For years, it’s been obvious: Blackberry Smoke were always going to play arenas. Charlie Starr nails it: “We’ve been coming to see you for many years, but we’ve been a band for way longer.” And for the hour they’re on stage tonight, they show all that experience.
But they show something else too—their evolution as a band.
They begin with “Work for the Workin’ Man,” and they’re much more mature now, maybe a little more country than they used to be.
What they’ve still got—and always had—is the beauty of the chorus. “Hammer and the Nail” is a prime example, and there’s plenty more where that came from.
“Good One Comin’ On” is the kind of easy, breezy rock ‘n’ roll you can only pull off if you’re completely comfortable—and at the top of your game.
They’ve got a darker side too. “Let It Burn” and “Pretty Little Lie” aren’t as genteel as they appear. And when they expand “Sleeping Dogs,” they do it with skill and a dose of Creedence.
“Old Scarecrow,” written with Skynyrd’s Rickey Medlocke, is dedicated to “those who worry about people’s opinions on Facebook.”
They pace it their own way too. “One Horse Town” gives way to a majestic “Ain’t Much Left of Me,” which underlines one last time why Blackberry Smoke are the perfect band to be here.
You need a band who’s big enough to nearly headline, with brilliant songs and nerves of steel. On every level, that’s Blackberry Smoke—and when the torch is passed, it’s coming here.
A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a Lynyrd Skynyrd live record that celebrated their 50th anniversary. I wrote this: “How do you last 50 years? How do you still matter to people? The answer’s the same to both: you write songs that people love and connect with.”
That’s basically this show in a nutshell. That—and a load of incredible songs.
The set they play here is similar to the one they’ve been playing for years, give or take. But so what? When you go and see Skynyrd, you want to hear “Workin’ for MCA,” “What’s Your Name,” and “That Smell” before anyone’s even paused for breath. And you want to boogie to “I Know a Little” or “Down South Jukin’”—and Skynyrd know this.
If there’s not a band more adept at giving its public what it wants, then a couple of other things need saying too: first, that’s fine—because there aren’t many bands (ZZ Top, possibly) that you can review without making notes, so ingrained are these tunes. And also, Lynyrd Skynyrd are damn good at this.
OK, fine—there’s not an original member among them, but the original spirit is there.
And it comes bursting forth on the quite beautiful “Tuesday’s Gone,” which they dedicate to Gary Rossington in tearjerking fashion. And let’s be honest—if you don’t like “Simple Man,” you probably don’t like Southern rock. It absolutely embodies the sound.
MV’s personal favourite, “Gimme Three Steps,” is marvellous fun. “Call Me the Breeze” blows in like a tornado, and the last one—“Sweet Home Alabama”—still sees Johnny Van Zandt raising his middle finger to “Mr. Young.”
That leaves just one. And rather like “Smoke on the Water,” or whatever classic you pick, “Freebird” is iconic for a reason. It is majestic, it is marvellous, and it is moving—as Ronnie Van Zant is piped in for the second verse.
The greatest solo ever written helps too, of course.
Perfectly paced and perfectly played, Lynyrd Skynyrd, quite frankly, are the benchmark for everyone that came after—including tonight’s support.
It’s just that no one has come close to matching them. Yet.
