Portland, OR
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Portland, OR |
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JOHN PRINE RETURNS TO CONCERT TOUR --Jerry Briggs--(WOG) -October 17, 1997 There were no seats left at the Portland Art Museum Friday night for the John Prine Concert. The 1325 spots were filled early enough to cause advertising posters to indicate "Sold Out!" across his mention in the brochures. An attentive crowd gave Iris DeMent their rapt attention as her distinctive voice carried across the anxious gathering of John Prine fans. The standing ovation she received at the end was a testimony to the enjoyment they had from listening to her opening show. John Prine came on the stage to heavy applause, accompanied by his sidekicks, David Jacques on bass, and Jason Wilbur on guitar and mandolin. After their very first song, Spanish Pipedream, the crowd stood with their applause....and the evening was just beginning. A seven-week hiatus from touring had given John back his voice, and the evening seemed to cause no strain on his often over-worked vocal chords. In a concert scheduled to end at 10PM, John and his band continued entertaining the crowd with their old favorites, including Hello In There, Six O'Clock News, Sam Stone, and Dear Abby, until past 11:30. John's enthusiasm never waned in giving this Northwest crowd 29 familiar songs, without a stop for rest. John brings his guitar: you sit and listen. Depending upon a number of factors, sometimes audiences will get barely a dozen songs in a concert. Tonight was full value, and the applause generated was evidence to John that he was filling their Prine needs. No stranger to his music, there were frequent calls from the crowd for their own favorites. A concerted effort from a group on the side, yelling "Bad Boy!" finally seemed to cause John to try a song that is not a part of this tour. "The Great Compromise" was done flawlessly and was a fine addition to an already good slate of songs. Of particular interest tonight was the song selection. "New Train" and "John Garfield" were both done. "Bruised Orange," a touching story of the tragedy of a young boy, was also performed, and the crowd listened closely, visioning a young boy unaware of a quietly approaching commuter train. John held the audience in his hands this evening. They laughed at his stories of pineapple-covered wallpaper, his father's late-night trip-planning armed with a pencil and a few beers; his reflections on what "New Train" meant to him...long after it was written. His crowds always enjoy the history of the "Souvenirs" creation, and tales of his entry into the music business. As the lights came up and the crowd sang along with John's "Illegal Smile" tonight, it left no doubt that John has a following throughout this country. First recorded over 26 years ago, people in their early 20's were singing every word, together, in tune, with him. John remains an enigma in today's music community. He is respected everywhere music is played, his concerts more often than not sell out, and he has virtually zero radio airplay. John Prine continues to be everyone's favorite secret.
1. BLOW UP YOUR TV -- band leaves-- 11. DEAR ABBY --band returns-- 20. PLEASE DON'T BURY ME --encore numbers-- 26. UNWED FATHERS (with Iri DeMent)
John's first concert since his 51st birthday was an interesting one. Revitalized from a "vacation" from his tour schedule, he came back just a bit older and appearing a lot mellower. John's show at Portland featured a smooth, delivery through most of the performance. Near the end of his lengthy show he asked, "Is it dry in here?" as he found his speaking a bit difficult. As usual, however, the show went on and the crowd was delighted with his sound. John appeared to be "pacing" himself on the two-and-a-half dozen songs this evening. Usually he seems to use up tons of energy early in his show, leaving himself completely exhausted by show's end. Tonight he remained in fine spirit, enjoyed the crowd as they enjoyed him, and seemed able to have continued for another two hours, had it been necessary. Lighting for the show ranked perhaps two on the standard "ten" scale. Overhead in front and behind were too darkly colored to highlight either John or the band members properly. A spotlight from the balcony would have been appropriate, or better yet, at least two. Jason Wilbur's frequent solo spots were appreciated and applauded by the audience, and would have served him better had they been more visible to the viewing audience. Often John had to move beside Jason to eventually get the spot centered anywhere near Wilbur. Perhaps consistent lighting is too much to ask on the tour, as those chores are always handled by persons not that familiar with what will transpire through the evening. John occasionally ventures away from the microphone and to the edge of the stage. Tonight he was lost in the shadows, as the overhead spots were unable to react to any movement away from their stationary positions. Sensing this, he remained mostly in his center spot on the stage. John's hair looked absolutely black under the lights, and I speculated on what his birthday present the previous Friday must have been. Later, however, I discovered that his hair is still the same color as it was before. Stage lighting took years off his appearance! Although John has not been on tour for several weeks, he has nonetheless been busy. A gig at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame where John and his crew played five songs Sept. 21, and four days of studio recordings in Nashville kept the time off from being classified purely a "vacation." Of interest to me was what I heard as differences in the arrangements by Jason Wilbur. Involved in John's studio work, and helping John with his "cheatin' songs" duets, Jason's music tonight definitely sounded much more countrified than before, as his vocal harmonies took a decidedly country approach. Jason continues to use a bluesy approach on many of the numbers, and is unchanged on most, but definitely had a new sound. It fit in well during the evening. In addition, Jason had a "rock-a-billy" approach on guitar that was refreshing and exciting. This band continues to evolve with time. Sound for the evening was quite well done, and the infrequent solos that Jacques gets were quite audible to the audience. A spotlight on him at the same time as his moments of musical glory would be fitting to get full appreciation from the audience. The normal high-energy level of John's concerts was contained and controlled tonight. The music was excellent, the crowd loved the entire show, and John was able to maintain his energy and still be alive after the show. For longevity on the road, he probably needs to do more of this conservation of energy. Of special note is the selection of Iris DeMent to be John's tour-mate on this seven-date western tour. Her vocals are unique, her voice often haunting, and it all works well in combination with John's style. Their duet on "Unwed Fathers," as usual, was a show-stopper. Iris takes a wonderful song and turns it into a fabulous one. People who may have been unfamiliar with Iris left the show quite aware of her unusual sound. She may have even convinced a few to seek out her CD's in the future. It is rare to see the opening act receiving a standing ovation at the end of the set, but this delighted audience was on their feet at her conclusion.
Overcast skies were the greeting in Portland, Oregon for the latest John Prine Concert. A mild day with occasional misting made the city's weather exactly as the stereotype of the city and state would suggest. The Art Museum takes up a whole block, with several ancillary buildings. The concert location for John's show is on the top floor, in the Grand Ballroom, in the old Masonic Building, located next to the actual museum. An almost park-like setting leads to the opening of the building, under reconstruction at the front doors. Abe Lincoln, with a 10' statue standing since 1928, watches over the movement through the shady area. It is almost a campus atmosphere, as trendy shops abound in the blocks around the hall. With a wood floor, shiny as a gymnasium, the venue for John's show wears the marks of time from many years of use. A permanent balcony, two-hundred feet from the stage, provides 250 seats for the evening's show, while down on the main floor 1075 more temporary chairs give a seating capacity for the sold-out show of 1325.
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