Zappa Plays Zappa 2015

[ronmac]

May have missed a thread for this, but I saw Dweezil and crew last night in the Pittsburgh area. First time I saw Dweezil, but I was lucky enough to see Frank five times.

They're playing the entire "One Size Fits All" album, which was great. The whole show was fantastic. Dweezil holds his own quite well, and would make Frank proud. Of course, he's no Frank; but nobody is, nor could be.

Needless to say, the band was incredible. Top-notch musicians, as required by the material. I only had one complaint. I am not a fan of Ben Thomas doing the FZ impression. I understand why they do it; but, it comes off as cliche and disingenuous to me.

The glaring omission was not seeing Frank conducting.

[Reid]

I'll probably be going to the show in Utica, NY in August. Last year's show here in Syracuse was hard to enjoy, since the theater owner decided the air conditioning didn't need to be working for an indoor summer show.

I feel like the shows are a bit too rock oriented. FZ always had that jazz improvisation element happening in his shows. And Dweezil's band needs some blackness in the vocal department.

[ronmac]

And Dweezil's band needs some blackness in the vocal department.

I agree. Ray White would have been nice.

This show definitely had a good bit of jazz vibe. And some nice flashbacks.

Inca Roads
Can't Afford No Shoes
Sofa
Po-Jama People
Florentine Pogen
Evelyn, a Modified Dog
San Ber'dino
Andy
Sofa #2
Status Back Baby
Big Leg Emma
The Grand Wazoo
Baby Snakes
I'm So Cute
Society Pages
Magic Fingers
Son of Suzy Creamcheese
Who Needs the Peace Corps?
What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?
My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
Sinister Footwear

Encore:
Cosmik Debris
Dancin' Fool
Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
Muffin Man

[Phlakaton]

The Ray White ZPZ tour was my favorite. He was awesome.

[ronmac]

The Ray White ZPZ tour was my favorite. He was awesome.

Yeah, what a voice.

[rickawakeman]

Tomorrow night right here in town (Northampton MA at the Calvin), but since we're leaving early the next day tohead to Montreal for Friday night's IQ show, must reluctantly pass.
I've never seen FPZ but wifey saw them open for RTF in Seattle a few years back, told me she actually enjoyed Project/Object (who we've seen multiple times) more than FPZ.

[flowerking]

I saw ZPZ Saturday in Columbus. My fifth time seeing them and I think both the best setlist and the best performance I've seen by them. This incarnation of the band is phenomenal. They played One Size with seemingly little effort. One nice thing about this version of the band is that all 6 members can sing and the vocals were quite a bit better than in previous tours. Dweezil's playing is also gaining more feel and he is relying on being technically perfect and fast less and less. But still, his solos in Inca Roads and Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy just didn't live up to Frank's versions but thats a minor quibble. If you've never seen ZPZ, go see them. If you are a Zappa fan, go see them. And if you don't know much about Zappa, go see them because you will see just how progressive Zappa's music is.

[rapidfirerob]

I've seen ZPZ three times. Project Object once. The Grandmothers twice. I enjoyed them all. The first time I saw The Grandmothers, NM Brock, Don Preston and the great guitarist Mike Miller were in the band.

[zombywoof]

May have missed a thread for this, but I saw Dweezil and crew last night in the Pittsburgh area.

Hey, I was there too!

I am not a fan of Ben Thomas doing the FZ impression. I understand why they do it; but, it comes off as cliche and disingenuous to me.

Agreed, he ought to dial it back a bit. His Beefheart is hard to take, too. Other than that, I thought the vocalists were phenomenal (particularly Scheila and the blonde keyboardist). They had the doo-wop harmonies DOWN.

[progman1975]

How is the Merch table...I'm going sat to the Keswick show....WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO

[ronmac]

How is the Merch table...I'm going sat to the Keswick show....WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO

Several cool shirts, all too pricey ($35.00 range and higher). CDs, DVDs. Not a ton of stuff, but plenty. Dweezil said they would be at the table after the show to sign autographs, too. I didn't stick around for that.

[jglfan]

I saw ZPZ when they opened for Return to Forever too, it was disappointing compared to the other three times I've seen them. Give them a shot when they aren't an opening act, the other shows were great.

[Phlakaton]

Grandmothers shows have all been awesome. NMB is just so much fun and one hell of a front man. I got to hang out with them before the show for an hour or so and it was a blast. Don Preston told me some great stories, NMB was incredibly cool and a joy to talk to. Tom Fowler was probably the most engaging. We just couldnt stop talking about our kids and how his brother was doing. His health was rather shaky and he was struggling with it but talk about some of the best bass playing I've seen in person. Damn. He also gave me his cd and signed it fer nutin. Great time.

nmb.jpg

[progman1975]

Murphy Brock hasn't changed...Great Pict!!!!

[progman1975]

Cool Shirt...Where did u get it. I want one.

[gryphs also]

Saw the show in Detroit last Friday. Great show. Hearing the material live gives you a better appreciation as to how incredibly complex the music is and how amazing the musicians are. My minor quibbles are that there really wasn't anything that was "way out there" which I would have liked, and things were a bit too rigidly organized and would have liked some throwing a monkey wrench in things and seeing how the band reacted.

[strawberrybrick]

Going to the Chicago show, first time seeing ZPZ

[Phlakaton]

Cool Shirt...Where did u get it. I want one.

Thanks! I'm pretty sure I got that shirt at the first ZPZ gig with Bozzio. I havent seen many around.

[eporter66]

I didnt see this post and put one up as I went to the Albany show last night. They are great, all of them do a fantastic job, and I like Ben Thomas - he seems to have a great time doing it. My 5th time, and as long as Dweezil keeps coming, I will keep going, there is so much great music he has yet to play live!

[Bake 1]

ZPZ can be impressive, but sometimes, (especially in the vocal dept.) they go all styrofoam replica. The personalities of the players often were key in making the original FZ stuff great. Imo, the best Muffin Men and Grandmothers performances are a little less automatic or paint by numbers.

[zombywoof]

Agreed, would like to see Dweez get creative with the arrangements and have some fun; mix it up a little.

[eporter66]

All I can say is - Dweezil is keeping the music alive, and doing it well. Very little I can critique from what I have seen from ZPZ over the last few years.

[Obscured]

The show next Wed., April 29th will be streamed live- https://screen.yahoo.com/live/event/zappa-plays-zappa

[progman1975]

All I can say is - Dweezil is keeping the music alive, and doing it well. Very little I can critique from what I have seen from ZPZ over the last few years.

and god does he plays his ass off!!!!

[cazz]

Hampton Beach last nite 2:45 long show. I'm not a zappa fan and still not but what a great show! Sheila ? on keyboards, winds & vocals-very talented, keep an eye on her.