Live from Texas Reviews

• ZZ Top's first live release lives up to their reputation

  
  By A16F8X6UOWHEIX on 2008-06-21
  ZZ Top has long been known as an outstanding live act, one of the best in the business. Loud, proud, three guys, three chords, with so much cool it just drips from the stage. Having seen these guyzz live twice, I know they can bring the funk better than most. Problem is, how does this brilliant of a live band not release anything live (except for side one of Fandango and the second half of XXX, and the bonus tracks on the Tres Hombres and Fandango remasters) until now? Well, regardless of the situation, that's been remedied. I picked this up at Wal-Mart for 10 bucks, and it is ABSOLUTELY worth every penny and then some. The band is hitting on all cylinders. Billy is playing like a madman, Dusty's holding the groove, and Frank is killer on the skins. Sure, Billy lip syncs during Legs. Sure, they use synthesizer backing tracks on some songs. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that this band just brings it, every night, every song. The show is filmed very well, very clear and sharp. The sound is amazing and the set list is so full of hits even a classic rock station can't keep up. The Eliminator hits? Check. La Grange/Tush? Check. Bus Jesus? Check. Cheap Sunglasses? Check. Plus, the bonus features are very cool too. There is a poker game where the band discusses their past and tells all sorts of stories. They show all the pre-show goings-on that happen before the band hits the stage. There is a cool photo-shoot. And they also have a tremendous cover of Hendrix's Foxey Lady, which they take and make it heavy ZZ-style. Overall, this is one of the best concert dvds I own, right there with Clapton's Crossroads Festivals, SRV's Live At The El Mocambo, Joe Bonamassa's Live At Rockpalast, and Led Zeppelin's DVD anthology. They have waited a very long time to do this, but when they did, they did it right. Get it, turn it loud, put on your cheap sunglasses, and like ZZ say: bear down on the meat, ease up on the potato salad.
  
  

• Crystal Clear and Rocking

  
  By AYOMAHLWRQHUG on 2008-06-29
  This is one of those videos that make you wish you had a bigger TV. It is crystal clear and the closeups are phenomenal. The music, of course, is superb.
  
  The reviewer who gave it one star is off base saying it should have included mp3s. Anyone who buys this DVD probably already has all of ZZ Top's music on mp3.
  
  The reviewer who gave it two stars said it changed camera angles too rapidly. I, too, get dizzy watching shows that do that but I didn't notice it with this DVD.
  
  

• A good first live video. Go ahead and buy it. You know you want it!

  
  By A2WBF0ASGS7GRH on 2008-06-24
  I wondered why ZZTop never produced a concert DVD before, so I preordered this new release when I heard a radio announcement about the release party at the Hard Rock Cafe here in Houston.
  
  I noticed that the boys are incredibly tight as a team, but the individual players get a tad sloppy or loose here and there throughout the concert. However, I knew this about the band members from seeing them in concert four times. Fortunately, they remembered all the words to the songs they sang and appeared alert and sober!
  
  I had tickets to see ZZTop in Beaumont, Texas and they cancelled the show the night before the event... so I bought this to enjoy the concert I missed.
  
  I initially gave this DVD 4 stars and I've come back to edit this review and say it really is a 5-star performance on DVD. The audio and video quality is excellent. I sure wish I could change the number of stars from four to five, but alas, it won't let me.
  
  Billy's guitar work on "Just Got Paid" is worth the price of the DVD. I watched it twice and now I have to stop writing this review and go back to watch it a third time even louder. My wife is gonna scream, but I don't care.
  
  

• First Live Concert DVD will be well worth the wait!

  
  By A2L939ODZ0G6CT on 2008-06-20
  Even though I have not seen the DVD as it hasn't been released yet, I was at the show at Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas and can tell you first hand that Billy, Dusty and Frank were in top form that evening. I was standing at the stage the entire time (about 10 feet from Billy Gibbons) and it was one of the all-time best concerts that I have ever attended! I've been waiting since November 1st of last year for this DVD to be produced and will finally be rewarded for my patience this coming Tuesday...I might just have to take the day off and risk wearing out my DVD player watching this fantastic show over and over again! ZZ Top Rocks!!!
  
  

• OH NO, NOT AGAIN

  
  By A2KQ5J7NXEAU7P on 2008-06-24
  I WAS HOPING THIS DVD WOULD BE THE [...] SHOW OF THE YEAR,BUT ALL WE GOT WAS A MIND NUMBING SPEED EDITOR GIVING US 50 ANGLES A MINUTE.I'M SORRY BUT THIS SUCKS.THE CONCERT LOOKS GOOD BUT THE CAMERA ANGLES MOVE SO QUICKLY THAT THERE IS NO RHYTHM TO THE SHOW. UNLESS YOU LIKE DVD'S IN HIGH SPEED, DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. I GUESS I'M STUCK WITH MY 2003 CAMDEN BOOTLEG. AT LEAST YOU CAN SEE THE SHOW WITHOUT GETTING A HEADACHE !!!!!!
  
