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Thread: Prairie Home Companion reviews

  1. #1
    Bob Remington bobrem's Avatar
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    Default Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Watching the new Prairie Home Companion with guest host Chris Thile and am delightfully impressed. Thile takes over full-time in the fall and if his first turn guest host is any indication, we are in for a ride. Add your thoughts. (Watch or listen at prairiehome.org).
    Last edited by bobrem; Jan-30-2016 at 6:44pm.

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  3. #2

    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    These days I watch the live video feed when they have it. I think it took years for Garrison to mature into the host role so I'm sure Chris will get better with experience. Watching him, he certainly seemed to be enjoying things and I think he's done well.

    Sometimes I'm not sure I enjoy his tune choice. He likes these slower numbers that I don't think suite his voice well. Sarah Jarosz's singing seemed better for them.

    I'll see what the rest of the show brings.

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    This is not the first time he has hosted the show. It was on a feed last year and was fun to watch, he played some classical and did a good job as host.
    THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!

  5. #4

    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Huge shoes to fill, but Chris did an amazing job. Not only was he the host, but he appeared to be the music director as well. I was really impressed at how well Chris can integrate the mandolin into any style of music. The duet with Ben Folds on piano was terrific. The Punch Brothers playing Beethoven (and everything else they did) was as good as it gets. Not to mention Sarah Jarosz and Brandi Carlisle were, as always extremely impressive. In other words I am diggin' where the new PHC is going. Kudos to Mr. Thile for a job well done!

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    Registered User Joe Welna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Loved the live stream show tonight. As a long time fan of Prairie Home I think Chris Thile is a great choice as host. Not a replacement for Garrison mind you, who could do that? But instead a talented showman respectful of the traditions the show has established with his hand on the pulse of the music world who can take the show to new places. Looking forward to seeing where it goes. And the mandolin gains a new spotlight! Before you know it people will be pointing at ukeleles and asking "is that a mandolin"?

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    Registered User Russ Jordan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I thought it interesting when CT was talking about Bill Monroe as author of Footprints In The Snow. While BM's recording is credited to one of his pseudonyms, it seems to be pretty well documented that the song predates BM.
    Russ Jordan

  9. #7
    Registered User Lonesome Loser's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I've lived in mn and listened to PHC my whole life and have been saying GK should have been allowed to retire years ago. But I've always thought with him would go the show. After last night I've got to say both MN and PHC couldn't be more lucky! It goes without saying CT will breathe new life into them old bones.

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  11. #8
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    ...

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  13. #9
    Registered User JH Murray's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    It was the best PHC I've heard in years. I stopped listening because it was so formulaic. The lack of the monologue wasn't even missed. Great musical energy will transform the show. Not sure if the Punch Brothers are signing up as the new house band or not?

  14. #10
    Registered User Steve-o's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I thought it was musically rich and entertaining. That said, of course we mando nerds will sing its accolades. My wife enjoyed the show but predicted it will not last without GK. I hope she is wrong, but it will be interesting to hear what the general public and faithful PHC listeners say.

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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    That song The Mississippi is Frozen was gorgeous and apparently written by Thile during the week for the show....
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15GNvCMGQ6o

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    Registered User Londy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Forgive me for asking... is the PHC have recorded archives so i may check it out?
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Quote Originally Posted by Londy View Post
    Forgive me for asking... is the PHC have recorded archives so i may check it out?

    http://prairiehome.org/shows/january-30-2016/

  18. #14
    its a very very long song Jim's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Forgive me for asking... is the PHC have recorded archives so i may check it out?
    Yes, search Prairie Home Companion, or KRCC.org. Other NPR stations also have links to the archives.
    Jim Richmond

  19. #15
    Registered User Fred Keller's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Garrison should have folded it and Chris should have started his own show. It's good, but the aspect that I will miss the most is the Midwestern character of it, the very Minnesotan flavor. It remains to be seen, of course, but without the Lake Wobegon stories, without a stronger Minnesota voice the show will be more flattened, less regional. This, of course, makes for a great show. More music works for me too. But I truly enjoyed and will greatly miss the local, rural, small-town Minnesotan flavor that only Garrison could truly bring. Kevin Kling would have been my choice for host
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  21. #16

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    Oops. Duplicate post.

