Lynyrd Skynyrd at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Whisky, God and America: the three fundamentals of any Lynyrd Skynyrd set.

Having had a tragic past, when three members died in a plane crash in 1977, and with an uncertain future (only one original member remains, Gary Rossington), the recent release of a new Skynyrd  album has given them a chance to tour around America and Europe. The band certainly has soldiered on, keeping loyal fans by their side; and the response from the crowd at this concert was a definite indication of dedication to these legends of Southern rock.

The group opened with the new album’s roaring title track,  Last of a Dyin’ Breed, and the band’s latest incarnation did justice to the staple That Smell, which was well received by all.

Some of the new songs, such as One Day at a Time, were fairly repetitive and tiresome, as the band churned out the same old formula of melodramatic lyrics over cheesy chord structures, which were played heavy simply for the sake of it.

Before the band played Simple Man, lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant expressed his support of the armed forces and God; perhaps a rather muddled choice of topics. Yet his reference to Remembrance Sunday was rather touching.

Gimme Back My Bullets was thunderous and revitalising, giving the audience a nostalgic view into the band’s past. At last, the epic song from the band’s early days, Freebird, was played.

The experience was one that any Skynyrd fan would have thoroughly enjoyed, and even for those estranged with the band, it was worth the wait.

Verdict: ••• 

Rahul Bahal

To purchase the new album Last of a Dyin’ Breed click here.

 Listen to their new single Last of a Dyin’ Breed here: