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| As final preparations have been completed for this month’s launch of the much-anticipated ZZ Top/Jeff Beck Tour, ZZ Top’s Billy F Gibbons met with Jeff Beck in Los Angeles for a photo session for the cover of the next issue of Guitar World Magazine. On hand to document the guitar slingers' summit was legendary British photographer Ross Halfin, who is seen here nailing down an intimate shot of the two guitar gods in immersed in “fretful” conversation. |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and mutual admirers ZZ Top and Jeff Beck have almost a century’s worth of combined touring experience under their collective belts are less than one week away from embarking on their first ever tour together. The tour is formatted to offer a free-standing set from Jeff Beck, a free-standing set from ZZ Top and a joint performance wherein Beck joins the ZZ Top for a rocking finale.
On the heels of releasing Live At Montreux 2013 DVD/Blu-ray through Eagle Rock Entertainment and The Baddest of ZZ Top CD/2CD retrospective from Warner Bros, “that little ol’ band from Texas” will be cranking out classics such as “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Tush.” The lineup of Billy F Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard has been holding steady for over 44 years - an unprecedented feat in the rock.
Jeff Beck’s touring band will consist of Grammy nominee and Flash-era vocalist Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie), bassist Rhonda Smith, drummer Jonathan Joseph, and guitarist Nicolas Meier.
21-year-old Texas guitar prodigy Tyler Bryant had recently been announced as the opening act for the vast majority of the tour dates. Bryant already has experience as an opener for Jeff Beck, and also cut his teeth on bills with Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, BB King, Heart, Vince Gill, and many others.
While ZZ Top and Jeff Beck have never toured together before, this is not the first live collaboration between the two camps. Billy Gibbons joined Beck and his band on stage at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 at Madison Square Garden, where they performed the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s “Foxey Lady” and ZZ Top’s hit “Rough Boy” together. The following year Beck joined ZZ Top in Lucca, Italy for an extended rendition of the band’s signature piece “La Grange.”
The excitement is brewing between the musicians. Jeff Beck proclaimed, “Ever since Eliminator I thought it would be great to play with ZZ Top.”
Likewise, Billy Gibbons, who has long viewed the English fret master as a musical role model going back to his days in the Yardbirds, has declared his admiration for the man behind the platinum selling albums Blow By Blow and Wired. “We could never figure out what Beck was doing on his instrument to get those sounds, and it was that mystery that inspired us to push our own sound to the next level.” Gibbons continues, “It is an honor to be sharing the stage with the curator of crunch.”
ZZ Top with Jeff Beck Tour Itinerary:
August 8 Ogren Park Missoula, MT
August 9 Chateau Ste. Michelle Woodinville, WA
August 10 Cuthbert Amphitheatre Eugene, OR
August 12 The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
August 13 Greek Amphitheatre Los Angeles, CA
August 15 Ironstone Amphitheatre Murphys, CA
August 16 The Joint Las Vegas, NV
August 17 AVA Amphitheatre Tucson, AZ
August 19 Sandia Casino Albuquerque, NM
August 20 Fiddlers Green Amphitheatre Englewood, CO
August 22 Zoo Amphitheatre Oklahoma City, OK
August 23 Starlight Theater Kansas City, MO
August 24 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Maryland Heights, MO
August 27 DTE Energy Music Theatre Clarkston, MI
August 28 Ravinia Festival Highland Park, IL
August 29 Seneca Allegany Casino Salamanca, NY
August 30 Concert Venue @Harrah’s Atlantic City, NJ
August 31 MGM Grand Theater @ Foxwoods Mashantucket, CT
September 2 Blue Hills Bank Pavilion Boston, MA
September 3 Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, MD *
September 4 Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater Wantagh, NY
September 6 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Alpharetta, GA
September 7 St. Augustine Amphitheater St. Augustine, FL
September 9 Cruzan Amphitheater West Palm Beach, FL
September 10 Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater Tampa, FL
September 12 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion The Woodlands, TX
September 13 Winstar Casino Thackerville, OK **
*Tyler Bryant and Gary Clark Jr. open
**ZZ Top and Jeff Beck only
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