  22. #17

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    Sarah Jarosz has been on the last two PHC shows with CT. I know she has done guest spots on the show before, but I would be thrilled if she became a regular on the program. I haven't heard any mention of that as a possibility. But hearing her two weeks in a row seems like a good trend; I can hope.

    Ed

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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    "Garrison should have folded it and Chris should have started his own show. It's good, but the aspect that I will miss the most is the Midwestern character of it, the very Minnesotan flavor. It remains to be seen, of course, but without the Lake Wobegon stories, without a stronger Minnesota voice the show will be more flattened, less regional. This, of course, makes for a great show. More music works for me too. But I truly enjoyed and will greatly miss the local, rural, small-town Minnesotan flavor that only Garrison could truly bring. Kevin Kling would have been my choice for host "

    In complete agreement.

  24. #19
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Just watched the youtube vid of Omahallelujah... awesome.
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  25. #20
    Registered User mandolinstew's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I agree with Jeff.Is Chris gonna last 25 years?

  26. #21
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Hildreth View Post
    "Garrison should have folded it....
    +1...

    ...and taken the ketchup, rhubarb pie, pants so tight you could read the logo on the nickel, Martha White, the sound effects segment, and thrown them all into Lake Wobegone...
    The Michener-isms all point to just how lazy Sarah Bellum has been the last, what, 20 years?

    I'd love to see that whole show get a re-boot, as it's not really fair to saddle the new crew with a bunch of hackneyed material that wasn't all that good to begin with...

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  28. #22
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I'm wondering if Chris will be stretching himself too far and become tired of being tied down to the show. Seems to me like he's on a superfast track, covering a huge amount of territory with his music, concerts, and PHC pulling him in various directions, but if anyone can do it it seems he's the one.

  29. #23
    Registered User akjed's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I heard CT was taking over, but was skeptical. I didn't know he was hosting this week until I turned on the radio while doing a project on Saturday. I've grown tired of GK, so Thile was a pleasant and refreshing surprise. Andrew Bird and Maria Bamford were also terrific guests. I hope they'll consider mixing up the format a little more in the fall. While CT did a nice job on the sketches, I think we can move beyond the resentful mother bit. A+ for the music, though.
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  30. #24

    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    I tried to listen to it a couple of times while driving around Saturday. I had a really hard time listening unless it was music related. Might have been better as mentioned to reboot the show and do something different.

  31. #25
    Registered User mingusb1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Prairie Home Companion reviews

    Quote Originally Posted by Spruce View Post
    +1...

    ...and taken the ketchup, rhubarb pie, pants so tight you could read the logo on the nickel, Martha White, the sound effects segment, and thrown them all into Lake Wobegone...
    The Michener-isms all point to just how lazy Sarah Bellum has been the last, what, 20 years?

    I'd love to see that whole show get a re-boot, as it's not really fair to saddle the new crew with a bunch of hackneyed material that wasn't all that good to begin with...
    Ok, it's clear you don't like the show. If PHC is hackneyed then the same could be said for the classic bluegrass that many of us study and love. But calling Garrison lazy is way off. Maybe you think the only thing he does is PHC. Sure, I don't love his singing either...

    I'd call PHC a national treasure. I know of no other broadcast that reaches a wider audience and supports American acoustic music more strongly. And is there another show with as many elements (spoken word, skit, music, sound effects, etc.) that is done live and travels the country? That's important in our age of overdub and remix. I'm looking forward to seeing how Chris Thile evolves the show. However, I know I'll miss Garrison's writing. His gentle commentary on politics, religion, marriage, food, sports, and the human condition isn't replaceable.

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