Rumor: ZZ Top to play Download Festival in the U.K.

We are going to start a rumor that ZZ Top will be playing at the Download Festival (aka Donington) in the U.K. this year, followed by a U.K. tour in June.

OK, we didn't exactly start this rumor, it's been floating out there for a while, but supposedly an offer has been made to the band, and the dates for Download fit right into the gap after the German shows in early/mid-June.

No promises, of course, but it does seem to fit. If it's true, the announcement should be pretty soon, no later than mid-February.

As always, we'll believe it when we see it, but if it does happen, there will be some very happy fans in the U.K.!

No caption necessary...

ZZ Top to close out Houston Rodeo March 22, 2009

Well, we hinted at this a while back, and now it's almost official:

ZZ Top will return to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show this year!

It looks like they will be closing out the Rodeo again this year, expect a crowd of between 60,000-70,000 to see what may be the last appearance by the Boyzz at this incredible event.

An official announcement will probably come in a day or two, if it hasn't already.

(OK, we haven't seen a press release, but it is now on the Rodeo's web site.)

Same set list for 2009?

OK, someone posted the following set list from the Thackerville/Winstar show to zztop.com:

Set list
1. Got Me Under Pressure
2. Waitin' for the Bus
3. Jesus Just Left Chicago
4. Chevrolet
5. Pincushion
6. Future Blues
7. Cheap Sunglasses
8. I Need You Tonight
9. Catfish Blues
10. Foxy Lady
11. Heard it on the X
12. Just Got Paid
13. Gimme All Your Lovin'
14. Sharp Dressed Man
15. Legs

Encore:
Jailhouse Rock
LaGrange/Sloppy Drunk/BBQ
Tush

The interesting thing is that he said Elwood gave Billy his guitar for Just Got Paid---so does that mean Elwood is back? Since Sammy Sanchez took over as Billy's tech for the Flordia shows last Christmas that means Elwood has been gone for almost exactly one year.

Can anyone confirm this???

First photos from ZZ's 2009 shows

OK, we've been waiting for any news from the recent short ZZ Top holiday tour. We have heard nothing. No photos, no reviews, nada, zilch. Until today, when a few photos popped up from the Las Vegas show at the Hard Rock:

Vegas photos

It looks like B&D have some new guitars. Same new skull drum kit for Frank, though.

We know at least one person who was at the Vegas show so we're hoping to get some kind of a report on the 2009 ZZ Top set list or something.

We'll also have more details about the 2009 European Tour (and our own travel plans) as soon as we hear anything.

Exactly what they said (in Swedish)

Here is a kind-of funny translation that makes it clear that the Karlstad Sweden show and the Sweden Rock show are actually two different shows. I should have know that:


Published December 18, 2008 at 08:15 Tipsa en vän Tell a friend Skriv ut Print

ZZ Top - även till Sweden Rock
ZZ Top - even to Sweden Rock



ZZ Top att det skulle bli en exklusiv Sverigespelning på Löfbergs Lila Arena den 3 juni.
First ZZ Top announced that it would be an exclusive Sweden Playing on Löfbergs Lila Arena on June 3.

Nu står det klart att bandet också kommer att spela på Sweden Rock Festival i Sölvesborg.
Now it is clear that the band also will play at Sweden Rock Festival in Sölvesborg.


Först meddelade ZZ Top att det skulle bli en exklusiv Sverigespelning på Löfbergs Lila Arena den 3 juni.
First ZZ Top announced that it would be an exclusive Sweden Playing on Löfbergs Lila Arena on June 3.

Men alla fans av skägg och veteranbilar som inte har möjlighet att ta sig till Karlstad kan andas ut.
But everyone is a fan of beards and vintage cars that have not been able to get to Chiang Mai can exhale.

Bandet kommer också att spela på festivalen Sweden Rock.
The band also will play at Sweden Rock festival.

Andra band som är klara för festivalen är Heaven and Hell, In Flames och Europe. Other bands that are ready for the festival is Heaven and Hell, In Flames and Europe.

Sweden Rock hålls i Sölvesborg den 3-6 juni.
Sweden Rock held in Sölvesborg on 3-6 June.

ZZ Top Tours Europe in Summer 2009 -- Headlining Sweden Rock Festival

Well, we might have to change our name to zztopeurope2009 now--because the Top is hitting the road in Europe again this year! We've been hearing rumors and getting e-mails about this summer tour for some time, and I guess it is now official.

Dates are starting to trickle in, check lowpft.com for the details.

