Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foreigner, et Six Gun Sally

Well, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hands down the hardest working band in the land, came to my area. San Francisco. I can't recall the Southern Rockers playing a venue in San Francisco, let alone headlining, since the 70's, at the now, just a memory Bill Graham's Winterland Arena. It was Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bad Co. together for a night in the city by the bay. And what a weekend for the Bay Area to host an event with so much happening in and around the Golden Gate. I live just North of San Fran in the wine country. Usually a pleasant 45 minute drive South on the state route 101. Last night was no exception. I'm sure the boys in the band will be hanging around today to stop in at the 49ers new home in Santa Clara to take in the game vs. the Denver Broncos. I don't recall, but I believe their next performance is in Saratoga tonight which would take their tour bus right by Levi Stadium. What a fantastic state of the art sporting arena that is. Lynyrd Skynyrd, my FAVORITE band in the world, so close to home. A few years back they played at the now closed down resort, Konocti Harbor, in Clearlake, I was fortunate to see them there 2 or 3 times. They played both the outdoor amphitheater and the small, intimate indoor stage. On Superbowl Sunday of all days. Probably THE MOST badass kickass rock-n-roll show I had ever seen. And, I've seen a lot. Skynyrd took the stage immediately following the Denver Broncos and the Greenbay Packers Superbowl game. What a game that was. By games end the crowd inside the Konocti Resort was well lubed and rowdy. Setting the stage for a typical bar room brawlin beer guzzlin fist fightin broken furniture guitar slingin amplifier blowin rock show. Their signature giant Confederate Army flag dropped the lights came up, and BAM! like a ton of led, Gary Rossington's screaming Les Paul Guitar fired right down your throat. I have goose bumps and tears in my eyes right now typing this review. There they were, my hero's. Four feet in front of me. Jamming. Playing ALL the Skynyrd hits. They played for well over an hour. I Idolized Ronnie Van Zant since the day I first received the vinyl album Nuthin Fancy for my 13th birthday. It was 1974. I was use to my older brother smoking weed in his bedroom and listening to Prounced Lehnerd Skinerd in his bedroom and would always put my ear to the wall when the epic Freebird song would play. I would air guitar Allen Collins and his solo. What fond memories. I once drew a picture of Ronnie Van Zant that, I guess was so good, it was stolen from house during a party later in my life. I miss that drawing. Probably THE BEST drawing I have ever done. Forward to 2014, San Francisco, California. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bad Co. I didn't get to go. AGAIN. This is the 2nd time. First time was 1977. Day on the Green, Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California. Directly across the bay. I was given a ticket the night before the concert. It was my Birthday. It was the last concert Lynyrd Skynyrd would play in California before the horrific and devastating plane crash on October 20, 1977. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Peter Frampton. I couldn't get a ride. Oh, a lot of my friends were there for sure, but I couldn't hook it up. In fact the entire Sonoma County Rocker Army was on The Green for that show. Not me. And my idol was killed shortly after that day. No. Lynyrd Skynyrd at The Warfield Theater in Downtown San Francisco was way over my budget for me to attend. Lynyrd Skynyrd had finally out priced me. Kicked me to the curb. I am disabled now. I live on a measly little SSI income. I can't afford concert tickets anymore. The ticket prices for Lynyrd Skynyrd, in my opinion, were astronomical. Way over "The Workin Man" budget. So much for playin for the fans. So long Skynyrd, you are in a different stratosphere than I am now. I will still listen to every song, on every album you ever made. Even the ones you haven't made yet, because I AM a DIEHARD LYNYRD SKYNYRD FAN! To the core. My blood runs deep in the South. My hair is turning white, my neck has always been red, and my collar is still blue. Gary, carry on the name and your signature sound, I will always be your biggest fan. Johnny you are doing your brother proud. Instead of San Francisco, and spending two,three, or most likely four hundred dollars that I don't have, I drove 18 minutes westward to the little town and my former stompin grounds, Forestville, California. The infamous Forestville Club. Eric Lindell and his band returned to his Little Ol club that he always enjoyed playing so much. A place he calls home in West County. For 20 bucks. What a great show he put on. I danced my crippled self till 1AM. Eric Lindell what a fantastic musician and gentleman. Now that is my kind of venue.

Foreigner, Europe and FM. This was quite simply a stunning concert. Three fantastic groups featuring three amazing vocalists with voices that you'd happily trade a major bodily organ for, whether it be for rocking the house or simply for serenading the knickers off of that special lady in your life! First up was FM. Now it turns out that I've seen FM before as support for Thin Lizzy back in 2011 and although I don't remember it well, I do remember being impressed despite never having heard of them. Nowadays, I know them due to their hit 'Crosstown Train', which received well deserved and extensive plays on Planet Rock. FM are a band with a extensive catalogue of truly great rock songs. They've been going 30 odd years apparently, who knew? Vocalist Steve Overland is a very impressive front man with a superb voice and I will definitely be looking at lot closer at their back catalogue. Next up was Europe. Everybody but everybody, knows 'The Final Countdown'. Now I admit I've always thought of it and indeed Europe as trashy and throwaway euro pop, but put it on and there's not many who wouldn't know it and whether they admit to liking it or not, they normally sing along because poppy or not, it's a great song which I've grown pretty fond of! That said, when Joey Tempest and the boys want to get heavy, they get as heavy as you want. 'The Last Look At Eden' album was a superb showcase of just how good a group they can be and certainly turned me round in my thinking. Add to that the fact that Joey Tempest probably (if I'm honest, despite my love of Foreigner) stole the show! He gave an electric performance and absolutely had the audience in the palm of his hand. At one point, he recalled a boat trip from Sweden to Hammersmith as a 16 year old to see Thin Lizzy and inserted a few lines of 'The Cowboy Song' into the track 'Superstitious'. That was me won over straight away! Unfortunately, it was a short set and although we got to hear classics like 'Rock The Night and the banging 'No Stone Unturned', I was disappointed not to hear the truly excellent 'Catch That Plane' and 'Not Supposed To Sing The Blues'. They closed up with 'The Final Countdown' and the place went absolutely mental! I would happily go to see them as a headliner. Finally came Foreigner who opened up with 'Double Vision'. Strangely, there was no sign of founder member and lead guitarist Mick Jones but it transpires that he'd been unable to play on some of the other tour dates due to ill health. The band played three more songs being 'Head Games','Cold As Ice' and 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' before the appearance of Jones. The rest was almost shared by the whole audience who without much coaxing were happy to sing along word for word with the band and who were obviously having a great time. Kelly Hanson is, like his predecessor Lou Gramm, a great vocalist and fits perfectly into the role of Foreigners lead vocalist as he sounds so much like Gramm. Hanson also said they'd been touring and the one country he mentioned was Israel which I was delighted to hear. They entertained the rockers like me with songs like 'Urgent' and 'Cold as Ice' whilst catering also to the couples and ladies with their trademark ballads like 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' and the soulful 'I Wanna Know What Love Is' which they performed beautifully along with a school choir. If you've never seen Foreigner, big mistake because they are a superb band with something for just about everyone!