Robby Krieger, the guitarist who helped shape The Doors' sound more than half a century ago, is set to play the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park on November 13, with doors opening and the show starting at 8 p.m., according to a listing on the venue's website. At 80 years old, Krieger is still touring behind the catalog he helped write, and this fall brings him back to a region with a personal connection: he attended Menlo School, located in nearby Atherton.
A Packed Night at Mountain Winery
The Menlo Park date follows a July 31 performance at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, where more than 1,100 fans gathered at the mountaintop amphitheater to see Krieger and his three-piece backing band, according to a review in The Mercury News. That show ran roughly two hours, and the same review noted that the 80-year-old guitarist spoke to the crowd that night, referencing his time at Menlo School. The reviewer also pointed out, with some amusement, that the school is actually located in Atherton rather than Menlo Park itself.
Krieger's playing has long drawn from a wide range of influences. The Mountain Winery review described his fretwork as spellbinding, pulling from blues, flamenco, jazz, classical, pop and more — a blend that has defined his guitar style since his days with The Doors. Tickets for the Guild Theatre show start at $75, according to the original Mercury News report on the booking.
The Songs Behind the Setlist
Krieger's songwriting fingerprints are all over The Doors' most enduring hits. The Mountain Winery review specifically credited him with helping write “Touch Me,” “Love Me Two Times” and “Light My Fire,” among many other co-authored tracks from the band's catalog. Fans attending the Menlo Park show are expected to hear those same Doors staples alongside roughly a dozen other songs, per the Mercury News report on the upcoming date.
The Guild Theatre performance marks a return trip for Krieger to the Bay Area this year, following the Saratoga show just months earlier. Between the two appearances, local audiences are getting a rare chance to see one of the architects of The Doors' sound in an intimate setting, a notable shift from the sprawling hillside crowd that turned out at the Mountain Winery over the summer.
