Photos by Matthew Guzman
Live music is something incredibly special and intimate between the performer and the audience in the crowd. The nature of such performances can cause individuals to be separated from the original recordings of songs. Inevitably, classics will live on, as the very people who created such music will eventually pass on.
In the hot Houston night, an enthusiastic crowd awaited the Double Trouble Double Vision Tour at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, where the bands Six Gun Sally, Foreigner and Lynyrd Skynyrd made their appearance known.
Six Gun Sally Opens the Night
The evening began with Six Gun Sally, a set that started about 30 minutes earlier than what has been normal at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion; the venue reflected that, with it being somewhat empty.
All the while, the set was still remarkable, with Six Gun Sally packing an incredible sound.
Even with that, the crowd was still trickling in through the majority of the set, leaving Cynthia Woods yet to pack in.
Addressing the Elephant in the Room
Both bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Foreigner, have staggeringly 0 original members who still perform with their respective bands. Members of Foreigner have simply aged out to pass the mantle or have succumbed to worsening circumstances due to their age.
Lynyrd Skynyrd themselves lost 3 original members in the band’s 1977 plane crash, which left the world without legendary lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and backing vocalist Cassie Gaines.
A Surprise in the South
Foreigner came out and had no shame.
The set was polished, confident and incredibly professional as they moved through hits of “Long, Long Way From Home,” “Double Vision,” “Cold as Ice,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Blue Morning, Blue Day” and “Say You Will.”
“Cold as Ice” drew attention on the night’s first real instrumental showcase. Michael Bluestein channeled his energy to turn his keytar into a character of its own by leaving his traditional position behind a stand to lead the front of the stage and wave his weapon around.
Luis Maldonado is now the current lead vocalist for the band, and his entire performance was raw energy. You could tell from the drenching sweat dripping off his hair through every action.
Noticing the crowd needed more energy, Maldonado told the crowd, “You Know What? I’m not going to play another song till these people come up and have some fun,” he told the audience.
Fun is the best way to describe Foreigner’s entire performance.
“Juke Box Hero” Turns Foreigner into the Main Event
Smoke began filling the stage. Platforms were positioned on each side of the stage, allowing the musicians to inch closer to the audience. The production became larger, making the audience understand that the performance was becoming bigger than what they could have hoped.
A keyboard and drum feature between keytarist Michael Bluestein and percussionist Chris Frazier channeled cadences of Foreigner songs. Suddenly the familiar lick of “Juke Box Hero” played as the lights shut off.
A bright backlight blinded the audience as lead guitarist Bruce Watson led more striking of his guitar, putting the band in full swing to “Juke Box Hero.”
The piece became increasingly intense, lasting around 10 minutes long, but the electricity from the crowd lasted every ecstatic minute.
After the energy-packed rendition of their most popular song, Foreigner took a different introduction as a local Houston choir suddenly joined the band onstage.
The rock spectacle quickly became more personal.
Maldonado encouraged the crowd to think about “somebody you love, somebody you missed or somebody you haven’t seen in a very long time.” He told the crowd about thinking of his own daughter and asked everyone to sing for the people they carry in their hearts.
“I Want to Know What Love Is” quickly sent chills amongst the crowd.
Phones illuminated the venue.
The choir sang.
Maldonado used the moment to talk about music education and the importance of keeping art programs alive by encouraging the audience to support the children performing that night.
At last, Foreigner closed their set with “Hot Blooded” with an energetic, exaggerated rock-and-roll energy that made it difficult to believe there was another “cover band” following them up.
Lynyrd Skynyrd Takes the Stage
“How many Lynyrd Skynyrd fans out there tonight? I need to know. Houston, Texas, ARE YOU READY?!” exclaimed current lead singer and frontman Johnny Van Zant.
Opening songs included “Workin’ for MCA,” “What’s Your Name,” “The Smell,” and “On The Hunt.” A nostalgic southern rock sound shifted away from the polished, theatrical classic-rock production Foreigner had put on previously. Van Zant made it clear he wanted to ramp up the nostalgia for those in the crowd by saying, “Let’s go back for the real Lynyrd Skynyrd fans in the crowd tonight.”
