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Did you attend this show at Cains Ballroom in Tulsa?

Dweezil and the band would love to read your reviews.

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

Mikey
Zappa.com Webmeister

I saw Zappa plays Zappa last night at the Cains in Tulsa. It was one of the best concerts I have ever seen. I am not sure if Dweezil set out to make the tour a tribute to his father....but it is that. A Beautiful tribute. The son is as talented as his father....if you get the chance to see it, it is definitely a show you should not miss.

I will definitely go see this band again and again.....every chance I get. Please keep it up!

Went to the show last night... AMAZING. One SERIOUSLY hardcore guy had been waiting since 10 am in line, I got there around 530. I was on the front row on Ray's side going nuts with a cool lady from Wichita with her son. When I shouted out an answer to Dweezil's question about the last time Frank played in Tulsa Ray asked "Were you even born then?!" Later on I got a "good job" from him...guess from the craziness. Highlights for me were Carolina, OSFA stuff, Tiny Lights, G-Spot, Peaches Gas Sta...screw it, the whole freakin' show was great. The headbanging kid was great! At the end of the show Billy Hulting gave me his setlist and Travers gave me one of his sticks with a "You deserve it!." I got Dweezil to sign all the stuff afterwards including Zoot allures and an article about the Enema Bandit, all pictured below taken with a crappy cell phone cam in my hotel room last night. See you in Texas!

They couldn't have picked a better venue. Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, OK is a musical landmark. Built in the 20s and relevant to nearly every genre of music from jazz and blues to punk rock, its a place musicians and non-musicians alike appreciate but in entirely different ways. The same can be said of Frank Zappa. Even more fitting is that the historic venue recently received an overhaul, restoring and expanding to revive what made the club so important in the past and proving its necessity to the present and future, the task Dweezil Zappa has undertaken with Zappa Plays Zappa.


I find it somewhat funny that the greatest concert I have ever seen in my life would be from something of a tribute band. Now I say tribute band already knowing that's not completely accurate. Zappa Plays Zappa is not just a group of fans with a Frank obsession. Dweezil leads the band of extremely talented young musicians as successfully as he leads the seasoned artists who used to play with his father. Last year's tour featured Zappa members Terry Bozzio and Steve Vai, and the show took a soulful turn this year with the addition of special guest Ray White, who has not lost a bit of his powerful vocals or killer shred-ability since his days with Frank Zappa throughout the 70s and 80s. For anyone who has never heard The Illinois Enema Bandit, all I can say is that it's an absolute must for music fans.


What absolutely floored me about this show was as much the things happening off stage as on stage. The energy in the room was incredible as music fans of all ages (literally...teary-eyed old men and excited children alike) gathered together to celebrate one of the greatest artists in music history. Some were remembering and some were experiencing for the first time, but all looked on with admiration and respect as video of Frank played on the side screen while his son and friends replicated some of his original performances. The faces of the people in the crowd and the people on stage said it all- everyone there was having a uniquely personal emotional experience. That's the power of musical greatness.


Now the show wasn't all a recreation of original performances. Frank appeared on screen from time to time, most notably to perform vocals on Dumb All Over (even in the Bible Belt, the crowd was loving it), however the musicians on stage are more than capable and they riffed, jammed and grooved their way through the nearly 3 hour set, seemingly having the time of their lives. They weren't the only ones. Words cannot fully explain what happened last night, but suffice it to say anyone who believes life-changing performances just don't happen anymore has clearly never seen Zappa Plays Zappa.

(Review taken from Altsounds)

I was thoroughly exhausted yesterday, after a long week outdoors in 100+ degree heat, and very briefly considered skipping the Tulsa show. I'd seen the original lineup in St. Louis last December and was worried this wouldn't be as much fun without those special guests, particularly NMB.

From the second I stepped into the Cain's I wasn't tired anymore, and it was clear I had no reason to worry about the lineup either. Ray was a nice addition to the already-kickass core band. G-Spot Tornado was a pleasant surprise, and HOLY CRAP THEY DID 'GAS STATION.' Great solos all over 'Dupree's Paradise' - Scheila wins with the double-fisted sax move. THREE songs with Frank on the big screen? Awesome. Not the biggest crowd I've seen at Cain's this year, but easily the most enthusiastic, and I was proud to be part of that.

