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Longtime singer-songwriter John Prine came to prominence in the early '70s with a string of albums containing some humorous numbers alongside more thoughtful, reflective political-leaning tunes.
Now some 38 years after his solo self-titled debut hit the record shelves, Prine's material has sort of come full circle with the way and wars of the world.
At least those were the two main threads throughout his two-hour show Friday night at a sold-out Massey Hall.
With no new album to tour behind, Prine and his seasoned two-man supporting cast is doing an extensive Canadian tour this summer, heading out to the Maritimes before traveling west. And if this was any measuring stick, fans have quite a bit to look forward to.
From the opening notes of Spanish Pipedream to In Spite Of Ourselves (a duet with opener Carrie Rodriguez in the encore), Prine slowly but surely warmed himself up with slice-of-life narratives such as Crooked Piece Of Time and Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore, the latter showcasing his gifted storytelling techniques.
Prine won't be mistaken for having vast vocal prowess anytime soon, yet it's his simple, pedestrian paced nuggets that have kept him going this long. This was especially evident during Six O'Clock News and Souvenirs, both immediately recognized by fans from Prine's opening strums.
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The singer, 62, also wove a few stories between songs, mentioning how Fish And Whistle almost never got written. But after losing an argument that the 1978 album Bruised Orange needed one more song, Prine said he set off to write the worst song in the world. Judging by the loud fan reaction, the objective failed miserably.
Letting many of the shouted requests fall by the wayside, the artist demonstrated his stellar lyrical style on the lovely Taking A Walk prior to the oft-covered nugget Angel From Montgomery had most singing along softly.
And whether the content was light or heavy, most of the audience was quite attentive and silent (the four female fools behind me notwithstanding). The swaying and funny Dear Abby led into the comical Let's Talk Dirty In Hawaiian. Prine mentioned how he ran into two members of Hank Snow's band Thursday in Nashville who told him they covered that wild Waikiki number.
That vibe quickly turned once the somber Sam Stone began, a track concerning a Vietnam veteran and his fatal drug addiction. The haunting nature was heightened with a bow being played on the upright bass during the homestretch of what was probably the show's highlight.
But Prine also didn't embarrass himself in the least with the electrified Bear Creek, a blues-meets-rockabilly effort resembling something from Sun Studios in the '50s.
"You know them all!" Prine finally quipped to those still shouting for requests before the tender, thoughtful Hello In There gave way to the lengthy and fully fleshed out Lake Marie which finished the main set.