As Free as a Bird

Once in a great while common men are exalted. For their specific reason they rise up amidst a sea of conformity and become individuals. They lead, motivate, and inspire others. Often one would describe renowned historical figures--presidents, generals, scientists--in this way. Although they may not make the history books, talented entertainers are also often portrayed as gods among men. Recently I have had the opportunity to pay homage to some of these performing immortals. As an audience member at the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at the Kansas State Fair, I was overcome with awe of these simple men from the South who have grown into rock legends.

The Sunday evening for the concert featured overcast skies with storm clouds continually teasing us with the threat of rain. My travel companions included my parents, original Skynyrd fans that still found it unimaginable that the younger crowd was in touch with "their" music; Geoff, a stout friend whose hair length rivaled that of the band’s; and Justin, a slender friend chiefly responsible for introducing me to the world of classic rock. We left the real world and entered the grandstands almost an hour before the concert was to begin.

As we filed into our seats I stared at the several thousand demented Skynyrd fans surrounding me. The age range was amazing. Beer-bellied fifty year olds with graying hair and frazzled beards sat next to cocky college students anxiously waiting for the lights to dim so they could kindle some of their "good stuff." Several petite children accompanied their baby-boomer parents.

From our select seats in the ninth row, I had an excellent view of the stage. It was cluttered with speakers, amplifiers, and instruments, all covered to protect from the rain that appeared ready to strike at any moment. The cream keyboards and the chrome of the drum set glistened in the lights. To either side of the stage was a massive column of speakers and a colossal monitor so no one missed a moment of the action.

A local singer blared "The Star Spangled Banner" at a few minutes after 7:30, and several minutes later Lynyrd Skynyrd emerged from the darkness. The audience immediately rose to its feet, never to sit down again. The most exhilarating event of my life had begun.

The band exploded onto the stage with such enthusiasm that it was nearly impossible to believe that this was the same group that had suffered so much loss after its glamorous yet brief career in the 1970s. In 1977 a plane crash took the lives of Ronnie VanZant, lead vocalist and an extremely talented songwriter, and a few other members. Today, Ronnie’s brother Johnny leads the group, and only a few original members remain.

The replacement artists were able to weave their musical magic to produce a sound as thrilling as any old Skynyrd LP. Dirty blond hair fell around most of their shoulders and shaggy beards covered their faces. Their attire consisted mainly of dark sunglasses, bandannas, and jeans as tight as spandex on sumo wrestlers. The back of Johnny’s shirt pictured a huge image of his deceased brother. The musical effects that these aging rockers could produce was amazing. Incredibly skilled guitarists ripped off solos without a drop of perspiration. VanZant both haunted and humored the audience with his enchanting vocals. The keyboardist, Billy Powell, could roll piano licks as well as any jazz pianist, and molded them perfectly into the guitar riffs. The drummer and bassist provided a superb rhythm section upon which Skynryd’s awesome Southern blues-rock sound was built.

Every member of the audience was having the time of his life. The applause, screams, and arm waving would never stop. The aroma of both tobacco and marijuana permeated my nasal cavity. Although there was never any precipitation during the concert, for almost the entire length of the concert lightning flashed, seemingly to the beat of the music, and revved up the audience even more. The best responses would come when VanZant would throw taunts. I felt as though a 747 was flying overhead after he accused, "I thought there were only two Skynyrd fans in Kansas!" When the audience seemed to be losing its steam, he would subtly slip "KANSAS!!" into the middle of a song, and instantaneously the noise level once again surpassed 300 decibels.

The band played for almost two hours, which was long enough to play most of their greatest hits. During their closer, "Sweet Home Alabama," a huge confederate flag appeared behind the band, which caused great cheers from the mostly white crowd. Contrary to the belief of many, Lynyrd Skynyrd is not racist, merely proud of their Southern heritage.

At the conclusion of "Sweet Home Alabama," the band seemingly disappeared into their tour bus. The audience knew it was not finished, though. In every concert they have ever played, Skynyrd has ended with the rock epic that has become their anthem, "Free Bird." Slowly a chant of "FREE BIRD! FREE BIRD!" started, then grew to include the entire audience. After listening to the crowd cheer and plead for several minutes, Lynyrd Skynyrd reappeared and performed "Free Bird." The 15-minute presentation was the most incredible single stage act I have ever witnessed. During the slow, melodic first several minutes, the lead guitarist played with bittersweet passion while Johnny mesmerized us with his singing. Then came the lightning-fast guitar solo that had the entire audience jumping, clapping, and screaming for more. Unfortunately, the end was finally at hand.

As we exited the grandstands our ears rang horribly and our voices were almost completely gone. We could have cared less. Although we had been spared from precipitation throughout the entire concert, it started to downpour as we crossed the fairgrounds. We danced in the rainfall as we slowly came down from our emotional high.

Attending the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert was one of the most electrifying and rousing events of my life. Never have I been so amazed by the ability of simple men to become so successful and gather such a large following. Though they have not fought in any wars, led any countries, or made any great scientific breakthroughs, they have nevertheless taken their place in history.