Lynyrd Skynyrd - Saturday Night Special (1976) Winterland

Rare concert footage from the March 7th, 1976 show at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, CA, an old ice skating rink. Headlining a bill that also included The outlaws, this Winterland concert captures Lynyrd Skynyrd following the release of their fourth album, Gimme Back My Bullets. This was during a transitional phase for the band, following the departure of guitarist Ed King, but prior to his replacement, Steve Gaines, coming on board. The band was carrying on as a six-piece unit, augmented by the Honkettes on backing vocals. This is an interesting time to hear the band live, as their trade mark three-guitar attack was reduced by one guitar, leaving more room for keyboardist Billy Powell. On the ballads, like "Tuesday's Gone" and the pre-jam verses of "Free Bird", Powell displays great creativity and expands the keyboard's role in these songs