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Did you attend this ZPZ show at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL?

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

I'm still buzzing from the show so forgive me if I ramble...
This band is amazing! My jaw is sore from grinning like a chimpanzee. Too much information to go into everything but here's a few of my personal highlights. The Joe's Garage mini-set was fantastic. The Illinois Enema Bandit was as great as any of the versions that I heard Frank do. Ray White has always been one of my favorite singers and he still has the pipes. Thanks Ray!! It was all great but my absolute favorite of the night has to be Magic Fingers. I didn't think that they could top the last tour but they pulled it off. Thank you Zappa Family for continuing the tradition. As long as you keep touring, I'll keep coming to the shows.

Frank Lives!!!

I attended in Orlando.
Venue was good, dealing with the parking and sheer distance of parking to venue was not favorable. Airport-type security to enter also not favorable. Would have preferred a non-Disney venue, but the A/C was working well, unlike Pompano, which I did not attend.
One more negative note concerns the stage lighting at artist level that were laser-like and were piercing in a not-healthy way into our retinas in the balcony. For a few songs, they were lit and stayed beaming-out into the audience and I literally had to shield my eyes from them. I don't know if it was the bands lighting or the house's, but they were not good for the eyeballs.
Now the good.
The band was INCREDIBLE! I was very impressed and plan on attending as many shows as possible, for as many tours as they want to engage in. I am a fan, and really got my money's worth. It was a 2 3/4 hour set!!!
Everybody was excellent, and Dweezil is very proficient with his guitar work, and very humble in sharing the stage and showcasing the amazing talent he is playing with.
Ray White has an incredible voice, and the percussionist played some awesome xylophone. Ruth would be impressed. I could say the same for everyone on stage, very good!
Doesn't look like any West coast U.S. dates, or I would recommend to my friends that they go.
So, besides the laser lighting in the eyes, it was a great show and one that I will remember always. BTW, I drove over from Tampa, a pain in the ass, but worth it.
I just purchased the ZPZ FanPack on Amazon, $10 less than at the show, or I would have gotten it there!
Nice job guys!


Slugbait the Slackerprince

Here is the set list from last nights preformance
treacherous cretins
tiny lights
beautiful guy
beauty knows no pain
flakes
broken hearts
bamboozled by love
king kong
gas station
san berndino
g spot tornado
joes garage
wet t shirt
outside now
he used to cut the grass
packard goose
enima bandit
magic fingers
carolina hardcore exticy
willy the pimp
the show was one of the best i've seen, the dweeze has the magic fingers, i'm glad i was able to give the dweeze some photos of his dad from a show from the 80's he looked at them and gave me a thumbs up. thankx dweeze

I attended the Orlando show again this year and was once again amazed. The deadication to the music and the hard work by Dweezil and the band continue to shine through. If this remains a yearly event I will keep on coming out and dragging friends and doubters along with me, haven't had one dissapointed yet. Hopefully this will continue to grow.

On the venue front, the security stations were new to me at the Hard Rock and the guards seemed a little more uptight but still way better the the House of Rules at Disney. They had to escort a guy out who decided to lay on his back in the aisle and enjoy (?) the show! Always great to see folks having a good time. The sound was very good where I was on the floor and this is still the correct venue for Zappa Plays Zappa in Orlando in my opinion. Cheers everyone and see you next year! Patrick.

Drove up from Sarasota in the driving rain to see the Orlando show, my third show of this tour, it was excellent! I always bring the Zappa naive with me to the shows and they are never disappointed. The venue was nice, a little tense with security, but hey, sign of the times. The set list was great, loved the Illinois Enema Bandit! Ray has the voice! Dweezil played most delightfully, as did the entire ensemble! Scheila works it all night long, that girl never stops moving around! Thank you ZFT and ZPZ for continuing to bring this music to us all over the world! It means more than you know! Hey Dweezil - if I get the FZ trademark as a tattoo, do I have to include the Circle R? Thanks for a great show people! See you next year and if time and money allow, another show or two this year!

4 hours drive from Tallahassee. ¼ mile visibility. Easy worth the all night round trip.

Aaron Arntz -wailed into his keyboard pulling out some sounds like the Atari arcade games back in the 80’s. Awesome. Did he actually use a “Hejl” box (similar to P. Frampton)? Great work on solos and backing!

Schelia Gonzalez shows her love of the music via her jumping/dancing/ energy. Sax solo (on King Kong) slower start, then just poured out of her, Dweezil saw it and let her go! Near the end she slid into “Sing, sing, sing (with a swing)” was quickly picked up by Joe Travers. Man, that would have been awesome to hear the bands version of that! - sad there was no "Cartman" on "Flakes".

Pete Griffin Wide legged-power stance-head banging- intensity is right out of “The School of Rock”. Such fun to watch! During solo, it was interesting to see a totally NON-animated Pete, really working it! Sound was tight and right!

Billy Hulting’s playing was unimaginably synched with Joe Travers! How can those guys play so much, so fast, and be so on? Seemed like he was really wanting to take off on King Kong, but kept having to hold back (nature of the song, I suppose). His extended solo (cant remember song) was a real depature from what most of the show sounded like. NICE!!

Jamie Kime gets my apologies. I couldn’t see him at ALL due to a large “afro” beside/in front of me. I worried that maybe he was drowned out, but during solos and such, he was at full house volume, wish I could say more. Was just hard to tell for me when/what he was playing. My bad.

