ZZ Top – Live in Germany 1980 (2011)
The most powerful three-piece rock band from Texas, ZZ Top have released a new live CD, Live in Germany 1980. The music for this live CD was recorded long before top 40 hits and videos that shot them to fame on MTV. This CD shows the band in fine form, and shows just how powerful their earlier songs are.
Some of my favorites in this live set are “Thank You”, “Cheap Sunglasses”, “Beer Drinkers & Hellraisers”, “La Grange” The Elvis cover “Jailhouse Rock” and “Tush”. There really isn’t a band song in this awesome live set.
For a band that has been rockin’ for over 40 years, I can’t believe that I haven’t seen ZZ Top live yet. Live in Germany 1980 proves to me that ZZ Top is not only a great live band, but was highly influential on many of the bands that I listen to today. I hope that I get a chance to see them play live before they call it a day.
If you are familiar with the DVD, Double Down Live, then you already have an idea of how cool this CD is. This concert was filmed for German television’s popular Rockpalast program and released on DVD as Double Down Live in 2009. The music is now available on CD for the very first time.
If you are a ZZ Top fan, you should not miss Live in Germany 1980. It does not disappoint!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- El Deguello
- I Thank You
- Waitin’ For the Bus
- Jesus Just Left Chicago
- Precious And Grace
- Manic Mechanic
- Lowdown In The Street
- Heard It On The X
- Fool For Your Stockings
- Cheap Sunglasses
- Arrested For Driving While Blind
- Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
- La Grange / Sloppy Drunk / Bar-B-Q
- Dust My Broom
- Jailhouse Rock
- Tush
ZZ Top is:
Billy Gibbons – Vocals & Guitar
Dusty Hill – Bass & Vocals
Frank Beard – Drums
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I saw ZZ top on this tour in Philadelphia. I still have the ticket stub. The ticket cost $7.50. IMHO, ZZ top was never better than they were in 1980. The Deguello album was a major step forward for ZZ top in their song writing, yet they were still a raw three-piece, (No drum triggers, synthesizers, etc.) On that album, for the first time, there were two songs that had horns. Interestingly enough, they did not hire horn players. Rather, they kept the horn parts very simple, and taught themselves how to play just enough notes on the horns to pull off the parts. The two songs were “she Loves My Automobile” and “Hifi mama.” these two songs were part of their 1980 set list. Rather than bringing along horn players, they tried to play to pre recorded horn tracks. bootlegs from that time period reveal that, more often than not, this didn’t go well as they weren’t used to playing to pre recorded tracks. I don’t know if they performed either of those songs at Rockpalast, but if they did, I’m not surprised that they weren’t included on this live album for that reason.
Either way, ZZ top was an absolute monster band live back then so I’m sure this album smokes.