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Saw ZZ Top Last Night... Again


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Earlier this year I had a ticket to see ZZ Top at an uncovered outdoor venue.  Then another show popped up for later in the year at a place I like to see concerts.  Up close tickets were available for a significantly higher price, but the ticket included a vinyl album and other stuff.  Decisions, decisions...  Front row center was up for grabs when tickets went on sale, and that ticket was mine!  It cost a whopping $211.50.  Feeling a little guilty about what was paid, the ticket for the other show was sold. 

A drive through those North Georgia mountains on a Wednesday late afternoon got me to the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Georgia.  The crowd there is usually older and quite often retirees who moved there.  No one wants to stand for rock and roll shows for more than a couple of songs at the beginning and end.  Cell phone reception inside the place is non-existent, but last night they had the side walls open.  Phones sort of worked. 

The opening act was Austin Meade.  Before the show his guitar player was doing a last minute check of his guitars and pedalboard.  I told him that they were going to play in front of a sit-down audience.  The show started at 7:00.  Austin Meade was doing his thing, rock and roll with profanity in his lyrics.  Whether the audience was going to like him or not, he and his band played their way.  I think he said he and his band were from Brownsville, Texas.  Musically, I liked them.  Lyrically, I have heard it all before. 

There were more guitars in the stand than the band used on stage.  Austin Meade stuck with his Les Paul Studio most of the time, but he pulled out a baritone Tele that looked like a parts guitar and another Tele with humbuckers.  The other guitar player had a Flying V before the show, but played a Gibson Corvus when the show started.  Both of them had a lot of pedals.  You could tell during the show.  Listen to some of their music on YouTube and you will hear a lot of pedals. 

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20221109_190831.jpg

The audience was... polite?  There were blow-up balls Austin kicked into the audience.  One came back to the stage.  Austin wanted some kind of reaction from the audience.  He said it was like playing in a library. 

If you go to a rock and roll show, be ready for something offensive.  It is required.  Some people brought kids, though.  Not many had kids with them.  This was the venue for grandparents, and most of them left the grandkids to someone else for the evening.  Austin Meade's merchandise stand had a big banner saying "Howdy Fuckers" on it.  My opinion is that this was not a bar, and the banner was out of place at this particular venue.  A lot of bands are selling accessories for dope smokers, and Austin Meade has his rolling trays for sale. 

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Check out Austin Meade's music for yourself.  Here is the setlist. 

The last time I saw ZZ Top from the front row was back in 1982 when El Loco was the latest album.  We showed up early and ran to the barricade when the doors opened back then.    The last time I saw the band was back in 2019 when they played Charlotte with Cheap Trick opening for them.  In 2015 I saw them with Jeff Beck opening and jamming with them.  My seats were close, but not as close as they were last night.  There was no barricade, just staff people telling us over and over not to stay with our chairs and how we would be thrown out for touching the stage. 

Before the show I went to the VIP table where a girl was handing people the merchandise that went with their tickets.  I asked if I could pick it up after the show, but I was told there was no guarantee everything would still be there.  OK.  I got my red-white-and-blue splatter vinyl album, a 2022 tour print, and an official ZZ Top plastic bag.  There were people arriving at their seats that I reminded about the merchandise that went with their tickets.  Some did not get the prints.  Some did not get the bags.  I leaned my stuff against the concrete base of the stage.  Other people did, too. 

I watched a dumbass kick over someone's stuff without noticing.  He stepped on the print.  As the guy who's stuff was being stepped on tried to pick up his print, the dumbass's dumbass wife stepped on it.  After the show I asked the guy if Mr. and Mrs. Dumbshit ever apologized or offered to make it up to him.  No.  They could have said, "Oh, sorry."  They could have given him their print.  Sometimes "elder abuse" is justified.  I wished two dumbass dipshits in their 60s would get a DUI on the way home.  A flat tire on a mountain road would have been good.  These people grew up at a time when politeness and respect were taught by parents. 

Before the show there were announcements over the PA instructing everyone in how to get ready for a drive-in movie with a countdown and speed limit warnings.  Then at 8:00 PM ZZ Top came out and put on their show.  Elwood Francis came out with the weirdest instrument he could, a 17 string bass. 

