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Original members still keep the flame goin'

ZZ Top
AVA Amphitheatre
Tucson, AZ
June 17, 2022
ZZ Top

Review and photos by Mary Andrews

ZZ Top returned to Tucson's AVA Amphitheatre for their 2022 tour ahead of the release of their new album, Raw, due out in July. The bearded Texas rockers performed at AVA in 2014. A repeat visit was long over due. Over the years, the band has built a solid reputation as a great live act and this show was no exception.

Billy Gibbons is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the band and Frank Beard is the original drummer for the trio. The stage was set for the group without any video clips or dazzling light show. There was a wall of Magnate amps, nothing more. Gibbons' guitar picking was all that was needed and he gave it everything he had. It could have been called the Billy Gibbons show.

The bearded ones have gone through some changes in the last two years beginning with the pandemic bringing their touring schedule to a halt. The death of core member, bassist Dusty Hill, last July was a traumatic lineup change that has not happened in the 50 plus years of the band's existence. Hill died 10 days after his final gig with the band. His replacement was the band's 30 year guitar tech, Elwood Francis. The bearded Francis slid into the bassist slot without much fanfare and he fit in like a glove. Elwood didn't try to mimic Hill. Francis did not do any of Hill's vocals. His contributions were there to add to the iconic band. Reportedly, it was Hill's desire to have Francis as his replacement.

It was a show of ZZ Top's musical journey filled with icon hits from the 1970s and 80s with a few added numbers. The Texas boogie started with "Got Me Under Pressure." They quickly followed with Sam and Dave's "I Thank you." There were many tunes from their multi-platinum Eliminator album. "Tube Snake Boogie" and "Brown Sugar" are tracks from their upcoming album release.

The approximately 5000 person crowd were out of their seats dancing and commemorating the "little ole band from Texas" for the remainder of the 90 minute show. Drummer Beard had his head down, never wavering from delivering the beat. Gibbons offered very little banter, but it was Gibbons' slide guitar that made the evening spectacular with songs like "Just Got Paid," "My Head's in Mississippi," and a cover of "Sixteen Tons."

The encore included a full throttle version of "La Grange." It was very apparent that ZZ Top will be around to electrify fans for a long time to come. It was Texas boogie at its enduring best.

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Related articles:

ZZ Top (2019 VetsAid Concert), Houston, TX - November 2019
ZZ Top and Jeff Beck, Tucson, AZ - August 2014
ZZ Top (Country Thunder 2005), Twin Lakes, WI - July 2005
ZZ Top and Ted Nugent, East Troy, WI - May 2003


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