Legacy acts have turned "full album" shows into a major trend over the past few years, but few have recordings on the level of Lynyrd Skynyrd's first two albums. Though much of the original band is no longer with us, the contemporary lineup will give fans flashbacks to the early '70s with a pair of album-centric shows in February.
The gigs will take place in Jacksonville, Fla., on Feb. 12 and 13.
"We've been wanting to go back and recreate these live records for a long time," Johnny Van Zant told The Florida Times-Union. "We decided to come back to our hometown, Jacksonville, and play at the legendary Florida Theatre. Can't wait to rock it."
Why Jacksonville? Well, as the Times-Union points out, the group was "formed in the late '60s on Jacksonville's Westside and was named for Leonard Skinner, a phys-ed teacher who taught several band members when they were students at Lee High School."
Tragedy struck in 1977, when a plane crash killed three core members while Skynyrd was among the world's rock elite. They reformed a decade later, with Johnny Van Zant taking over lead vocals from his late brother, Ronnie.
The new lineup's Feb. 12 show will feature Skynyrd's first album, pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd. The following night, they'll play Second Helping.
pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd (1973) tracklist:
01. I Ain't the One
02. Tuesday's Gone
03. Gimme Three Steps
04. Simple Man
05. Things Goin' On
06. Mississippi Kid
07. Poison Whiskey
08. Free Bird
Second Helping (1974) tracklist
01. Sweet Home Alabama
02. I Need You
03. Don't Ask Me No Questions
04. Workin' for MCA
05. The Ballad of Curtis Leow
06. Swamp Music
07. The Needle and the Spoon
08. Call Me the Breeze
The group also recently announced they're re-releasing their first six albums as a special vinyl box set.
Two historic albums. Two historic nights. Pronounced 'Leh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd 2/12 & Second Helping 2/13 at @FloridaTheatre. Tickets 12/22.
— Lynyrd Skynyrd (@Skynyrd) December 18, 2014
