ZZ Top - Live at Rockpalast 1980 [HDTV 720p]

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ZZ Top - Live at Rockpalast 1980 [HDTV 720p]

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ZZ Top, a blues rock group from Texas, will close the Rockpalast-Nacht on April 19th and 20th, 1980, with a special climax. The appearance of this 'Little Old Band From Texas' has many special features. For one, this is the very first appearance of this group outside of the USA. For another, Z Z Top has accepted an offer for a TV concert for the first time. Z Z Top is a three-man band from Houston, Texas. It was formed in 1970 by guitarist and singer, Billy Gibbons. Musical models for ZZ Top were, on the one hand, the then successful trios like 'Jimi Hendrix Experience', or 'Cream'; and, on the other hand, black musicians like Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and John Lee Hooker.

After problems in the beginning (the group gladly tells about the complete concert that they gave in the beginning for a single fan somewhere in southwestern Texas), Z Z Top became the most popular band in Texas with their straight music until 1972, and not seldomly played open-air concerts for upwards from 30,000 visitors. Under the titel 'Taking Texas to the World', Z Z Top undertook a US tour in 1976. The band brought along their own stage, in the form of the state of Texas, a buffalo, rattlesnakes, and different other attractions which they managed. Untill today, this tour is the most successful of any rock band in the USA. There will be no animals at Z Z Top's appearance at the Rockpalast-Nacht on April 19th and 20th, 1980. The group will present top quality blues, boogie and rock'n'roll on the stage in the Grugahalle and will also see to it that there's a lot to see. Motto: "Let's boogie till the cows come out" - or: "We want to dance till the cows wake up".

"As the report came to the staff that Z Z Top wanted to play at the Rockpalast Nacht, there was also a diplomatic problem. Namely, the group wanted to bring along their own stage. That was, of course, not possible. Peter was called upon to come to Chicago himself to explain it to the group. To be on the safe side, he also brought along his stage manager, Terry Price, from TASCO, who lives and works in the USA. Earlier, Z Z Top travelled with their own stage in the shape of Texas and with their own veterinarian. He was responsible for the four animals that were on the stage at concerts: A bison, a longhorn steer, a vulture ( it was supposedly musical) and a rattlesnake in a glass pyramid. It wasn't that bad this time. Peter met the group. Dusty Hill and Frank Beard immediately noticed that Peter had striking similarities with Will Sampson, the Indian from 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', with whom they are friends.

And then it was time. The tape with the Z Z Top concert that had already started, was playing. Peter stood on-stage next to the tour manager, Bill 'Pester' Tickle, and asked: "Are the boys ready?" Flabbergasted reply: "Hell, no". Bill quickly brought his 200 pounds into motion. The three musicians tripped up the stage, exactly right for the seamless passage to a live concert."
From: 10 Jahre Rockpalast.

The concert was a great success and now Z Z Top is famous all over Europe.

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ZZ Top - Live at Rockpalast 1980 [HDTV 720p]

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ZZ Top - Live at Rockpalast 1980 [HDTV 720p]

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ZZ Top - Live at Rockpalast 1980 [HDTV 720p]

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ZZ Top - Live at Rockpalast 1980 [HDTV 720p]

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