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Did you attend this show at the Count Basie Theatre?

Dweezil and the band would love to read your reviews!

Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister

I saw the show 5x last year (Amsterdam, 'Dwezzildorf', Zürich, Atlantic City and NYC Halloween).
This was my 1st show in 2007. What can I say? Awesome!!!
Frank's music live - there's nothing, absolutely nothing to compare.

Setlist:
Black Napkins (w/DRS video trailer 81, guitar track by FZ)
My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama
Echidna's Arf (Of You)
City of Tiny Lights (Ray White joins band onstage)
Advance Romance
I Am The Slime
Dumb All Over (w/DRS video trailer 81, vocals & guitar solo tracks by FZ)
What's New in Baltimore?
Pygmy Twylight
Son of Suzy Creamcheese
Brown Shoes Don't Make It
America Drinks and Goes Home
Dupree's Paradise (incl. Happy Birthday to Scheila, theme of Heavy Duty Judy in key solo, Suck a Horse by RW)
Uncle Remus
Willie the Pimp
Joe's Garage
Wind up Workin' in a Gas Station
San Ber'dino
The Illinois Enema Bandit (incl. preamble by Billy)
ENCORE
Cosmik Debris (w/DRS video trailer 74, vocals & 2nd guitar solo by FZ)
G-Spot Tornado
Muffin Man (w/BS video trailer 77, vocals & 1st guitar solo by FZ)

what else?
a power amp of the P.A. collapsed at the end of 'Willie the Pimp'
another birthday: RW's son (announced by DZ in the encore)
DZ mixed up the guitar change before 'What's New in Baltimore?'
new DVD from last years tour is still not available yet

CU guys tonight in Westbury NY
yours german zappamaniac Elmar

I just found out this site existed and am happy to say my cheesy web browswer (webtv) allows me to be here. just like a kerosene record player LOL....anyways, i didn't see this show yet but am going tonight at Westbury. i been on cloud 9 since i bought the ticket. yes one ticket as i have to be there regardless that nobody wanted to go with me. Thanks Elmar for posting the setlist. this is gonna be great. i hope the boys and girls got a good nights sleep. i'm ready to drift into the space that only Frank (and now Dweezil) has created. THANK YOU in advance for coming to Long Island.

I saw the first show at the Beacon Theater NYC last year. Terry Bozzio was ill, but still managed to provide wow factor.

At first, I was disappointed to find out there would be no Napolean, Bozzio, or Steve Vai.....Once this show started though, I was very pleased with the performance. Ray White vocals were strong. The coordination of the live music to the video is uncanny. It seems as if FZ is actually jumping in occaisionally from the great beyond. It is obvious that DZ has committed heart and soul to this project. He has his fathers ability to find extremely talented, cooperative musicians. I like DZ's renditions as well. Tempo changes to some of the old favorites added a new interesting flavor. DZ's guitar playing ability has increased dramatically from a year ago, or maybe its just that he is doing more of the heavy lifting himself. Very impressive performance by all, well worth the money. I'll certainly be back for Holloween.

Going to the Westbury show tonight-- in hopes of getting a ticket at the door. Does the show start at the time printed on the ticket?

excerpt from my blog....

Later that night I drove 2 hours to Red Bank, New Jersey to see Zappa Plays Zappa and let me tell you it was well worth the long drive (and the ticket price). Like I wrote earlier, I was a little unsure about how I’d feel about this show, but within seconds I forgot all about that and I was totally caught up in it. The band came out and got in position and Dweezil asked if everyone had found their seat and the crowd cheered and he said “ok then, let’s go” and then there is Frank on a big screen above the band. The band started into Black Napkins (one of Frank’s signature guitar solos) and Frank proceeded to remind us why he was the master. From then on it was one pleasant surprise after another. They did a good mix of the fan favorites and some of the more challenging instrumental pieces and they band was right on the money the entire time. Dweezil has become a incredible guitarist. I had read about him having to work really hard to learn these songs, and the result is amazing. He’s playing things now that his father never would have been able to do. He could now be the “stunt guitarist” in his dad’s band, if that were possible. He consistently wowed me and the rest of the audience with incredible technical runs and also some out of control Frank-like soloing. The show was heavy on guitar and it was some of the best playing I’ve ever seen. And then there was special guest vocalist/guitarist Ray White, who was amazing and added even more authenticity to the overall show. Zappa band alumnus and incredible singer that sounded just as good as he did with Frank back in the 70’s and 80’s. They did the “Frank plays with the band” thing a few more times during the show and each time it was nearly perfect. They really pulled it off so well, it was moving to watch. They played for nearly 3 hours and it could have gone on longer for me and I’m sure everyone else there. So I was pleasantly surprised by how great the band was and how well it all worked. They obviously love the music and enjoy playing it. I will definitely try to go when they come back around. If you love Zappa, and if like me you never saw him, this is a must see show.

