Knox County’s newest concert venue opened on Thursday, May 5. And like any opening night, the unseasonably cool evening had a few glitches. But Back Porch on the Creek was christened by southern rock legends 38 Special and by night’s end, everyone forgot that they had to wait an extra 30 minutes to get in.
That was thanks to Don Barnes and the boys taking them on a walk down memory lane for a couple of hours.
It was cold for May and the venue apologized for some opening night shortcomings.
Once the show started, there were plenty of questions surrounding the band, which was appearing in Knoxville for the first time in more than five years.
The group last played in K-Town in September, 2011 and it was the last Knoxville appearance of vocalist Donnie Van Zant, who left the band in 2013 due to health concerns.
No Donnie, no problem. And that’s to be expected. Van Zant, the younger brother of late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant, might’ve been recognized as 38 Special’s lead singer. But Donnie was only one of the group’s three leaders, along with Barnes and guitarist Jeff Carlisi (who parted ways with the band years ago).
In truth, Barnes was indeed the group’s frontman on most of the their classic hits such as “Hold on Loosely,” “Fantasy Girl” and “Back Where You Belong.”
Barnes, who is the only founding member still in the band, proved on a chilly night in the Volunteer State that he is and always has been the one largely responsible for the band’s signature southern sound. Barnes (along with Carlisi) is the true leader of 38 Special, who brought fans southern-fried rock ‘n’ roll in the 1970’s and stuck around long after the likes of Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, the Marshall Tucker Band. They all but faded into obscurity and the now-defunct Allman Brothers Band was on a lengthy hiatus.
The most recent 38 Special show didn’t break much new ground. One song absent from 2011 was “Trooper With an Attitude,” the tune from Super Troopers. It was simply a night for fans to look back on old memories.
Of course the band hasn’t released any original material since 2004, and nothing relevant since long before the turn of the century.
All the classic songs from the southern and arena rock titans were there and they all sounded as they were intended.
Furthermore, seeing 38 without Van Zant was like seeing Creedence Clearwater Revival without Tom Fogerty, and not like Bad Company with Paul Rodgers.
Van Zant’s contributions were not missed at all and Barnes and the boys (including keyboardist Bobby Capps, drummer Gary Moffatt. Bassist Barry Dunaway and lead guitarist Danny Chauncey) can still rock despite living on a somewhat faded legacy.
The classics were great and Barnes owned the audience from the outset.
