Built to Spill - Freebird

Built to Spill playing Freebird at the Variety Playhouse, Atlanta GA, on 9/25/01.
I should note that I didn't film this.

[@stiflingmystrife]

THIS is an example of an Indie band having no pretensions. I enjoy Indie bands when they try to be unique or quirky, however it gets tiresome. This is refreshing because they just let loose and have fun.

[@southrules]

+stiflingmystrife And rock! Everyone knows this song rocks and Skynyrd, while having some southern racist undertones, were extremely talented boys and later made up with Neil Young etc, BTS loves a great guitar solo such as this and Cortez the Killer etc, they love to rock.

[@wilhelmscream3499]

No pretension. Fuck that's insulting. They are playing the song because like true free thinkers they realize it's one of the best free rock songs ever made. They aren't all hung up on the fact that it's "Free Bird". That's what alternative is about. The ability to like things regardless of social context and for it's true form.

[@claytonbrown7120]

You just agreed with the original comment ya dummy.

[@hooskerdu1]

Oh, there is most certainly pretense here. These guys are playing this song to poke fun at the song...and it's great! You notice that they cut out the 2nd verse entirely and went directly to speeding the song up, so they could get to the fun part where the song begins to jam. Also, notice the extended ending of the song? That goes hand in hand with the concept of endless guitar solos during the song. They are making a point, while enjoying themselves. Guitar players would play "Smoke on the Water" if it were challenging and fun to play, but the song is sheer drudgery. Freebird is enough fun to hold their interest, but I could almost guarantee that this song isn't in their favorite playlists.

[@DaveAnchovies]

@@southrules Thats bullshit, Synyrd had NO racist undertones--the Neil Yound thing was publicity. Saturday Night Special is anti-gun, Ballad of Curtis Loew is about his hero, a black bluesman when he was young. They took exception to Southern Man painting with a broad brush. You shouldnt make such nasty accusations that cant be backed up with facts. The original band was considered very liberal. I cant find a single time they had to even defend themselves. The internet is a cesspool of gossip, drama and spicoli stabbed mr hand b.s. shame on you, 5 years later.

[@jaywright1581]

Who knew that Freebird was perfect both musically and melodically for Built to Spill. Incredible

[@ilsk8in94]

I’m a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd now because of this

[@straightcashhomey1261]

This will ruin the indie cred I have been cultivating for 25 years but I would love to hear BTS cover My Sacrifice by Creed

[@jaywright1581]

@@straightcashhomey1261 😂 would probably be amazing. I firmly believe that Be there soon! can polish any turd

[@sbeard90]

they're cover of cortez the killer is my favorite cover of that song as well.

[@losangulos]

@@sbeard90is it on youtube?

[@brianwilliams9215]

Saw them the night of 9/11/2001 at the Cleveland Agora. They closed the set with this. Just about brought tears to my eyes it was so perfect for that moment.

[@ShogunZIlla]

Brian Williams they played it at the show in New York too a few days later

[@orbitsofmoon]

Was there. I remember them lighting two candles, not saying a thing, and just launching into their set. And then they played this? It was so appropriate and touching. Glad you got to witness it too.

[@johncallahan6401]

@@orbitsofmoon I was there. Chills.

[@hahnilso3187]

Here's my two cents as a musician for 35 years it doesn't matter who you are you don't mail that solo like that unless you dig the song that thing is work must have dug it enough to invest the time. That's no loose slop going on. Not saying they aren't amazing musicians but pulling off that lead is on another level just my two cents. Pretty blown away personally and I can't think of anyone who's done it better since the seventies.

[@kimmiekoneko]

I love their rendition of this song, and I very much wanted them to play it when I saw them live, but I wasn't drunk enough to be *that person* and yell FREE BIRD at them D:

[@GeneTrujillo]

You may have heard Isaac Brock's response to a similar request.

[@2bitnpc]

@@GeneTrujillo that’s funny built to spill was opening for modest mouse at this show. Someone yelled freebird and bts went right in to it. How do you top that tho? Modest mouse came out and half the audience left lol. We went to get pizza instead

[@zombimanos6103]

I was at the columbus show right before it

[@troyhenry9143]

That is why BTS is my favorite band of all time. They killed it like no one else can. Saw them in 93 at Laluna in Portland OR for the first time, I thought holy shit that voice comes out of that homeless looking guy with the huge beard? I've been in love ever since.

[@suesutton9226]

i ONLY DISCOVERED THEM HERE ON KZbin TONIGHT AND i LOVE THEM

[@jimisalt]

Jimin is my favourite

[@kyeo77]

@@jimisalt boy if you don't get

[@primovid]

I never thought I would see another band do that song justice...until now. Great to see three talented guitarists in the same band on stage at the same time!

