"Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Billy Powell, Artimus Pyle, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant and Leon Wilkenson. Seven of rock's legends took the stage in Hertfordshire, England during the summer of 1976 for one unforgettable concert. They presented hits such as "Workin For MCA," "Saturday Night Special," and "Sweet Home Alabama." A little under a year later, Skynyrd performed in Oakland, California and gave probably the best performance of "Freebird" I have ever heard. This version surpasses the one that Ronnie and friends did Live At The Fox. Finally, ten days later the band put on another tremendous performance in Asbury Park, New Jersey, which included the first live performances of "What's Your Name?" and "That Smell." Finally, twenty years after the plane crash that took the life of Steve Gaines, Ronnie Van Zant, back up singer Cassie Gaines and road manager Dean Kilpatrick, Cabin Fever Entertainment has compiled some of Skynyrd's finest live performances and put together...Freebird: The Movie. While the movie may be out of print, the soundtrack is alive and well.I've heard parts of One More From The Road and I have the DVD of Lyve, but the intensity from lynyrd Skynyrd on this album is unbeatable. From the opening "Hello How are you?" to the final strum of a guitar, Lynyrd Skynyrd gives a great performance. Johnny, Billy, Leon, Ricky, Hughie, Gary, and whoever is on drums these days are wonderful, but without Ronnie, Steve, Artimus, and Allen '...things just couldn't be the same.'"
"the day they blew the Stones off the stage..."
mcdoog_99 | Blackstone, MA United States | 04/30/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"So said Artimus about their performance at the Knebworth festival. Although the choice of songs is very similar to One More From the Road, and smaller as well, it still stands out on its own as an album worth buying. The production, though on the rough side, gives a good feel of an outdoor concert. Leon's bass is more prominent then in "One More...", and has a different, more earthy sound IMO. Speaking of the setlist, it is somewhat of a tradeoff. We get 1977 live versions of That Smell and What's Your Name, both superb, plus Freebird from the same year. On the other hand, we have an incomplete Knebworth setlist, leaving out Freebird (even though the liner notes call it one of the most inspired moments ever witnessed on British soil) as well as a couple other songs, judging from their set being 90 minutes as also indicated in the liner notes. And as a previous reviewer stated, it leaves out Gimme Back My Bullets and Cry For the Bad Man (from a spring 1976 concert pre-Gaines), both shown on the video. If you crave more than just One More From the Road, then by all means buy this album. Otherwise, perhaps get the video first and decide. Either way, this album shows Skynyrd at its peak prior to the plane-crash, full of energy and eager to play a perfect show."
ALmost as good as One More (For) From the Road
Docendo Discimus | 07/10/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Though alot of the songs are the same as the classic first live Skynyrd album, this album is amazing. The energy is incredible, though this version of Freebird isn't quite as good as the One More version it is damn close. I think T for Texas here kicks. Live versions of That Smell and What's your name are excellent. I listen to this and then the Lyve from Steeltown album and there is no comparison, the new version is a fine band but the intensity is not there. Ronnie Van Zant approached life as a fight for his life and that energy and spunk shows in this album. Fly on Ronnie!"
Captures Lynyrd Skynyrd at their greatest!!!
G. Stanford | Mesquite,TX USA | 02/01/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"An earlier review stated that 13 of the fourteen tracks were recorded at Knebworth Fair, Hertfordshire England this was incorrect, the following is the correct breakdown.
Tracks 1-6 were recorded at Knebworth Fair, Hertfordshire, England on August 21, 1976.
1. Workin' For MCA
2. I Ain't The One
3. Saturday Night Special
4. Whiskey Rock-A-Roller
5. Travellin' Man
6. Searchin'
Track's 7-8 were recorded at Convention Hall Asbury Park,NJ on July, 14 1977, you will even hear Ronnie Van Zant mention that their new album (Street Survivors) which these tracks are from, will be released in September two months from this date, just a month before their ill fated plane crash.
7.What's Your Name
8. That Smell
Tracks 9-11 were from Knebworth Fair, Hertfordshire, England on August 21, 1976.
9.Gimme Three Steps
10. Call Me The Breeze
11. T For Texas (Blue Yodel No. 1)
Track #12 From Knebworth Fair, Hertfordshire, England on August 21, 1976.
12. Sweet Home Alabama
Track#13 was recorded at Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA at Bill Graham's Day On The Green July 4, 1977
13. Free Bird
Track#14 was a studio recording
14. Dixie"
A great, tough live album
Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 05/05/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This soundtrack is really a live album, and a great one at that. Thirteen of these fourteen songs were recorded on August 21, 1976, during Lynyrd Skynyrd's appearance at Knebworth House, and while I don't think it's a better live album than "One More From The Road", it is certainly just as good.
The band sounds tight, but very loud, very brash, and very gritty, significantly more so than on their studio recordings. The opening performance of "Workin' for MCA" grinds and swaggers like you won't believe, and it's followed by equally powerful renditions of "I Ain't The One", "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller", and the thumping riff-rocker "Saturday Night Special" with its not very redneck-like anti-gun-sentiments.
The sound quality is very good, just fuzzy enough for this to sound like an authentic concert recording, and Ronnie van Zant is magnificent.
So, for that matter, are guitarists Gary Rossington, Steve Gaines and Allen Collins. "Searching" is normally one of my least favorite Skynyrd numbers, but even that one really smokes. And it's all due to the amazing power and cohesion of the entire band...they just click, locking into the groove like a train going down the track (or some other tired cliché).
Most of these songs were on "One More From The Road", but "That Smell", and "What's Your Name" made their live debut here. It's not the greatest "That Smell" ever, but it's good, and it's followed by a high-octane "Gimme Three Steps" which pretty much just epitomizes Southern rock n' roll! And the boyz do a fun, up-tempo rock n' roll-ish take on Jimmie Rodgers' ancient "T For Texas (Blue Yodel #1)".
The sound quality is good, it's not ice-pick sharp, but all the more authentic and "live" sounding for it.
I don't love the elongated guitar break on "Free Bird"...such a bunch of great guitarists should've been able to come up with something better than a couple of minutes of triads. But that's pretty much all I have to complain about. Great, great renditions of most of Skynyrd's best songs, including a hard-hitting "Sweet Home Alabama", a tremendous live "feel", and a band at the very top of their game. It's not Bob Dylan (I love Bob Dylan), but it's great nonetheless.