I’ve loved ZZ Top since the Tres Hombres album when I first heard them. Saw them in concert in 76 at a bicentennial stadium extravaganza in Memphis. Opener was Blue Oyster Cult followed by The Outlaws, next up was Lynryd Skynryd (before the plane crash).
I told my buddy that ZZ Top should not have headlined against those bands and their many guitar slingers. I figured they would be OK but that a 3 piece couldn’t generate enough excitement after what we had just watched. Particularly Skynryd ending with Free Bird. Wrong, wrong and wrong again. That “little ole band from Texas” came out and just plainly and simply kicked butt and took names.
This is when they would come out of “Jailhouse Rock” and do the “Back Door Love Affair Medley” with Dusty and Billy throwing barbs at each other...”he thinks he’s real bad but they don’t call me the Texas home wrecker and heart breaker for nothing.” Quite honestly I think the Stones should warm up for ZZ Top.
“My Papa leaned toward Moma and said Let that boy boogie woogie. It’s in ‘im and it’s got to come out.” As Billy would say; “It’s the same three guys and the same three chords.” Boogie Woogie boys and never ever stop.
“Saw them in concert in 76 at a bicentennial stadium extravaganza in Memphis”
I was at that show and you must have been doing some good dope. ZZ Topp was all show and no go. Skynyrd blew the crowd away. A week later in New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl ZZ Topp refused to let Skynyrd open, fired them from the tour and a riot ensued. No one played the second half of that concert. ZZ Topp hasn’t played a live song onstage since about 1979, it’s all prerecorded and lip-synched. Very good Vegas type act though