  
• Could have been much better
  By A3Q5MHQJLL1MWO on 2008-08-18
  This is not a reflection on ZZTop's performance. The video editing had the 30 different angles a minute mentalality that drives me crazy. I do have an attention span that lasts more than a few seconds. You could not get much of a look at the fretboard during a solo before it flipped to the audience or somewhere else again and again and again. Same with the drummer. The bass player? Forget it......The WORST part was the sound. Instead of getting the audio feed direct from the board for a DVD, you get what sounded like a hand held mike from the back row with all the echo intact. This made the singing and speaking an audio blur. Dusty could have taken the night off because his bass was inaudible. Why can't editors/directors and sound engineers figure this out themselves? This is supposed to be a professional DVD of a concert. We expect much better editing and sound.
  
  
• Nice performance; horrible editing
  By A363N5Z25ZBCBQ on 2008-07-08
  ZZ Top gives a very good performance here but the editing is bad beyond belief: you get a barrage of 2-3 second shots that constantly change point of view and you really don't have an opportunity to look at anything. I found this to be totally annoying and it detracts a great deal from an otherwise fine show.
  
  
• zz Top Live in Texas is a keeper
  By A24HTS0GR2S745 on 2008-06-26
  Let me get the basic idea out of the way right now: if you are a zz Top fan, buy this DVD. You don't need to know anything more. If you are just shopping and thinkin' about buyin' some Top for the first time, you can't go wrong with this DVD. Now for some details.
  
  I usually buy music DVD's only if they have some special quality, or high production values on the sound. I own many music DVDS, but there are only a 1/2 dozen or so that shine based on their production values of excellent sound and accompanying images. My biggest beef with music DVDs, especially live performances, is that either the recording values aren't very good (ie the mix is all wrong) or the video is just not worth looking at. I have a 65" big screen, so if the video isn't absolutely crystal clear, it usually shows up looking faded and lifeless.
  
  zz TOP live in Texas, with just a few exceptions, has good audio production standards and a great mix coming out of the 5.1 or DTS decoders. The first tune is off on the mix, and it sounds flat and featureless, like the guy running the board hasn't got it right for the room yet. But after the first tune, he settles it down and the mix stays consistent with just one more mishap 2/3rds of the way through.
  
  The video spends a little too much time jumping around to create visual interest for my tastes, but not so much as to become a problem. The quality of the video ranges from OK, to pretty darn fine. I bought the traditional DVD not the Blu Ray, but I do upconvert it to 1080P. Depending on the cameras and the lights, the video looks anywhere from good to freakin' awesome.
  
  Looking passed the technical merits of the DVD, the music layed down by the band is top notch. What they play, they play better than anybody : good ole fashioned rock n roll, with a Texas twist. Billy Gibbons is on his game, and Dusty Hill is right there with him. Even Frank Beard the drummer looks alive in this show (something he doesn't always pull off).
  
  The set list is all old favorites, and they knock every one of them out of the park. I would like to have seen some of their other stuff included, but hey, that's nitpickin'. Maybe they will change up the set list on the next DVD (oh boy do I hope they will do another one).
  
  All in all: this is a Top DVD I've been waiting for years to see. I am most grateful they decided to produce it, and I bought it on the first day it was available. You can't go wrong with this effort.
  
  TOP FAN IN GLENDALE, ARIZONA..........
  
  
• Starts off a bit slow but ends up well...
  By A3JMYIDU7T1NF8 on 2008-06-29
  Of all the many concerts I've been to in my lifetime, 1975 in Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY. by ZZ Top was the greatest. As I crossed the Ohio River from Indiana that evening, there were literally thousands of fans lined along Interstate 65 for miles holding up signs trying to get tickets. The Kentucky State fairgrounds were also awash in 1000's of people trying to get tickets.
  
  Pure Prairie League opened up the concert (Amie - what you want to do...?), but it took over an hour as I remember after they went off for the promoters to push the crowd back to extend the stage for ZZ Top (a really stupid plan as the promoters tried to "negotiate" with thousands of people from the stage to the back to move back about 15 feet or so and I can still hear hem threatening "People - if you want to see ZZ Top you have to move back!").
  
