On a rainy Thursday night, Lynyrd Skynyrd turned the New York State Fair into Sweet Home Syracuse.
The Southern rock band drew an estimated 33,000 fans to their concert on the Suburban Park stage, according to fair officials. It was the second-biggest crowd of this year’s NYS Fair (behind Jessie Murph), and 17th largest crowd of all time — more than Skynyrd’s 2017 show at Chevy Court, attended by 28,400 people.
The band took the stage promptly at 8 p.m., kicking things off with “Workin’ for MCA.” Fans way in the back and around the pond could only partly see what was happening because the video screens weren’t raised from the ground until the second song, due to the high winds earlier.
Lead singer Johnny Van Zant, the younger brother of late original vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, was constantly moving around on stage, His voice was sometimes buried in the mix with three guitars, but he never missed an opportunity during an instrumental section to encourage people raise their drinks, hands and/or voices.
The band sounded tight, especially guitarist Rickey Medlocke, who first became a member in the early 1970s. The rest of the lineup includes Damon Johnson, Mark “Sparky” Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Robbie Harrington, Peter Keys, Carol Chase, and Stacy Plunk.
There are no original members in Lynyrd Skynyrd, but that hardly matters when the songs are so good. “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird” are infectious classics, while “Tuesday’s Gone” had extra emotion with a video tribute to co-founding guitarist Gary Rossington, who died in 2023.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group formed in the 1960s and released its first album, “(Pronounced ‘Lĕh-’nérd ‘Skin-’nérd),” in 1973. The band is on an extended tour celebrating its 50th anniversary, and it’s quite possible that Lynyrd Skynyrd will never end.
“I think we’re four generations full,” Van Zant remarked, observing some younger audience members who came with parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. “You guys are the best fans in the world.”
The first half of their 90-minute set leaned a little too heavily on deeper cuts, like “Down South Jukin’” and “Cry for the Bad Man.” Most fans only knew a little of “I Know a Little,” so Skynyrd’s song structure (always with a big guitar solo) started sounding repetitive.
But the buildup only made the finale more powerful. Tens of thousands of voices filled the fairgrounds during “Simple Man” and “Gimme Three Steps” had everyone rocking out.
“Sweet Home Alabama” is still a perfect tune with a catchy chorus. The band freshened it up by stopping the guitars at one point to leave only the drums and vocals, as everyone joined in: “Lord, I’m comin’ home to you.”
The group then pretended to leave, a tired routine to get people to cheer for an encore. However, since this band is Lynyrd Skynyrd, it’s the one time it’s acceptable for people to shout “Free Bird” at a stage.
Like true Southern gentlemen, they obliged. They came back, blending rock, country and blues on “Free Bird,” even stretching it out into a rainy finale reminiscent of a scene from Cameron Crowe’s 2005 movie “Elizabethtown.”
“God bless you, New York,” Van Zant said.
Lynyrd Skynyrd set list
Aug. 28, 2025, at Suburban Park, New York State Fair, Geddes, N.Y.
Workin’ for MCA
What’s Your Name
That Smell
I Know a Little
Saturday Night Special
Down South Jukin’
Cry for the Bad Man
Gimme Back My Bullets
The Needle and the Spoon
Tuesday’s Gone
Simple Man
Gimme Three Steps
Call Me the Breeze (J.J. Cale cover)
Sweet Home Alabama
Encore:
Free Bird
