Lynyrd Skynyrd are set to return to the UK for an arena tour in July.
The rock band’s ‘Celebrating 50 Years of Lynyrd Skynyrd’ tour will mark half a century since the release of their debut album, and it will be their first visit to UK shores since 2019.
Johnny Van Zant, the group’s lead vocalist, said: “It’s about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and what it stands for, what the fans are all about. There’s nothing like getting out there, playing a great show with Skynyrd and seeing people love this music.”
The tour will begin at the AO Arena in Manchester on July 15, before the band head to Birmingham and Brighton, and then close at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on July 19.
Blackberry Smoke will appear as special guests at all four concerts.
What’s more, £1 from every ticket sold on the tour will be donated to Live Trust, a new funding initiative that provides financial support to people working in the live music industry.
Presale tickets are available from Wednesday (22.01.25), with general sale opening on Friday via aegpresents.co.uk.
Lynyrd Skynyrd actually planned to retire in 2020 – but the band changed their mind amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock in 2023, Johnny explained: “We were [in our] last year and COVID hit. We were, like, ‘Well, s***. This is great.’
“We sat at home for 15 months and when those months were up, we were obligated to finish off the dates that we had booked. So we said, ‘Okay, well, let’s reform and get back out there and put everybody back to work.’ We got back out there and went, ‘You know what? We really missed this.’ We missed seeing our fans.”
Lynyrd Skynyrd tour dates:
Manchester AO Arena – July 15
Birmingham Utilita Arena – July 16
Brighton Centre – July 18
London OVO Arena Wembley – July 19