I've watched Dweezil's solo career from the beginning, and while I can't say it's always been what I expected, and I'm sure he's been given a lot of undue grief for not being as prolific as FZ (I'm still dying to hear "What the Hell Was I Thinking?"), I think he's really found his calling with the ZPZ concept, and I'm really excited to see that happen.

Here's the almost-complete setlist. I missed the very beginning of the set, so whoever knows what they did before I got there at the beginning of 'Peaches,' help a brother out.

-- ?
-- ?
Peaches en Regalia
City of Tiny Lights
Advance Romance
Carolina Hard-Core Ecstasy
Dumb All Over (with FZ)
What's New in Baltimore?
Pygmy Twylyte
Dupree's Paradise
Uncle Remus
Willie the Pimp
Joe's Garage
Wind Up Workin' in a Gas Station
San Ber'dino
Andy
The Illinois Enema Bandit

encore:
Cosmik Debris (with FZ)
G-Spot Tornado
Muffin Man (with FZ)

Hey the first first songs were Black Napkins with FZ/Suzy/Brown Shoes/America Drinks and goes home. You missed Scheila serving drinks to the band and singing. Hilarious to watch the look on this guy's face behind me, as well as his girlfriend, when "If SHE was MY daughter why I'de...." They were in shock or something.

Man, after reading all these reviews I must be the only one not feeling quite fulfilled. I mean the show was really good (not incredible) the band was very tight (but not crisp), and even though I had a real good time I was not wowed. Maybe it was the sound systems fault?! Look I guess I was looking for more virtuosity from the indiviual players. I saw it only last night in Frank's third video when he closed his eyes looked inward and tore up the guitar. I saw it in person the last time Frank played Tulsa when he did a monster rendition of Whipping Post as an encore. I saw it on the ZPZ website video of Zombywoof. In Vai, NMB,and yes even Shelia. So am I happy I went? hell yell, do I want him to continue? Very much so. Would I go again, probably.

yeah...i think you were alone in that!!! i'm sorry the show didn't give you what you were looking for

Let me first say that I was fortunate to see Dweezil play in the last show of the 1984 tour at the Universal Ampitheatre in Los Anageles California where he played "Sharlena" (Stage Vol #3) and "Whipping Post" (Humor Belong in Music). He seemed a little shy and I remember him sitting on the stage waiting for his solo. That was a show I will never forget. Watching the great Frank Zappa and his son jamming together on stage.

Now to the ZPZ show at the Cain's. Dweezil has grown to be an acomplished guitar player as well as a great band leader. The show was everything you would expect from a zappa concert. The band was on the money and their renditions of Zappa's music was to perfection. Ray White was as good as you can get as belted some of the greatest Zappa classic's.

Being as close to the stage as you can get, the eye contact I had with the band was a whole experiance in itself. I was the one who contributed the line "A jew among these jesus guys". With my son by my side rock'n out I felt that we were getting alot of attention from Dweezil and the band as they all looked down to see a nine year old boy head-banging to every song as they grinned from ear to ear. Then to have my son be recgonized and invited to go on stage to end the show during during "Muffin Man" brought a sensation of emotion I can not even describe.

As I watched Dweezil watching Frank on the screen and playing together as if they were side by side I could see his innocent smile as he looked up to his dad and I could feel the love btween a father and son. This brought tears to my eyes of joy for the love I have for my son.

This was more than just a concert for me. I felt such a connection with Dweezil that this felt like a son and his father and a father and his son.

Rock On
Craig

I drove from Kansas City to attend the concert at historic Cain's Ballroom and it was well worth it. I enjoyed the concert very much, and appreciated the fact that the venue was historically significant.

The set was great - the occasional video clips of Frank performing solos in sync with the band were a nice touch - quite memorable. The youngster head-banging on the stage during muffin man was nice to see, too.

It was obvious to me that all of these musicians went to great lengths to learn the material and put on a good show for the fans. I'm grateful to the Dweez and his band for undertaking such a tour - I know a lot of work has gone into the preparation and execution. Now I am looking forward to seeing them perform in Kansas City!

