into the concert at 8:30, and JP came on stage at 8:45!!
Our car was parked with all our holiday clothes, etc, after having driven from
Rosslare at the bottom SW of Ireland to Derry in the NW of Ireland, a drive of 7 and
a half hours!! Anyway from the moment the MC introduced John with the famous Kris
Kristofferson thumb quotation to the finish of his encore with "Paradise" 2
hours and 15 minutes later, the sell-out audience was in raptures. I was surprised that he
played so long, especially surprised that he did 60 percent of the show on his own with
David Jacques s(bass/ cello) and Jason (Lead guitar/mandolin) going offstage for so long.
John had certainly "aged" since 3 years ago and he had lost weight and a
lot more grey in the hair! The one thing that had not changed was his dynamism and able to
hold the concert in rapture. I was especially pleased that this time he told quite a few
anecdotes about his songs and they were not ones heard on the "JP Live" or
"Live on tour" albums. I was also surprised to find myself enjoying "Dear
Abby" and "Space Monkey" 2 of JP's songs that I intensely dislike as I find
they wear thin after the first hearing. I felt that both band members were keeping a very
keen eye on JP as he was getting carried away with his guitar playing and they weren't
sure of their cues!! Having a front row seat (due to the fact that the shop sold more
tickets than the actual venue!!) we had a wonderful view and my youngest son (whose 12 and
loves "Lucky Larue" and "Bells of Memphisto") managed to get a guitar
pick. I never got a chance to meet JP after the show as I was too tired and needed to get
home to unpack the car!! Anne said that it was one of the best concerts she had ever
been to and I have been receiving a lot of calls from customers throughout N. Ireland to
tell me how much they enjoyed the show. We sold some hats before the show and I still have
some in the shop but they will soon go. I gave one to a local radio presenter,
Frank Galligan, who MC'ed the show and he wore it on stage while introducing JP, he
champions John's music on his show all the time.
FROM: Frank Galligan
I had the pleasure of introducing John in Derry on WED JULY 7th - his only Irish gig. What
an ovation from his loyal fans.....he was very moved and kicked in a two hour plus
performance that belied his recent illness. Proof, if proof were needed, that his heart is
immune to any damn carcinoma and for those of us who have worshipped quietly for almost
three decades, this was the opportunity to laugh, cry and holler in equal measure. He is
still the songwriter by which everyone else should be measured....humour, compassion,
integrity and - fundamentally - he cares deeply about his audience. The Happy Enchiladas
are buzzing since!
FROM: cookstown fan
I seen john in Derry Ireland on wed 7th of July..great great great...love prine,got
talking to him after sneaking into his dressing room,beer was flowing and john looked
great after his illness...I told john a few jokes and he laughed..I TOLD JOHN PRINE A FEW
JOKES AND HE LAUGHED...we got on like a house on fire...kind and honest man..I'm 24 years
of age and recommend everyone of all ages listen to this legend THANK YOU
FROM: IAN MC WILLIAM WHITEHEAD Co ANTRIM N IRELAND
I WAS AT THE JOHN PRINE CONCERT,AT DERRY IRELAND LAST NIGHT. THE HALL WAS AS FULL AS YOU
COULD GET.JOHN CAME OUT ON STAGE, AND TOLD THE FAN,S ABOUT HIS ILLNESS AND HOW HE HAD BET
IT,AND HOPED THIS WOULD NOT EFFECT HIS VOICE. BUT LET ME TELL YOU,J OHN SANG HIS HEART
OUT, AND HIS VOICE WAS AS GOOD, (IF NOT BETTER)THAN I HEARD.THE FAN,S JUST LOVED EVERY
MOMENT, THE BACKING BAND WAS GREAT.JOHN PLAYED FOR OVER TWO HOURS, HE WAS AT HIS
BEST. JOHN SANG ALL BEST SONGS, AH IT WAS WONDERFUL THANKS JOHN FOR A NIGHT TO
REMEMBER.YOUR IRISH FANS FOR EVER.
- ROYAL GLASGOW CONCERT HALL, GLASGOW SCOTLAND, JULY 9, 1999
FROM: Les
Glasgow concert was wonderful! I've just returned and its 1am here in Edinburgh. Marching
day(the day the concert was held) is where Orange bands get to march down the streets- its
an Irish Protestant thing. Warm up was by wonderful Scottish singer /songwriter Carol
Laula. Cute little guy was running around in shorts tuning John's guitars stories..and yes
he did he tell about his cancer. Unusually for a Glasgow crowd it was not rowdy we were
all just too glad to see him back? We sang along with one tune. Said his wife and
family were there, but not sure. Hopefully someone else will have more to say on
song list but he was great, seemed to be enjoying himself - They all did
FROM: Cara Connolly
It was the first time I had seen John live although I have been a fan for a long time. It
was so unbelievable to see him in person singing songs which I have loved for so long.
