Kristofferson in Toronto - mar.26-06

[charlene]

Kris Kristofferson-Convocation Hall (University of Toronto)
Sunday March 26, 2006.
Kris/guitar/harmonica/stool/bottle of water onstage. Black drape behind him. Black shirt and blue jeans
Walked out with no introduction and started playing immediately. He finished each song with a "Thankyou" and nod of his head.
At times he seemed choked up and would put his fist over his heart and nod his head. He mentioned that he had heard Gordon Lightfoot had played there. (1989-Temagami Wilderness Benefit show)
He was charming and humble and laughed when he screwed up the lyrics or couldn't finish a long harmonica part. He seemed to be nursing a cold he had earlier this month. The silence of the audience during some songs was astounding. During other songs there were shout-outs, applause and laughter - he spoke of the political climate in the U.S., the war in Iraq and the lyrics of his songs on his latest CD are worth reading.....accompanied with his weathered voice and his battered guitar while he stood onstage alone it was mesmerizing.
He is beyond humble...even after all these years he still is uncomfortable with the reverance his music is held....the many times I've seen him on TV shows etc. he never varies fromt he shy, quiet troubadour with a message. I remember a few years ago when he came to Toronto to attend an evening in honour of his buddy Ronnie Hawkins. Ronnie had been diagnosed with cancer. Kris was asked to speak to the media outside the venue and was caught off guard. He started out fine, speaking of his love for Ronnie, then the tears came, big gulps, deep breaths...it surprised him to be like that but it was so genuine and touching. At awards shows he can't get off the stage fast enough when given a well deserved accolade.
During some of the older songs I missed Rita Coolidge singing with him. They were fabulous together - especially in a live performance.
The show last night was bare-bones...almost like being in an intimate coffee house. He put himself out there in front of 1700 fans and it was a night I'll never forget. I got a bit teary when he sang the lyrics to "Thank You For A Life" and the lines from "Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends."
" This could be our last good night together
We may never pass this way again."
I certainly hope I get another chance to see him - 3 times in my life isn't enough...1973, 1985 and 2006....he'll be 70 in June. Astounding.
Come back Kris.....come back soon.

I took Lisa with me - she had a good time and we met up at intermission with the handsome and charming David Newland (emcee and performer at the Lightfoot Tribute Shows) and his love, Molly.

a fabulous site for all things Kris is at: http://chapter33.hamtwoslices.net/

Toronto Sun review of show:
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2006/03/27/1507609.html

Set List - (may not be in PERFECT order and I hope I have all of them!)
Shipwrecked in the 80's (forgot some lyrics at the end and called out to Ronnie Hawkins "Throw me a line!")
Darby's Castle (looked around the beautiful 1906 venue with it's domed ceiling and chandeliers and said "it sure beats the old Riverboat!)
Me and Bobby Magee ("good enough for me and Bobby Magee and Janis")
Best of All Possible Worlds
In The News (song about Laci Peterson who was pregnant and murdered by her husband)
Here Comes That Rainbow Again (Johnny Cash's favourite song)
The Heart (is all that matters in the end) (wrote for his father but he sings it to his kids)
Help Me Make It Through The Night (help me make it through TONIGHT)
Casey's Last Ride
Chase The Feeling
The Show Goes On (makes him think of Ronnie Hawkins)
The Hero
Nobody Wins (George Bush and his ilk make it hard to sing his songs as love songs)
Perfect Strangers
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
The Circle (Johnny Lobo)
Holy Band of Angels
Lovin' Her Was Easier (than anything I'll ever do again
BREAK
Junkie and The Juicehead
Just This Side of Nowhere
Jody and The Kid
The Pilgrim - Chapter 33
To Beat The Devil
The Last Thing To Go
Pilgrim's Progress
This Old Road
Final Attraction (written after watching Willie Nelson perform)
Sunday Mornin' Comin Down
Silver Tongue Devil (his 5 year old son said it wasn't a good song because he was blaming someone else for his problems!)
For The Good Times (cut short and acknowledged a whining toddler)
ENCORE
Love Is The Way
Thank You For A Life
A Moment of Forever
Don't Let The Bastards Get You Down
Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends
Love Is The Way

[brink-]

Amazing as always Char! You have such a talent reviewing shows.
You teary??? That can't be! lol
Sounds wonderful, thanks for bringing it to all of us.

