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SIX O'CLOCK NEWS
UPDATED 06/25/02
"I GOT EXCITED JUST BEING PART OF THAT SCENE"

REVIEWS OF THE
JOHN PRINE CONCERT TOUR 1999
LOUISIANA SHOWS

  • HOUSE OF BLUES 12/11/99

FROM: GST
John Prine with Iris Dement at House of Blues,  New Orleans, 11 DEC 99
©1999 - gst
    My friend and I drove to New Orleans from Mobile early on Saturday to scout House of Blues for seating advantages, since "seating" ironically meant SRO. As it turned out a willingness to stand in line for an hour and a half proved to be enough to earn admittance with the first dozen or so spectators.
    It's almost worth mentioning we would have been the absolute first human beings admitted had we played by the House rules. During John Prine's warm-up set, about two hours or so before the doors opened, we stood in allegiance behind the velvet rope, behind the hanging curtain, behind the door which leads to the hall.
    Despite the barriers we caught a little of the "show before the show" but ultimately the House goons sealed us off and eventually made us wait outside behind some other people who evidently knew the House rules.
    [Just so everyone knows exactly what the HoB staff doesn't want us to know, JP apparently plays a rapid version of Spanish Pipedream for a sound check.]
    I do not doubt that many of your website visitors fully understand the tremendous thrill of seeing a JP show from the absolute front of the stage, so I'll minimize the details. Close enough to recognize Iris Dement's discomfort with the smokey atmosphere. Close enough to feel the displaced air from JP's tapping boots. I could read his song list on the floor of the stage at least as easily as he could.
   (To confirm, he did not follow the script verbatim. He skipped some titles and added others, possibly to teach me a lesson about improvisation.)
    What a show. In summary, He opened with Spanish Pipedream, followed by Souvenirs and Six O'clock News, and then... (this space for rent). He closed with Paradise, the grand finale done in spectacular "Free Bird" fashion, involving the band, his wife, and Iris Dement.
    With the exception of his wife appearing on stage for a couple of tunes, the rest of the program in New Orleans was essentially identical to the program I read about in the recent Florida reviews, from the surprise "Santa Claus" song, to the jokes and comments he made to the audience, whose enthusiastic participation was an event in itself. John knows we all know the words and I could tell it made him happy. When the concert was over I was certain he played every song he knows, and it made me happy.
    Still summarizing, virtually every number was slick and polished -- and I mean that in the most sincere, complimentary way. Some songs such as Lake Marie, Bear Creek Blues, and Paradise were "extended" versions, vigorous arrangements that showcased Prine's tremendously talented band.
    In all fairness, the duets with Iris Dement were breathtaking and deserve a shrine of their own.
    I hardly ever say this, but this may have been the best concert I've ever been to. Granted there is no substitute for up close and personal viewing, but it was more than that. When it was time to face the fact the show was over, like so many others I accepted a souvenir guitar pick from a kind roadie and then walked away, totally stunned, with practically nothing left of my voice.
    Sadly, the post-Prine syndrome lasted several days. The songs he didn't play kept surfacing in my mind. Living in the Future, Big Old Goofy World, Speed of the Sound of Loneliness, to name a few. I understand the Beatles never played their entire repertoire, either.
    Post-summary: Prine said it had been four years since he last performed in New Orleans and he diplomatically promised not to stay away so long next time, and when he returns I'll be there (about two hours before gate). Incidentally, The House of Blues is a first-rate platform, surely designed by experts. It's small, yet large. A challenge, yet convenient. Most of all I was amazed 100,000 people could fit so securely between me and the restrooms.

©1999 - gst

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