With so much great original music happening in Lethbridge, I often don“t get to cover cover bands and tribute bands often, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to see Calgary based Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute Swamp Music at Coyote Joes, June 2.
They had a good sized room rocking to the southern rock sounds of the ’70s as they played all of Skynyrd’s hits and lesser known favourites.
It was the one show of the year where the hackneyed joke of requesting “Free Bird” to the band on stage was not only tolerated, but welcomed with open arms, though I didn’t stay around long enough for Free Bird with so many other shows going on.
But I heard plenty of duelling Stratocaster and Les Paul guitar leads, lots of familiarities, lots of energy and a bassist who switched hats almost every song from a cowboy hat to a police helmet to a furry beefeater hat.
Swamp Music looked and sounded as if they stepped right out of 1973, with long hair, torn jeans and even a Confederate flag.
They played plenty of favourites like the high energy “Saturday Night Special,” slower, more moving numbers like “Simple Man, ” which showed off some sweet harmonized guitar playing, the toe tapping blues boogie of “I Know A Little” and You Got That Right,” “Call Me The Breeze” and even “Sweet Home Alabama.“
