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Quite an extensive contribution to a band re-writing history
I missed a few entries on the ZPZ website lately, because up to Friday last week I was not even aware of the fact that a new European tour had started. The Amsterdam concert was a sold-out event, which made it quite difficult to obtain tickets anyway.
However, with the sheer determination a Zappa fan should demonstrate in a situation like this, I eventually got hold of two tickets, which allowed access to another memorable show marking the return of the son of shut up and play yer guitar. And how. I had invited a friend who appreciates high-level musicianship but never got hooked to Zappa’s, to accompany me, and the moment that “Zoot Allures” was kicked off, like me he was lost.
Heavily based on Roxy material, ZPZ performed a set of some of the most beautiful statues that music has brought in the past forty-something years. Consider for a moment all of this beauty was created by just six pair of hands, and a few less pair of feet as well, manipulating the strings, keys, valves or sticks of their instruments in perfect metric harmony just because they have the skill to rehearse and perform complex rock combo music. With a lot of discipline…
Dweezil’s soloing put a signature to the setlist, with his Gibson SG mixed in front, intense and crystal clear. Having performed his father’s material for live audience for four years now, he is visibly confident with playing the guitar parts. While taking his role as band leader, he allows the other members doing their part in the band, in which they excel – no exception.
Of course the news of the day was brought at the beginning, that it was bass player Pete Griffin’s birthday, triggering Jamie Kime to play an out-of-tune Happy Birthday quote on his guitar.
The big surprise however was the introduction of Ben Thomas, the dynamic male vocalist. Though equipped with the looks of a youngster, his vocal skills made the difference. Starting off with “Penguin in Bondage” he proved he is in the right place. And while hearing him sing “Inca Roads”, you could almost feel the sensation that Dweezil and others must have felt when he auditioned for the job. He can bend his vocal chords in a way other singers would not be able to do without audio manipulation. I would love to hear him sing “Dirty Love”.
On stage we watched and heard a band perform in the tradition the great master would have wanted it to, without anything resembling the old days but the music. Two years ago I watched the band play in Tilburg. At moments, old performances of FZ were projected on a large screen for which the band provided musical support. In other instances Ray White supercharged the songs with his distinctive vocals to make them sound like they were performed long ago. Now, there was no screen for performances to support, and with that, and the absence of old-timers, the band was performing on its own strength. Superbly, anybody will have to admit.
I have read reviews of other gigs of this tour in which the band was criticized for safe play by staying close to, and not moving away from, the original arrangements. In my view these people rate the group as “boring” – though they may not have the intention to do so – which I tend to disagree with. The overall appearance of the group may rather be described as static, which could be improved upon. On the other hand, would you prefer a sensational light show with the band running all over the stage at the risk of missing a few but nevertheless important notes that should make the music? Zappa’s music is so very demanding for the hearing that you just do not want your attention to be drawn away from it by the looks of it.
If we needed proof that this band can improvise, they brought a sensational rendition of “The Mammy Anthem” that, besides the grungy interpretation of the main theme, was built up of solos. It included a highly humorous vocal solo by Ben Thomas, in which he improvised some sort of a “tribal” song including a bit of audience participation. Other solos were improvised over grooves that reflected other Zappa material (“The Grand Wazoo”, “Heavy Duty Judy”). The solo that impressed most was by Scheila Gonzalez on saxophone: her soloing put the entire audience on fire.
You could visibly see the band put their soul in the music. Concentration could be read from their faces, which is no surprise considering the complex nature of the material they played. It may have had its impact on the spectacle aspect, but if that bothered you, you would just have to close your eyes and listen. And if all that was fine with you, you would actually enjoy watching the expression on Dweezil’s face which at moments brought back the memory to the face of his father – just think of the front cover photo on the “Guitar” album.
Is there nothing I pitied? Well, there was a little too little of the humor aspect trickling through. In the closing stage of the encore “Cosmic Debris”, after Scheila Gonzalez had sung, “Look here brother, would you jive me with that cosmic debris?”, Joe Travers responded with a slight twist, “Is that a Sears poncho or a Dutch poncho?” If you watched Dweezil at that moment you saw him smile.
I do wish that the group improves upon that humor aspect. It is another essential part of Zappa’s music to keep the legacy alive. My thought on this is, that the new vocalist can play a major part in it. Ben Thomas may not look very confident now, but that will change, and the moment he is confident with the lines he has to sing, we will notice by the twists he makes. And that will challenge the others to catch up. Just allow the guy to grow into his role.
Regards,
Oscar
PS
Dweezil, if you managed to read this far, you might as well answer the following question. Just a few minutes before the concert started, a typical Shuggie Otis song called “Strawberry Letter 23” was played. Knowing that FZ and Shuggie Otis had a brief liaison in the early seventies, was it sheer coincidence that song was played, or was it no coincidence at all?
One last note: A big thank you to Edwin, the guy from whom I bought the tickets to this ZPZ performance. Edwin had tickets to both the Eindhoven and the Amsterdam concert when his superior striked out his plan to watch the Amsterdam show by ordering him to go on a foreign business trip. That decision eventually brought salvation to me.
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