  But all was forgotten when the lights dimmed and the words came across the PA system "Ladies and Gentlemen - That Little Ole Band from Texas - ZZ TOP!". The next 2 hours or so was pure energy, rock and roll perfection and something I'll never forget. It was pure electricity. I have never so enjoyed a concert. Half way through the lights suddenly shine upwards and a black curtain dropped on a box high above the stage and a guy holding steady a huge Brahma Bull stood there (we were unique in the 70's weren't we..?).
  
  So anyway, I pre-ordered this album and I suspect my expectations were more than little high. I thought it started off a bit slow, but ended pretty well with La Grange and Tush. But I did not feel that energy and eclectic aura I felt over 30 years ago. These guys are nothing short of great, so please don't get me wrong, and anyone longing for ZZ Top live will enjoy I'm sure. My problem may not be that you cannot digitally package rock and roll perfection so many years later...
  
  
  
• A great show from a great band
  By AGYZK4719LVKW on 2008-07-08
  How could one not give 5 stars to one of the greatest influential bands of all time? I could listen to Billy Gibbons play guitar all day and the man can maintain a grip on his audience throughout any performance. If there was one bummer about this show, it would have to be how bland the stage setup is. That comes from seeing them in concert on a very blowed out stage for their Recycler tour. The whole stage was made to look like a salvage yard with crushed cars piled high, old chain link fence and barb wire. This didn't detract from the performance however. And the frequent changing of the angles of the concert didn't bother me at all. And you'll just love the sound if you have 5.1 digital or surround sound. A great concert from a great band and a must for any music video collection. I love it.
  
  
• Decent cinema, horrible sound.
  By A1YZ0GRSH63I4G on 2008-07-31
  I first saw this band in 1973 as a college freshman. They warmed up for Aerosmith. I have been a fan of both bands ever since, and I was exceptionally glad that ZZ Top finally released a video document of their work. They prove to be a very competent trio, firing nearly flawlessly on all 3 cylinders. The camera work is good, but not great. It could have been better if it weren't just a sequential parade of 3 characters, each for a few seconds at a time, all receiving equal time and attention - equal to a fault. Yes, there are group shots as well, but the constantly recurring shots of Dusty, Billy, and Frank were annoying. Then there was the sound quality. I sent mine back because the sound was so poor. All the previous reviewers raved about the sound quality. My DVD's sound was like a spastic fader, with the volume varying wildly and randomly inappropriately. At first I thought there was a problem with my DVD drive, but I tried the disc on 3 different machines after my own and the results were the same. I put the soundtrack in a program where I could visually inspect the waveforms, and the soundtrack was indeed almost a sine wave of inappropriate volume swells and dwells. It was as if there was an out-of-phase type competitive interference. The result was an annoying DVD package in whole. I gave it two stars because it is the only visual record of ZZ Top commercially available, and that counts for something.
  
  
• Worst Sound Quality I have ever heard, UNLISTENABLE
  By A29IRNFN8I0UK3 on 2008-07-03
  I was anticipating this blue ray DVD from the boys but when I put this on I thought that my system was broken. However, I put in David Gilmour's Blue Ray and the quality was incredible, then put back ZZ Top and again found it unlistenable. Awful. What happenened? I do have a very high end HT setup....Legacy Focus 20/20 speakers with Cinenova Grande Amp with plenty of power. DO NOT BUY THIS AND SUFFER THE WAY I DID. I returned it to Amazon as defective.
  
  
• Timeless Talent? I think not....Whew!
  By ALE5WG8FB5GQ3 on 2008-07-27
  There comes a time when its best to hang it up and let your admirers feast on your past performances, back when ZZTop was the best of the genre. 'Live from Texas' is just plain embarrassing, full of incoherent, weak vocals, sloppy guitar rifts, and amateurish antics. Sorry folks, I've reloaded with my 80's and 90's CDs. They will always be the best.
  
  
• Stereo sounds best!
  By A2FOTOS0E5GS7M on 2008-06-25
  They start out a little slow but really pick up about half way through. Nice 16:9 video and audio in stereo, 5.1 or DTS. Hook up them old school stereo speakers and select DD stereo and ZZ Top kicks arse. I wasn't happy with the 5.1 or DTS mix, otherwise no complaints.
  
  FYI: I ran it (stereo) thru a dolby analog system without surround sound speakers. So I don't know what the stereo mode will sound like thru a 5.1 or 7.1 system?
  
  
• Steal at this price
  By A2VKI0EKC089Q4 on 2008-06-26
  I originally ordered this on pre-release for $12. I was suprised how cheap it was until i recieved it and amazon sent me a notification that the price had dropped and they had only charged me $10. The DVD is really good quality and the show is great. I actually had a chance to see them on this tour (not this show) and it was the best show i have ever seen. The sound is great. My only complaint is the constantly changing camera angles, but it didn't bother me too bad. Any ZZ Top fan would truely appreciate this DVD. I would have paid double, but man! What a deal!
  
