Lighters Above The Gorge: Skynyrd, Doobies Beam US Back

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Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Doobie Brothers, "What Song Is It You Want To Hear Tour '96," 7 p.m. Saturday, Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Grant County; $26.80-$42.55, 628-0888; Gorge Information Line: 285-1970. -----------------------------------------------------------------

The Gorge will shift into a time warp Saturday when 1970s rock bands Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Doobie Brothers touch down at the outdoor amphitheatre. Fans will be musically transported back to the hippie era, especially when Skynyrd fires up "Freebird," still a durable rock anthem more than two decades after it debuted.

That and "Sweet Home Alabama," another 20-plus-year-old staple the band must play in concert or risk a riot, are the main lures to the show. Even though fans will know it's not really the same band on stage that recorded those Southern rock classics - since several original members died in a 1977 plane crash - the songs will sound close enough to the originals that flaming lighters will be held aloft while the songs ring through the Gorge, along with two-fingered V-for-Victory peace signs. Doobie legacy, too

It's also a sure bet that the aroma of marijuana will waft through the crowd, because that's part of the ritual, too.

So it's only fitting that a band named after pot is also on the bill. The Doobie Brothers (daring in its day, the name sounds silly now) also have a legacy of 1970s songs that must be played at every one of their shows. "Long Train Runnin'," "Black Water" and "What a Fool Believes" may not be anthems but are staples that evoke a long-gone era.

Why are these bands still around long after their prime? Because fans want that trip back in time.

Sounds are similar

"It was the people who came to see us that made us realize it was all right to go on," Gary Rossington, the only remaining original member, is quoted as saying in a press release about the current tour (talking about the 1987 comeback tour). "It was like they were saying, `It's OK, go for it.' We got a lot of mail from fans while we were on the road, and they didn't want us to stop."

The current eight-member band sounds much the same as the six-member 1970s version. Johnny Van Zant sings like his brother Ronnie, the original vocalist, who died in the crash. Longtime bassist Leon Wilkeson anchors the rhythm section, adding more continuity.

The Doobie Brothers now includes two veterans, Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, along with drummer Michael Hossack, guitarist John McFee and drummer Keith Knudsen.