Lynyrd Skynyrd Brings ZZ Top and The Outlaws Out To The Toyota Pavilion in Concord, California on September 19, 2024

Lynyrd Skynyrd brought ZZ Top to the Toyota Pavilion in Concord, California, with special guests The Outlaws on September 19, 2024. The evening was extraordinary and filled with unforgettable moments.

The Outlaws kicked off the night. Originating from Tampa, Florida, the band delivered a solid classic rock performance that resonated with the audience. Starting with “There Goes Another Love Song,” the band set the tone for the night. They continued with “Hurry Sundown,” delivering an electrifying performance that captivated the crowd. “Freeborn Man” and “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” showcased the band’s versatility and ability to engage the audience. The crowd was energized, dancing and cheering as The Outlaws rocked the stage. Their final song, “Green Grass and High Tides,” was a mesmerizing 16-minute performance that perfectly concluded their set.

The Outlaws Memebers:

Henry Paul – guitars, vocals

Dave Robbins – keyboards, backing vocals

Randy Threet – bass, vocals 

Jeff Aulich – guitars 

Jimmy Dormire – guitars

Mike Bailey – drums

Setlist:

When ZZ Top took the stage, the crowd was on their feet from start to finish, completely captivated by the band. Their set kicked off with “Got Me Under Pressure,” and the audience went wild. The performance of this song was truly magical. The excitement and the crowd went crazy as they transitioned into “I Thank You” with “Waiting For the Bus” up next, and they nailed it. The seamless transition from the previous song to this one set the tone for the rest of the evening. They pulled off a similar transition into “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” with an electrifying guitar solo by Billy Gibbons that drove the crowd wild.

“Gimme All Your Lovin'” got everyone dancing and singing along, which was followed by “Pearl Necklace.” The band took a moment to introduce themselves and then delivered a fantastic performance of “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” which resonated well with the audience. “I Gotsta Get Paid” had everyone fully engaged and having a great time. The band’s energy was infectious, and it was evident that the crowd was into the performance.

They seamlessly flowed into “My Head in Mississippi” after an impressive guitar solo, igniting the crowd with excitement. The band’s dedication of “Sixteen Tons” to Jeff Beck was a heartfelt tribute, and their performance truly showcased their commitment. The song seamlessly transitioned into “Just Got Paid Today,” which the audience had eagerly anticipated. “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” from their Eliminator album left the audience wanting more with their incredible style and performance. After a brief intermission, they launched into “Brown Sugar” from ZZ Top’s First Album, followed by an exhilarating rendition of “Tube Snake Boogie” that had the audience singing along. “La Grange” brought the house down, culminating in a resounding round of applause as the band left the stage, having delivered an unforgettable performance.

ZZ Top Band Members:

Billy Gibbons – guitars, lead and backing vocals

Frank Beard – drums, percussion

Elwood Francis – bass, backing and lead vocals 

Setlist:

Lynyrd Skynyrd hit the stage with the hit “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC and a short film and how they got to this moment in time. With that and the announcer telling us “Ladies and gentlemen, would you please give a warm welcome to Rock N Roll Hall of Fame band Lynyrd Skynyrd” they jumped right in with “Working for MCA”. That song set the pace for what was to come, pure rock n roll from some of the masters of it. From there it was “Skynyrd Nation” off the God & Guns album. This song rocked the crowd to the cord and they were just getting started. They flowed into “What’s Your Name” which slayed. Jamming through the song was a walk through history as they rocked out, the audience singing along with them. With a brief introduction they blasted into “That Smell” and they let off the smoke and the crowd went wild.

This was rock n roll at its finest as they rocked out fully to each song. “Down South Jukin'” was up next and the song has a melody to it that just screams with power as the band just settled in and rode it out. Next was “Saturday Night Special” and as they said, For $20 you can buy yourself one too… Any pawnshop with do. This is one of those songs that radiates with the crowd and is a sure anthem of the ages.

With a short break, Johnny Van Zant stated that this was the only California show and from here they were off to Washington and Alaska. What a treat for us is to only stop in the state. From there he dedicated the next song to Curtis Loew and Shorty Medlock. That song was “The Ballad of Curtis Loew” and it was a hit with the crowd as they jammed through it. The audience was in for a treat with the next one because it was dedicated to Gary Rossington, their late guitar player who passed away a year ago. The song was “Tuesday’s Gone” and it was a beautiful rendition of it and a better dedication. The background during the song was a fitting tribute to the guitar player and his legacy in the band and life in general.

They then gave a shout-out to our military and threw in the first responders as well since they are the reason we are all here. “Simple Man” was next which was a fitting song for our troops and first responders. They shredded the song with the drive and determination deserving of them for all of history and the crowd singing along put an exclamation point on it. From there it was “Give Me Three Steps” and Johnny worked his way over the stage singing to the whole crowd. The audience was in full effect as he worked his way around the stage ending up back in the middle as he rocked out the song like a man possessed.

Next, Billy Gibbons joined them on stage for “Call Me the Breeze” a J.J. Cale song and Billy shredded it as he rocked out.  “Sweet Home Alabama” was next and it was perfect in its entirety. The backup singers were singing like choir angels and the band was rocking the stage like no other could. This was the perfect song to end the night with but, it wasn’t the end.

After a short break, they came back on stage to play “Free Bird” which is an anthem, to say the least. That song lends its heart to everyone in the audience and it showed. The song, started out by Johnny, but about halfway through it, he put Ronnie’s hat on the mic stand and let the late Ronnie Van Zant sing the rest of the song as only he could. That was the ultimate way to pay homage to the original lead singer who passed away in a plane crash on October 20, 1977. What an epic show it was. All the tributes, the songs, and the memories involved made for a wonderful evening. 

If you were to go see an epic show, I highly suggest checking this one out. I didn’t win the guitar that they were giving away but, the memories will last forever.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Band Members:

Rickey Medlocke –  guitar, vocals, mandolin

Johnny Van Zant – lead vocals

Michael Cartellone – drums

Mark Matejka – guitar, backing vocals

Peter Keys – keyboards

Keith Christopher – bass

Setlist:

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Matte Erickson - Photographer/Writer

Photographer of about 10 years, I have been shooting concerts for about 8 of those years. I started to get serious about concert photography about 6 or 7 years ago and now try to shoot as many as I can. I shoot mostly rock but, have done some country and big band stuff. I love music and since I am nowhere close to being a musician, this is a way I can be a small part of what, in the words of Henry Rollins, “gets me through the highs, the lows and everything in between”.