ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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That Little Ol’ Band from Texas comes up big in ZZ Top: Live from Texas, a concert recorded in Dallas in November, 2007. The hirsute trio (guitarist Billy Gibbons, bass player Dusty Hill, drummer Frank Beard) has been at it for nearly four decades now, and notwithstanding their synth-tinged commercial breakthrough in the ‘80s, they haven’t changed a whole lot in that time–not that that’s a bad thing, as ZZ Top is still essentially a fine, gut-bucket blues band. In the course of this 80-minute gig, they dig deep into the back catalogue, mixing in tunes from ‘70s albums like Tres Hombres, Rio Grande Mud, and Fandango, as well as more recent items from the multi-platinum Eliminator. Their themes (cars, women, good barbeque) are as eternal as their beards are long (well, not Beard’s beard; the fact that he doesn’t have one remains a source of ironic amusement), their shtick is effortlessly cool, their presentation is minimal (calling Gibbons and Hill’s moves "dancing" would be a major stretch), and their stage show is modest by Big Rock Show standards; the crowd eats it all up, especially when the band careens into a set-closing string of hits including "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man," "La Grange," and, of course, "Tush." This is the only ZZ Top concert performance out there, and while it has occasional shortcomings (in terms of both performance and technical aspects), it’s a fine example of a veteran band that remains a potent live attraction despite long-dwindling clout as record sellers.
As is often the case, the principal appeal of the Blu-ray edition of this title is its crisper visuals and especially its highly enhanced sound. Bonus material is the same as other releases, highlighted by Gibbons, Hill, and Beard playing poker while reminiscing about everything from opening for the Rolling Stones and the menagerie (buzzards, longhorn steer, tarantula, etc.) that accompanied the band on a long ago tour to Paula Abdul’s attempt to teach the boys some dance steps (the results speak for themselves). Their version of Jimi Hendrix’s "Foxey Lady" is pretty cool, too.

~ Sam Graham

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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ZZ Top:

Formed: 1970, Houston, TX
Genres: Rock
Representative Albums: "The Best of ZZ Top", "Greatest Hits", "Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box"
Representative Songs: "Legs", "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man"

This sturdy American blues-rock trio from Texas consists of Billy Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums). They were formed in 1970 in and around Houston from rival bands the Moving Sidewalks (Gibbons) and American Blues (Hill and Beard). Their first two albums reflected the strong blues roots and Texas humor of the band. Their third album (Tres Hombres) gained them national attention with the hit "La Grange," a signature riff tune to this day, based on John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen." Their success continued unabated throughout the '70s, culminating with the year-and-a-half-long Worldwide Texas Tour.

Exhausted from the overwhelming workload, they took a three-year break, then switched labels and returned to form with Deguello and El Loco, both harbingers of what was to come. By their next album, Eliminator, and its worldwide smash follow-up, Afterburner, they had successfully harnessed the potential of synthesizers to their patented grungy blues groove, giving their material a more contemporary edge while retaining their patented Texas style. Now sporting long beards, golf hats, and boiler suits, they met the emerging video age head-on, reducing their "message" to simple iconography. Becoming even more popular in the long run, they moved with the times while simultaneously bucking every trend that crossed their path. As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers; Gibbons is one of America's finest blues guitarists working in the arena rock idiom – both influenced by the originators of the form and British blues-rock guitarists like Peter Green – while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support.

The only rock & roll group that's out there with its original members still aboard after three decades (an anniversary celebrated on 1999's XXX), ZZ Top play music that is always instantly recognizable, eminently powerful, profoundly soulful, and 100-percent American in derivation. They have continued to support the blues through various means, perhaps most visibly when they were given a piece of wood from Muddy Waters' shack in Clarksdale, MS. The group members had it made into a guitar, dubbed the "Muddywood," then sent it out on tour to raise money for the Delta Blues Museum. ZZ Top's support and link to the blues remains as rock solid as the music they play. A concert CD and DVD, Live from Texas, recorded in Dallas in 2007 and featuring a still vital band, were both released in 2008.

~ Cub Koda, Rovi

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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ZZ Top: Live From Texas (2008) Re-up

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