Lynyrd Skynyrd flies high in bittersweet farewell with a Marshall Tucker Band bonus

Photos by Andy Argyrakis

Farewell season kept right on rolling along when Lynyrd Skynyrd brought its firecracker southern rock stylings to the Peoria Civic Center for the “Last Of The Street Survivors” Tour. The swansong is of course named after the Jacksonville, Florida band’s monumental album that birthed “What’s Your Name,” “That Smell” and much more, though it also was the precursor to the plane crash that killed the majority of its members.

And Lynyrd Skynyrd didn’t just cruise on auto-pilot for the billionth time, but truly tore into what could easily be placed near the top of the all-time classics list, all while capping off a career that’s had its share of tragedy, but will always be remembered even if they really do “leave here tomorrow.”

Nowadays, the torch of Lynyrd Skynyrd is being carried by guitarist Gary Rossington, the last living original, alongside second generation singer Johnny Van Zant (who’s been in the fold since the late 1980s reformation and suggested in this instance “we’re not saying goodbye; we’re here to make memories with you tonight”). Though there was a smattering of material that came from then until now across 105 headlining minutes, the majority came straight out the ‘70s and remained unchanged.

In other words, standouts such as “Workin’ For MCA,” the aforementioned pair, “Saturday Night Special” and “Simple Man” were delivered with swampy vocals, no nonsense riffs and meaty rhythms, while players past and present were shown large scale on a screen behind them with a stream of flood lights swirling above. Toss in several patriotic references without ever getting political, and they were all likely factors in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s endurance across incarnations and generations, as were the additional mega-hits “Gimme Three Steps,” “Call Me The Breeze” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”

However, the anthem that topped them all was yet to come in the encore, and while “Free Bird” gets shouted at practically every concert during that obligatory break, this was the only instance where it was genuinely warranted. And Lynyrd Skynyrd didn’t just cruise on auto-pilot for the billionth time, but truly tore into what could easily be placed near the top of the all-time classics list, all while capping off a career that’s had its share of tragedy, but will always be remembered even if they really do “leave here tomorrow.”

As a bonus, Spartanburg, South Carolina’s The Marshall Tucker Band, led by co-founding singer Doug Gray, brought a compact edition of a catalogue that’s stretched nearly 50 years and could possibly be the only from the bluesy/southern categories to regularly incorporate a flute and saxophone. “Fire On The Mountain,” “Take The Highway” and “Can’t You See” were just a few examples of the finely tuned group’s rich traditions that kept everyone attentive and firing up a few actual lighters, adding another authentic layer to one of the season’s most fitting rock pairings.

Click here for more photos of Lynyrd Skynyrd at the Peoria Civic Center.

For additional information on Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Marshall Tucker Band, visit LynyrdSkynyrd.com and MarshallTucker.com.

For a list of upcoming Live Nation shows, visit LiveNation.com.

For a list of upcoming shows at the Peoria Civic Center, visit PeoriaCivicCenter.com.