[@dudedude2207]

Probably the best iteration of built to spill hands down

[@JudasPFoxglove]

I was at this show, they opened for Modest Mouse (who also blew the roof off of the place). Built To Spill also played Cheap Trick's "Dream Police" at this show.

[@cward1890]

Modest Mouse was BTS Jr 😂

[@2112iscoming]

I love Modest Mouse, but they definitely should've been opening for BTS!

[@jaywright1581]

Holy shit, that’s the perfect show. Jealous

[@shanice5722]

Most of the audience doesn't seem to know the greatness they are witnessing. Thankfully it was recorded so those that know can hear.

[@lucase.2546]

Never in my life did I think I’d see this crossover

[@wilcogrundens9086]

That guy on the SG though!!!111. Saw this tour 2 nights in a row at the showbox. Good thing I love nostalgia..

[@djazrag]

WOW!! I was at this show!! BTS and Modest Mouse played 2 nights and alternated who was the headlinee!! That will teach those "Freebird" yeller outers!!

[@2bitnpc]

I wS here too. Sup from 2021

[@jakoviandialects]

Glad to see he's back touring..... hope I get a chance to see him again soon.... he always comes through..... a living legend... hope he's got many years to come..... it'll be a sad day when he has to leave.... I'll be crushed to the core... he's been with me for a long while...... hail uncle Neil... my brother's name is Neal... after my late great uncle who was in ww2... navy... a master swimmer who drowned.. ironically so.... rip uncle Neal... gone so young.

[@0xTas]

"Life's too fucking short to hear or play freebird"

[@southrules]

You mean not to play?

[@BABYxMike]

Tasmainia300 Alright Issac you can calm down.

[@isaacparis2260]

I like how they get to the good part as fast as possible. Radio station idea: just the end of freebird.

[@gsdgsdgdhsadds]

i can't believe everyone's just standing there when they're playing the crazy solo part

[@2bitnpc]

People were going nuts you just can’t tell. There was a pit even during this. There was 2,000 people there you can’t see. People were flashing them on their partners shoulders even (first time I’d seen that at a indie show) . Quote the moment

[@clegg2121]

This is hilarious and awesome all at the same time.

[@fufuman27]

Well this is the best thing I’ve ever seen

[@Pastrychef90210]

Have to agree

[@Soemthingidontknow1987]

built to spill rocks da house soo hard

[@MrsFish7]

I caught these guys last night supporting Dinosaur Jr and I was blown away with them.....the music says it all with them...all the bullshit stripped away.....just great heartfelt expression and delivery..........I feel a major Amazon trawl for all their albums coming on....

[@Kreutz]

Such an epic performance.

[@glenncanale9225]

The new Idaho guitar army.

[@andydillenger2226]

He is so humble....huge signing bonus and he strolls around town in a subaru station wagon and shoots hoops over at North jr high....nice guy

[@buschfsu]

I was one of the nerds behind jim roth during that awesome slide work. One of the best shows

[@andrewptob]

I saw BTS cover Freebird back in the early 00s and it was the greatest single song I've ever seen played live. BTS rocks.

[@GravityRides]

Man, is there anything Built to Spill can't do? I love this!!

[@JoeWooldridge]

This is so kickass. They sounded great.

[@MrHypie]

I think if the crowd looks passive its just because of the overwhelming power of this :) Hope they do a European tour for the new album, and play this, i'll pay any price.

[@DaveAnchovies]

they dont know if its serious or tounge in cheek. you dont nail a song that good if youre joking, Skynyrd was much more than a southern rock band. These guys grew up on Freebird. They really do it justice, no joking around. Less hipster than the people who pay to sse them.

[@markm4601]

Holy shit. This is incredible.

[@ataxia1973]

there's no other response.

[@southrules]

I was at this show! It was 1961 at the Viper Club, Andy Warhol and Suri Cruise showed up, it was the bees knees!

[@popolbruh8263]

@Angelo Iafelice He's clearly being serious that this is 1961

[@TheFuzzieWuzzie]

Incredible cover of a great 1970’s song.

[@19james77]

Built to Spill is bad ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jasonmfshow]

I actually used to work with the bass player Brett in the late 90's. One of the most mellow, yet witty guys you could ever hope to meet.

[@meiguoren66]

They could do this in their sleep. EPIC!!!

[@deweypug2636]

Whoa! This is majestic!!!!

[@johncallahan6401]

I saw Built to Spill in at the Cleveland Agora Night Club on September 11, 2001. Needless to say, it was a very strange night. Oh, did BTS put on a show! They closed the evening with the aptly-timed Skynyrd cover. It was awesome. There may have been tears and ecstatic shouts of nationalism.

