SANTA BARBARA BOWL
A longtime friend and favorite of the Santa Barbara Bowl, Jackson Browne was happy and relaxed at his recent August 11 show.
For close to three hours, legendary musician Browne serenaded a packed Bowl with mesmerizing new songs from his latest studio album, Standing in the Breach, and classic favorites that put fans on their feet. All the while professing his love for Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Bowl.
“The place is so damn beautiful,” proclaimed Jackson. “I’ve done 20 concerts in 20 years in Santa Barbara — and tonight is special because I have a lot of old friends in the audience.”
Joined by a full band, Browne’s iconic and smooth voice belted ballads and a bit of rock, dipping into the well to cover love, hope and defiance in the face of the uncertainties surrounding modern life. From The Long Way Round (2014):
I don’t know what to say about these days
I’m seeing people changing in the strangest ways
Even in the richer neighborhoods
People don’t know when they’ve got it good
They’ve got the envy, and they’ve got it bad
Personable and casual, Jackson’s intimate introduction to each song made this more than a concert but a conversation with a friend. From inspiration to circumstance, Jackson revealed the backstories: If I Could Be Anywhere was crafted on a surf and environmental awareness trip through the Galápagos Islands; Standoff in the Breach for the Artists for Peace and Justice program in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; and Leaving Winslow about a roving ‘art happening’ Jackson joined as it moved through the country.
Not to be overshadowed by his latest material, it was Jackson’s much-loved classics that won the audience over: Running on Empty (1977), The Pretender (1976), Doctor My Eyes (1973), The Load Out (1977) and a rousing rendition of The Eagles’ 1977 Take It Easy. Jackson finished the night — and his second encore — with Stay (1973) — pulling the crowd in for a passionate sing-a-long:
Now the promoter don’t mind
And the roadies don’t mind
If we take a little time
And we leave it all behind, and sing
One more song
In the end, Jackson made it a memorable evening for everyone — it was as if you’d just sat in on a private house concert with one of your dear friends, who just happened to be Jackson Browne.