Suddenly, a guitar riff opened the band to “I Know a Little.” This rendition was extraordinarily hard-hitting, with all 3 guitarists, Rickey Medlocke, Mark Matejka and Damon Johnson, lining up for an ensemble of strikes and harmony.
However, the early portion of the set wasn’t quite as explosive as Foreigner’s.
Songs came and went.
The cheers continued to erupt.
Yet several people remained seated through most of the set.
The “Problem” With a Legacy This Large
It is no question that the current musicians of Lynyrd Skynyrd can play the music, and can play it damn good.
The question is: how does a modern lineup measure itself against the seven legendary musicians who created the mythology of what became the legendary rock-and-roll band Lynyrd Skynyrd?
During “I Need You,” the song was introduced for the ladies in the audience, but the response was relatively subdued. My concern lingered during this part of the set.
“Gimme Back My Bullets” followed, yet significant portions of the crowd remained seated. Suddenly, “The Ballad of Curtis Lowe” made something click for the audience.
This rendition was genuinely beautiful in a tribute that seemed to resonate with the die-hard fans in the audience.
Then came “Tuesday’s Gone.”
This was the first time since the opening “Workin’ for MCA” that the entire outdoor venue seemed to be standing. Arms moved together as the audience sang along; suddenly the room felt less like a collection of concertgoers and more like one syncretic love for what Lynyrd Skynyrd is.
“Simple Man” Lights Up Cynthia Woods
The band dedicated the song to first responders, military members and their families. “God bless our first responders, and God bless our troops,” exclaimed Van Zant.
Each band member lined up across the stage as they truly poured themselves into the performance. Every hit of the chorus lured the crowd into shouting “SIMPLEEE- Kind of man” along with Van Zant. At one point, he went silent and let the crowd sing for themselves.
Three Steps Toward the Finale
“Gimme Three Steps” came roaring in.
And the band went back to a class southern energy, building into the finale.
“Call Me the Breeze” followed. A piano solo added another layer to the arrangement while all four string players moved to the rhythm of the riff. The crowd was being pushed steadily toward the songs everyone had been waiting for.
“There’s nothing in this world like a Lynyrd Skynyrd crowd,” declared Van Zant. Now the audience finally sounded like one.
SWEET HOME ALABAMA… was rushed?
Then the opening of “Sweet Home Alabama” arrived.
The response was immediate.
The song seemed to be moving at a slightly faster BPM than the original, almost as though the band was pushing to make time for the inevitable ending.
The crowd sang the chorus back toward the stage every chance they could get. Guitarist Damon Johnson received his moment as he lifted his guitar into the air.
With the last piano solo of Peter Keys, the band took a dramatic exit.
But everybody knew what remained.
Free Bird
There was never any doubt about the encore.
“FREE BIRD!” someone shouted enthusiastically, and screams from the fans deafened the night.
A spotlight revealed a golden eagle sitting near the pianist’s instrument as Peter Keys played the foundational chords and progression, filling the air with “Free Bird.”
The band members returned on stage, and images of former members were displayed overhead to honor the Lynyrd Skynyrd members who had passed away.
Briefly, the concert became a memorial as a hat sat on the microphone stand and the original voice of Ronnie Van Zant came on the speakers.
Suddenly, smoke erupted and an American Flag Rose.
Once the guitar kicked in, a lengthy rendition of Free Bird took over, and it seemed as though the entire evening collapsed into that one song.
12 Minutes.
That’s how long “Free Bird” lasted, and the live rendition competes with nothing else.
The Music Lives On
Nobody on Earth can bring back the original Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Nobody can recreate the exact moment when these songs were written, recorded and performed. But the special thing about music is that it lives forever.
The legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd lives on, and that’s what is the most important thing after seeing a live performance of what Lynyrd Skynyrd is in the current day.
The evening had a full-circle moment once Lynyrd Skynyrd closed their set with an ongoing strike of the guitar to thicken“Free Bird” even more.
“Happy Trails until we meet again,” exclaimed Van Zant as all the band members stood in a circle. The show ended, but the music never will.
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