Dear loyal reader -
For some of you, this might be a little bit of a shocker, and for others, it will be old news.
As of August 1st, 2023, I have given up my post at The Pitch KC and moved down to Prescott Arizona to take up residence here and work for the local newspaper, The Daily Courier. This move did not come easy by any means what so ever. However, times had changed and I needed to change with them, for better or for worst. I will say that I will miss my family at The Pitch dearly and hope them all the best success in the future. You are all very dear to me and I will never forget what we went through together over the past two years.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I am happy that I am down in the area that I am now in, with this area getting as few as 6x as many concerts down here as what Kansas City did, between the cities of Phoenix and Flagstaff, as well as Prescott/Prescott Valley itself, including Cold Pizza and Coffee’s first show down here, being able to cover the legendary bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top.
Matthew Shafer/Uncle Kracker
The opener for these two bands was Matthew Shafer, better known by his stage name of Uncle Kracker. For those people who are unaware of Uncle Kracker, he got his start with Kid Rock back in the 1990s and had his largest solo hit back in 2000 with the song “Follow Me”. His backing five piece band sounded fantastic, and Shafer still had the voice that made the 2000 single famous, but the question came about for me as to why the pairing of him with these two legendary groups. The music is not all that similar and the audience for Uncle Kracker is by far younger than what Skynyrd and ZZ Top’s audience would be. Also, he hasn’t been without his own fair share of legal issues. If music lovers will remember, back in 2007, Shafer was arrested on second degree sex offense charges and was released on bond, to which he later plead guilty to lesser charges and was released with probation. The former age difference issue was noticeable when the band took the stage and maybe half of the venue was filled, at most. However, the rest of the audience slowly filed in under the intense Phoenix heat to take their seats for the two co-headlining acts.
Uncle Kracker as they performed in Phoenix, Arizona.
This is where it got a little more interesting with the line-up. The show was billed that ZZ Top would go on and Lynyrd Skynyrd was to headline, yet, standing back by the soundboard, waiting for the next band to come on so I can get back to work, an introduction video for Lynyrd Skynyrd came on. The intro video, which featured a younger kid going into a record store, shifting through a handful of classic albums on vinyl before settling on a Skynyrd album, then taking it home and playing it, was in a way nostalgic to my own and so many other people’s past, but also a show on modern times, when vinyl records are making a HUGE comeback verses other types of media.
Lynyrd Skynyrd as they performed at the Talking Stick Resort Amp., in Phoenix, AZ.
Now, as some readers might recall, I am not a huge fan of bands who go under the name of a band that was once a huge band but now not a single member of the original member of the band is still alive, let alone touring with the band (See my piece from The Pitch on Foreigner for clarification on this), Skynyrd is a bit different for me. For those who might not be familiar with the band’s back story/history, especially as it deals with the October 20th, 1977 happenings where Lynyrd Skynyrd’s chartered Convair CV-240 airplane crashed in route to Baton Rouge, Louisiana that killed founding member and lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister Cassie, who was a backing vocalist for the group, as well as a few other people, that caused a ten year stop in the band until Ronnie’s younger brother Johnny reformed the band.
Without getting into other historical aspects of the band (which in reality should have ended for good in 2001) this show was something else, something special. Getting to hear the songs that I grew up with my father listening to, seeing all of the people who were there to see a band that they knew they were lucky to see after the happenings of ‘77, and hearing those songs that one only hears now on the radio…it should be understandable on why the band would still be out on tour. With all of the original members of the band having passed on and the only real connection to those former members being Johnny, is it the band that made songs like Sweet Home Alabama, Give Me Three Steps, That Smell and others the hits? The debate is that. My thoughts are that with Johnny being the front man, and being there since the band reunited in 1987, then yeah…kinda. It is hard to think what would have happened if the plane crash never happened, but really Johnny is the closest thing that we have to his brother and original member of the band, that that topic of discussion could go on forever…well at least more time than I have to write this article,
However, with that out of the way, Lynyrd Skynyrd sounded absolutely amazing. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit back after my time photographing the band and enjoy the show. Yes, Johnny stated many times that the US is “the best country on Earth” and so on, and several times displayed what could be mistaken as the new “White Pride” symbol while toting around an American flag on his mic stand (where in the past the band has been considered racists because of their symbols of the Confederate Flag as well as possible lyrics in songs such as Sweet Home Alabama, which the band has either dropped the imagery or explained lyrics and the world got confirmation from others, aka Neil Young) the band has come to show what it might mean to have Southern Pride but not use any of overtly racist imagery that would normally be seen with it, but instead produce the songs that the band has been known for over the past 50 years.
And then came the surprise headliner; and shockingly the audience started to leave, at least in parts. The crowd it seemed had come to see the opener and not the headliner. While Billy, Frank and the new addition of Elwood Francis (who replaced Dusty Hill after his passing) played their hearts out which made for one hell of an amazing set, the crowd seemed to have lost it enthusiasm for the show as the number of people who were standing and cheering for Skynyrd now sat in observance for ZZ Top. Sure, looking around one would see the audience singing along from their seats, but it was not the same overt cheering that one heard just moments ago, or as stated above, just up and left.
ZZ Top paying their respects to Dusty Hill
I am thankful that none of the three members of the band noticed or seemed to care about this, as it was a personal first time seeing both acts live, I was needless to say excited, but the lack of audience engagement was very noticeable from where I sat.
Yet, with the slight disappointment and confusion of Uncle Kracker in this show, I would highly suggest that if anyone has the chance to see this tour, named “The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour”, I would recommend it 100000%. With this tour, if you are a fan of classic rock-n-roll, the hits just kept coming and did not disappoint at all.
ZZ Top on stage as they performed in Phoenix, AZ
ZZ Top’s Setlist:
Got Me Under Pressure, I Thank You (Sam & Dave cover), Waitin’ for the Bus, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Gimme All Your Lovin’, Pearl Necklace, I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide, I Gotsta Get Paid, My Head’s in Mississippi, Sixteen Tons, Just Got Paid, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs Encore Brown Sugar, Tube Snake Boogie, La Grange
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Setlist:
Intros: Panama (Van Halen song) Thunderstruck (AC/DC song)
Workin’ for MCA, Skynyrd Nation, What’s Your Name, That Smell, Whiskey Rock-a-Roller, Saturday Night Special, The Ballad of Curtis Loew, Tuesday’s Gone (dedicated to Gary Rossington), Simple Man (Dedicated to military service members and first responders), Gimme Three Steps, Call Me the Breeze (J.J. Cale cover), Sweet Home Alabama, Encore Free Bird
Uncle Kracker’s Setlist:
Nobody’s Sad on a Saturday Night, All Summer Long (Kid Rock cover), Follow Me, The Gambler (Don Schlitz cover), Reason to Drink, When the Sun Goes Down (Kenny Chesney cover), Smile, Drift Away (Mentor Williams cover)