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Review and photos by Dave Vacula
Let's talk about those Rock n' Roll Hall of Famers - ZZ Top. The band has always had a penchant for hitting the stage with a shitload of dirty Texas attitude. With a unique look to back it up - their famous long beards (which now makes Rip van Winkle look cool) and their dusty leather and black pants. ZZ Top hasn't produced music like they did in their heyday in the '70s and early '80s, but their good ole boy rockin' blues
still speaks for itself. They truly did in Chi-town on Friday night. Billy Gibbons (lead vocals and lead guitar), Dusty Hill (vocals, bass, and keyboards), and Frank Beard (drums and ironically the only member without a beard) seem to have been nurtured by the god of the south himself. Gibbons lights his choppy chords into textural backwoods twangs while his well worn voice still howls at the moon with authority.
Hill and Beard keep the foundation lean and mean while laying down the law.
These guys have
been playing together for four decades now - that on its own is truly amazing. How many bands are able to keep their core members together for so long?
The band hit the highlights right off the bat "Jesus Just Left Chicago" played it's blues-drenched sensibility with a snarling attitude. The Chi-town rebels in the audience were rockin' in their boots. "Blue Jeans Blues" smoked with a raunchy boogie. "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" definitely took the crowd for a
ride into depths of ZZ land. Gibbons then led the charge on Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" taking the hallucinogenic song into the whiskey bars of south Texas. His slide guitar warbled and sang like an ancient siren of the sea. Other hits performed were "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Legs" and "Tush." Everyone in attendance left with a three mile smile
and a bit more kick in their step.
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