ZZ TOP, Down&Out,В Toma
21.10.2009, Akademic Stadium, Sofia - Bulgaria

words byВ May Davidoff, sketches: various

They've got the most famous beards with the exception of Fidel Castro! The latter got nicknamed "the Beard" in the late 50s (when CIA's series of miserably failed attempts to assassinate him kicked off) while they got christened "tres hombres" in the early 70s.

He's more famous than them, but they're way cooler. They're musicians, he's a commie dictator. They play "our" music, while he's spent a lifetime puffing away on cigars at lavish dinner parties with the people who banned it. He's wealthier than them, but his cliched speeches could never exhilarate you the way their swampy freewheelin' blues rock could. People like them are the reason many of His people immigrate to the US.

They cost you 50 quid, in times gone by he'd have cost you your freedom, without throwing in the likes of 'La Grange': or even 'Legs'. You've waited to see them all your life...you're still waiting to see the back of him. He wears a unifrom, they wear whatever the fuck they want.

They're ZZ Top and he ain't!

Що Anyway, last night's gig was bloody great and it was a joy to see over 7000 beaming faces in the cold October night. Personally I prefer late gigs and hence was not impressed upon finding out that the first support act would be on at 6:30 p.m. This turned out to be a good move in terms of weather conditions as later on it got pretty damn cold. 'Toma' actually came onstage at around 7 p.m. and churned out some solo material, complemented by a few classic hard rock covers. Next up were Greek trio Down & Out whose mic of blues rock and rockabilly went down rather well with the home crowd, who are usually quick to heckle and abuse support acts at such huge gigs.

Minutes before ZZ Top are due to go on I take a sweeping look across the venue and realize that it's now quite packed and everyone's in high spirits. So high, in fact, that someone has a go at pinching my bum, but upon turning around all hopes of a Trent Reznor lookalike are dashed as a Meatloaf-Fight Club-era lookalike drools incoherently in my ear.

ZZ Top's usual intro seeps out through the PA and soon the band launch into 'Got Me Under Pressure', their customary openung track these days. Billy, Dusty and Frank are celebrating their 40th anniversary as a band - none of them are whirlwind dynamos onstage, but their outer appearance projects an alien aura, colourful, original and very endearing.

Much like AC/DC, ZZ Top are a universally loved band - the crowd boasts a mixture of rock fans, bikers, blues afficionados, uncles, aunts, pubescents, families, kids and even the odd person in a tracksuit. They all stare lovingly at the plush stage, where two giant screens project images of the band's videos intercut with some rather cool footage of vintage American cars as the Texas trio demonstrate just why they're one of the best known and respected bands on the planet.
It's amazing how three people can produce such a rich, full, powerful and original sound!

People are quick to get carried away with 1000-notes-per-hour shredders, but Billy Gibbons is one of the most talented guitar players in rock'n'roll history. The setlist caters for all needs - we get all we expect, want and hope for and more still, plus two encores. All in all a most pleasurable experience. I'm now off to dream of bearded men with guitars, so stay out of my dreams Fidel!

ZZ TOP setlist Sofia 2009

1. Got Me Under Pressure
2. Waitin' for the Bus
3. Jesus Just Left Chicago
4. Pincushion
5. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
6. Future Blues
7. Cheap Sunglasses
8. Mexican Blackbird
9. My Head's in Mississippi
10. I Need You Tonight
11. Foxy Lady (Hendrix)
12. Brown Sugar
13. Party on the Patio
14. Just Got Paid
15. Gimme All Your Lovin
16. Sharp Dressed Man
17. Legs
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18. Medley: La Grange / Sloppy Drunk / Bar-B-Q
19. Tush
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20. Tube Snake Boogie

The End!