Zappa.com

Did you attend the ZPZ show at Colston Hall in Bristol?

Dweezil and the band love reading your reviews.

Please do not post in this thread if you did not attend the show.

Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister

Set list (rendered in an approximately accurate chronological order):
Zomby Woof
Magic Fingers
Montana
Village of the Sun
Enchidna's Arf (of you)
Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?
Purple Lagoon -- intro
Inca Roads
The Black Page parts 1&2; The Miss Pinky Ballet Version
(from here on in inaccuracy of song ordering will ensue)
Dirty Love
Outside Now
King Kong; including a solo from Jamie; Billy (over Big Swifty, 1973 version ,11/8 vamp;) Peter; Ben Thomas vocal improvisation, beatboxing, and audience participation; Scheila sax solo, with lick trading betwixt herself and Dweezil.
Bamboozled by Love
Encores:
Cosmik Debris
Lumpy Gravy
Yellow Snow
Willie the Pimp

A scintillating show; utterly enthralling -- Ben Thomas is an excellent acquistion to the band, with much charisma, and injected the show with the much needed spontaneity of humour that it lacked on the previous occasion I watched Zappa Plays Zappa in 2007 (The Ray White Incarnation.)
Please play the Yellow Snow Suite in it's entirety next time!
Ruby
XoX

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. This band is so hot. The music hits you with a bullit. Dweezil was the boss and he is in complete control just like his dad. It was a good crowd too (esp Miss Pinky whose head was made to bob up and down on many occassions). All the band seemed to play the most intricate music with such ease. The players would have graced any of Franks bands. I was close enough to see Dweezils fingers working and oh boy... what a wizard.

Please keep this band together and please come back next year. Maybe the band can play in Wales.... maybe even at the Millenium Center in Cardiff. I believe the best should be for the best, which ZPZ are. It is so good to see and hear Frank's music being performed in the public domain once more. Thank you Dweezil, Joe, Scheila, Pete, Billy, Ben (what a voice!!!), and Jamie. This band played well over 2 hours without a break. Cant wait for the next one!!! THANK YOU FOR RESTORING MY FAITH IN MUSIC!!

Great show please come again, great performances/solos by all the band and the dynamic Ben Thomas managed to get normally reserved Bristolians to get up and jump about. Love d willie the pimp and Cadillac ? something.

Thanks to all involved
Gary

Brilliant, Brilliant Gig!!
I saw Frank when I was 16 at the Bath festival at Shepton Mallet (which inspired Micheal Eavis to create the Glastonbury festival)
Flo and Eddie had joined the band and the occasion changed my life!
Last night in Bristol was as awesome and moving and I thank those fantastic musicians for making a middleaged man very happy
Hooray

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Just wrote a long e-mail regarding the show and it didn't post so.....

1.Been a huge FZ fan since early 70s.
2.Aware of politics surrounding ZPZ in that a certain section of fanbase seems to be very anti.
3.Very surprised a Bristol show was announced.
4.Not sure what to expect as disappointed RW was not on tour.
5.Shouldn't have worried as show as awesome.
6.Crowd reaction.......great leading me to hope that,
7.ZPZ may come back here eventually.
8.Ben Thomas got me Scheila's set list.
9.Was Dweezil aware that last night was almost 40 years to the day that his father played his only Bristol show on 3/6/69 at Colston Hall ?
10.Have I noticed Colston posting on the gigs section......the same Colston who *gave up* FZ a few years ago and who passed on his cdr collection to me ? Is that you man ?

I have been a Zappa fan for more years than I care to remember and was lucky enough to see him on many occassions, however my sons (now grown men) never had that privilege. So we went to Colston Hall last night, folowing a recent good experience of the Grandmothers.

ZPZ were sensational and way beyond my expectations. At times I closed my eyes when Dweezil was playing and it was almost his Dad out there. The audience reaction, which included me and mine (wife also), was fantastic and took me back many years.

Anybody who is sceptical (and I have been) I would say that you must catch him next time round. I hope the reception he got brings him back to Bristol or venues close by; although after last night I'll travel much further as I used to for Frank.

One last point, depending on your tastes and wallet, Lumpy Money is fantastic.

Paddle

[attachment=0]IMG_1022.jpg[/attachment]

I so enjoyed this show and was lucky enough to see the band at Shepherd's Bush also 2 nights before. I hope to see ZPZ many more times too. I cannot tire of seeing them. Dweezil, Jamie, Scheila, Pete, Billy, Ben and Joe, thank you so much. For me this is a dream come true. Enjoy the rest of your tour and see you next time.

