Review and set list from St. Paul show NOTE: We're adding videos from the show into the review--Check it out!

I had the distinct pleasure of attending the show Saturday night at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. We were up front on Dusty's side and the band sounded great from where we were at. In fact, Dusty seemed to be having a blast, he even threw in one of his spin moves near the end of the show.

The set list, in order, was as follows, pretty much what they've been playing on this tour:

Pressure
Bus
Jesus
Nationwide
Pincushion
Sunglasses (dollar store)
Pearl Necklace
X
Paid (nice slightly extended version)
Rough Boy
Blue Jean Blues (pretty short version)
Foxy Lady (killer again)
Gimme
Sharp
Legs
Tube Snake Boogie
LaGrange/Sloppy Drunk/BBQ
Tush (I'm not sure what Dusty sang for the first verse but it sounded like he flubbed it)

I wasn't looking at my watch, but they ripped straight through the set without stopping, no encore, but at least they played everything they were supposed. They had a real long drive to get from Minnesota to St. Louis for the next night's show.

No intro except for the funky dance music. Same outfits, same guitars, Billy smoked during Tush, the Lite Brite background was again pretty cool. Up close you could tell that what looked like a white pick guard on Dusty's yellow bass was really some white paint, you could even sort-of see the brush marks, going for the distressed look, I guess. Looked like they had a few new props around the drums, a little rocking chair and a fake mug of beer. "Hell Yeah" during LaGrange. I don't think they played with the Tone Dog thingy at the end. Billy was drinking a Diet Coke, and they were using the small video camera on the side of the stage. Met some cool fellow fans and the aftershow meet and greet was a blast, the band was in good spirits and everything went smoothly.

Now for some visuals:

Gin Blossoms were up first, didn't bother to see them, but they sounded ok. The Pretenders were next and, frankly, bored us to tears.

For this show, in what was essentially Brian Setzer's hometown, the Stray Cats were next on the bill. Here is a nice photo of Brian:

The Stray Cats were very active, the crowd got into it, and the Cats played a great set. I even saw Dusty standing at the side of the stage talking to the chick from the Pretenders and Big John.

But that's not who we came for--we came to see Z-Z-Top! BFD started out with smoke and red lights and a blazing version of "Got Me Under Pressure." "Pressure" is my favorite opener, and it was about all I could handle, it was almost too much for my brain!

Then things got a bit bluesy as the Boyzz were Waitin' for the Bus:

And then Jesus came to town:

Billy and Dust got a bit fancy:



And then Billy goes Lowdown not in the street, but onstage:

Where did you hear it?



But you've got to have some blues time. They went back...way back...to a time when the ladies were...

...wait for it...

FOXXY:



Then they cranked up some MTV hits:

'Cause every girl's crazy 'bout our Sharp Dressed Men!

They've got fuzzy guitars:

And they know how to use 'em!

Gibbons the Gunslinger-no synthesizers here!



And don't forget about that girl they got, she lives on a hill:

Time to relax with a smoke.


But first--let's Give It Up for Mr. Elwood Francis.

El-wood, El-wood, EL-wood!


Now that Billy's smoking on the slide, you know it's time for some Tush:

One more time!


Dusty was so excited he even forgot the first verse of Tush!

But all things must come to an end, just like that shack outside LaGrange:




So after we all got Sloppy Drunk and had a fine plate of BBQ--Hell Yeah!:



The Master took a bow:

And Elvis has left the building: