George Thorogood and ZZ Top concert review

[Jakeboy]

I saw them last night in a fave venue…the tiny Ozarks Amphitheater down at the Lake of the Ozarks, MO.

A local kid I have known since the first time he stood on a blues jam stage holding a guitar as a 12 year old too frightened to play opened. He is now a young man with a great voice and songwriting chops. He is Clay Clear. He played 5 songs on acoustic and represented well, if a little star struck.

I have seen George and the Delaware Destroyers a lot over the years…most recently as my last pre-COVID show on 1 March 2020. He came out and immediately just commanded the stage, full of energy and obvious love for what he was doing. His voice is still there and so are his guitar chops. He soloed kn every song. In KC last year, he gave 2nd guitarist Jim Suhler most of the solos, except for slide and signature parts. But not last night. George seemed into it. It was his first time ever at the venue. Drummer Jeff Simon and bassist Billy Blough have been his rhythm section since the 70s and the entire band was spot on perfect tight. And dig this, George discreetly pointed to sax player Buddy Leach to take a solo just like a bar band leader. It was obviously an unplanned audible but George felt it that way. I love that! Live music that has dynamics and changes on the fly.

George looks to be in good health and was pretty mobile for his age, lol. He moved a lot and was very energetic with his 225. One thing I noticed, he doesn’t bend over too much, and that was a change. He sounded fabulous. Played the expected hits and rocked the house. He opened with a 2005 fave Rock Party. No amps onstage. I was talking to his mercy manager who is also a longtime manager for him and I forgot to ask him what amps he uses now. Anyone know? I think he used Bassman BITD but who knows?

The only disappointment was he has changed the way he likes to play Who Do You Love which is my fave Thorogood song.The studio version has tight muted rhythm guitar on the verses which then open up a bit on the chorus. Now there is no muting with two guitars banging the open E chord and it is too mushy for me and it makes the song lose the dangerous tone it had. It was like that last year too. 
oh yeah, George is still funny and still plugs Budweiser hard!

I had never seen ZZ Top before which is why I bought tix this time around. Then Dusty died. They came out and Dusty’s mic was set up and it stood alone all night. Bassist Elwood Francis (longtime guitar tech) respectfully stayed far away and hung out by his amps and the drum kit  for the entire show while he played Dusty’s basses and parts very, very well.

BFG sang great, the songs were played at tempo and his guitar tones were awesome. Like lots of us who age, it was obvious it took his fingers time to warm up and get loose, especially on a humid summer night. And though he may not be able to play as fast as he did in 1975, his choice of notes was spot on perfect. By the time they got to La Grange, he was able to pull off the quick part of the solo when the song transitions to C.

BFG was spry and mobile and still rail thin…frail looking even, but O so cool. They still pull off the mystery thing of being ZZ Top very well. And BFG, like Thorogood is a consummate showman once he straps the guitar on. 

The set list was perfect. Only 3 from the 80s, one from the 2010s, the rest from the 70s to include a few from the first album which was a surprise.

They also did a mashup of some old country song and Jeff Beck’s I Ain’t Superstitious riff which somehow worked and went over big. BFG played a very nice slide solo on a Les Paul all by himself.

The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that zi heard backing tracks on Legs and Gimme All Your Loving. No need for that live. The rest of the set was just them, and they were tight.

Highlight #1 was Frank Beard. Tight and absolutely perfect. Head down, eyes closed he held it all together just right. I don’t think he gets enough credit as a drummer. He and BFG are just perfectly synced. No mistakes.

Highlight #2 was closing with Tush. They brought Dusty’s hat out, placed it on the mic stand and played his vocals from his last show where he sang Tush while the band played along in perfect time. It was classy and appropriate.

All in all it was a great show and I am glad I went. I surely wish I got to see Dusty, but Elwood played great and Frank and BFG were flawless.

 

[Steve Haynie]

Billy sang Tush at a show right after Dusty's death.  Knowing they are playing a recording of Dusty is cool in a way.  While tracks can be frowned upon, keeping Dusty's image alive a little longer is good. 

Frank's drum parts in LaGrange are every bit as classic as the guitar and vocals.  If a drummer cannot play those parts the whole song will sound wrong.

[donner]

Good read, Jake!

I'm into George Thorogood since I was 17, I guess (and that means somewhen around 1979!).

I discovered him by an LP (selftitled, his first, I think) I bought used from a friend and was immediately struck from the first note.

And that was over here in a small town in Southern Germany! GT is still a favourite, after all these years til today.

 

The gesture with Dusty's hat at the mic stand is moving. And strictly stylish, too. 😉 A top class act!

 

[Jakeboy]

Agreed, @donner! Being from Delaware I got into Thorogood early on…around 1978 when he released Move It On Over. He was a huge guitar influence on me early on with the turbocharged Berry licks and that nasty aggressive slide.

@Steve Haynie, Dusty’s vocal track on Tush was just the perfect thing to do to honor him on his most famous vocal turn.

[Travis]

Awesome!  Thanks for the info. 

Got into Thorogood back in Jr high/High school and haven’t spun his stuff in awhile. Definitely gonna put him back on my playlist this week. I also need to see if he’s playing anywhere near me. Never got to see him live…

[princeofdarkness56]

So nice to see a concert review again. It’s been too long. And it being ZZ Top makes it all the better.