  
• lacking audio and vocals
  By A2YUQFZGSQ2RL1 on 2008-07-10
  Lets face it these guys ain't getting any younger, and there vocals are starting to show it. I know there singing isn't what it was some 15 or so years ago and it shows on this dvd. As far as the sound it self goes, just listen to there greatest hits video and theres a big difference in the bass witch is really lacking! I have a pretty nice system that really shows any flaws such as if one dvd has better sound on it than another. Theres also slightly to much echo effect that doesn't help the sound quality either. Overall I would have to say it's not a horrible disc at all, just that the sound could of been better.
  
  
• A Blues Guitar Master Class
  By A2DX4NX730WDS0 on 2008-07-11
  OK all you guitar slingers out there, here's what you been waitin on...
  The Reverend Willy G. bringin it on home. This is a Blues Guitar Master Class, pure and simple. Every song is a half beat slower and a whole lot
  nastier... this is the side of beef with extra gristle. Billy's wringing the neck and she's a screamin. Dusty and Frank hold it down with their usual precision. A must own for anyone who has ever bent a note and made it cry. The ZZ Tops at their baddest. Buy it, NOW!
  
  
• Audio is weird
  By A2GMB6YHNTA2W8 on 2008-07-15
  Awesome DVD, I've been waiting decades for live ZZ Top.
  
  The audio quality is messed up for me. I thought it might be my system, but even after checking the Dolby 2.0 on my computer, It's weirdly fluctuating the overall level constantly like a compressor turning on and off. Maybe it's my stuff, and not the DVD, anybody else have this problem?
  
  Don't let this review stop you from buying this right away, the performance is fantastic, the direction is great, unlike so many concert films. It's simply amazing these 3 guys can pull off live songs that have dozens of overdubs on the studio recordings, and Billy is showing that he is simply one of the very best guitarists ever.
  
  To all the purists who don't like the Eliminator and later material, don't worry, this is heavy on the classics, only throwing in the required hits from the MTV days, plus one of the bonus feature is a cover of Foxey Lady by a guy who was actually a friend of Jimi Hendrix.
  
  Best $10 I've spent in a looooong time.
  
  
• What is UP With the Sound????
  By ADLJWDBWTZGFJ on 2008-09-24
  Just received this TODAY after having 1-day delivery as I COULDN'T WAIT. Now i'm completely disappointed as this DVD has the WORST sound mastering I've ever heard! Didn't anybody check this before send it to manufacturing?
  
  The levels go up and down, mostly DOWN during the instrumental breaks. It's a CONCERT for goodness sake!
  
  
• Any day now...
  By A31AFTNANMQT26 on 2008-06-21
  I should be receiving this DVD any day now.....and if it's as good as when I saw them here in CT a few days ago (my 4th time!), it will be well worth it. For guys their age they still got it!
  
  
  
  
• ZZ Top at their best.
  By A1MKG51AY134JV on 2008-07-02
  I was at this show at Nokia Live for the filming of this DVD. It was a great crowd and it was an awesome show. The video and audio quality of this DVD is top notch, probably the best I've seen. I have a lot of concert DVDs and I'm always disappointed in either the audio or the video quality but not so here. This show is non stop fun from the beginning to the end. All the hits are here. I've been going to ZZ Top shows since the El Loco days and they just keep getting better and better. They truly look as if they are enjoying what they are doing even almost 40 years down the road. All that comes through in this DVD. If you have never seen ZZ Top live this is an excellent representation of what you can expect when you catch one of their shows. The only complaint I have is that the show isn't all there, there are some songs that they performed that night that didn't make the DVD, "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers" being one of them. I wish they could have included them in the Bonus Section with "Foxey Lady". The bonus features are also excellent with the boys talking about their past tours and people they have played with, it was great to hear the stories. The photo shoot was also interesting to witness to see that after all this time the guys just don't take themselves too seriously. All in all you can not go wrong with this DVD, as a life long ZZ Top fan it was well worth the wait and an accurate representation of their live shows. Enjoy!
  
  
• I Hope
  By A11YHSTU277NLC on 2008-07-10
  I've been waiting for ZZTop to release another live album for years. Anyone who has ever been to a ZZTop show knows their live versions of songs are much heavier handed then their studio recordings. However, this is the next best things..Excellent DVD, know bring us the cd...
  
