Lynyrd
Skynyrd live at DTE Energy Music Theatre (Pine Knob), Clarkston, Michigan.
Friday 21st
September, 2012.
Photo: Lynyrd Skynyrd onstage in Clarkston, Michigan. - Note: All photos: Alun Willliams
It’s
probably five or six years now since I have been to a Lynyrd Skynyrd show and
the last time also featured a great opening act in their ‘Southern brothers’ 38
Special and I remember that being a great night, if a lot of people that night,
were clearly out of control!
This time
around, it’s a rainy night in Michigan, as Fall is upon us and cooler nights
are now the norm and the opening act tonight is Los Lonely Boys, a more rootsy
style band, think Black Crowes kind of style.
Not really our thing, although
they did have one or two good tunes I recall.
We arrived
at our seats as they were finishing their set and caught them playing their
best known hit, ‘How Far Is Heaven.’
The crowd clearly lapped it up and it really wasn't so bad!
Lynryd
Skynryd … If ever a band felt it must be cursed, rather than blessed then
surely it’s them.
Most
people would say Def Leppard perhaps have had more than their fair share of bad
luck, but seriously I don’t believe any band has endured what Skynyrd has and
yet persevered on.
Sure they
have had a number of big hits and top selling gold and platinum albums, but
think back in your history books folks to 1977, when the band had been riding
high on the successes of both Sweet Home Alabama and the all-time classic
Freebird.
They were
on a plane they chartered from Greenville, South Carolina to their next gig in
Baton Rouge, Louisiana and it ran out of fuel near the end of their flight and
although the pilots tried to make an emergency landing, in Mississippi, the
plane ended up crashing into a nearby forest in Gillsburg.
Three band
members, singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist / singer Steve Gaines and backing vocalist
Cassie Gaines were all killed, along with the bands assistant tour manager Dean
Kilpatrick and both pilot and co-pilot.
All the other band members were seriously injured too at
the time.
Since that crash, a number of the remaining original and
replacement band members, have passed away one way or another.
Allen Collins (Guitarist) died in 1990 of pneumonia, bassist
Leon Wilkeson was found dead in a hotel room in 2001, Hughie Thomasson
(Guitarist) died in his sleep in 2007 and in 2009 keyboard / piano player Billy
Powell died.
So what does a current lineup of Skynyrd have to offer,
now I’ve given you some background?!
Well, there’s no question about the current players
abilities.
Alongside Rossington, is the aforementioned Medlocke who’s been back onboard
now since 1996, youngest of the Van Zant brothers, Johnny stepped into big
brother Ronnie’s shoes in 1987, when the surviving members of the classic
lineup hit the road again.
Incidentally, other Van Zant brother Donnie fronts 38
Special, for those that didn’t know it …
Photo: Mark Matejka and Ricky Medlocke - Let's jam!
Frequent jamming / posing together, throughout the evening for both Medlocke and Matejka, becomes very much the norm ...
Together, the band all look and play the part of a 2012 Lynyrd
Skynyrd in great style.
They hit the stage at 9pm and opened with the title track
of their latest album, ‘Last of a Dying Breed,’ which to be honest, sounds like
it could’ve been from any of the band’s historic past. Good stuff!
Then they launched right into ‘What’s Your Name,’ to huge
cheers and applause, welcome back to your northern home boys!
Johnny says, “Let’s make some noise and do some ‘Down
South Jukin’!”
No question, it may not be the original band, but clearly
Michigan is loving the sounds tonight!
‘That Smell’ was next which again the fans lapped up,
even though they were now getting drenched, as the heavens weren’t about to let
up.
Wasting no time at all they gave us ‘Saturday Night
Special,’ which is classic Skynyrd once again and boy, do they sound on their
game.
Johnny then steps up to the microphone to ask the
question, ‘How many real die hard Skynyrd fans are out there tonight then?
Let’s boogie!’
Then they pick their third song of the evening from the ‘Street
Survivors’ album in ‘I Know A Little.’
Johnny is now in talk mode, as he dedicates the next song
to ‘each and every one of our troops out there, in harms ways or any one that’s
served their country here,’ and it’s ‘Simple Man.’
A great song and the backdrop behind the band reflects
every emblem of the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and more.
Moving stuff indeed!
Next they pull together a medley, starting with ‘Gimme
Back My Bullets,’ that leads in to ‘Whiskey Rock-a-roller,’ then ‘The Needle
and the Spoon,’ from the ‘Second Helping’ album, where Ronnie had written about
the dangers of drug usage.
They then pull out the classy ‘Tuesday Gone,’ great song
which again is warmly received, closely followed by ‘Good Teacher.’
Photo: Johnny Van Zant, I feel you Detroit ...!'
You start to realize that we must be on the home
straight, when a band seems to hitting all their big, big songs, which starts
with ‘Gimme Three Steps,’ a classic in anyone’s book, then ‘The Breeze,’ then
the big old Confederate flag hangs as the backdrop, with Alabama boldly
emblazoned across it, cue ‘Sweet Home Alabama!’
They are on a roll!
Top Photo: These Southern boys rock, no doubt about it!
Lower Photo: Guitarists unite!
A great if somewhat kind of short set, I’m guessing because of
the rain teaming down and the band was looking out for the fans.
As they leave the stage and fans are shouting for more, a
spotlight focuses on a golden eagle that sits upon a confederate flag on top of
the piano.
Photo: The Eagle and 'that' flag!
Then a backdrop falls with all their fallen, former band
mates names upon it and Johnny says, “In the words of my great brother Ronnie
Van Zant, ‘What song is it you want to hear? Freebird!”
They gave us a good solid hour and a half set and I for
one left a happy man, I know more than a few others did too!
Yes, these boys have still got it ..., yes they do!
Rating: 4 out of 5
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