The big news for us is that ZZ Top is now confirmed for the famous Sweden Rock Festival in June 2009. Other dates so far are in Germany, Norway, and Denmark. We expect more dates to be added beyond Germany and Scandanavia (Poland perhaps?) but nothing is confirmed yet.

Let us know through a comment or at zztopeurope2007@yahoo.com if you hear anything.

More info as we receive it.

Oh yeah, we are waiting to hear the lineup for the 2009 Houston Rodeo. The Boyzz haven't played there for a while and we hope they will be back this year...maybe on March 22? (That's just an educated guess, though.)

UPDATED: New ZZ Top Dates Announced for 2008/9

It looks like the Boyzz are going to do a short tour for the holiday season, just like they did last year in Florida. They are playing Aspen again (450 capacity venue) and they are playing their first-ever show at the Hard Rock Joint in Vegas.

Here is the info:

December 28, 2008 in Aspen.

December 29, 2008 in Aspen.

January 3, 2009 at the Joint.

UPDATED: January 1, 2009 in Oklahoma.

ZZ Jams with Dave Grohl and Duff McKagan

What's this--Billy is wearing a new hat?

And the band is jamming on LaGrange and Tush with Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters and Duff McKagan fron G'n'R.

On the way...

OK, now that ZZ Top's 2008 tour is coming to a close, we need some new content to keep people's interest.

Look here for some footage later this week that we shot of Deep Purple live tonight. We are also working on putting more old ZZ Top online, and hopefully will have some AC/DC footage this weekend.

Video from Milan 1994

Since we won't be seeing ZZ again until probably next year at the earliest, we are putting some rarer older tracks up on YouTube. First up will be parts of the November 24, 1994 show from Milan, Italy on the Antenna tour:

Opener-World of Swirl



AntennaHead:



Girls, girls girls on She Loves My Automobile:



Pincushion when it was new:



Anyone see Dharma here?



And when was the last time they played PCH?

Notice anything *different* in this video?

Report on the way from Nashville and Indianapolis

We are headed to the show at the Murat Theatre in Indy tonight, and will have a report from there and last week's Nashville show in a bit.

Until then, enjoy some Hendrix:

Some photos from the Ryman show

We will be adding a few more videos to YouTube and will try to write a fuller concert review later, but until them, here are some interesting photos to tide you over:

Billy and Sammy:

Billy reading the sign from 1973 that the guy standing next to me gave him:

Finally got some Frank photos, check out the killer John Douglas-designed kit:

Anyone want some beer???

Close-up of the "King Billy" guitar:

The Duster is in the house:

The planned set list:

Folsom Prison Blues live from the Ryman in Nashville

Set lists from Wichita and Tulsa

Here are the sets lists according to a post by a fan on zztop.com:

ZZ Top | Century II Concert Hall, Wichita | September 26, 2008

==Set List==
Got Me Under Pressure
Waitin for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Chevrolet
Pincushion
I'm Bad I'm Nationwide
Heard it on the X
Cheap Sunglasses
I Need You Tonight
Catfish Blues ("Muddy Waters cover, 1950) (Dusty sang)
Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix) (Billy sang)
Heard it on the X
Just Got Paid
Gimme All Your Lovin
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs
Encore:
La Grange
Tush

== Tulsa Set List ===
Got Me Under Pressure
Waitin for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Chevrolet
Pincushion
Future Blues (Willie Brown cover, 1930)
Cheap Sunglasses
I Need You Tonight
Catfish Blues (Muddy Waters cover, 1950)
Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix version cover, 1966)
Heard it on the X
Just Got Paid
Gimme All Your Lovin
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs
Encore:
Jail House Rock
La Grange
Tush

Billy Sheehan talks about BillyGibbons

Billy G. plays on one of the tracks on Billy Sheehan's new album, and Billy S. talks about it here:

http://www.werockcity.com/billy/studio/02.php

Request for ZZ Top Set Lists for 2008 In Your Face Tour

Hey everyone:

There is a huge amount of interest in what ZZ Top is playing on this tour. So if you wrote down a full set list, please post it here or send it to us at:

zztopeurope2007@yahoo.com

So far we have been hearing some complaints that the set list is not really that "special" for this tour. But we also hear that they are playing some rare stuff, including a cover of Hendrix' "Hey Joe," which we heard they were working on. (They played "Foxy Lady" last year and have also been working on "Purple Haze.")

So let us know what you see or hear at the shows. People are interested, and in fact the most popular search terms used by people that lead them to this site are "zz top set list 2008." So share the info and let us know. We're still looking for the full Wichita set list and for any feedback from Ft. Smith.

Why haven't we seen this before?

Billy tells the full story about that stupid African hat he always wears.

Not sure if it's true, but here it is: