Review: ZZ Top

Almost 40 years into their career, ZZ Top have finally fulfilled their destiny. They've become the best blues band in the world.

After remarkably successful stints as boogie barnstormers in the '70s and MTV's favorite goofballs in the '80s, the Texas trio have reinvented themselves yet again. As approximately 1,300 fans discovered Wednesday night at the Midland by AMC, the band's new approach is immensely satisfying.

ZZ Top's retooled attack is raw, raunchy and never less than completely vital. They understand that the reverent revivalism and homogenized background music that too often passes for contemporary blues gets it all wrong.

Their version of "Tush," for example, bore no resemblance to anything heard on a moldy classic rock station. Instead, the rethinking of the 1975 hit sounded as if Kurt Cobain had attempted to turn a John Lee Hooker song inside out.

"What do you want to hear tonight?" guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons asked. "How about some old blues? Y'all from Kansas City: You know the blues."

They proceeded to electrify "Future Blues," a classic associated with Charley Patton and Willie Brown.

"That was the exact arrangement Willie Brown used in 1932," Gibbons joked at the song's conclusion.

Bassist Dusty Hill's vocal on "Catfish Blues" and a pulverizing version of "Hey Joe" further demonstrated the night's roots-based theme. Catalog staples were completely transformed. "I Need You Tonight" and "Chevrolet" became convincing gutbucket blues.

When MTV-era hits "Sharp Dressed Man." "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Legs" finally showed up, they were battered and bruised until they also resembled modern-day blues songs. Gibbon's and Hill's beards and delightfully rudimentary choreography were the only holdovers from their infamous '80s videos.

Blues is closely associated with guitar heroics; Gibbons didn't disappoint. The excellent sound throughout ZZ Top's 90-minute performance showcased Gibbon's fat and filthy guitar tone. He ripped an especially vicious solo during "Pincushion" and his slide guitar work on audience favorite "Just Got Paid" was also outstanding.

The opulence of the renovated Midland Theater can scarcely be mistaken for a roadhouse. But for one night, at least, it was the site of one hell of a house party.

Blackberry Smoke -- not to be confused with similar Southern rock band Black Stone Cherry -- opened the show with almost 40 minutes of post-Skynyrd country-rock. Although they have the pop smarts of a modern day .38 Special, the Atlanta group's most notable accomplishment may be rhyming "Chattahoochee" with "his sister's coochie" on "Feel a Good One Comin' On."

|Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star

ZZ Top's setlist: Under Pressure, Waitin' for the Bus, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Chevrolet, Pincushion, Future Blues, Cheap Sunglasses, I Need You Tonight, Catfish Blues, Hey Joe, Heard It On the X, Just Got Paid, Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, Jailhouse Rock, La Grange/jam, Tush

Comments

[pete]

If I had only known they were back to basics. Woulda been there in a heartbeat. They lost me at Sharp Dressed man.

[SidTripp]

The show was a lot of fun and the crowd was going all night. The sound was prett good, a little heavy on the bass that muddled some things. But the guys still were having fun playing music and entertaining the crowd.

[Gonzo]

Tim,
I dont mean to hijack this post but do you know anything about the realease of tickets for presales? I purchased 2 tickets to the first night of The Pumpkins at Midland and there didn't seem to be any good seats available... infact none were available for the middle sections. I was trying right at 10am when the presale started and the only choices for reserved seats for either night were on the sides. Do you have any insight into this?

thanks

[Tim Finn]

That's weird. I can see holding some prime seats for the general sale, but not all of them. I see what I can find out.

[Penny]

Very nice review. I feel like I saw both big shows last night without leaving the comfort of my home. Thanks!

[Lynn]

Had a blast!

[Randy]

Wow, what a great concert. I took my 17 year old son and all he could say the next day when asked about it was "Awesome". ZZ Top is very professional in everything they do. We were in the balcony 2nd row and almost center. During La Grange everyone was bobb'n and rock'n and the balcony was flexing up and down like a trampoline, NO JOKE. It was moving up and down 3 inches or so. All of us froze and looked at each other like "is this thing going to fall?". It was scary and it did it everytime that song would build up with that fantastic beat. We got up and moved to the stairway for the final. I tried calling the Midland today to see if this was built into the design of the structure but I had to leave a message. Does anyone know about this ever happening before? We don't need a bunch of people getting killed in a balcony colapse. Email me if you know anything about this. Thanks! Randy

[K]

Tim
One of my favorite sites.
You do a great job.
Thanks!
-K

[kmoon]

Billy seemed to be enjoying the intimate setting at the Midland. He was doing some killer licks, and some experimentation. It's a lot easier to catch subtleties in a place like that, compared to last year's show when they were playing outside to the stars & the sky. We had our cheap sunglasses on, but we could still see that they were having fun and kicking a$$ !

[Royce]

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[cheap computers]

The sound was prett good, a little heavy on the bass that muddled some things. But the guys still were having fun playing music and entertaining the crowd.

[sildenafil]

a greater loss but has had the rock, lyrics miss his talent and infected us with a rage of others, wish you were his art and his talent here with us the man was alone on their own ..

[plantronics headset]

I went to see zz top in the 80's at the peak of their career, they rock!

[gn netcom headset]

These guys are hard core rockers. ZZ Top in arizaon was the best concert I ever saw!
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