RATINGS: A = must own B = buy it C= average D = yawn F = puke

ZZ Top – Live at Montreux
Eagle Rock Entertainment
www.eaglerockent.com

Rating: C

ZZ Top may seem an odd choice for a jazz festival, and truth be told, they are... but this festival is famous for stretching out, so why not have those two bearded guys and that one drummer guy named ‘Beard’ come on over and jam-out.  And that is what that little ol' band from Texas did. 

The first part of the concert and the last are a typical ZZ Top show, as they jam-out the hit tunes like “La Grange,” “Gimmie All Your Lovin',” “Legs,” “Tube Snake Boogie” and others.  The best part of this show, however, comes somewhere in the middle as ZZ is joined on-stage by Mike Flanigin on Hammond Organ and guitarist Van Wilks.  Together they pay tribute to late festival organizer Claude Nobs.  The band jazzed it up and cranked it out. 

It is a solid performance of ZZ in 2013 which means it is a kinder and gentler ZZ Top, but hell, they still have the look, the attitude and the beards, so you know its gonna be good!

By Jeb Wright