The South Wyll Ryse Agyn

There's a simple reason why overstimulated, drunkards at rock shows reflexively scream out "Free Bird!" in that pregnant pause before the encore begins: The song might be the most glorious, foot-on-the-amp, mullet-in-the-wind, shred-friendly rock anthem of all time. Its adolescent yearning and simple worldliness (penned as a dedication to Duane...

By Jonathan Zwickel

March 10, 2005

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There's a simple reason why overstimulated, drunkards at rock shows reflexively scream out "Free Bird!" in that pregnant pause before the encore begins: The song might be the most glorious, foot-on-the-amp, mullet-in-the-wind, shred-friendly rock anthem of all time. Its adolescent yearning and simple worldliness (penned as a dedication to Duane Allman, who died in a motorcycle crash in 1971, by Skynyrd founder Ronnie Van Zant, who died in a plane crash in 1977) nicely encapsulate Lynyrd Skynyrd, the hard-partying five-piece that rose out of Jacksonville to help define the Southern-rock genre. Yeah, a few band members no longer walk among us, and those who are left have probably seen better days, but I can personally attest that the band still rips like the days of yore. You're guaranteed plenty of classics -- "Gimme Three Steps," "What's Your Name," "Saturday Night Special," and a lot more -- but when the lights go down for that encore and a roar rises up from the crowd, you know what you're gonna get, and you'll love every note.

Lynyrd Skynyrd flies high at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, 1806 NE Sixth St., Pompano Beach. Tickets cost $35 to $49.75. Call 954-946-2402.

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