Concert review… kind of: Kid Rock/Lynyrd Skynyrd at Tampa’s Ford Amphitheatre
June 29th, 2009 by Cooper Levey-Baker in Arts, Music, News
Ed. note: This piece was written by Editorial Intern Robert Johnson.
I’ll be honest, I’ve been a Kid Rock fan since 1998, when I showed up for his “Devil Without a Cause” video shoot at Showtime, Nashville’s seediest, hands-on strip joint. This was in a town known for its contradictory Buckle of the Bible Belt/seedy lapdance scene.
Kid Rock is all there. He’s dynamic, adaptable and non-conformist. He’s a badass. A skinny white dude, embodying the ego all us other guys have after a couple round of shots and the attentions of a pretty girl.
And his most recent hit “All Summer Long,” with Warren Zevon’s backbeat and Skynyrd’s twang, is, dare I say, alarmingly close to genius.
Which is why when Danielle, our CL Sarasota Director of Ops bestowed two VIP tickets with parking on me, I was psyched enough to pass a fragile veto on my girlfriend’s protests and take her along for the ride to Tampa. It turned into a tough sell.
A shortcut to VIP parking led us past that obscene massive stars and bars that flies at the junction of I-75 and I-4. On Saturday, it was the photo op of choice for concertgoers. Ugh.
Even worse? The pickup in front of me, which flew the same flag, and the obscenities the driver and passengers yelled at the black guy working his way through traffic. It was bad enough to cause me to give my tickets away.
Sieg Hiel, Kid Rock.
June 29th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Sorry that you were turned off by some of the peeps you passed in traffic. The actual concert was totally off the chain! Skynard still had it goin’ on after all these years and Kid Rock took it over the top!
We found our immediate seat neighbors to be polite and fun. Met some cool, intelligent and articulate peeps in line during intermission, one of whom who owned car dealerships on the east coast. Then, back at our hotel right across the street from the show, it was a true Woodstock Nation after party, with peeps sharing beer, pizza, interesting conversation and whatevers poolside.
Bummer that you had the experience you did — or didn’t. Perhaps the traffic peeps you saw were those that had lawn tix and/or an angry edge to their lives in general. But, in any case, wouldn’t blame Kid Rock for the rude behavior of a handful of under-educated rednecks who never learned how to properly behave out in our multi cultural society.
Peace, Love and Music!
June 29th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
whats lawn tix got to do with it i had lawn tix and damn sure am not no under educated redneck, as far as the show was awesome my 4th time of seeing him and will go again we must have been same hotel was rite across street
June 30th, 2009 at 9:03 am
What integrity you have Mr. Levey-Baker. You have just proved why any idiot with a note pad or laptop could do your job. I hope your boss sees this. He may be able to cut some costs by letting your ass go. You displayed the same behavior as those so called rednecks. The rednecks assumed the worst of one minority without getting to know him and you did the same to 10,000 people. Good work, Knuckle Nuts.
June 30th, 2009 at 9:43 am
First, I didn’t write this piece: Robert Johnson did.
Second, Robert did not make a judgment about every person at the concert in the same way a racist makes a judgment about an entire race. He was simply turned off by a few bad apples and didn’t want to deal with them, something that he makes pretty clear.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:47 am
First: My bad. I should have looked closer at who wrote the piece.
Second: My 9 year old son has better excuses for not cleaning his room than the one you just tried to pass.
Third: I understand you are covering for your boy. Thats cool.
Fourth: He owes the readers an honest review of Kid Rock show. This is why people read things like this. Help them or stop trying.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I am going to the Kid Rock show on 7/12 in IL and I was wondering if you could tell me if he plays first or if Lynyrd Synyrd is first. Just trying to coordinate a limo ride. Thanks!!!
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:15 am
Is this intern writer now allowed an opinion? THAT is what makes good reporters: The courage of their convictions, to say what they truly observed even if it’s unpopular. It might have been nice if CL had also assigned a seasoned music reporter and gotten another perspective, but after eight years of no real reporting on important issues, let’s not discourage those new to the biz from speaking out and not towing a (record) company line.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Oops. Sorry, this is what happens when writers submit unedited copy: In the opening sentence of my above comment I MEANT TO TYPE/ASK “Is this intern writer NOT allowed an opinion?”
July 6th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
To Rebecca: Did not intend to imply that all those who held lawn tix were under educated rednecks. Subject of that sentence was the rude people he observed in traffic. Since it had been raining intermittently that aft and early evening, some lawn ticket holders may have experienced some anxiety on the way to the show, wondering if their uncovered ground seats would be a big old mud bog mess, which then might explain their short-temperedness and rudeness while in congested traffic.
Speaking of anxiety, am now wondering if Robert’s girlfriend — who didn’t want to attend the show in the first place — might have had a major influence on his ultimate decision to bail on the concert, citing the inappropriate behaviors of a few rude attendees as final justification for why they shouldn’t even go inside the gates to check out the entire scene before choosing to bolt. Food for thought…
July 6th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
I came here for a review of the Kid Rock concert and all I got was a review of Robert Johnson playing with his woman parts. Rob, You were offended at the sight of a Southern Flag. Grow some nuts and do your job. Report the concerts and leave your girly emotions at home next to your Tampon loaded purse. Better luck next time.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:03 am
I have seen Skynyrd 4 times in the last 10 years and everytime they continue to blow me away. My wife and I discuss whether to see them again in Charlotte July 26, so I google concert review for this show and find this? A pathetic article which should be deleted immediately. Instead of turning the other cheek and ignoring racist morons the writer of this article becomes a racist moron himself, and we still don’t get a concert review out of it. Would someone with the actual ability to give a concert review for this show please give me one and let me know how the show actually was??? Just let me know how good the show actually was please!!! Thank you to anyone who could help!!!!
July 8th, 2009 at 6:13 am
wow!!!!! If i went to work and didnt feel like doin my job i wouldnt have my job any more. I would get fired. I m shocked at this review or should i say NO review. I came on the internet to see if there was an opening band and found this crap. If it was a rap concert or even an emiemi concert and there was a bunch of white people would you have ran away? Free concert tickets and VIP parking iam at a loss for words. sad very sad
July 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I do agree that in order to write a story containing a “Concert Review” one should indeed attend the concert, in its entirety, before making any judgements, let alone public statements. This was taught to me in Junior High Journalism class, come on now!
July 14th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
LOLOLOL – I don’t normally post here but this is hilarious. Congrats Creative Loafing for having the “Man Parts” LOL – to put out an honest opinion.
And frankly, hats off to Johnson as well for doing. WTF he wanted and not worrying about the BS storm he had to know would ensue.
And finally, thanks to all the insecure Rednecks that brightened up my Tuesday afternoon.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Steve, When your done sucking off Rob Johnson and his worthless review, you and your man lover “Rob” can move off to Wisconsin, get married and live far away from these confederate flags that have yours and Robs panties all in twist.
August 26th, 2009 at 11:50 am
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