BY: Elijah O’Donnell
Photo Courtesy: Elijah O’Donnell
Hard southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynard rocked Rogers Place on Tuesday March 12, with everything one could expect from a Skynyrd concert. There were lights, volume and a ton of energy.
Anyone who goes to see a band as classic as this is always waiting for the hits, and Skynyrd did not disappoint. Playing everything from Sweet Home Alabama to Simple Man to Free Bird as an encore. Even pushing their age, they still lay it down. Yes, guitarist Rickey Medlock’s hair may be white, but it is long as ever and perfect for headbanging.
The crowd was loud and proud. Some could say a little too proud. Three of the five confederate flags seen that night were worn on the shirts of crowd members. As for the other two, one was hung from the nosebleeds at the back. The last could be found tied around a lead vocalist, Johnny Van Zants, microphone stand. This was before it was replaced by both the Canadian and American flags tied to the same stand.
As the encore, the band came out with the ultimate fan favourite, Free Bird. After the first verse, Van Zant stepped away from the mic after placing his brother Ronnie Van Zant’s hat on the mic stand. The remainder of the song was sung from beyond. Using archived footage, they left the bands most well-known song as a tribute to the founding member. It was a very touching moment, even for some of the rough, tough men in the crowd.
The opening act, The Randy Bachman Band, did not disappoint either. A bit closer to jam rock than southern, they were an excellent opener for their headliners. Both Bachman and Skynyrd provided a night of lights, screaming guitars and classic hits.
