THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608030381
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Music review
SOURCE: BY CRAIG SHAPIRO, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 56 lines
Friday night, it was in keeping with rock 'n' roll decorum to shout ``Freebird!'' at the top of your lungs.
In fact, the only surprise was that it took some fans so long - maybe all of 10 seconds - to make the request after Lynyrd Skynyrd took the stage at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater.
Otherwise, it was business as usual: a full plate of raucous and rowdy Southern rock, blues and boogie served up by the one of the music's founding fathers.
``Sweet Home Alabama'' and ``What's Your Name?'' may not be fashionable with the flannel-and-Airwalks crowd; but done right, they sure are fun.
And Skynyrd did them right, and right from the git-go, thanks to that ferocious triple-lead guitar attack pioneered by the band when they busted out of Jacksonville, Fla., nearly three decades ago.
With founding guitarist Gary Rossington throwing down the gauntlet, and the more-than-able support of Southern rock axman Hughie Thomasson and Ricky Medlock, Skynyrd classics sounded as muscular as ever.
They rang as true as ever, too. Before he died in a 1977 plane crash, lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant addressed such weighty topics as the handgun epidemic and substance abuse in ``Saturday Night Special'' and ``That Smell,'' ensuring that Skynyrd will never be dismissed as just as a party band.
Johnny Van Zant has since stepped into his older brother's boots. Swaggering across the stage and growling lyrics, he did him proud. Add the boogie piano of Billy Powell and the rock-solid bass of Leon Wilkeson, both of whom have been on board since 1973's ``Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd'' and the package was complete.
Tracks from their 1993 and '94 albums sit right alongside the time-tested material. But wherever the moment took them, Lynyrd Skynyrd did what they've always done best - rock hard and to the point.
The Doobie Brothers got the double-header off to a lively start by side-stepping what could have easily become a greatest hits parade. They threw the crowd a curve, opening with the less familiar ``Dangerous'' before moving to ``Jesus is Just Alright'' and ``Rockin' Down the Highway.''
Guitarist-vocalist Tom Johnston is still a soulful and bluesy singer, as evidenced on the Doobies' new live double album. He showed the same chops Friday night.
If anyone in the audience expected either band to break new ground, they were in the wrong place. But rather than breeding contempt, familiarity felt pretty good. ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Above, Lynyrd Skynyrd takes the stage for what would be a full slate
of Southern rock and blues from the longtime fathers of the music
Friday night. At left, Doobie Brothers' guitarist-vocalist Tom
Johnston proved he's still a soulful singer in the groups'
opening-act performance at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater. by CNB