Thank you Elmar, Godrex and everyone else.

I saw the NYC Beacon and Halloween shows. Fantastic!!!

I'll be at Westbury tonight.
I have 'bid on auction' tickets, but still have not received the email telling me the soundcheck start time and procedure.

Telephoned TM, and am waitng for TM to call back with that info.

Does anyone here know what time the soundcheck start time is for tonight's Westbury show????

And remember No Pooh Pooh Jokes?

( or is it poo poo? Bear or Bean?)

As I sat awaiting for the Count Basie Theater Show I first began to realize that the venue was in desperate need of restoration. Not only the venue but some very large homes along Monmouth Avenue were all boarded up.The place is a nice small old theater that is holding on with some fine concerts. The seats are comfortable but the molded plaster has seen its better day a very long time ago.Anyhow the lobby had a nice merch booth with the latest Official Release, ZPZ Tour Book and all the other great stuff many people have been talking about. Those going to a show will be pleased with the new shirts and Official Product. I was not only looking forward to hearing the many new additions to this years set list but was quite happy to be attending this show with one of two childhood friends I am meeting up with for several 2007 ZPZ TDF shows. I have been making it a point to either rekindle with Friends who I had seen many FZ shows with or create a reunion of sorts with friends who I have not seen in 30 years as I can not think of a better way to enjoy Zappa Music & Friendships.

As the show began we were first delighted to one of four special arrangements of the ZPZ Band performing with Frank Zappa and the opening number was Black Napkins from Halloween 1981. Franks Guitar could clearly be heard where the arrangement sounded full. At times this form of arrangement of mixing an Audio Track with a live band may visually and audio be surreal but I was extremely impressed at how well it was mixed and how much balls Franks guitar had. It really appeared through my eyes and ears that Frank was performing with the ZPZ Band. While there were 4 arrangements in the show I never felt during any moment of any one of these arrangements that a loss of energy was instilled into the show. If a single audio track as is done here is extrapolated from a video you would expect a drop in live energy but it all seamlessly felt like a live show. I am not sure if this can work out 100% each time out for bands doing this type of thing but ZPZ & Archived Frank on Audio & Video is a most special adventure into alternative live entertainment.

My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama was a fine ZPZ Core Band opener following ZPZ with Frank. The arrangement was live and vibrant as heard on Weasels Ripped My Flesh. Anyone who feels or fears that ZPZ sounds like some Juke Box must really be smoking some Kronic because Out of the Box ZPZ very enthusiastically performed these multifarious compositions with unexpected perfection. While Frank did perform arrangements of this track in the 80s for my tatse the original arrangement is most appealing and ZPZ nailed it.Be it Dweezil bringing it on with FZ long lost Vocal & Guitar Tone as heard on the LP or Scheila Gonzalez frantically interluding with some serios Soprano Sax that put the 2007 Kenny G Wille The Pimp Joke to rest the ZPZ 2007 My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama was a very inspired introduction to how this Core band can Stand On Their Own.

Echidna's Arf (Of You) was the first monster technical workout. The Band not only performed all the impossible notes and rhythms but also applied all the necessary tone colors. At this early stage of the show this was another fine example of how this ZPZ Core band can Stand On Their Own. The house MIX at this point was not 100% as it seems it does take a little time for the man at the mixing console to dial in to that specific sonic wallscape that this orchestral music deserves. This all would soon be resolved as the show progressed all the frequencies were dialed in so you can clearly hear the mix on these intricate arrangements.

City of Tiny Lights was the perfect show intro for Special Guest Ray White. Rays voice and stage presence was strong. As expected he could not only hit all those high notes and rhythms that Adrian Belew did as heard on Sheik Yerbouti but Ray added his really fine personal stage presence as the showman he is. The Guitar Work, Drumming and Rhythm Section was by far the highest level of energy version of City of Tiny Lights I have ever heard. Anyone thinking that I saw Frank on a bad night must seriously have weasel dust for brains. Dweezil was in some serious overdrive throughout delivering all sorts of monstrous Frank Zappa Signature Guitar Air Sculptures that I wished could go on forever. He soloed quite a bit more than Frank did on the LP and it only grew in it's adventurous compositional approach. The Band just kept vamping that deep rhythmic bass and drums culminating the musical phrase time and time again with a Billy Hunting Gong Crash. The phrase repeated over and over as that driving Rhythm with Joe Travers mastering Bozzio Territory and Pete Griffin driving the deep bass with Dweezil locked into Frank's air sculptures. When the solo ended the Unilateral Return To Forever Infrared Fusion Outro severely articulated that we were witnessing a performance of ZPZ TDF City Of Tiny Lights from the top of Mt Everest.

