DVD Review – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd & Second Helping – Live From Jacksonville At The Florida Theatre – Eagle Rock Entertainment
Released October 23rd, “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping Live from Jacksonville At The Florida Theatre” by Lynyrd Skynyrd is the latest Blu-Ray/DVD offering from one of the greatest Rock N’ Roll bands, EVER! It was filmed in the bands hometown of Jacksonville Florida at the majestic Florida Theatre where many of the original band members and some that weren’t original spent their childhoods enjoying matinees on the weekends or catching concerts in their formative years. Between the lives of the band members past and present, alive or sadly departed, this being where the band started, the earliest fans of the band having witnessed the birth of the band and several other factors, this release holds A LOT of history for the Rock N’ Roll Institution that is Lynyrd Skynyrd!
[START RANT] Alrighty folks, right off the bat I am going to address the elephant in the room so HOPEFULLY it’ll cut down on the “Lynyrd Skynyrd Purists” jumping on their computers and firing off nastygrams ripped straight from their “Lynyrd Skynyrd Encyclopedia” to me! I am well aware that this Blu-Ray/DVD release of Lynyrd Skynyrd “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping Live from Jacksonville At The Florida Theatre” IS NOT performed by the original band that recorded those classic albums featured on this release and that Gary Rossington is the only original member in this lineup.
I am also well aware of the fact that most of the “Lynyrd Skynyrd Purists” I’ve ran across don’t realize that the band they think is the original band that recorded “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd & Second Helping” was not the original band! So any argument that you may have about who blah blah blah when it comes to those albums and this release does not hold water so don’t even go there! I mean this in no disrespect to ANY of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s members, past or present, their families or their fans but seriously, the bickering amongst the fans gets old.
It’s starting to become as petty, childish and ill-informed as the constant pissing and moaning amongst KISS fans as to the original lineup vs the present day lineup! If you don’t support the present day lineup of Lynyrd Skynyrd, fine, that is your right but quit harping on those that do! I was born after the tragic plane crash and was finally turned on to the band by my brother from another mother Josh in 1993 & have dug every incarnation since that day. To discover something 20+ years ago, dig it and then to find out the rich history that existed before I knew of them was an amazing education that I’ll forever cherish as a music lover!
Now, if you want to witness two classic albums performed in their entirety by a group of first class musicians who have every right, legal or otherwise, to perform these songs, then grab a cold one, kick your feet up, sit back and TURN IT UP! <--- See what I did there? *wink wink* [RANT OVER]
Let’s move on, shall we? Filmed over two nights in April of this year, this film features the current Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup of Gary Rossington on Guitar, Johnny Van Zant on Lead Vocals, Rickey Medlocke on Guitar, Michael Cartellone on Drums, Mark Matejka on Guitar, Peter Keys on Keyboards, Johnny Colt on Bass Guitar along with those amazing Honkettes, Dale Krantz Rossington & Carol Chase and a supporting cast of stellar musicians including Jim Horn on Alto Sax, Paul Jackson on Trumpet, Myles Moore on Baritone Sax, Nick Campbell on Percussion & longtime crew member Steve ‘Boxcar’ Traum on Harmonica! It is a special thing when a band performs one of their landmark albums in its entirety but to be able to witness two landmark albums in their entirety could only be topped by being at that show in person. I’m soooo thankful that they decided to film this for those of the Skynyrd nation who could not be in attendance.
Being these albums are so iconic in the realm of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rock N’ Roll and Southern Rock, I’ll bypass my usual track-by-track & offer up the following overall review as well as touch on a few personal highlights of this film, in my opinion. The film is brilliant both visually and sonically. The video is a Codec of MPEG-4 AVC with a resolution of 1080p & audio is offered up in DTS Digital Surround; Dolby Digital: 5.1 Surround & 2.0 Stereo. The film captures the beauty of the theatre stunningly as well as the performance of the band while the audio is as superb as you would expect with a band of this magnitude.
The highlights of the “Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd” portion of the show for me are “Tuesday’s Gone”, “Simple Man” which was a song my late Mother loved with a message she instilled in me so besides being a great song, it has a lot of sentimental value to me, “Mississippi Kid” is one of my all-time favorite Skynyrd tunes and “Poison Whiskey” is just a potent potion of lethal Southern funky fun especially Peter’s spot. “Second Helping” boasts the highlights of an all-time Top Ten favorite song of mine in “The Ballad Of Curtis Loew”. Ever since I first heard this cut I was enamored with the storytelling found within. I was fifteen at the time I first heard the song but I could close my eyes and see just what Ronnie was singing. “Swamp Music” just oozes cool and boogies while “The Needle And The Spoon” is another slab of fine storytelling wherein lies a cautionary tale.
Of course, each album boasts the rare feat of having one of Rock N’ Rolls biggest anthems found on them with “Free Bird” on the debut album and “Sweet Home Alabama” on its follow-up. How many bands can claim to have one of Rock N’ Roll’s biggest anthems let alone two? Hard to believe that 2015 marks 51 years since Ronnie Van Zant, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington formed the earliest incarnation of the band in Jacksonville. There are 14 studio albums, countless compilations, live albums and video releases & 34 amazing musicians who’ve kept the Lynyrd Skynyrd train on the tracks for 51 years! Sadly, one day in the near future, Lynyrd Skynyrd will cease all together when either Gary hangs it up or sadly passes away. I just wish fans, old and new realize what they have today before it’s too late……Get well soon Mr. Gary Rossington!
LYNYRD SKYNYRD
Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd & Second Helping – Live From Jacksonville At The Florida Theatre
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd & Second Helping – Live From Jacksonville At The Florida Theatre
Release Date: October 23, 2015 via Eagle Rock Entertainment
DVD, Blu-Ray, Digital Formats & Available as DVD+2CD exclusively at Walmart
Track Listing:
“Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd”
1) I Ain’t The One
2) Tuesday’s Gone
3) Gimme Three Steps
4) Simple Man
5) Things Goin’ On
6) Mississippi Kid
7) Poison Whiskey
8) Free Bird
“Second Helping”
1) Sweet Home Alabama
2) I Need You
3) Don’t Ask Me No Questions
4) Workin’ For MCA
5) The Ballad Of Curtis Loew
6) Swamp Music
7) Needle And The Spoon
8) Call Me The Breeze
Bonus Features:
An intimate backstage visit with the band and crew
Lynyrd Skynyrd:
Gary Rossington – Guitar
Johnny Van Zant – Lead Vocals
Rickey Medlocke – Guitar
Michael Cartellone – Drums
Mark Matejka – Guitar
Peter Keys – Keyboards
Johnny Colt – Bass Guitar
HONKETTES:
Dale Krantz Rossington – Background Vocals
Carol Chase – Background Vocals
ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS:
Jim Horn – Alto Sax
Paul Jackson – Trumpet
Myles Moore – Baritone Sax
Nick Campbell – Percussion
Steve ‘Boxcar’ Traum – Harmonica
Purchase Lynyrd Skynyrd “Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd & Second Helping – Live From Jacksonville At The Florida Theatre” 2 CD/DVD Wal-Mart Exclusive:
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Category: Reviews
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