Zappa Plays Zappa: Still Not in it For the Money :: Music News :: Articles

Judging by this YouTube video of Frank Zappa in concert, Dweezil Zappa has nailed it when it comes to recreating his late pop’s live show. Check it out, both include:

1. An extremely talented group of backup musicians who weird out enthusiastically.
2. A packed audience sitting reverently like they’re on PBS.
3. Camera gimmicks as if it is the end of the world, and their only chance for survival is more camera gimmicks.

And Dweezil would probably appreciate a PBS special, since one purpose for his “Zappa Plays Zappa” tour is to garner mainstream respect for his father’s prolific body of work. “I think you have to be confronted with the complexity and the beautiful subtlety of all of it to fully appreciate the artistry of it,” he has stated.

Thus, the former MTV VJ, Duckman voice and cooking show host has planned some 2007 tour dates in several countries over a four-month period. It seems a whole lot like the real thing, with a bit of forced zaniness, yet undeniably sincere sentimentality. A live DVD of last year’s tour will be released “early this summer.”

Hey punk, why don’t you go to one of the following:Zappa Plays Zappa 2007 Tour Dates

July
18 - Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Centennial Concert Hall
19 - Detroit Lakes, MN @ 10,000 Lakes Festival
20 - Chicago, IL @ Civic Opera House
21 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
22 - Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
24 - Cincinnati, OH @ Moonlite Gardens
25 - Erie, Penn. @ Warner Theatre
26 - Columbus, Ohio @ LC Pavilion
27 - Detroit, Mich. @ Meadow Brook Festival
28 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Cain Park
30 - Toronto, Ontario @ Hummingbird
31 - Montreal, Quebec @ Metropolis

August

1 - Quebec City, Quebec @ Albert Rousseau Hall
2 - Hampton Beach, N.H. @ Hampton Beach Casino
4 - Boston, Mass. @ Fleet Boston Pavilion
5 - Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre
6 - Westbury, N.Y. @ North Fork Theatre at Westbury
8 - Philadelphia, Penn. @ Electric Factory
9 - Baltimore, Mass. @ Ram's Head Tavern
10 - Norfolk, Va. @ NorVa
11 - Asheville, N.C. @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
13 - Tulsa, Okla. @ Cain's Ballroom
15 - Albuquerque, N.M. @ Kiva Auditorium
16 - Tucson, Ariz. @ Fox Theatre
17 - Phoenix, Ariz. @ Dodge Theatre
18 - Las Vegas, Nev. @ House of Blues
20 - Berkeley, Calif. @ Berkeley Community Theatre
21 - San Diego, Calif. @ House of Blues
22 - Anaheim, Calif. @ House of Blues
23 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ Wiltern Theatre

September
26 - Tilburg, Netherlands @ Koncerthus
27 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ New Melkweg
29 - Fribourg, Switzerland @ Le Fri-Son
30 - Munich, Germany @ Circus Krone

October
1 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Jahrhunderthalle
3 - Stuttgart, Germany @ Beethovensaal
4 - Erfurt, Germany @ Messehalle
5 - Paris, France @ Grand Rex
6 - Antwerp, Belgium @ Elisabeth Hall
8 - Arhus, Denmark @ The Music House
9 - Stavanger, Norway @ Koncerthus
10 - Bergen, Norway @ Peer Gynt
12 - Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
13 - Lund, Sweden @ Olympen
14 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Cirkus