To Be Continued--------

Advance Romance was a follow up where Special Guest Ray White could not only articulate theatrical vocals from hell and but also got a chance to perform a solo on his telecaster, then intertwine tasteful guitar licks with Dweezil before Dweezil took it home. The Rhythm section was on fire delivering Bongo Fury.... You know what I'm talkin' about!

Ray can deliver all those soulful potato headed Bobby passages all night long. People I was listening to a band that is all serious business. The Band opened each and every audience members eyes. Oh, you know these Forum Fanaskeptasaureous told me use of the phrase Unexpected Perfection of Multifarious Compositions was the work of the devil, Good God! Did you hear what I said?, But ZPZ sure was fine. After seeing ZPZ I've Growin' up and goin' home! Advance romance (What you gonna do?) He wanna try it one time. So stop on by to a ZPZ show at a theater near you and get ready for your Fanaskeptasaureous French Fry Potato Head to verily be choppethed up and stompethed down. It's your duty to separate yourself from skeptical fanatical desires and get with the program. If you can't do it on your own the show will bring new meaning to Frank Zappa's Artistic Integrity.

I Am The Slime
Who could imagine you could be Fantasia Barrino,Who could imagine you could be Don Pardo, Who could imagine you could be Frank Zappa, Who could imagine...... well Dweezil gladly suggested for some audience participation here. The arrangement was true to the SNL version with Billy Hulting delivering the Don Pardo intro and Dweezil delivering that Frank in Bozzio's Bass Drum Deep Reverb Vocal , the band was in the pocket vocally, rhythmically and adding all the special sauce necessary to a tune that primarily is a disco rock groove. From the first thunderous snare, accentuated Sax through a blistering solo by Dweezil this was everything and more than one could have expected out of a performance of an audience favorite. As fans sing along we knew, Don't touch that dial for the show still had an additional two hours of the finest optional entertainment in it.

To Be Continued--------

SUCK A HORSE!!!

yes that was me and my friend.....


the show last night was amazing, we both enjoyed it very very much, wish i could see them again tonight...

i dont know all the songs names... but when they played that song, and ray white was singing SUCK A HORSE... does anyone know what song that was??

Awesome show. Dweezil and company really did a fantastic job of bringing Franks music to life. When Frank was on the screen playing in synch with the band I had chills. There was a lot of energy on stage, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I hope to make many more.

one word --- UNBELIEVABLE

Happened to be in Redbank on Sunday, and went to the show. It was incredible!! Got my Suzy Creamcheese T-shirt too!!

Great tribute to a great musician!! Thanks Dweezil....we all appreciate your work pulling this together. And the group is fantastic! Frank's work is impossible to imitate, but your tribute to him is awesome and classy.

Try to get to Vermont if you can!! I'd love to go again!

Suzy

nice

Better late than never...

At times, the sound was a bit of a problem. Not the balance or the separation, but the Count Basie Theater itself. The band overwhelmed the Theater. I think the acoustics there are only so-so. Sounded like too much reverb on all the vocals and I couldn't comprehend a word Frank said during Dumb All Over and I was about 18 rows back, dead center.. I enjoyed the fact that the set list was so different from last year, but I preferred last year's selections. Plus having Bozzio, Vai , and Napi on stage is something that cannot be approached. I simply prefer the more prog/fusion stuff from Apostrophe/Overnight Sensation/One Size Fits All era. Last year's set enabled Scheila, Aaron and especially Billy to really go off and shine. This year they were more supportive/background, with the exception of the Dupree's Paradise features. Scheila versatility on keyboards and percussion, in addition to her saxophone and vocals, was more enjoyable to me in 2006. On the plus side, I thought Dweezil's solo during Pygmy Twylite was fantastic. I thought Ray White played and sang really well. He was a powerhouse. And I had a better appreciation for Travers and Griffin as a rhythm section. The use of Frank, with the exception of Dumb All Over was very well done both technically and tastefully.

If this seems overly critical, it's not intended to be. 2006 got an A+, 2007 gets an A-.