Joe Travers - Whew, what a show! Speed power and precision! Yow!! The falsetto comments come out really well for the house monitors. “He was such a nice boy, he used to cut my grass”. "Hey Dweezil, wanna check out the Tower of Terror?" Awesome. Joe gave it everything, he is like 2 drummers!

Ray White – While not as animated as NMB (whose about as animated as Jim Carrey) his voice is still fantastic. Guy next to me turned to his friend and said “Ray is still, actually, really- really good, isn’t he?” Maybe it was THE WAY this guy said it. I thought: ABSOLUTELY!!

Dweezil – Third time I have seen ZPZ. The weight of pressure/playing/father’s legacy etc, seems to no longer exist. He seemed totally relaxed through out the show. Only during "G-Spot Tornado" did it look like he had to think about his playing a little bit. He did less talking this show. During an earlier song, he made some sort of feedback noise 3 times, I think that effectively doubled the sound level of the band. Yowch! He has surrounded himself with an amazing group of talented musicians, and it shows!
This band is NOT “Tight”! Tight is a good pro band. This band could be described as
“a titianium block being designed and carved on a C.A.D. - 5 axis lathe!!!! (Microscopic tolerences!!!)They have stepped up AGAIN!!!

SUMMARY: To most folks this is not “normal music” which is usually (like “pop”) pleasant and nice and easy to follow, and has happy words with gentle thoughts. ZPZ is like a “Whiskey Milkshake”. For most it will be an acquired taste, and by the end of the concert if you don’t feel like you’re a bit disoriented, almost sonically abused, and “full” you didn’t drink it all down!!! Want a bit more out of your music? See ZPZ if you can!!!

i have to admit i was never a frank zappa fan even though i was growing up during his prime years. heard a few songs but didn't much care for it.didn't get it. until last nite in orlando.by 9 pm i was a convert.went to the show with a friend who saw frank a dozen times at least. we were both blown away by dweezil and band's performance.they put on a great show and i will go to any show they put on that is any where near me.if you have not seen this and heard it do yourself a favor-GO TO A SHOW!thanks for a memorable evening and a great concert.

WOW what a show. This was our third and there will be many more (we hope). We went to the Orpheum in Boston in 2006 and it was 120 degrees of rockin' good times. That December in Boca Raton Florida was a magical event, outside, great weather, super music, BUT 5th row for Orlando rocked ! Hard Rock is a great venue, up close and personal for a fantastic show. Nothing better than watching all those grown men sing and clap in unison! I only wish the crowd had stood and danced and moved a bit more as it did seem pretty stiff -I think we all loved the music but just felt a little too controlled. Thanks for a great show and for your after concert contact with all - it is truly refreshing to see such a genuine performer. We have already sent the singed Fan Pack to our brother-in-law who has yet to be able to see your show. While I grew up with Zappa I am now the Dweezle fan to my husband's Frank! Every parent wishes they raised such a fine son! Not just for playing Dad's music but for playing incredible stuff in a very real way. YOU are the show young man! AND all those with you! Cheers, travel well and return to the south, we'll find you! Hey, what about Sunfest in West Palm in May - THAT sounds good!

yes dweez ,most of us know your daddys music , and some of us were lucky enough to see him a few times live. and i have to say now some of us are lucky enough to see you perform live. oh young man how you've grown. from the 06 tour to now.after seeing you on stage with the special guests in 06, i thought it couldn't get any better. then 07 rolls around and the band is playing in sync with dad via video, and i think damn, it don't get no better then this. now in 08 it's THIS CLOSE to being a live frank show, and i have stopped saying it can't get any better, and am already waiting for the 09 tour. thanks DWEEZIL, muZic is the best

First I have to say that I was fortunate enough to have seats 7 rows from the front, just slightly left of center. I usually (never) get seats this good. When Dweezil came out and started playing a solo from Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar on the white Stratocaster a smile lit my face and did not go away for two and half hours plus. I was completely blown away with everything - the musicianship, the sonics, the music... I instantly said to myself and to friends later that this is the best concert I've EVER witnessed. It's already four days later and I'm still amazed. Don't ever miss the opportunity to see this show. I'm writing this while listening to the Hot Rats LP, an album I've owned since I was 14 years old in the early seventies. Anybody know who Bub and Gil are? Thanks Dweezil!

my first post was all about dweezil, and his progress and playing,and in so doing the ZPZ band was not mentioned, so i am back to beg forgiveness. i am sorry, you by no means were over looked, this musical extraviganza could not be seen & heard without all of you, we the fan know that and thank you all. and also in my first post i said i was waiting for 09. that has changed, now i'm waiting for the fall dates. how bout north florida, jax. if not, time for a road trip,again.

Had the pleasure of seeing the Boston and Boca shows in 06 and thought that they were fantastic. Made the trip up to Orlando and was blown out of my seat. Dweezil, your guitar playing is beyond words. To top that off the absolute joy on your face as the music was played was beyond compare. We can only hope that you will continue to play Frank's music for years to come. Maybe in the next few years you could come to West Palm Beach, we have a couple venues that would be great for you. Don't waste your time with Sunfest in May, I couldn't stand the short set they would make you play.

Again, thanks to all the ZPZ band. Musicians without compare, and tight enough to be one of Frank's bands. Hearing Ray sing again after twenty years was sweet. Music is the best, and Frank's is the best of all. Long live the contemporary composer.

P.s. Thanks for signing the DVDs for me. I sent one to my sister and brother in law in DC. They are the ones that originally turned me on to Frank's music when Roxy and Elsewhere came out, been hooked ever since.