From the moment he walked on stage he was 100% committed and sang every song as though it
was the first time he had sung it. You would think a song like Sam Stone he would be kind
of bored by singing. But no. I was overwhelmed by the way he sang 'Angel of Montgomery'-
his voice was such an amazing cross between fragile and invincible. That sounds really
corny the way I have written it, sorry, but it is a difficult thing to express. He was
funny and genuine and cool. The most impressive thing for me was the length of time he was
on stage- about 2 and a half hours- is that normal for him? He was like a machine when the
band left the stage and he was left. He sang one after the other- all stunningly- he was
unbelievable. It was the best gig I have ever been to. Apparently the bass player has to
rent a double bass everywhere they tour, and his favourite is the one he rents in
Glasgow!I don't think his family was there- he said they were but it was a jokey reply to
some rowdy hecklers! I haven't done it justice with what I have written here. What
FROM: Pete Tucker
Enjoyed the concert very much. It was my first time seeing John in concert too and I've
also been a fan for a long time. I arrived in Glasgow in the afternoon and was able to
watch the sound check from the side of the stage. That was wonderful. The band ran through
6 songs including "Speed of the sound of Loneliness" and "Picture
Show" neither of which were played at the concert. The other four sound check songs
were played later. John signed a photo and a poster for me after the sound-check was
over. I was thrilled to meet him. I used to live in Bristol England, where John's
song-writing partner Roger Cook lived until the early 90s. Roger ran a songwriter's
workshop there and I used to go along and play occasionally. Roger never rated my sings
very highly. I told John I liked to think Roger had experienced a temporary lapse in taste
every time I played. Haha! I was shocked at the cancer announcement. I had no
idea that john had been ill. The audience had been very supportive and welcoming anyway
but after the announcement I felt we'd have done anything for John. One of the things I
liked very much was John's response to the applause. He grinned at the members of the band
like a little boy who'd just been given a bag of sweets, like he couldn't quite believe
his luck. I found that very affecting. I thought his band were great too. Just right for
the songs. Oh well, back to work and reality now!
FROM: Sandy
Just saw JP a couple of weeks ago in Glasgow,Scotland. He was great, but the sound syatem
was not the best. Great to see the man in the flesh.
FROM:David Liddell
I saw JP at the Concert Hall in Glasgow and it was simply the best concert I've
seen in years. The guy's songs just always seem to hit the spot and the work he puts in.
He was on stage for two solid hours. The guys in the band got a break but not the man.
Come back soon John and thanks for a great evening.
FROM: Les
Glasgow concert was wonderful! I've just returned and its 1am here in Edinburgh. Marching
day (the day of the concert) is where Orange bands get to march down the streets - its an
Irish Protestant thing. Warm up was by wonderful Scottish singer /songwriter Carol Laula.
Cute little guy was running around in shorts tuning John's guitars stories..yes
.....did he tell about his cancer and yes Unusually for a Glasgow crowd it was not rowdy
we were all just too glad to see him back. We sang along with one tune. John did not hang
out and meet people personally nor did he have things passed back to his dressing room to
be signed. I didn't see any John Prine Shrine Caps on. Said his wife and
family were there, but not sure. Hopefully someone else will have more to say
on song list but he was great, seemed to be enjoying himself - They all did
- GUINNESS FLEADH, FINSBURY PARK, LONDON ENGLAND, JULY 10, 1999
FROM: Maher Mughrabi, Aberdeen, Scotland
Well now, I guess I'm just the latest in a long line of people (but not long enough) to
have had that same experience Kris Kristofferson had all those years ago. Last Saturday
(July 10) I was at the Fleadh, a Celtic music festival held at Finsbury Park in London. A
friend invited me, and I had come down from Scotland to see it. I was there to see people
like the Barenaked Ladies and Elvis Costello and Eddi Reader, but when I saw John Prine's
name it made me stop and think. I hadn't wanted to see Van Morrison, an old hero of mine,
'cos his voice is shot, and Prine was on at the same time. I only knew one
song of his - The Speed of The Sound of Loneliness - from Nanci Griffith's Other Voices,
Other Rooms album. But I liked it, and my recent enthusiasm for people like Nanci, Townes
van Zandt and Guy Clark (all sparked by a Chip Taylor concert I went to, but that's
another story) told me this might be worth seeing. Prine was on the second
stage in an old big top tent - much more intimate than the festival's main stage. Unlike
Kristofferson, though, I was surrounded by people, most of them much older than me (I'm
26). I had no idea how old Prine was (the photo in Nanci's album notes is of a young man)
but when he finally sang it seemed his age was finally starting to fit the things his
songs had to say. Remember that I knew none of these songs - there was no easy
familiarity for me. But each one ushered me into another world, and at times it was as if
I'd always known them. On this site I've tracked many of them down. He made us laugh with
Dear Abby and Whistle and Fish, he rocked the place but most of all he moved us deeply
with spare, unadorned performances of songs like Sam Stone, Lake Marie, Souvenirs and
Angel From Montgomery. His only accompaniment was his acoustic, a bassist and a young guy
who alternated between electric guitar and mandolin. There was just one song I'm having
trouble tracking down, a song to a woman fallen on hard times. I wish I could tell you
more of the words, but the one moment that sticks out in my head was Prine closing his
eyes and singing "Come on baby, spend the night with me" as if he had no energy
left for a stronger plea. In one hour he took us through the whole gamut of emotions,
ending with Lake Marie. Nothing I saw that day or in damn near 15 years of musical
obsession from heavy metal to soul to rap to reggae to opera has ever topped it. Maybe the
Indigo Girls in Edinburgh came close. Yet he seemed genuinely surprised and
flattered by the roar of acclaim at the end - everyone in the world knows Johnny Cash and
Willie Nelson, and they're great performers, but he was their equal in every way and their
superior in my eyes that day. I bought my first Prine CD (a best of) on Monday morning.
I've just found another one he sang - All the Best!
"YEAH LITTLE BUDDY GONNA GET YOUR CHANCE -
MAKE THE PUBESCENTS ALL WET THEIR PANTS"
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