Texas Rockers ZZ Top 'Just Left Chicago'
Even though Lollapalooza took over Chicago for the weekend, there was another concert taking place Sunday night just twenty minutes away at The Venue At Horseshoe Casino. Legendary rockers ZZ Top, "the little ol' band from Texas," put on a big show for their loyal fans.
Lead singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons began the performance saying, "We know that Lollapalooza is going on right now, so we're glad you're here, and we're glad to be here." The group jumped right into their 90 minute set with "Got Me Under Pressure" from 1983's Eliminator.
Not many bands can beat the stage presence of ZZ Top. Usually when you go a show, the drummer is hidden in the back, but Frank Beard sat behind a unique drum kit adorned with skulls and intricate accessories made from car parts. You can't help but notice how guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist Dusty Hill have stayed true to their iconic image with their long, fluffy trademark beards, black sunglasses, and matching hats.
Since the group has been together for over forty years, they have experience working a crowd and knowing what their fans want to hear. The set had a perfect balance of hits, covers and songs from their first albums. While performing their '80s MTV Video classics, the screens behind them featured clips of sexy women dancing and old Western movies.
The entire look of the group may be flashy, but their sound is very smooth and has a blues feel that Chicagoans are quite familiar with. After all these years, their voices still sound great.
Like most bands, they saved their biggest hits and crowd pleasers for the end of the show. They closed the night with "Gimme All Your Lovin,'" "Sharp Dressed Man," "Legs," "LaGrange," and "Tush." Even though they only played 17 songs, the quality of the music made up for the quantity.
Danielle Clasing, CBS Local Chicago