I can't tell you how excited I was to see Dweezil was touring with his Zappa Plays Zappa band. I had the DVD and really wanted to hear him live. I bought my tickets ages ago, before the band changes. I was concerned that the loss of band members would lessen the effect of Franks music. My concerns were unfounded. The sounds coming from that stage were awesome! I just don't know the words to describe how delighted I was with the quality of the playing. It wasn't just the music either, you could tell they were enjoying playing to us. The tour seems to have been going on forever, but I didn't feel we were just another gig. I don't know how they manage to keep the quality up night after night, but it seems thay can! Everyone played their hearts out but special mention to the new singer, Ben, who has a fabulous voice. I couldn't fault him. Thank you so much, and to all the fans who came to watch. Your love of the music shone through too. I was glad to have shared this magical moment with my husband and daughter. She's 15 and has been listening to Franks music since before she was born. I was lucky enough to see Frank on his Broadway The Hard Way tour. He was amazing! I'm sure he would be proud of what his son is doing with his music.

Please come back again soon!

I only got to see FZ once on the last tour in Brighton, which I remember as not being a classic gig with at least one incident where someone from the audience threw something at Frank. Despite that, I have never forgotten the experience of seeing this amazing big band. Years later I ventured out to take a chance with the Muffin Men who did do justice to some of FZ's music and, last year, 'The Grandmothers' who also did some justice to some of the music. I resisted going to see Dweezil on the last tour as I had become somewhat cynical about other musicians interpretations of FZ's music, even though I already respected Dweezil's ability as a fine guitar player. So when I saw the tour advertised, I thought 'yeah let's give it a go, 'cos if Dweezil can't do the music justice then maybe no-one can', with the added bonus that there was date, just a mere 80 miles up the road, in Bristol.
From the moment the band entered the stage and began playing, any cynicism I had was completely obliterated by the sheer brilliance of the playing. Like his father, Dweezil has managed to find a group of unfeasibly talented, sometimes multi-instrumental, musicians that do more than bring to life this great music. Dweezil is a great guitar player who, in this context, manages to recreate some of the sounds and aural textures that Frank used on the guitar, whilst at the same time stamping his own mark on the playing. New vocalist, Ben ?, did a great job on the songs even though, from the heavily instrumental set, he still has a lot of other songs to learn. He made his presence felt, which I think will grow as he becomes more and more confident and comfortable with the material. This was a long set, around two hours with no break, and never waivered from sheer brilliance which was met by one of the most enthused audiences I have ever seen at a gig in Bristol (not that they are ever dull), although I'm not sure if the exodus to standing at the beginning of 'Cosmik Debris' was enthusiasm through recognition of the opening riff, or the discomfort of the Colston Halls special numb bum seating.
At the end of the encore the band did something which I have only seen once before in a large venue, which was to not disappear into the dressing rooms but come to the front of the stage and talk to audience members and sign things. I don't know if Frank ever did that, almost certainly not in the UK. It maybe a small thing but I think it shows that the musicians respect the fact that other people are willing to come and pay to listen to them play and, even though, I wasn't one of the people getting an autograph - not something I'm personally into (except my treasured autograph of Jaco Pastorius) - but I do think it's a good thing for musicians to do.
I hope this line-up manages to not disintegrate - one legacy of Franks that I hope Dweezil hasn't inherited - and they return to the UK very soon.
Thank you so much for keeping this great music alive and, by bringing it to younger people, ensuring it's future. Frank Zappa was one of the greatest composers of the 20th Century and performances, like this one in Bristol, will do much to ensure a wider and wider recognition of that fact.
If you haven't seen Zappa Plays Zappa, then do it ASAP, They're GREAT!!

p.s Sorry for any typos!

There is more that I need to say about ZPZ. My favourite stuff is the musical and vocal gymnastics. Stand outs for me were Magic Fingers, Village, Echidna's, Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?, Black Page & King Kong. The kind of music that Chad Wackerman once described as as being as difficult as like 'knitting soup'. My Mother doesn't get it. She says that to her is is inaccessable (though she loves The Dangerous Kitchen!). I try to explain it like this. Imagine if Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were to come back and dance for you. A two and a half hour dance of awesome precision and dexterity. And even though the dancing is staggering in its complexity, you can see that they are enjoying dancing for you. I ask her to imagine the joy it would give her and she gets it.

If I were Professor Hubert Farnsworth, I'd be in my lab now breeding a race of mutant gorillas who would shout about ZPZ from the rooftops and everyone would get it.

When I said before that it was like a dream come true for me it was not hyperbole, it was a measure of my true feelings. I hope that the band reads this and all the other sentiments expressed and comes back soon.

I'd never really listened to any Zappa prior to being invited by a mate of mine to come to this gig.

I have to say I was totally blown away by the whole experience. Absolutely phenomenal.

The musicianship was just incredible and the new singer managed to sing so many difficult songs. Not knowing a lot of the songs probably didn't help me appreciate how hard it is to sing them! In particular, Scheila blew me away with how many instruments she managed to command and on top of that sing! The whole group made complex music look so easy...

I could tell by the rest of the crowds response that this gig nailed it for them and the energy on display (for 2 hours straight no less) was amazing.

Would I see them again? HELL YES!

