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JOHN PRINE MINNESOTA NEWS & CONCERT REVIEWS 2008


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Sat April 12, 2008 - John Prine at the State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN. Opener: Paul Thorn. Back-up musicians: Dave Jacques and Jason Wilber

By: beerguy

We had dinner next door at Palomino and it took longer than we had hoped. We didn't get to the State until just a few minutes before 8 and the lobby area was packed. I thought it was a great show. John's voice seemed to be a little rough at first, like he was fighting a cold or something, but the sound man was able to compensate and he sounded better as the night went on. At one point we saw John turn around and shake a bottle of what appeared to be cough syrup and take a swig off of it. He wasn't quite as chatty as I've seen him in the past, but the music was great. Thanks for posting the set list, Crabby Char. Remembering the songs he played makes me smile. We scored second row center aisle seats which were fabulous. The presale which allows John's biggest fans to get some of the best seats in the house is something that other artists should consider. Why let the scalpers and their automated software get the best seats? It was great to hear John mix up the set list and delve a little deeper into his older catalog. Every show I see offers songs I haven't heard him perform live before, along with the usual list of fan favorites. I was really happy to hear him play "Crazy as a Loon", one of my personal favorites. Maybe it has to do with my living "up here in the north woods, just staring at a lake." I had never heard Paul Thorn before, but really liked him. He has a great sense of humor and played songs that made us smile. All four of us attending picked up his CD and he was gracious enough to sign them all. I look forward to listening to it and becoming more familiar with his music. By the way, he really did fight Roberto Duran! All in all it was another great evening spent with John, Jason, Dave, and Paul Thorn. I can't wait for my next opportunity to see them play live!

By: Tt

My seventeen year son and I attended the show at the State Theatre on Sat. night. When his mother asked how the show was, he replied "I smiled so much and laughed so hard my lips cracked." I think you have a fan for life. Thanks John!

By: Crabby Char

"OK, It's Sunday morning and I've had enough coffee to write a little something about last night" .... Read Crabby Char's and other review on the Oh Boy Prine Shrine community forum here -

By: CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Star Tribune

John Prine kept the oldies coming
Full review here: here April 13, 2008
  "Memories, they can't be boughten/ They can't be won at carnivals for free."
   John Prine seemed to sing those lyrics from "Souvenirs" with a little extra emphasis Saturday night at the State Theatre in Minneapolis, where a sold-out crowd paid a fair price to hear the singer delve headlong into his memory bank.
   Prine's shows have largely been nostalgia trips for over the past decade, but Saturday's two-hour performance especially reeled in the years -- not just through many old songs, but songs that encapsulated moments in time or reflected his graying, thinning hair.
   The Chicago postman turned Nashville songwriting legend came to town in 2006 behind his first all-original album in 10 years, "Fair & Square." He still sang a handful of tracks from that record, including the two world-wearied gems "Taking a Walk" and "Crazy as a Loon," but he wound up singing a lot more off his pivotal first album, 1971's "John Prine."
   Specifically, he did eight of the 13 tracks from his debut album, even more than usual. They included the opener "Spanish Pipedream," the closers "Hello in There" and "Paradise," and the crowd favorites "Angel From Montgomery" and "Sam Stone."
   At least one of those way-oldies, "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" (a spoof of Vietnam-era über-patriotism) had been taken out of his setlists for years. However, he said he "dusted it off with some Pledge at the request of the president."
  "It wasn't a formal request," Prine, 61, quipped, "but he was asking for it."
   A little more setlist variety from tour to tour would serve Prine well. A song like "Killing the Blues," for instance -- gorgeously remade by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss for their new hit album -- might have been a nice one to dust off this time. And, tsk tsk, Prine hasn't sung the locally pertinent classic "Sabu Visits the Twin Cities Alone" for at least his last three local appearances. ::::: Backed by his usual adept bassist Dave Jacques and guitarist Jason Wilber (and no drummer), Prine kept the personal-journey aspect of the show rolling through songs like "Dear Abby" -- telling us which of the verses was autobiographical -- and "Lake Marie," a gory recount of his (or anyone's?) failed marriage. And he did offer a little Minne-centric nostalgia before "Souvenirs," a song he always dedicates to his late songwriting cohort Steve Goodman. He recounted performing with Goodman at the original Guthrie Theater in 1972. ::::: "It was our first concert hall show," he said. "My god, you would've thought we were at Madison Square Garden."
   Memories like these are worth the price of admission every time.
   See Prine's full setlist at startribune.com/poplife. Chris Riemenschneider . 612-673-4658 _____________________________________________________
Posted on April 13th, 2008 - 10:41 AM ::: By Chris Riemenschneider
   It's hard to argue with eight songs from the debut album. As I mention in my full review (online later today at www.startribune.com/music), a little more variety in the set list from other recent shows might've been nice, but he did pull out a couple semi-rare nuggets: "Saddle in the Rain" and "Way Back Then." Neither rank among his best but were nice to hear. I also thought that, even though most fans have long since stopped caring about how well John can still sing since his cancer bout, he actually sounded pretty terrific in a few of the tunes, especially "Storm Windows" and "Angel."
   Let us know your thoughts on the show below.
Here's the set list: Spanish Pipedream / Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore / Six O'Clock News / Souvenirs / Storm Windows / Please Don't Bury Me / Fish & Whistle / Glory of True Love / Crazy as a Loon / Taking a Walk / Angel From Montgomery / (start of solo mini-set:) Dear Abby / Donald & Lydia / The Way the World Goes Around / Way Back Then / (band joined mid-song:) Sam Stone / Bear Creek Blues / That's Alright By Me / Saddle in the Rain / Ain't Hurting Nobody / Hello in There /Lake Marie Encore: Paradise (with opener Paul Thorn)
comment on this review here


