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by ALLISON CASEY
Lifestyles Editor
When you yell “Freebird” on Friday night, you might actually get to hear it.
Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynryd play the Holmes C. Convocation Center Friday night at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $42.50 for the floor and lower level, and $32.50 for the upper level.
“There are no bad seats,” Jason C. Parker, director of the Holmes C. Convocation Center said.
Known for
classics like, “Freebird,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Simple Man” and
“What’s Your Name,” Lynyrd Skynryd started rocking the airwaves in the
70s.
The band named themselves after their gym teacher Leonard Skinner, who notoriously made fun of long haired students.
“Everyone yells ‘Freebird’ at a concert,” Parker said. “Now you have a chance to hear the real thing.”
According
to a press release, founding member and guitar legend Gary Rossington
said, “Live shows are really what this band is about. We love to play
live, there’s nothing else like it. We don’t know anything else to do.
We got it down now, people are enjoying it so we’re doing it now.”
Despite the deaths of several founding members, the band plays on.
The
Convocation Center needs about 40 staff members to run a concert of
this size, Marcia S. Lusk, assistant director of operations for the
convocation center said.
Lusk
said the band brings in their own lighting and sound crew, but the
convocation center must provide the riggers for the show.
“Planning
for a lot of these shows is hit or miss,” Lusk said. “If we could sit
down with a tour manager we could hash it out in one day, but these
bands are touring. It usually takes about two months to plan a show of
this size. It’sever-changing ”
Parker said a band like Lynyrd Skynyrd usually costs between $150,000 and $200,000 to bring.
“We’re going to have to almost sell out to break even,” he said.
Ticket pre-sales have amounted to about 3,000 tickets despite the 7,000 seats available in the convocation center.
“This is
a chance to see some of the greatest classic rock,” Parker said. “’Free
Bird,’ ‘Sweet Home Alabama.’ These are timeless songs and these are
legends who aren’t going to be around much longer. They’re in their 60s
and 70s.”
Despite
an interest in bringing larger bands and a severely discounted ticket
price, Parker said the convocation center has repeatedly had
difficulties selling tickets for those shows.
In the past, Bob Dylan, George Clinton and The Black Eyed Peas have all done poorly.
“It’s
this diverse market. There’s not a lot of disposable income in this
area,” Parker said. “There’s really no way to combat that.”
Parker also attributes the changing music industry and the musical Internet revolution to the decrease in ticket sales.
“Where else are you going to see Lynyrd Skynyrd for $32 or $42?” Lusk
said. “What other entertainment is there in Boone? You could go
roller-skating or go to the movies.”
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