Fantastic show, been waiting since Birmingham NEC '88 to see Zappa music performed live..... and what a performance! Took my 15 year old son Louis with me and he loved it, the moment Dweezil broke out the solo in Zomby Woof I looked at Louis and saw that he knew why we'd come. I think he was a bit embarrassed when Ms. Pinky bounced off the side of my head though! We had front row seats directly below Scheila (sorry BRFC but Scheila gave ME her setlist herself after I shook her hand at the end of the show,[attachment=0]zap2.jpg[/attachment] this is the setlist she had taped to the floor next to her keyboard.... I suspect that what Ben gave you was from the pile of setlists which was placed on the equipment boxes behind Scheila by a member of the crew when the show finished). Of course my kids have been drip fed a constant diet of Zappa since birth so he was very familiar with the music! Couldn't believe 2 an' a half hours went so quick. I was pleasantly surprised to see Dweezil stay on stage afterwards to chat and sign, even handing out picks! The one he gave me says "Larry Storch" on it - apparently he's an American comedy actor?! Anyway, If you're reading this Dweezil (or any of that great band), we would LOVE to see you back in Bristol next year or sooner......pleeze Dweeze(sorry).

good grief have I got this to look forward to from now on? Really? I'm not going to beg Dweez, but, oh go on then, pleeeeeaze.....

I'm a long time FZfan whose prized musical possession is the tape of my one experience of Uncle Frank live (Birmingham 88), and whose occassional live tastes since, of the Muffins, Grannies, the erm Ensemble Mordernees and all, have been enough of a pleasure as it is. But this is the real deal, even without the Important Guest Persons. Saw ZPZ with the Very Famous Stevie Vai and Even More Famous In My Head Napolean Murphy in Manchester, and hadn't checked the site for weeks before this gig (to save surprises, its like being a big kid again!) but I found this much better (well, better anyway) like a real rocking funky gig that builds and builds (and I was like gone maaaan by the end), but was all about the MUSIC, and how great this band play it....

I'll try to be brief about the music cos everyone on this site knows how great the catalogue is, but I thrilled again at how much some of those tunes mean to me, and how everyone will have their different favourites - when King Kong or Lumpy Gravy kicked in, my heart leapt out of my chest - I got tearful in Oustide Now, went mental for Magic Fingers, head banged to Bamboozled - how good is that tune! Inca Roads or Purple Lagoon might have made you swoon, for me I was lost once Echidna's Arf slapped me round the head.....

But I had the pleasure of dragging some mates along and seeing their reactions (and strange dancing moves, luckily we were right at the back so could dance a bit) - one Zappaworld fan who of course loved it but so two my other mates, one of whom took the moment of Black Page Number One to shake my hand - I told him there was a disco version and he laughed - then you played it and he was lost to the night too! You know the comment (one of Watson's most penetratable moments I think) about the amazing thing about this music is getting large numbers of people listening to difficult music.....and loving it - well a night of shifting yer ass to zylophone solos and 12/8 beatboxpsychedlia proves that mightily.......

and the band - well, like I said earlier - its about these musicians now, not about Guest Stars - and they are all, to a man and womn, good enough for this music - its the first I've seen it and that's as good as it gets; "the girl who's red hot on sax" graduated long ago to being, erm, "Scheila", and there seems a big fanclub growing - what a pleasure it would be to see her appreciated for years to come because she's a wonderful performer, the rest of the band well, ditto - Joe Tavers and the other percussionist are fabbo, Black Pages such a treat, lovely to get lost in zylophoneland, bass player steps up to the plate magnificently, there's even a marvallous second guitarist. And the first one?

In the way that this gig was more about this band, and how effing enjoyable they are, so too this time Dweezil's guitaring seemed to be soooo strong and right and just damned listenable and he should be proud of it and well, it felt more just about his playing, (not about you-know-who's) and fine it is now - right from the start rocking through Zomby woof and Magic Fingers (with the great sounding filthy fadeout) - but I think he plays through Inca Roads beautifully and Oustide Now? god sniff, here I go again......

If you took someone along who didn't know about Uncle Frank they'd just think "what an amazing guitarist".

And lastly. The New Guy. aka The New Singer Nobody Knows (Not Like Scheila). Not even going to mention his name. Doesn't deserve it yet. He's just the New Non Star. :)

So he's walked into that music and can sing and play it with joy - But does he appreciate that achievment? COS WE DID YOU BEAUTY!! and that was what was great about this night - No Guest Star, no Billy the Mountain (really should have checked that site before!) - but the band are so about music that you don't need gimmicks or your particular faves played, but instead seeing The New Guy actually achieve what he did is even better - and l'll ask again, have I got this to look forward to? Of him graduating from The New Singer to Ben, in sentences like "Ben and Sheila were as magnificent as they've been for years, but the new violinist stole the show........"

or "Is it true Ben's playing Joe in the new film?"

or "How come you didn't do any beatboxing when you headlined Glastonbury last year, Ben?"

You never know.

And Dweezil matey - now YOU are Zappa. You know how much we love this stuff, its pretty obvious from this site's postings you know we love you lot!! So you know, it the inestimable words of the Pink Fairies, Just Do It!!!!

Pretty please.