Thanks to Devin Black for e-mailing the following review from the Ryman. Remember, submit your reviews, photos, notes, set lists, and anything else to glesnick@gmail.com"I bounded into the Ryman auditorium for the first time in my life on Sunday evening awaiting the performance of the most gifted songwriter in the world, Kris Kristofferson. I sat on a bench near the very top of the balcony, with a clear view of the stage. I was in awe just sitting there thinking about all who’d come and sat here before, and all of the great singers and performers who have stepped on the stage of their dreams. My thoughts were broken as I stood up to let a man through. He said, 'You’re not old enough to know who Kristofferson is, young Lady.' I replied, 'Sure I do, he’s my inspiration; I know every song.'
"In a very short amount of time (though it seemed like forever) Kris made his entrance onto the stage, guitar in hand, singing 'Shipwrecked in the 80’s'. I couldn’t believe I was seeing him standing on that stage in front of me. After a few songs he thanked the crowd for our spirit claiming he didn’t have any himself coming into the show. I realized he didn’t feel well, but he did have spirit; it radiated from him, touching every single person in that Nashville audience. During the first half of the show, Chris Gantry made an appearance singing 'Alleghany' and reciting a beautiful poem he’d written. What a wonderful bonus surprise! Kris came back out for a few songs before taking an intermission. My throat was so dry from hoopin’ and hollerin’ and from the lump that had permanently formed in the back of it during the show, but I didn’t know if I could move. I was spellbound.
"I couldn’t tell you how long the second half of the show lasted, because I lost all sense of reality. The only thing I could see was Kris 'wearing his cleanest, dirty shirt' and picking on the guitar. It felt as if he was in my home, sitting on my couch, and playing just for me. The audience just faded away. I cried. He believed wholeheartedly in every word that came from his mouth. I have never before felt the kind of emotion I felt while sitting in that pew. I honestly didn’t know that intensity of belief, hope, wonder, and love was real. I have seen a lot of great musicians in my life, but none have come close to Kristofferson. He forms a connection with each person in the audience, using his words to get straight to their hearts. It’s amazing; he’s amazing. At the end of the show he said, 'Thank you Nashville, I will never forget this.' Trust us Kris, neither will we." - Devin Black
And, this Ryman reviews come courtesy of Michael Mendenhall:
"First I have to admit that I have only recently become a KK fan.
"Since ordering the tickets for the Ryman concert, back in January, as a Valentines present for my wife, a fan since she was 15 (mid 70's), she has exposed me to a steady stream of Kris's music. When I first listened I was not overly impressed, but the more I listened, the more depth I found, and the more captivated I became.
We arrived at the Ryman Sunday night (early, of course), and as the crowd of fans began to gather, I was struck by the diversity of the people: old, young, and in between. People wearing black leather dress shoes, scuffed up cowboy boots, tennis shoes, and sandals; all united in their love of a man and his music.
"As we entered the auditorium, on the stage – illuminated by soft blue light – was a guitar on a stand, a microphone, a music stand, and a bar stool. As the crowd filled in, there was an expectant excitement that began to build. 7:30 came and went, and about 5 minutes later, as the house lights dimmed, from stage right, with guitar in hand, Kris strode to the microphone.
"What followed was amazing. This master story teller, with nothing but guitar, harmonica, and his distinctive voice, held all of us there as his captives. I felt as if I had known Kris as a personal friend for years. At one point someone in the audience called out “Sing ‘The Pilgrim’”. Kris stopped, chuckled and replied “I’ll get to all that, but right now I want to sing this for you.” Early on, Kris stopped and thanked the audience for their enthusiasm. He said he was glad we were “up for this concert” because he had not been, but we had brought him up. Later, he explained: after singing “Sunday Morning Coming Down”, he commented that this morning had been “Sunday morning throwing up”.
"Kris performed two sets of about 45 minutes each, with a 15 minute intermission between them. All too soon our time together with Kris was over, and after an encore of three more songs he thanked us again, said goodnight, and left the stage. I never did figure out what the bar stool was on stage for. Kris – at 69 years of age, and having been sick that morning – had stood for the whole concert.
"As I said at the start of this review, I have not been a Kris fan for long, and that is my loss. This man, truly a legend in the music world, has a gift that is rare. He can give of himself, with open honesty. Thank you Kris for your songs, your spirit, and your willingness to share them."