[@DaveAnchovies]

Van Zandt was pretty liberal...the Neil Young thing was played up, they became good friends. check the politics at the door. Not sure why its apt;y timed or you associate them with "cries of nationalism"...the man who thought of the lyrics was quite liberal. Is it cause theyre southern boys? Shouldnt stereotype or profile.

[@georgiethumbs2438]

I like the dude holding up the lighter LOL LOL!

[@1911wood]

They killed it with Cortez the Killer. I think they don’t do a cover unless they slay it.

[@deadpan80]

That was a really good rendition - each band member got his own moments, some nice rearrangements - not a carbon copy. Nicely done.

[@annmariemcnary8400]

Everyone always asks, no one delivers. BTS, one of my favs...

[@conedust]

Some them do this live at Bumbershoot (festival) in Seattle, summer of 2001. One of the best moments in a live show I've ever seen - especially since it was at the peak of folks constantly yelling "FREE BIRD" as an ironic joke between songs at concerts of every kind. So they start to play it, and at first I thought they were taking the piss, but then they skip most of the song to just dive headlong into the solo and fucking rip the place apart. It was magnificent. There's a video on youtube, but unfortunately the sound is shit, so I'm psyched to find this equally kickass version from later the same year. God bless the internet

[@Aspartamebraintumor]

This is where classic rock went... and it's great

[@19james77]

god that sounded so good.

[@63chicago6]

i like how the guy with the long hair stays perfectly still during the epic solo

[@2bitnpc]

He only came out to play solos. Would leave the stage for half the song then come out at the end lol. He was also drinking odouls

[@jrcenina85]

jim's gonna poke someone's eye with those strings hanging out of that swinging headstock!

[@ml9707]

Caught this tour at the I-Ball in Houston in 2001 or whatever. What an end to a show. So tight, so fuckin good.

[@vokes113]

netson could give two shits lol

[@joshuadewe1116]

@ 3:24 haha

[@scaredypicker]

Brilliant version. Love Skynyrd. Love Built To Spill.

[@kevinyountrevzupak8686]

Was at this show...double show with modest mouse...fucking awesome

[@ktheone6000]

Thanks oknu for sending me here

[@henergy96]

Doug’s voice actually fits really well with this song, also I’m happy that they played this song

[@hooskerdu1]

I gotta say....after hearing this....any future incarnation of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd should be required to pay royalties to Built to Spill whenever they play this song. After this performance, BTS now OWNS this song..

[@samurai641]

Man at 6:35 that guy is in a trance! Ha, love it, especially the BTS flair they gave to it for attentive listeners.

[@abmanci1]

How awesome is to be able to actually play freebird when people shout it out. Would blow your mind.

[@mirandapaigesnyder]

Yeah. i was at this show & somehow managed to miss this. I am so mad!! But thanks for sharing it so I can see it now... : (

[@georgiethumbs2438]

What I like about this band is the guy is bald and doesn't try to hide it by wearing a hat or shaving his head

[@Badassmotherhugger]

Georgie Thumbs wtf LOL why would hek

[@georgiethumbs2438]

Because every band I see that has a bald guy he's either wearing a hat or he shaves his head like Billy Corgan or Chris Daughtry or Moby, none of them have the balls to just let the world know they are losing their hair like this guy Doug Martsch

[@Badassmotherhugger]

Georgie Thumbs omg. Billy Corgan's head is HUGE. Seriously. I saw him in irl and my first thought wasn't 'wow! Billy Corgan!' it was..."whoa! giant head!" LOL Doug Martsch is cool as Fuck. he's had t be same hair since the 90's. I guess I just love them so much I never thought about it. they're on a different level. Doug is so sweet. I met him a lot of times. so nice

[@ad-xf8bb]

It's funny cuz what I like about them as that they just tear this shit up. DAMN.

[@kevinmurtagh4996]

Georgie Thumbs Well, to be fair, not many of us like the “horse shoe” look. Why do you not have a problem with non-bald dudes cutting/styling their hair, but you think bald guys shouldn’t be able to do the same? Judging by your comment, it sounds like you might be a bald guy who doesn’t like the way you look with a shaved head and therefore feels like you don’t have any options, so you take your insecurity out on dudes who do shave their heads. No one would make the comment you just made unless you were insecure about something. 🤷‍♂️

[@Wes.K.]

would so give anything to see these guys live!

[@kevintatum8700]

WOW, this just made my day, You guys are one of my fav's and this now goes down as one of the coolest Cover's to exist! P.S. LOVE The NEW ALBUM!!!!!

[@michaelrusso4709]

It's like Picasso doing one of those things with fruit in a bowl.

[@tombuttner]

For the first 20 seconds of the song… people are thinking: "No fucking way!"

[@SuperEd86]

jim roth

[@kevincee7784]

Fuk yesssss!!!such an awesome cover!!