One final note - In the final fifteen minutes or so before the show, the music coming from the PA system was very nice - hauntingly beautiful. Anyone recognize it? It had sort of a middle-eastern flavor. I'd like to find out what it was. It didn't occur to me to ask the sound guys while I was there.

Thanks,
Nolan

Thanks to you Dweezil and to your incredible band. I felt like I was seeing some of the worlds best musicians.

We drove from Oklahoma City (located also in Middle Earth) and it was worth getting home at 1AM and still working the next day to experience your dad's music. You guys are incredible.

I had missed FZ in 1981 in the only show I was able to get tickets for, But I was "unavoidibly detained"...now I finally feel, not "closure" but an incredible awakening after your show. I did slap the crap out of my guitar when I got home... how come it doesn't play as well?..(((ô¿ô)))

My g/f had no idea about FZ's music, now she get's it...really. We listened to Yo Mama, Rat Tango, City of Tiny Lights...etc... on the way home...it's funny, she WAS like a person who would be "frosting a cake with a paper knife"....she's better now that I've ruined her with FZ's musings of American consumer's behavours...not very materialistic anymore...thanks!

Thanks to all who attended that were so pumped. It was a very energetic crowd and most all were in awe, like me, with the power of the show. First time in Tulsa...was that one block the hippie area...lol???

I see you added Dallas and a few larger venues, might have to trek down yonder to see yall again.

I blogged you on Bill Maher's site and put your dates up. Everyone should see your show.

Thanks man...

sorry it took so long to put this up but I had to get back home first and
find a decent connection to put this up on the net.

Everyone was great! Zappa is dead. Long Live Zappa!