FE0B9B3F-7102-4C2A-8A94-715405C73CD3.jpeg.d17293261804ff05c80cc3f48996fddf.jpeg

Looking at the headstock you can see red silk on the outer pairs of strings.  Elwood only played the top two or bottom two strings on that bass.  One has to wonder if he chose that instrument just to mess with the guy who took over his spot as ZZ Top's guitar tech. 

DSCN8185.JPG

That wall of Magnatone amps looks cool, but in a rig rundown Elwood explained that Billy played through a Marshall rack unit.

On both sides of the Magnatone stacks I saw tiny Fender amps with mics on them.  The light was not good enough for me to get a clear photo with my camera, and the phone does not zoom in without getting grainy. 

DSCN8186.JPG

Frank Beard had mics above his cymbals, but I think he might have internal mics in his drums or drum triggers. 

DSCN8189.JPG

As for Billy Gibbons, he used a variety of guitars.  Mostly he used an SG shaped guitar with some kind of symbol on the headstock.  The same thing was on the headstock of Elwood's bass with the same finish.  Billy also used Gretsch, Zemaitis, a Les Paul, and I have no idea who made the fuzzy guitars. 

DSCN8192.JPG 

20221109_201311.jpg

 

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As for Billy's playing it was a good night.  Getting ready for the show I was listening to a lot of ZZ Top with one speaker closer to my desk than the other.  The solos really stood out.  On that 80s stuff the solos sound like Billy was still playing his bluesy stuff, the rhythm parts were just crunchier.  During the show I concentrated on listening to his solos, and he was nailing it all. 

There are no setlists taped to the stage.  Setlists are on the bases of the mic stands. 

20221109_211200.jpg

Dusty Hill is gone.  Tush is not in this year's setlist.  It was still a ZZ Top show.  I am glad I went. 

 

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26 minutes ago, Steve Haynie said:

Earlier this year I had a ticket to see ZZ Top at an uncovered outdoor venue.  Then another show popped up for later in the year at a place I like to see concerts.  Up close tickets were available for a significantly higher price, but the ticket included a vinyl album and other stuff.  Decisions, decisions...  Front row center was up for grabs when tickets went on sale, and that ticket was mine!  It cost a whopping $211.50.  Feeling a little guilty about what was paid, the ticket for the other show was sold. 

A drive through those North Georgia mountains on a Wednesday late afternoon got me to the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, Georgia.  The crowd there is usually older and quite often retirees who moved there.  No one wants to stand for rock and roll shows for more than a couple of songs at the beginning and end.  Cell phone reception inside the place is non-existent, but last night they had the side walls open.  Phones sort of worked. 

The opening act was Austin Meade.  Before the show his guitar player was doing a last minute check of his guitars and pedalboard.  I told him that they were going to play in front of a sit-down audience.  The show started at 7:00.  Austin Meade was doing his thing, rock and roll with profanity in his lyrics.  Whether the audience was going to like him or not, he and his band played their way.  I think he said he and his band were from Brownsville, Texas.  Musically, I liked them.  Lyrically, I have heard it all before. 

There were more guitars in the stand than the band used on stage.  Austin Meade stuck with his Les Paul Studio most of the time, but he pulled out a baritone Tele that looked like a parts guitar and another Tele with humbuckers.  The other guitar player had a Flying V before the show, but played a Gibson Corvus when the show started.  Both of them had a lot of pedals.  You could tell during the show.  Listen to some of their music on YouTube and you will hear a lot of pedals. 

20221109_190827.jpg

20221109_190831.jpg

The audience was... polite?  There were blow-up balls Austin kicked into the audience.  One came back to the stage.  Austin wanted some kind of reaction from the audience.  He said it was like playing in a library. 

If you go to a rock and roll show, be ready for something offensive.  It is required.  Some people brought kids, though.  Not many had kids with them.  This was the venue for grandparents, and most of them left the grandkids to someone else for the evening.  Austin Meade's merchandise stand had a big banner saying "Howdy Fuckers" on it.  My opinion is that this was not a bar, and the banner was out of place at this particular venue.  A lot of bands are selling accessories for dope smokers, and Austin Meade has his rolling trays for sale. 

