Lynyrd Skynyrd “Live From Freedom Hall” Roadrunner

Last year Lynyrd Skynyrd lost keyboardist and founding member Billy Powell, as well as bassist Ean Evans (formerly of Outlaws), who had joined the band after Leon Wilkenson died.  This show was one of the last concerts to be recorded with the two of them.

As this Skynyrd has proven many times, they are a great live band and do an impressive job with all the classics.  The only real problem with this release is that it’s the latter-day Skynyrd’s fourth live album (If you count compilations of live recordings, it jumps to eight.), but the setlist of each one has varied enough to give a little something different each time.  This is only the second live release with a DVD as part of the package, making it a little more desirable.

There are only a couple newer songs (“Workin’” and “Red White and Blue” – two of their best from the last ten years or so), which fit in pretty well with the other tunes and provide a taste of the band’s more recent output.  As a tribute to Powell, it’s works well that the focus here is so clearly on the older material.  Listening to him play on songs like “Call Me the Breeze” and “Sweet Home Alabama” is a good reminder of how important he was to the band’s sound (He also seems to be a little higher in the mix on this release, making it even easier to appreciate.).

In the end it’s a very solid live album, with nice performances.  It’s not the definitive live Lynyrd Skynyrd, but it’s a good time, nonetheless.

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