Dweezil Zappa Plays whatever the F@%k he wants! Cease and Desist Tour 2017

The Sage
Gateshead
UK

2017-10-08

I've been enjoying the music of Frank Zappa for thirty-odd years. I can't think of anyone, past or present, who (musically) covered more ground, pushed more boundaries...and possibly upset more people than Frank. He's unique, an epitomy of excellence, and a bit like Miles Davis some of his Alumni have since become legendary in their own right.

There's probably no-one better placed to keep Frank's flame burning than his son Dweezil. He lends credibility to what's arguably still a tribute act, and it's something he's been doing off and on for some time now, in between long-running law suits with his family.

My first time of seeing Dweezil, didn't quite know what to expect. Couple of things surprised me (pleasantly). Firstly, whilst Hall One in the Sage wasn't full, there was still a very healthy turnout of similarly afflicted sorts. Quite a surprise for me to find, here on Tyneside! Secondly, the set list. Yes, there are a number of well known pieces, but a good number of tunes came from the...less well explored corners of Frank's canon of work.

Well played, well received. Two sets, both in excess of an hour a piece performed enthusiastically. Very enjoyable. Whilst I'm glad I went (and will do so again, given the opportunity), it ain't "Frank". And that should be kind of obvious, I suppose, but...then it was never meant nor going to be. It's "the music of" Frank.

So, whilst it's a celebration of Frank's work, I couldn't help but come away wondering how mind-blowingly good the experience of seeing Frank in the flesh must have been. The diverse music, played by virtuosos, interspersed with cutting wit, satire and sharp observations and the occasional performance art sketch.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, what's on show here is the music of Frank...not the whole package.

It is what it says on the can...great to see and...really impressively played.

Give it a go - absorbing from the off, and two-and-a-half hours zipped by in a heartbeat. Got me listening to my Frank records again, mind.

As to what was played :

S101 Latex Solar Beef
S102 It Can't Happen Here
S103 You're Probably Wondering Why I'm Here
S104 Bow Tie Daddy
S105 Harry, You're A Beast
S106 The Orange County Lumber Truck
S107 Motherly Love
S108 Any Way The WInd Blows
S109 Mom & Dad
S110 Tel Me You Love Me
S111 Cruising For Burgers
S112 James Bond Theme
S113 Studebaker Hoch
S114 Rollo
S115 I'm The Slime
S116 What Will This Evening Bring Me This Morning
S117 She Painted Up Her Face
S118 Half A Dozen Provocative Squats
S119 Advance Romance

S201 Would You Go All The Way
S202 Wind Up Workin' In A Gas Station
S203 Dirty Love
S204 Daddy, Daddy, Daddy
S205 What Kind Of Girl Do You Think We Are
S206 Bwana Dik
S207 Lumpy Gravy
S208 Village Of The Sun
S209 Echidna's Arf (Of You)
S210 Mr Richard Drakes
S211 Inca Roads
S212 Audience Choice & Tunes In Four Keys
S213 Cosmik Debris
S214 Encore Break
S215 Banter
S216 Duke Of Prunes
S217 City Of Tiny Lights
S218 Dinah-Moe Humm
S219 I Am The Walrus

Played By

Dweezil Zappa - guitar, vocals
Adam Minkoff - guitar, vocals
Cian Coey - vocals
Scheila Gonzalez - keyboards, sax, flute, vocals
Chris Norton - keyboards, vocals
Kurt Morgan - bass, vocals
Ryan Brown - drums

Recorded By Lesterferget
A Rockin� Regimental Recording

Lineage :

SP-CMC-4U >
TASCAM DR-40 >
Sound Forge Pro 10 >
Trader's Little Helper (level 8) >
Torrent Site

Support the shows and continue to celebrate this great music. We will not see its like again.
I'm not even going to begin to get into the rights & wrongs of the family feud, Frank's Hologram tour or anything else messy & litigious in the Zappa household...because I don't understand enough about it.