20221109_182958.jpg

20221109_183015.jpg

Check out Austin Meade's music for yourself.  Here is the setlist. 

The last time I saw ZZ Top from the front row was back in 1982 when El Loco was the latest album.  We showed up early and ran to the barricade when the doors opened back then.    The last time I saw the band was back in 2019 when they played Charlotte with Cheap Trick opening for them.  In 2015 I saw them with Jeff Beck opening and jamming with them.  My seats were close, but not as close as they were last night.  There was no barricade, just staff people telling us over and over not to stay with our chairs and how we would be thrown out for touching the stage. 

Before the show I went to the VIP table where a girl was handing people the merchandise that went with their tickets.  I asked if I could pick it up after the show, but I was told there was no guarantee everything would still be there.  OK.  I got my red-white-and-blue splatter vinyl album, a 2022 tour print, and an official ZZ Top plastic bag.  There were people arriving at their seats that I reminded about the merchandise that went with their tickets.  Some did not get the prints.  Some did not get the bags.  I leaned my stuff against the concrete base of the stage.  Other people did, too. 

I watched a dumbass kick over someone's stuff without noticing.  He stepped on the print.  As the guy who's stuff was being stepped on tried to pick up his print, the dumbass's dumbass wife stepped on it.  After the show I asked the guy if Mr. and Mrs. Dumbshit ever apologized or offered to make it up to him.  No.  They could have said, "Oh, sorry."  They could have given him their print.  Sometimes "elder abuse" is justified.  I wished two dumbass dipshits in their 60s would get a DUI on the way home.  A flat tire on a mountain road would have been good.  These people grew up at a time when politeness and respect were taught by parents. 

Before the show there were announcements over the PA instructing everyone in how to get ready for a drive-in movie with a countdown and speed limit warnings.  Then at 8:00 PM ZZ Top came out and put on their show.  Elwood Francis came out with the weirdest instrument he could, a 17 string bass.  (I rotated the photo on my computer, but it still uploads sideways.  This is the only vertical photo I am going to put in this post, but it is necessary to show that bass.  If someone can correct it for me I will edit this post.)

20221109_200120.jpg

Looking at the headstock you can see red silk on the outer pairs of strings.  Elwood only played the top two or bottom two strings on that bass.  One has to wonder if he chose that instrument just to mess with the guy who took over his spot as ZZ Top's guitar tech. 

DSCN8185.JPG

That wall of Magnatone amps looks cool, but in a rig rundown Elwood explained that Billy played through a Marshall rack unit.

On both sides of the Magnatone stacks I saw tiny Fender amps with mics on them.  The light was not good enough for me to get a clear photo with my camera, and the phone does not zoom in without getting grainy. 

DSCN8186.JPG

Frank Beard had mics above his cymbals, but I think he might have internal mics in his drums or drum triggers. 

DSCN8189.JPG

As for Billy Gibbons, he used a variety of guitars.  Mostly he used an SG shaped guitar with some kind of symbol on the headstock.  The same thing was on the headstock of Elwood's bass with the same finish.  Billy also used Gretsch, Zemaitis, a Les Paul, and I have no idea who made the fuzzy guitars. 

DSCN8192.JPG 

20221109_201311.jpg

 

20221109_204523.jpg

20221109_205051.jpg

20221109_205424.jpg

As for Billy's playing it was a good night.  Getting ready for the show I was listening to a lot of ZZ Top with one speaker closer to my desk than the other.  The solos really stood out.  On that 80s stuff the solos sound like Billy was still playing his bluesy stuff, the rhythm parts were just crunchier.  During the show I concentrated on listening to his solos, and he was nailing it all. 

There are no setlists taped to the stage.  Setlists are on the bases of the mic stands. 

20221109_211200.jpg

Dusty Hill is gone.  Tush is not in this year's setlist.  It was still a ZZ Top show.  I am glad I went. 

Very cool!!!

 

FE0B9B3F-7102-4C2A-8A94-715405C73CD3.jpeg

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Great report! Thanks a lot.

Sometimes I wonder who decides on the opening acts.

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