[Sydney Steve]

Crikey Char. Nobody could argue he doesn't give his fans their moneys worth.
Such an extensive set list .
Lovely insights but then what else would you expect from the "Queen".

[SilverHeels]

I so want to see him again! Thank Char, wonderful report, as ever.

[charlene]

see pics at:
http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/kristofferson_kris/artist.jhtml
and tour and album tracks...and interviews...fab stuff...

[Auburn Annie]

yum

[charlene]

Toronto star review:
Essence of Kristofferson
Famed songwriter strips off artifice

Audience forgives his aging voice
Mar. 28, 2006. 01:00 AM
GREG QUILL
ENTERTAINMENT COLUMNIST


"At this rate, he'll have gone through 50 songs in less than two hours," a young fan confided to his friends during a 15-minute break in veteran American country-folk songwriter Kris Kristofferson's epic solo performance Sunday night.

The observation was on the money. Kristofferson, before a sellout crowd of 1,700 at Convocation Hall, the University of Toronto's intimate theatre-in-the-round, was so eager to touch on every important piece of his enormous repertoire that he barely acknowledged the audience during the first half of the show. He shifted at a relentless pace from one song to the next, rarely even bothering with minimal instrumental segues.


In his 70th year, and the same lanky Texas troubadour he always was, a craggier, still handsome Kristofferson seemed compelled to sum up his spectacularly long run as one of Nashville's most revered — and most highly compensated — composers, but without pomp and circumstance, and with nothing but the simplest possessions: an acoustic guitar, a gift for gentle and wise verse, three chords, and a voice now so frail and windless that it can barely carry a tune.

That was a brave and dangerous thing to do. Having stripped his songs down to the essentials — just the words and a semblance of the rustic melodies that accompanied them at their conception — Kristofferson made himself acutely vulnerable, unashamedly naked.

Never a great musician — his level of proficiency on his chosen instrument after 50 years in the business is jaw-droppingly poor — and handicapped by a persistent tuning problem in the first hour that he seemed loath to correct, he nevertheless managed to pull off a performance that was a victory for substance over style, and a warm and affirming tribute to the pure power of song.

All his classics bobbed up, some for an obligatory nod, others for more hearty exposition. Any fan would have been exceptionally mean to feel cheated by a concert that included the likes of "Darby's Castle," "Me And Bobby McGee," The Best Of All Possible Worlds" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night," even if the songs were denied the benefits of instrumental embellishment or any attempt at arrangement, save some pathetic wailing on brace harmonica that the singer himself finally abandoned as unworthy.

And where his voice faltered, the audience — an exceptionally diverse bunch, ranging from teenagers to grandparents — was quick to add folksy texture, singing quietly along or humming melodies to reinforce Kristofferson's gallant effort, and howling their approval at the start and end of every piece.

Much more comfortable in the second half, thanks no doubt to a guitar that had been tuned at intermission, the singer responded more expansively to the warmth of his welcome, urging Canadians not to "worry about your crazy neighbours to the south" or about their president, "a hood ornament on a machine run by ideologues."

Cutting short a haphazard attempt at evoking a rock groove in "The Show Goes On," from his latest, critically acclaimed CD, Kristofferson dedicated the song to his old friend, rocker Ronnie Hawkins, who was in the audience with his family.


Most of the new stuff — also the most perceptive, confessional and acidic material he has ever written — was left till last, and it served as a reminder that age is no impediment to great art, intelligence or rebellion. "Chase The Feeling," "This Old Road," "The Last Thing To Go" and "Final Attraction" burn with wit, imagination, hope and humanity, even as they convey discomforting sensations of rage, anger and regret.

Denied the artifice that made them enduring favourites in countless recordings by others over the decades, Kristofferson's stark, inclusive songs revealed their remarkably strong bones on Sunday night. Long may they be sung.

[charlene]

new TRIBUTE cd!!
http://chapter33.hamtwoslices.net/

[geodeticman]

Charlene,

What a great, moving account of another icon such as GL. I have always loved his music, but call me shallow on my preferred mix of form and embellishment versus substance, given embellishment connoting other instruments such as is part of GL's performing memerization.