Cain's Ballroom has a history all to it's own. I won't go into it here. It was a hot day in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 106F after a number of days that were that hot or close to it. The part of town that Cain's is in, well, it's right next to the central artery for traffic just north of downtown. So it doesn't sport any trees except for a few on the other side of the hiway overpass that's next to Cain's, in a cheap little 'park' that's really an extension of an old parking lot . . .
So there was sidewalk and asphalt and warehouse type-buildings to accentuate the heat all day in front of the famed low-ceilinged garage and warehouse converted to a ballroom back in the '30's? Somebody sat and waited there all day, to make sure everyone in his group got tickets. But a line didn't really form til right before the doors were opened. So getting in was simple and easy and the easy intimate crowd quickly filled the place.
I barely had time to say hello to the friends I knew I'd meet there and get a quick take on the 'ambience' of the place. It's not much wider than a high school gym for the main hall and the ceiling might be 24 feet / 8 m high at it's central peak and slopes downward toward the back of the hall where the stage lies. Iron support beams crisscross the central peak showing the age of the place and lay horizontal yet low enough that someone standing on another's shoulder's could jump to hang from them.
Directly in front of this and the dancefloor lay a series of tables set with chairs and people, behind this a single long bench and behind this the mixing tables: about where you'd expect them to be distanced from the stage. The band came out on time and Dweezil said hello and gave notice to the simple white screen that adorned the left wall of the hall (down from stage right). "Things will happen there." And with that they started Black Napkins and so did Frank. Before it was through I was already choked up. Just as quickly, the song was over, the video went off and Dweezil addressed the crowd, gently explaining that the next bunch of songs were done for the old fans but also mentioned that it was surprising still that they were 40 years old.
Launcing into Son of Suzy Creamcheese, they sounded just like the freakin record, but in a dancehall and amplified like you knew a live band
should be. Freakin amazing to think. Whether you like the period's work
or not the fact that they played this at all, simply astounds. what a fine howdy do! "Suzy Creamcheese, oh baby, what's got into? Blew yer mind on too much kool-aid/took my stash and left me lonely/ heard the heat knows where you are/ protest marching styrofoam/ what's got into you?"
oh yeah!
Brown Shoes Don't Make It more closely resembled the Tinseltown Rebellion version and ROCKED!! Yes! the lyric 'only thirteen and she knows how to nasty' was kept as Dweezil shot a knowing eye out into the crowd as well as the wild grins and grimaces by Dweezil and Sheila and Pete I saw too singing 'what would you do Daddy?' You got a real sense that the crowd mostly didn't know WHAT to do with themselves!
hahahhahahahaha!! Love the waitress routine Sheila does with America Drinks! Something the audience can definitely relate to. But I don't believe most in the crowd knew the title of this one either. So again a VERY interesting 'warm-up' selection to break the ice of unexpressed expectation <grin>
Dweezil made a couple appropriate remarks about Frank's social commentary and their prescience in those days while continuing their relevance today though no one seems to do that in music these days and then mentioning that they would continue this chronology with a song from
a couple years later. So it was kind of a surprise to me for them to launch
into Peaches. I expected My Guitar -- maybe in November in KC. But who's complaining? It was the Hot Rats version!
Then a mere 20 minutes later, Ray White had come out and the band ploughed thru City of Tiny Lights, Advance Romance and Carolina Hardcore Ecstasy. I thought it was 1976 all over again. FREAK ME OUT!!
Then the video screen sputters to life again and there's Frank again off to the side of the stage and it's Dumb All Over. The crowd seemed to know this one and there was much applause about the tv evangelists and so on.
What's New In Baltimore soared very nicely. What's New? Frank Zappa Day. I am so glad to hear this and this song. Play it again!
Instead, we get a MASSIVE Pygmy Twylyte. Nicely done and solos all around too. My favorite all night though was Dupree's Paradise. Never thought I'd ever get to see this played by a rocking ensemble and am so happy they went through all the solos here (thru the Packard Goose vamp, Billy's 6 mallet technique is a sight to behold, thru the heavy duty judy vamp and Sheila's crazy two horn solo, some from Jaime, Joe and Ray doin the mutated 'secret' phrase) yesyesyes but the best was the music gathered up like bits and tossing them like a foodfight: to and from the band members and then down at the kid in the audience: brilliant! and it
seemed everybody got it too, which is something, as most everybody that
wanted to be licquored up was already there! hilarious! you could tell,
Dweezil was into it, relaxed and having fun with it. THAT was what I
payed good money to see. more solos, then the dupree's reprise. At the
beginnning of it when Dweezil was asking for secret phrases and listed the
one's he'd heard, I was the one that shouted, 'All at the same time!"
where Dweezil turned and said 'Yes, the big note. There IS that here." It
made me very happy that he put that together
Aaron played a fine Uncle Remus on the organ and Ray sang it, of
course, with gusto. Another great I never thought I'd hear
But then the opening chords of Willie The Pimp came crashing down, Joe's Garage Dweezil dedicated to all of YOU, Wind Up Workin came as a surprise but a perfect Frank kinda contrast (or conclusion) to joe's garage. Then another rocker to close the triptich: San Berdino. At the end of that, D said simply, 'let's play the next song on the album', so we got a splendid note perfect Andy.
Billy then announced with his Don Pardo voice the story of Michael Kenyon and Ray led us all thru a ferocious Illinois Enema Bandit. and with that they all left the stage.
It wasn't a minute later they all return, the video screen sputters to life and we get the '74 KCET Cosmic Debris with Dweezil watching Frank and taking solos in between the action on the screen. Some said they didn't like this, but it seemed to me the notion to play along and around with the video was done tastefully and in flawless time, not at all easy to do.

G-Spot Tornado is worth the price of admission alone. The arrangement is amazing. The way D has split up the duties on this one deserves close study. It rocks, it swings, the statistical density is overwhelming. Everyone in that core band deserves high praise all day long, every day,
for gettin this one down. Yah-Boy I want a video of that!!!

Speaking of which I had the chance to speak briefly with Billy and Jaime after the show and they confirmed my fears that they hadn't heard if this
leg of the tour, so these songs, were being documented with video or not!!!! It would be a real shame if some of these performances weren't captured for posterity. Perhaps with the new zpz dvd coming out, we may get a taste of what the executors deem capturable. Maybe they'll shoot video of the '07Eurotour or the OZ fest later in the year
Anyway thanx to all the players, the roadies, the sound and light guys, the
drivers and all the other invisible linkages. Cya when you come back from Europe!

. . .