When you Google “Knebworth” one of the first results is “What is Knebworth famous for”. The first show it mentions as the famous town’s most important show is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s August 21, 1976 set. Consider that they were an opening band for the Rolling Stones. The article then mentions Queen’s final live performance in from of 125,000 people. Digest the magnitude of outshining the Stones head-to-head but eclipsing Queen’s final set.
The band at the time consisted of Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Leon Wilkeson, Artimus Pyle, Billy Powell, and The Honkettes. The band had released Gimme Back My Bullets in February and were firing on all cylinders. The infamous place crash took the lives of Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie Gaines (of the Honkettes) only one year later.https://www.youtube.com/embed/tPvxxyzgTYk?feature=oembed
On April 9, 2021 Eagle Rock Entertainment will release Lynyrd Skynyrd: Live At Knebworth ‘76 as a DVD+CD, Blu-ray+CD, limited edition 2LP+DVD, and digital video. Skynyrd fans will instantly recognize the footage as the live material used in Freedbird: The Movie which featured live material interwoven with interviews.
What is most impressive is 45 years later, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s set-list still closely resembles this blister set. Seminal songs like “Sweet Home Alabama” where preserved and mixed so well it feels as though Leon Wilkeson is playing the bass right next to you. Although not as long as the triple platinum One More from the Road, the sound quality might just make this the new go-to live Skynyrd album.
You may very well come way from watching or listening feeling this is the best you have every heard “Freebird” sound.
Track Listing:
1) Workin’ For MCA
2) I Ain’t The One
3) Saturday Night Special
4) Searching
5) Whiskey Rock-A-Roller
6) Travelin’ Man
7) Gimme Three Steps
8) Call Me The Breeze
9) T For Texas
10) Sweet Home Alabama
11) Free Bird