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Did you attend this ZPZ show at Workplay Theatre in Birmingham, AL?

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

The show last night was just another incredible performance by what has to be the best touring band in America. Scheila, if music is the best then you and your band mates are a darn close second. DZ, you have evolved into an absolute terror as a guitarist. Your mastery and obvious love of Franks music shines through and is a pleasure to watch. Pete, damn you worked out like a freak and really are as good a bassist as I have ever seen. Jamie, you are turning into a monster, always spot on and what an awesome solo. DZ turn that boy loose!! Joe, you are the glue and your vocals were great. Drummers are sometimes overlooked but not here. Billy, you are so good at what you do and your enthusiastic vocals are a blast. Aaron, why were you hiding? Your keyboards came through loud and clear even if we couldn't tell where they were coming from. Ray, I bow to your talent, what a set of pipes!!!. For whatever reason the vibe of the band was the best I have seen from you. Scheila is at her absolute best and such a joy to behold. The playlist was incredible (but it always has been) What makes this band special is the affection for each other and the interaction between you guys. I am so thankful each time I see you (5th ZPZ). I'll see you in Knoxville 7/28. Keep "given 'em Frank" guys

My 4th ZpZ and the first in my hometown, Glad to have meet some great out of towners.Hey Karen from Tallahasse that was a mighty tasty flask. P.M. here. Hoped all yall enjoyed your stay. All the homies now realize why me and Derf make short road trips to see this band play. everyone i talked with was blown away with the skill of the band and all the notes jamed into their brain in one concert. Yall come back now, ya hear.

Great show! This was my 3rd ZPZ show, and my first outside of New Orleans. I live in Mobile so I couldn't miss the chance to see ZPZ in my home state. Unfortunately I doubt they will be back because of how stupid a lot of the crowd was acting.

A number of people in the front center area started fighting with each other, and many idiots were yelling songs they wanted to hear in the middle of the song currently being played!!

This show definitely appeared to be "day off" show, where they were just getting some party money and trying out stuff they wanted to do at bigger shows. I have no problem with that! I was in the front row in front of Schelia's beautiful self, as well as Ray. Tons of funny faces and eye contact from Dweezil as well, and he even signed my 7'' "My Mother is a Space Cadet" record!

The band should definitely try to fit in Blue Light, Pick me I'm Clean, and Drowning Witch into the next tour!

Here is the setlist as best as I can remember; they played so many songs, we were all lucky! The southeast loves you guys so please keep melting our faces off!

Sweet Home Alabama/ Purple Lagoon
Imaginary Diseases
City of Tiny Lites
Pygmy Twylyte
Idiot Bastard Son
Cheepnis
G-Spot Tornado
Inca Roads
Don't Eat the Yellow Snow
St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast
Father O'blivion
Wind up Working in a Gas Station
San Bernadino
Flakes
Broken Hearts are for Assholes
??? w/ jazz improvisation (this is bugging me, I can't find the song in my discography)
Bamboozled by Love (slow and fast + Yes)
Joe's Garage
Fembot in a Wet T-shirt
Outside Now
He Used To Cut the Grass
Packard Goose

Encore
Peaches En Regalia
I'm the slime
Muffin Man

Thanks Dweezil and ZPZ for a great show last night. This was the 4th show for my wife and I, and it was great to be able to see the band right here in our hometown.

Workplay is a smaller venue than what ZPZ usually plays, but it was a good crowd and looked to be nearly sold-out to me. The sound was excellent. It was mentioned in an earlier post that the folks in the front were rude and unruly. I couldn't see any of that (we were about halfway back), but I did notice Ray and Scheila talking to the crowd up front, and it looked like they were having a good time. I noticed Ray telling them, "You get 3! You get 3!" during the 2nd encore ("I'm the Slime") to let them know more was coming.

To me, the crowd seemed to be really excited and into the show the whole time. One thing my wife noticed is that there weren't a lot of people on their cell phones or trying to take pictures during the show (saw a lot of this in Atlanta last month). Nice to see people interested in watching and enjoying the concert.

One negative about the venue is that it got really hot about halfway through the show. Saw a lot of people getting bottled water from the bar.

The band was tight (as always) and appeared to be having a great time. Lots of dancing by Scheila and Pete. They played approx 2hrs 40 min. Dweezil made a funny comment about the number of artificial limb places nearby (a lot of hospitals near the venue - UAB, VA, St. Vincent's). The set list posted earlier seems correct to me except they also played King Kong in-between Bamboozled and Joe's Garage.

Thanks once again for a great show and please come back to Birmingham again.

This was my 3rd ZPZ show. Loved the song selection. Sheilah's twin sax solo was incredible. I have never seen anything like that before. The band was awesome. I was disappointed by the relatively small crowd size but it was a late booking. Overall I enjoyed the venue better than Atlanta. Thank you for visiting Alabama! In Atlanta you played Society pages, Beautiful Guy, Beauty knows no pain and I loved it. I was hoping to hear Charlie's enormous mouth to complete the set as on YCDTOSA 3. I would also like to hear Drowning Witch and Zoot Allures (my wife's favorite) at future shows. This is the best touring band in the country. I would (did) drive hundreds of miles to see the performance. Thanks again
Bob

This was my first ever Zappa experience, and by far the most memorable show i have been to yet. Thanks for everything, please come back as soon as you can. Outside Now melted my face, and Inca Roads...my god, perfection

Saw them tonight at Oak Mt. they played "He's a Whore".I bout sh== by britch's. Some songs just rule.[/b]

I saw the Mothers every time they came to the SF Bay Area (1974- 1978). The band did a lot of smaller venues. My favorite shows were at the Circle Star in San Carlos. Loved to watch Ruthy bounce around behind the xylophone, GD, the Fowlers and the rest. Every time I went to a show I would take someone with me who had never seen Frank play and I always made a new convert. I spent every weekend of my teenage life at Winterland or some other venue, and there was no one who could tightly rock the house down like Frank and the gang.
Now, about Dweezil. First of all, it amazes me that he is now older than his dad was when I used to go to the shows. What Dweezil has done, however, is something I would never think possible. I again felt the magic of FZ and the Mothers, but in a very fresh and re-invented way,(as I am sure frank would have done it). Please come back to Birmingham! We love you!

What a killer show. I was shocked to see that ZPZ was coming to Birmingham and didn't hesitate to pick up tickets and alert everyone I knew about it. I like Workplay; a small venue where you can't get a bad view. I was front and center, merging from 2nd to 4th rows.

The disturbance in the front that someone mentioned earlier was some BIG dude fisting a beer in each hand slowly harassing folks by wanting to be where they were standing. He was big, he was drunk and he had, umm, issues. Some guy in the front row had enough of him, engaged in a verbal altercation and got the attention of security who removed the large gentleman from the room without incident. That was all it was, although I was sure a brawl was going to break out.

WHATEVER, the show rocked, and Ray - wow to see him there and hear him in person made the experience all the more real. Scheila, the double sax solo was the coolest; haven't seen that attempted in person before (but must make a trippy reference to Roland Kirk in the "Supershow" film from '68 where he played three!).

I never had the fortune to see Frank live, but I've embraced his music since I was a child oh so many years ago. Having this show come to town was a thrill, and Dweezil, you are the coolest for making it happen. Thanks man - I hope you come back. As one gentleman bellowed at the beginning of the show - "where's Vai?" - no idea!