At the Birchmere, Swoonin' for Kristofferson

Appearing at the sold-out Birchmere on Tuesday with just an acoustic guitar and a few harmonicas, Kris Kristofferson limited his musical arrangements to plucking about three open chords per song and blowing a few notes on the harp at tune's end. Yet lyrically, Kristofferson can shoot for the moon even when he focuses on stereotypical drop-the-G outlaw country fare: drinkin', lovin', leavin'. The audience swooned on "Loving Her Was Easier," despite the opening couplet: "I have seen the morning burning golden on the mountains in the skies, achin' with the feelin' of the freedom of an eagle when she flies."

And swoon they should have. Like Willie Nelson, the only other surviving member of the Highwaymen (an '80s quartet that also featured Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings), and latter-day Cash, Kristofferson now exudes a level of serenity that's almost spiritual. With this stage presence, no lyric can seem overreaching or simplistic.

Delivering his new "In the News," Kristofferson gave his state-of-our-union message, full of sad references to the Laci Peterson case and the Iraq invasion. "I want nothing but the end of the war," he sang. The fans, most of whom were hearing the song for the first time, soaked in every line. It wasn't possible to listen to his version of "Here Comes That Rainbow Again" without wanting to become more charitable. "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" never sounded so brutal.

When Kristofferson changed the punch line of "Help Me Make It Through the Night" to "Help me make it through tonight," a roomful of admirers was at the ready. Their hearts and minds were his.

-- Dave McKenna