Prine: Rare and wonderful at the Kirby - REVIEW | The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton PA

WILKES-BARRE -- Acclaimed singer-songwriter John Prine came to the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday night, captivating a large and spirited crowd with his masterful songs.

“I ain’t been here for a long time,” he said after his second number. “So we’re going to stick around for a while.”

And that’s just what he did, treating the audience to 25 of his best-known songs in a performance that ran a little bit more than two hours.

Since bursting onto the scene in the early 1970s, Prine has always been regarded as one of music’s finest singer-songwriters, with added emphasis on that last part. Much like other great songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson, his voice is an acquired taste. And while the sound he makes may not be beautiful, his words certainly are.

Nowadays it seems Prine concerts are becoming rare occasions -- Saturday’s performance was just his fourth of an eight-show run that began in late April and extends through mid-June. The Kirby Center and its fine acoustics provided a perfect setting to catch up with the 62-year-old troubadour and hear those spectacular songs again.

Prine’s guitarist, Jason Wilber, kicked off the evening with a fine six-song set of his own, including a great tune about Chuck Berry and another one about Elvis Presley.

Prine’s self-titled debut album from 1971 was well represented Saturday night as at least seven of the record’s 13 tracks were featured. Early-evening favorites included “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore,” “Donald and Lydia” and “Sam Stone.” Half of the four-song encore came from the first record as well as Prine ended the show with a wonderful sing-along version of “Illegal Smile” and an equally impressive rendition of “Paradise.”

One of the show’s highpoints was an exquisite version of “Far From Me,” which temporarily quieted the boisterous crowd as they drank in the heart-wrenching lyrics.

Prine deftly mixed the serious and the comical all evening long, following the above-mentioned tune with one of his most uplifting and whimsical songs, “Whistle and Fish.”

A great mandolin intro by Wilber signaled the start of what may be Prine’s most famous composition, “Angel From Montgomery” (you may know the version by Bonnie Raitt).

“It’s always good to write a song about your wife,” Prine said as he introduced “She Is My Everything” from his 2005 Grammy-winning album “Fair & Square.”

After a great version of “Hello In There” from the debut album, Prine ended the main set with “Lake Marie,” which proved to be a fitting closer as its lyrics echo the “We Gotta Go Now” part from “Louie Louie.”

Prine and his accompanists, who were equally adept as they alternated between rockabilly, folk and country-tinged songs throughout the evening, then returned with “Sweet Revenge” and “People Puttin’ People Down.”

Prine then brought the evening to a close with "Illegal Smile" and “Paradise.”