First and foremost, a happy belated birthday to Dusty Hill, the legendary bassist for ZZ Top, who passed away in 2021. The sold-out crowd at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday got to see his bandmates perform on the day he would have turned 77.
As for the band itself, ZZ Top is still kicking after nearly 60 years. Their Greensburg show was pretty short — clocking in at about 75 minutes — but still packed with energy, humor and almost all of the hits you’d want to hear.
Formed in 1969, ZZ Top is known for their bluesy, Souhern rock sound, their 1980s radio hits, their live performances and those unmistakable beards. Even after Hill’s passing, lead singer and guitarist Billy Gibbons has maintained his impressive facial hair — as has the current bassist, Elwood Francis (both the perfect name and perfect beard to fit in with the group).
The good news is that ZZ Top can still play. Musically, they sounded incredible, from the dance-rock opener “Got Me Under Pressure” to the unforgettable closer “La Grange.” They’re a well-oiled musical machine, and Gibbons’ decades of musical knowledge and creativity were apparent in the ease, humor and virtuosity he displayed. These guys are expert showmen, from their sparkling jackets, sunglasses and big hats to their guitar tricks. They still make their ’70s and ’80s hits sound great.
It’s possible the sound mixing played a part, but Gibbons’ voice wasn’t completely there. From the start, he was less than clearly audible throughout a lot of the show. He also struggled a bit with higher notes in a couple of songs, including huge hit “Legs.” Still, there were great moments for his vocals as well — scooping down for the growling notes during their performance of oft-covered country song “Sixteen Tons.”
The crowd enthusastically received that one. All he had to do was sing a few bars and the audience picked up the slack, singing the full chorus themselves. “Something tells me y’all know that song,” he said. “I wish we did. We’re gonna do it anyway.”
They kept things bluesy all night, especially with tunes like “Waitin’ for the Bus” and “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” the back-to-back first tracks from 1973 album “Tres Hombres.” Even on top of those blues riffs, Gibbons produced flourishing guitar solos with ease, letting his instrument do the talking.
In that same vein, the audience loved to sing along to cocky blues rocker “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide.” Gibbons and Francis amazed with their physical and musical performance on that classic.
But ’80s music fans weren’t disappointed; those anthems that have become staples of cassic rock radio were a huge part of the setlist. “Gimme All Your Lovin’” came early on and really got the crowd going. “Cheap Sunglasses” was just as cool as ever — though I cannot attest to the price of the shades worn by the band members — and the spark of charisma in Gibbons’ delivery boosted the song.
But the highlight came toward the show’s close just after Gibbons said, “Let’s do this thing one time. If you want to sing along, just lean back and shout it out.”
That song he wanted the crowd to belt out was “Sharp Dressed Man,” the ode to driving the ladies wild with formalwear. He let the audience sing the titular line, and they were loud enough to be heard over the roaring rhythm section.
They even dipped into their latter-year music, playing 2012 song “I Gotsta Get Paid.” To their credit, it was instantly recognizable as a more contemporary sound that fit in with modern country and rock, and it also slotted in nicely with the rest of the setlist.
Even with some drawbacks, their incredible showmanship, that iconic look (and iconic furred guitars), a heaping helping of nostalgia and more than a dozen classic tunes, this Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band continues to please fans.