Music historians — in addition to the rock ‘n’ roll trustworthy — know higher than to ever depend Lynyrd Skynyrd out.
Certainly, a tragic aircraft crash on Oct. 20, 1977 that took the lives of three band members, together with singer Ronnie Van Zant and guitarist Steve Gaines, marked the start of a sequence of tragic turns which have seen the passing of guitarist Allen Collins, keyboardist Billy Powell, bassist Leon Wilkeson, drummer Bob Burns, backing vocalist JoJo Billingsley and guitarist Hughie Thomasson. The most recent problem for the enduring Southern rock troupe included founding guitarist Gary Rossington present process emergency coronary heart surgical procedure in July 2021.
Quick-forward to final evening, and the band was headlining earlier than a capability crowd on the Los Angeles County Honest in Pomona, Calif. Though not capable of run about, Johnny Van Zant — who famous he underwent knee surgical procedure a month in the past — was on his ft throughout a lot of the set and sounded nice.
Watch Lynyrd Skynyrd Play ‘Gimme Three Steps’ in Los Angeles on Might 13, 2022
Early within the set, Van Zant mentioned of Rossington, “He’s nonetheless on the mend and getting higher.” The singer additionally famous that Rossington advised his bandmates to go to California and guaranteed them, “I will be there in spirit.”
His spirit was tangible finally evening’s present, a hit-filled 90-minute set that discovered the Southern rock royalty celebrating their survival and legacy. Touring guitarist Damon Johnson (Alice Cooper, Skinny Lizzy) did a superb job filling in for the recovering Rossington, ably buying and selling lead and slide guitar work with longtime members Rickey Medlocke and Mark Matejka.
Early highlights included the rootsy blues rocker “Whiskey Rock-A-Curler,” bolstered by backing gospel vocals, a rousing “That Scent” that includes all three guitar greats in motion and an affecting acoustic medley of “Mississippi Child” and “Pink, White & Blue.”
The momentum constructed because the band carried out its greatest hits, rousing the viewers to its ft with bonafide classics just like the highly effective “Easy Man” (that includes a few of Van Zant’s biggest vocals of the evening), the rollicking “Gimme Three Steps,” a canopy of J.J. Cale’s “Name Me the Breeze,” the rocking “Candy House Alabama” and a marathon 12-minute run by way of “Free Chicken.” From the piano-anchored singalong part by way of the mighty, guitars-on-steroids finale, the tune proved as soon as extra that Lynyrd Skynyrd stay considered one of rock’s hardest gangs of avenue survivors.
Lynyrd Skynyrd, Los Angeles County Honest, 5/13/22
1. “Workin’ for MCA”
2. “You Bought That Proper”
3. “Double Bother”
4. “Whiskey Rock-A-Curler”
5. “That Scent”
6. “Cry for the Unhealthy Man”
7. “Saturday Evening Particular”
8. “What’s Your Identify”
9. “Tuesday’s Gone”
10. “Mississippi Child” (acoustic)
11. “Pink, White & Blue (Love It or Go away)” (acoustic)
12. “Easy Man” (acoustic / electrical)
13. “Gimme Three Steps”
14. “Name Me the Breeze”
15. “Candy House Alabama”
Encore
16. “Free Chicken”
– Robert Kinsler
Lynyrd Skynyrd on the Los Angeles County Honest, Might 13, 2022
Southern rockers return to California
