Lynyrd Skynyrd           Clyde Auditorium Glasgow Scotland 05/27/2009
                                    Manchester Apollo England 30/05/2009

Set list                         Workin' for MCA, I Ain't The One, Saturday Night Special, Gimme Back My Bullets, What’s Your Name, That Smell, Simple Man, Whisky Rock-a-Roller, Medley ( Down South Jukin', Needle and the Spoon, Double Trouble, Tuesdays Gone), Gimme Three Steps, Call Me The Breeze, Sweet Home Alabama, Freebird

 By Ian Routledge

I was first introduced to Lynyrd Skynyrd by a friend in 1974. He’d just bought a copy of their first album ‘Pronounced’. When he played it to me I was hooked, and have been ever since, so much so they are undoubtedly my favorite band ever. I was never lucky enough to see the original band live, but since they started touring Europe again in 1998, I’ve managed to see them on many occasions with various line-ups. 

I have to admit though going along to the first of the two gigs, I was a little nervous about what we were about to see. Everyone knows Skynyrd’s history, plane crash, lawsuits, the later loss of Allen Collins and Leon Wilkerson etc, but they have somehow battled through all of these adversities, always coming out stronger. However, to lose two pivotal members in Billy Powell and Ean Evans within a couple of months of each other earlier this year, would this be just one hill to many to climb, even for Lynyrd Skynyrd?

I needn’t have worried, from the opening bars of Workin’ for MCA, the band came out as usual with all guns blazing. Quite apt that, as this is the ‘God and Guns’ tour, the name of their new album to be released in September. Now from that you would have thought a couple of new numbers would have put in an appearance, but no, even newer songs such as ‘Red, White and Blue’ or ‘Working man’ which have featured in recent performances were omitted. Instead we were treated to ninety minutes of  golden oldies, not that the audience minded one little bit.

The new members Peter "Keys" Pisarczyk (keyboards) and Rob Kearns (bass) fitted in nicely. ‘Mr Keys’ as Johnny Van Zant kept calling him, is not Billy Powell (no grand piano for starters), but having said that is a very accomplished keyboardist, and it would be very hard to say that the band lost anything from his inclusion. Kearns on bass is almost a Leon look-a-like, and certainly seemed to be enjoying himself laughing and interacting with the crowd. The only mention of the two recently departed members was before ‘Simple Man’, when Van Zant stated that the song was a tribute to Billy and Ean, and of course all the other departed Freebirds.
It was good to see ‘Needle and the Spoon’ included in the medley, although personally I would love the band to do ‘Crossroads’ again sometime. By the time ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ arrived, the backdrop had been changed to the Confederate flag, and Messrs Van Zant and Medlocke were trying to whip up the crowd into a frenzy. Unfortunately it didn’t really happen. I don’t know whether this was because it was an all seated venue, or perhaps the Scots are just a reserved race when it comes to rock gigs, but the vast majority stayed seated, even for ‘Freebird’, which was amazing! 

Three nights later, another city and another country, Manchester England. Whereas the Clyde Auditorium is a new all seater venue, the Apollo Manchester certainly isn’t. All the seats have been taken out of the stalls area allowing 3000 odd rockers to get up close and sweaty, which is exactly what they did. The atmosphere was totally different, from the moment the band hit the stage this time, it’s fair to say the crowd rocked. Although there were no changes in the set, the band seemed to react to the more raucous atmosphere, there seemed to be much more interaction, much more energy. This time it took very little Van Zant/Medlocke cheerleading to get venue up and singing. As with the previous gig the the precision with which each song is played would even have pleased their biggest critic, Ronnie Van Zant himself. A special mention must be made to Michael Cartellone. He’s been with the band over 10 years now, and in my opinion must rate very highly on the list of current rock drummers, driving the band on through the whole set. 

So Lynyrd Skynyrd have climbed that hill again. It’s seems that nothing will ever stop this band, no matter what you throw at them, and long may that continue.  

Just a note about the support. A young blues rock guitarist called Ainsley Lister. If he’s ever in you area, or you see a CD by him, check the guy out, he’s not half bad!!!