Better stated I think I have always loved Kris' music more than his ability to sing them or perform. His writing is moumental. And, a few of you may recall a post I made a while back where I spoke of tasteful and comparitive critique of Lightfoot when others I worked with said Gl was too "Tin Pan".

Interestingly, too a one (there were only a few ppl) they said they much preferred Kristofferson as more genuine, and their ability to relate to him. I of course recounted my reasons for GL being my favourite, and defended in all friendly discussion the merits that were contrasted.

It clearly to all is no secret we all needn't consider as Gord fans that being enthralled with another performer's music is in any way be ing "sacreligious" about Gord. To each their own music that helps them through the hard times and amplifies the good times. So much the better when one has many favourites, so to speak. Lends balance and I believe greater appreciation of their favourite.

One interesting note I am quite sure most everyone knows in here (and I may) have wrong on some detail or another is this: Kristofferson as I have heard or read was at various times a boxer, an undergrad student in liberal arts of some kind, followed by grad work and finally I understand was awarded the coveted scholarship akin to being academically knighted in England - the Rhodes Scholarship .

I roughly understand this to be one who is invited to join Oxford University England to do post-doc work; a fellowship of sorts. Not sure. But like Bill Clinton, he was awarded one of the most distinguished academic scholarships as ( I believe) a post-grad student being a "Rhodes Scholar" could ever receive.

Kristofferson's quest for "what to do " and his history are as impressive and interesting as his music. Thanks for the nice read on the concert - very nicely written ! - Steve

[charlene]

thanks Steve - with all of his imperfections Kris was perfect.....
All info about Kris can be found at www.kriskristofferson.com (http://www.kriskristofferson.com) and at:
http://chapter33.hamtwoslices.net/ music downloads,pics,reviews etc...
Kris was also a helicopter pilot....

CMT website has review of Kennedy Centre show: and photos
http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1527711/04032006/kristofferson_kris.jhtml?_requestid=119349

[ April 04, 2006, 11:39: Message edited by: charlene ]

[charlene]

video of "This Old Road"....
http://newwestrecords.com/kris/vid/

[Cathy]

A guy at our fiddle jam attempted to play this song last night, but he sure didn't do it any justice! Actually, the guy has a nice voice, and got the chords right, but he seems to have trouble with timing and skips a beat every now and then. I tried to play along with him, but gave up after awhile.

[<Reminder>]

Charlene,

Thanks for the link. That sounds like the Kristofferson I remember from his self-titled debut album (which I still have on vinyl, original cover). He may not be a singer, but he is a poet. I always think of him as a "Man's man", and they are rare. They definitely do not reside in my mirror.

RMD

[charlene]

I love his voice....he's older and better in my opinion. Those old albums are in a box in my basement....
give a listen to his "Austin Sessions" cd from a few years ago...
KK has still got it....the looks, the stage persona, the voice, the songs - it works so well for him even pushing 70...amazing.
If he's in a town near you go and see him.....

[Jesse Joe]

At least Kristofferson, thanked the audience. I was at a Bob Dylan concert, he never spoked a word. Cool as can be, someone could have thrown a hand grenade on stage, and I seriously dont think he would have moved. Just before the show started, they yelled into the mike."HELLO HALIFAX", ladies & gentlemen BOB DYLAN. Only trouble was, he was in Moncton, NB. Great show even if he didn't know the hell where he was. Thats Bob Dylan.&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;

[charlene]

I think Kris said thank you 462 times that night!
lol
When he wasn't saying thank you he was putting his clenched hand on his heart and bowing his head as we went nuts....it seemed that after every song (and many times at the beginning) he was genuinely amazed at the response it got....and thankful!
lol
not a whit of arrogance or a sense of entitlement in that man's countenance. a true gentleman.

[Jesse Joe]

Kristofferson is great

[SilverHeels]

Char, if I interview him in Canada, you can be my photographer but if I meet him in UK, suck it up, pal. I'm taking the shots myself! :D

[charlene]

Hey Bru - we have PLANES over here in the colonies now ya know!
LOLOL
Maybe I'll fly over with him...HA!!!
heck we already met once in an airport!!!

[SilverHeels]

*Sigh* You win. You can 'Tag along'. :D