Kris Kristofferson at The Canyon Santa Clarita

[Sharon W]

We tried out a new venue last night, the Canyon in Santa Clarita, wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com/canyon-santa-clarita/ The prime rib wasn't great but they've only been open a week or so. Service, wine, salad and the rest of the food was good. It's another venue owned by the same company as the Canyon in Agoura Hills, The Rose in Pasadena, and the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills (the old Fox Wilshire Theatre). It was formerly a restaurant in a big mall so there's plenty of free parking.

Kris Kristofferson put on a fine show although he forgot to bring the right harmonica for Bobby McGee. The audience was perfect - nobody spoke during the quiet parts and laughed with Kris when he introduced songs with stories. We sat at a table of 8 and one of the other couples was from Prescott, Arizona. They had noticed the tour and decided to head west rather than go to Albuquerque! The wife had seen Kris with Rita Coolidge and Willie Nelson back in the 1970s when she was 16 and wanted to see him again. They drove over for the show. Another had seen the show advertised while shopping in the mall and decided to get tickets because they'd never seen him before. And we ran into Nina Royal (publisher of the local North Valley Reporter) - always fun to see someone you know in one capacity where you don't expect to see them.

It was a wonderful way to start concerts in 2018!

[Brian]

Since Sharon posted her review, I've been checking You Tube for decent audience videos of Kris Kristofferson's tour.  A couple of poor quality clips were uploaded from his San Francisco concert, nothing else.  Then somebody captured "Sunday Morning Coming Down" at the Canyon in Agoura Hills last Saturday -- looks like it was shot from one of the stools between the stage and the bar:

[Sharon W]

It looks like the Santa Clarita gig was a warm up. He was all alone with his guitar there. Here he's got a band! I will nag Bill to publish the videos he took on the 4th!

[Sharon W]

Here's the one he put on FB, www.facebook.com/bill.weisman.7/videos/10155417280543020/

[Sharon W]

Here's Casey's Last Ride
www.facebook.com/bill.weisman.7/videos/10155441746943020/

Broken Freedom song
www.facebook.com/bill.weisman.7/videos/10155442075258020/

[Brian]

I'm going to book some time in front of Anni's computer so I can watch those videos (and others!) from Santa Clarita on Bill's private Facebook account like Anni did, probably this weekend.  Thanks for posting the links, Sharon.

Here's a broadcast from 1989 of Kris Kristofferson and his band performing "Under the Gun," one of the greatest -- if little known -- anti-war songs of the last 35 years, if not ever:



No more time, no more chances
No more wars will be won
In the end only the losers
Hold the land under the gun