Iron crosses, God and Guns… Lynyrd Skynyrd is in town
By Benjamin Gottlieb
Towering red, iron crosses peering over a sea of Confederate flags can only mean one thing in Los Angeles – Lynyrd Skynyrd is in town.
Overwhelming the near-capacity crowd with a heavy dosage of dueling guitar solos and patriotic decrees, the gatekeepers of Southern Rock reminded everyone Thursday night that they still have what it takes to rock a concert hall. Showcasing their latest studio album, “God & Guns”, the two-hour-long performance featured renditions of the Skynyrd staples, including a six and a half-minute version of “Sweet Home Alabama” and a crowd-encouraged cry for “Freebird.”
Still showing their love for performance nearly 40 years since they started, guitarists Gary Rossington and Rickey Medlocke linked up often at front stage center, firing-off harmonized guitar melodies veiled by psychedelic lighting and a wall of Marshall stacks. Held at the Gibson Amphitheatre – LA’s third-largest indoor concert hall – at Universal Studios Citywalk, the concert is part of a planned two-month stint along the west coast.
The band’s history is marked by a 1977 plane crash in which, along with two other band members, lead singer Ronnie Van Zant was killed. Although the band successfully reformed ten years later, guitarist Gary Rossington remains the only original member from the band’s 1964 beginnings in Jacksonville, Florida.
Before their rendition of “Simple Man”, lead singer Johnny Van Zant – younger brother of deceased singer Ronnie Van Zant – took a moment to educate the LA audience on the band’s principles. “There’s a couple things we believe in… the good lord above and supporting our troops,” Van Zant said. “God bless our troops and our families.”
Received enthusiastically by the majority of the audience, Skynyrd coalesced “Simple Man” and a slideshow of clips from the NYPD during 9/11 and other US-troops footage. “God and Guns… that’s what this country was founded on,” Van Zant said.
Lynyrd Skynyrd will be performing along the West Coast for the next two months – for tour dates click here ( http://www.lynyrdskynyrd.com/tourdates )
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