  
• What a shame
  By A2SDQDYT68S2LM on 2008-07-22
  This could have been a great show if the sound wasn't so bad. Sounds like it was recorded on someones dictaphone. After selling my soul to the devil and investing in state of the art AV gear, I was looking forward to this, only to be sadly disappointed. Compare this to the audio on the last two Eagles DVD's, or Eric Clapton's One more car, One more rider, and you will see what I mean.
  
  
• ZZ Top - Live from Texas
  By A2RWGW6TGUX7E5 on 2008-08-07
  This is ZZ Top's first live Dvd. It was filmed at Nokia Theater, before a packed crowd, in Dallas, Texas. I'm not sure of the date of the filming, but it is very recent. This performance shows a well mature, well polished, ZZ Top, who are Rock veterans. This Dvd prooves they are seasoned veterans. The concert is outstanding. The presentation, the dvd liner notes, the package, and the product are great. The concert song set consists of 17 of their hit songs. Some highlights include the performances of "Cheap Sunglasses", "Legs", and "LaGrange". Also, there is some good humor included, like on the introduction of "Pearl Necklace",and "Blue Jean Blues". The dvd contains excellent bonus features, which include "the Dallas show day", a discussion of all 3 members on the history and story of the band, and a bonus on stage performance of Jimi Hendrix's "Foxey Lady". The dvd ends with Billy Gibbons discussing what he likes about Texas. This is a very entertaining dvd that well fits the 5 star criteria. It is definitly worth buying, watching and enjoying.
  
  
  
• EXCELENTE
  By A280LKDT5FOYY4 on 2008-08-11
  Soy de Costa Rica, por lo tanto escribire en español mi lengua natal, me gusta la musica sobre todo rock de los 70' y algo de 80', poder ver un girpo como ZZ tops en este DVD es simplemente lo mejor buen sonido e imagen y un gran grupo, de verdad que los mejor del rock en USA es del sur y este es uno de ellos. Grande ZZ Top.
  
  
• Went out of my way to rate and review this...
  By AW6HHBJ9U3VL0 on 2008-08-21
  This DVD absolutely rocks! I don't know what people are saying when they talk about the sound isn't up to par. Z.Z. Top is, at it's best, the best 3 piece blues band ever. As such, sonically, you are going to hear some "holes" in the sound now and then. I've played bass in 3 piece bands, it's very difficult to pull off and fill the entire audio spectrum. Z. Z. Top does it better than anybody. Dusty Hill's bass tone is the best I've ever heard him have on a recording, Frank Beard and Billy Gibbons as well. If you don't buy this, you are really missing out on a classic.
  
  
• SOUND QUALITY
  By A38BA8R21LPNO5 on 2008-08-30
  The sound quality is really poor... I sent my first copy back hoping it was just defective...but...alas the second one arrived today and it's just as bad... Sound drops dramatically in spots, especially during the vocals. ZZTop is my hometown band and I'm going to keep the DVD in spite of the poor sound.
  
  
• True Texan Boogie Woogie Band...
  By A1X21GIGSW7QG0 on 2008-09-02
  Ok...I am a Houstonian, a Texan, and I can remember ZZ TOP playing at our frat parties in the early seventies. I have been waiting for a ZZ TOP dvd live performance since the FANDANGO tour of '76. This is one great dvd and performance is A+ rated. I hang out at a watering hole in Houston, (which I would never reveal) and Billy Gibbons had been telling us how great this dvd was going to be every time he came in. He was right, their performance was slick and full tilt boogie.
  
  
• No MP3's????
  By A2G6LW5NB5BM2H on 2008-06-22
  Considering the lack of Top live, save for precious few bonus tracks, how could this NOT BE OFFERED in mp3s?
  
  
  shame on you BILL HAM!!!!!
  
  
• I'm Biased, but this is awesome
  By A3HRTG63JR4H9P on 2008-07-02
  Sure I'm biased; been a fan for many years. But this is a great live recording. I wished there had been some songs after the Antenna ablum on here, but still, this is a good "hits" concert. The band is really tight, and the music sounds clear. Hint: the louder you play it on your TV (without distorting it), the better it sounds. This is both for die hard fanz and for those who recall mainly the hits of ZZ Top and like them.
  
  La Grange, although it's been played over and over is probably the high-light. In the middle of the song they switch modes and go into the rockabilly tune BBQ for a bit!
  
  A plus about the concert is that the 80s stuff is probably only a quarter of what's on it (Sharped Dressed Man is done wonderfully). Some very good stuff before the 80s songs is played. Rather jammed. This is a very blues-based rock live performance with great camera work. Be prepared to have your head a swingin. Pincushion is a welcomed blessing too. You really get into this; it is almost mesmerizing.
  
  

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