'ZZ Top: Live in Texas' - High-Def Digest Review

[Attebery]

Peter's review of 'ZZ Top: Live in Texas' has been posted. The
faithful will dig this concert Blu-ray which showcases very sharp video
and audio, and a few cool supplements. Well worth a look for fans.

Full review here:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1456...veintexas.html

[zaphod]

All right! I'm making space for this right next to my Cream and Deep Purple hi-def concert discs!

[Mr Bobby]

Peter, I'm disappointed by your naivety about ZZ Top and regarding it as "an MTV era nostalgia band." When it comes to real musicians and rock bands, ZZ Top was very successful before and after MTV. Sure they had some radio-friendly pop hits. But, they also put out great blues songs before and after "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man." And yes I was an 80's teen. But, I enjoy their 70's stuff, as much as their 80's and 90's material. Great band.

[Jimbo976]

Sounds like a great concert Blu-ray that I'll be getting day one! Thanks for the review. Of course I think I like ZZ Top a little better than you

[cheez avenger]

I've seen these cats twice, live, and they rocked!!!

I've been waiting for a TRUE live dvd and now we get one in hidef!


Billy Gibbons is a guitar God!

[Outdoorsguy]

Well Peter..in a few short sentences you have succeeded, quite handily, at completely belittling that 'little old band' from Texas..the great ZZ-Top!

The only saving grace I see from your less than lukewarm review is your obvious lack of ZZ knowledge. If you had done even the minimal amount of homework, you might have noticed that nearly half of every track on this new DVD release is from the 1970's..NOT the 1980's! To say that this collection is; “like a steamroller of '80s anthems" is quite inaccurate and very misleading...and demonstrates that you really know nothing of the band's existance prior to the Eliminator album in 1983. I too was a teen in the 80's, only difference was; it was ZZ's 1970's blues/roots music that appealed to me and many others at the time.

I suppose if you were too young to be exposed to early ZZ first-hand, it might explain your lack of knowledge, but at least do the band(& readers) some justice by looking it up.

I do plan on purchasing this new DVD...not because of your review, or because of their reported 'fancy light show'..but because these three men are true legends of American music and pioneers of Texas blues in the 1970's..NOT in the 1980's!

Outdoorsguy

[atticusrex]

I was at this concert and I do concur that the actual show wasn't much i.e. no pyro or ladies on stage. Just the Tres Amigos doin what they do best. I was surprised though that they didn't play their first Texas single Francine. They did do their 2nd one Just Got Paid.

This is their first non-bootlegged concert on DVD and Blu-Ray. Any others are fan made and spotty at best in terms of visuals and sound.

[Porky Pine]

This is a definite buy for me. And for the record, I thought the 80's was their worst decade.

[Eddie Estes]

It amazes me how someone could slam true musicians like ZZ Top and Huey Lewis as "whitebread".

These guys are TRUE musicians not a bunch of whiny little singers trying to show off their technical abilities by doing their oohs and aahs never actually hitting a note on pitch and dancing around the stage singing to backing tracks!
Music fans of today seem to glorify a bunch of neanderthals who can't actually play,
get on stage with socks on their penises or use every curse word they can get out of their tiny brains to appear deep and relevant.
Or the ones who slam their country every time they are on stage trying again to appear deep and smart. Ha!!!!

I really long for the time when a group could get on stage play, let their music stand on it's own and drop all the above mentioned crap.
Judging by this review the music fans of today don't have the musical knowledge or appreciation for truly talented musicians.

[ManicFanic]

I have to agree with the rest of the posters here that say you know nothing about ZZ Top...and to prove that fact, two words...Billy Gibson???

Might be best if you refrain from doing reviews for things about which you haven't the faintest clue...

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by ManicFanic

I have to agree with the rest of the posters here that say you know nothing about ZZ Top...and to prove that fact, two words...Billy Gibson???

Might be best if you refrain from doing reviews for things about which you haven't the faintest clue...

Holy shit!

I didn't even pick up on that.

Someone just got P'WnD!

[priapism]

Yet again, I am disgusted by a review of one of the esteemed reviewers on this site, and feel compelled to express my disgust.

Having watched this concert twice on two different systems (I have one movie oriented 7.1 setup, and another separate music oriented 5.1 setup, the former with a 12 foot screen, and the latter with a flat screen TV). This is most certainly not "for fans only". Yet again, I am dismayed that a reviewer who has crap mass market equipment (that is likely not properly setup in a proper room) has delivered his opinion on what is actually a great disk. No, this is not the greatest performance by the great ZZ Top, but this IS as good as you are going to get at that venue. I know the Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie quite well, and the engineers did an excellent job at capturing the actual performance, as it was. Also, this is the first Eagle Vision concert that has a lossless soundtrack, since this is the first one that did not have to be squeezed onto the inferior HD-DVD format. It is absolutely fabulous. Compared to the Deep Purple blu-ray, for example, with its DTS-HR (2 mbps if I recall correctly), this is lightyears ahead. It just blows it away. Now, I would be the first to say that the Deep Purple performance was much more exciting and riviting, but QUALITY wise, the video and audio on this release were top notch. There may be some valid comments about the vocals, etc, but this is the way it was in the concert hall. Period.

Peter, seriously, stop talking about "crowd noise" from the surrounds. Your setup is crap. You write well, and your comments on the video are usually pretty darn good. But an audiophile, you ain't.

[cheez avenger]

WOW!!!!



I just watched this and it kicked ass.





The audio bit rate is up there in the 4.0 area which is fantastic.

I've seen the boys rock out here in Los Angeles and I love 'em.

The price is right, too!!

[Jimbo976]

My copy just showed up today and I just finished watching it.

WOW!!

The concert is awesome - awesome PQ, awesome AQ, and a great show!! Highly recommended to anyone who likes good rock and blues. A good price on this title as well - only $17.

It's good to see that the boys have not lost a lot after so many years together (almost 40 I think).

[FiosFiend]

Originally Posted by Outdoorsguy

Well Peter..in a few short sentences you have succeeded, quite handily, at completely belittling that 'little old band' from Texas..the great ZZ-Top!

The only saving grace I see from your less than lukewarm review is your obvious lack of ZZ knowledge. If you had done even the minimal amount of homework, you might have noticed that nearly half of every track on this new DVD release is from the 1970's..NOT the 1980's! To say that this collection is; “like a steamroller of '80s anthems" is quite inaccurate and very misleading...and demonstrates that you really know nothing of the band's existance prior to the Eliminator album in 1983. I too was a teen in the 80's, only difference was; it was ZZ's 1970's blues/roots music that appealed to me and many others at the time.

I suppose if you were too young to be exposed to early ZZ first-hand, it might explain your lack of knowledge, but at least do the band(& readers) some justice by looking it up.

I do plan on purchasing this new DVD...not because of your review, or because of their reported 'fancy light show'..but because these three men are true legends of American music and pioneers of Texas blues in the 1970's..NOT in the 1980's!

Outdoorsguy

My sentiments exactly!! You know the least you could have don't Peter was to get the names right. It's Billy Gibbons not Gibson. How old are you any way???

It never ceases to amaze me how un-savvy the young are these days when it comes to music. ZZ Top created music that will last the ages. Long after the Hanna Montanas of this world have become a (thankfully) forgotten bad memory people will be listening to Tush, La Grange, and Jesus Just Left Chicago. I don't think you would really know good music if it bit you in your Jonas Brothers lovin ass.

Hell, groups today can't even play instruments. They just stand up on stage holding them and lip sinking to recorded tracks. Get a clue Peter....