[@suesutton9226]

Amazing cover! ( And the y have FOUR guitarists ! - very impressive )

[@TheLZE]

amazing. truly epic

[@hankventure13]

Ive always wanted to ask Doug if they did this as a response to Modest Mouse's Freebird rant on their live album.

[@southrules]

Ask him then

[@hankventure13]

I will next time the next time I see him

[@Calvinfan98]

+marc joaquin Probably not. Baron von Bullshit was released in 2004 and according to the video description this was 3 years earlier.

[@ofstsld6488]

M13joaquin ! old comment but isaac did the freebird rant in response to this

[@danielgreen8483]

ofstsld you don’t know that!

[@takeittothemall]

i wish i could give this six stars.

[@ssimon64]

I saw these guys play Freebird at Bumbershoot back in '01

[@straightcashhomey1261]

Jim Roth is a monster!

[@LisaJMoore]

They sound great.....

[@samuelsons01]

i dont know the name of the other guitarist. not the long haired dude but the guy on the left has some serious fuckin guitar skills.

[@vlvvv2064]

Joe

[@laketoriver]

@@vlvvv2064joe mama (I’m insufferable)

[@meanytunes]

This is so great! A great youtube discovery

[@bob0clown]

umm.. how unimaginably awesome is this?

[@buddypeterson1070]

Insane man

[@mfnd502]

@vokes113 that's how he always looks when he plays. Now he just looks like The Last Man On Earth.

[@gareksnoats5848]

I saw this tour in Boston, MA and Doug gave me a dollar bill.

[@lucaswb1433]

hell to the yeah!

[@Kingrizla2000]

The songs covered by BTS are proof that bands that make the most interesting music have the most diverse influences.

[@carolauld8722]

Brilliant

[@taylorbortnerathing]

@dpeab11370 it's because the audience doesn't matter. who cares about engaging the crowd? just as long as the band is into it

[@markegge]

At tonight's show someone yelled "Freebird" and the band is like, "free beer?!!"

[@Tyler-hr3mw]

If this were the make-a-wish foundation and you were gonna die in 20 minutes, just long enough to play Free Bird, we still wouldn't play it.

[@Kreutz]

I'd rather hear Built to Spill play Broken Chairs live then.

[@xxgamer420babexx]

I see u modest mouse fan

[@straightcashhomey1261]

“We don’t even know how to play fucking Freebird”

[@2bitnpc]

They were opening for modest mouse on this tour. After they’d play freebird for their encore half the audience would split instead of staying for mm. Think that’s why isaac hates it

[@reusablecatmilk]

@Mole121 I've seen them 4 times in the past 2 years. I'm pretty sure they're just all about the music now. Not much show left

[@gk10002000]

they got the rhythm accents right. So many bands just play the chords.

[@kiely]

i'll bet i've "thrown the horns" at several dozen times at shows ... but then again i have only seen 'em once since the 90's ended.

[@corkithedaringbombardier207]

Freaking Righteous brah

[@zazafiend]

Awesome

[@aprodigy4]

AMAZINGץ

[@equallyeasilyfuqyou]

PLAY FREEBIRD oh shit they did it

[@richardfernand8488]

U got the brett’s , Martsch , I think plouf on drums and Jesus mthrfking Christ on guitar … WOW

[@louisdahlia]

YYEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@7sterling]

It's 2022 and all the kids are wearing baggy pants. Maybe Built to Spill will have a popularity renaissance.

[@Vajakob]

Holy shit

[@dpeab11370]

Tight and groovy! Vocals could have been better...he sounds more like Neil Young than Johnny van Zant but it rocked none the less! Just found out about this band...are they an improv / jam band?

[@DrFonzo]

Not an improv or jam band really. But 3 amazing guitar players can jam on whatever you want...their cover of Cortez the killer on their live album would be a prime example

[@DaveAnchovies]

dude...have you ever heard the song "freebird" before?

[@uncooldispatch5438]

😻😻😻😻❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🤟🤟🤟🥰🥰🥰🥰😛😛😉😉👁👁👁🤟🤟🤟👍👍👍🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏amazing!!!

[@dm20422]

✨

[@uncooldispatch5438]

4:48 fkin killer!!!!!!!!!!!!🤩🤩😵😵😵😵🥵🥵🥵💀💀💀💀😈😈😈👹👹👹😳😳🤗🤗😱😱🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@davidarmstrong3626]

who was playing the guitar outside of doug and brent? thats currently what is of of interest to me my channel or whatever down the road = "dave says"

[@darthmon26]

Georgia you don't deserve this c'mon show some fucking love

[@rmbjr60]

It takes balls to cover skynyrd. well done bts!!!!

[@Krazy_Shorts]

Holy. Fucking. SHIT!