By: VicRider

Well, what hasn't been said about a performance by John. He always gives you all he's got, and more. Like hearing John playing electric guitar on Saddles in the Rain. I have been a fan ever since I was given a ticket to see two guys from Chicago playing at a club in Mpls. That was the late 70's and I've been a fan ever since. John is also one hell of a human being. Two years ago my 23 year old daughter and I went to Duluth, MN to see him play. She originally met John at St. Johns University when she was 11 years old and she was a JP fan then. At that show John signed a shirt for her, but we could only find a ink pen for him to use. She kept that shirt and never wore it fearing the ink autograph would fade out. When we went to see john in Duluth I told her to bring the shirt with her. After a few inquiries I found out how to get backstage after the show. It worked. Not only did she and I get to meet John, she told him about the tee shirt story. He couldn't believe she still had that shirt after all these years. My daughter spent about 15 minutes with him, laughing and talking about how much his music meant to her. Before we left the arena John gave my daughter a big hug and re-signed the shirt she kept all these years. It read, " To Sara, Love John." John is one of us. I think that's why we're such big fans. Roll on John, roll on.


By: Loretta
My sister and i drove through a bit of a snow storm to get to this one. We got there several hours early so we went to peek in the closed theatre doors.. and there he was!! He was up on stage doing sound checks and gearing up for a great performance. We were pulling the curtains on the doors aside and waving like a couple of CRAZY LOONS! We sat around the lobby feeling like we had just seen Jesus in his missing years for several hours before they opened the doors.. Once the bar opened we had a few and when we were waiting for a drink the lady in front of us said to us "now you two do not look old enough to know John" ( we are 26 and 28 and have listened to John our whole lives) we told her this and stood behind her in silence thinking the same thing as one another.."No one knows John like we do.." I think this is something any fan can relate to.. granted we aren't as old as this broad with wide hips who may be the oldest baby in the world, but we know John and all the songs.. the concert went on and we had a great surprise with Paul Thorn being the opener. Great times and as always an amazing performance from the greatest musician of all time.. can't wait till he comes back to the northwoods..

 


Friday April 11, 2008 John Prine at the Mayo Civic Center Presentation Hall, Rochester, Minnesota. Opening musician: Peter Case. Back up Musicians: Jason Wilber and Dave Jacques



By: Michael J Maloney

Friday night's concert marked the 6th time I've seen John live. This night, I was accompanied by my lovely wife and my 18 year old son. I did not need to ask my son if he was enjoying the concert as, the smile on his face said it all. I will not bore you with set lists or how good Johns voice sounded...you've heard all that before and it's all true but, I will tell you that if you've never seen John Prine in concert, do yourself a favor and go see this living legend, a true American songwriting icon, the first chance you get. You will not be disappointed. Thanks John. You're the bet

By: Jeffrey Jackson

Rochester lures a legend: John Prine to perform at Civic Center
4/3/2008 8:20:02 AM Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN - full preview here
John Prine has come a long way since his days working as a postal worker in the 1960s -- a trek that will bring him to Rochester.
   If you go
   What: John Prine, with opening act Paul Thorn | When: 8 p.m. April 11 | Where: Presentation Hall, Mayo Civic Center | Tickets: $46/$41, 252-1010
   Along the way, the legendary singer-songwriter has picked up a couple of Grammys, been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the BBC and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2005 -- the same year he released his album "Fair & Square" -- Prine, at the request of United States Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, became the first singer-songwriter to read and perform at the Library of Congress. Later that year, Prine was honored as Artist of the Year by the Americana Music Awards.
   Now Prine will bring his talents -- some say his genius -- to Rochester when he plays in concert at the Mayo Civic Center on April 11.
   The Illinois-born Prine, who according to his publicists no longer grants interviews, is a difficult artist to classify. He is sometimes classified as a country singer, sometimes as a folk singer. There's a bit of the blues in his music and he was, at one point in his early career, dubbed the heir apparent to Bob Dylan.
   Dylan must not have minded the comparison and appeared unannounced at one of Prine's first New York City club appearances, anonymously backing him on harmonica.
   Prine has released 20 albums since his eponymous debut recording in 1971. His songs, like "Jesus the Missing Years,""Dear Abby" and "Christmas in Prison," show the clown prince side of Prine. Then there's the political side -- a side filled more often than not with protest, as in "Some Humans Ain't Human," which includes a quick shot at President George W. Bush, and "Sam Stone," a haunting ballad about a Vietnam vet who returns home with a drug addiction.
   Prine, who served a stint in the Army, seems to have sympathy for the soldier even while voicing his angry protests, as the chorus of "Sam Stone" shows: "There's a hole in Daddy's arm where all the money goes / Jesus Christ died for nothing, I suppose."
   And what about his days as a postal worker? Before he broke into music in a big way on the Chicago folk scene, Prine worked for the U.S. Postal Service for five years. Perhaps that's why his music on occasion has a little rain, snow and gloom of night.


 

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