Sharp Dress Simple Man Review with Photos 7-30-23

The Hometown Boys made their 2023 stop in H-Town at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion again on Sunday, July 30th. I think this show will mark their 59th or possible 60th show in the Houston area, but who’s counting anymore. Along with ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd is also co-headlining this tour which is being billed as the Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour.

Opening the night for these two heavyweight bands was Uncle Kracker, who was previously a turntablist for Kid Rock's backing group Twisted Brown Trucker and since 1999 has recorded as a solo artist. The singles "Follow Me" and "Drift Away" were top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Performing with the hot Texas sun cooking the stage Uncle Kracker (whose real name is Matthew Shafer) performed an 8-song set which included a cover of Kid Rock’s, “All Summer Long,” followed by his top 10 hit “Follow Me.” Other songs in the set included “When The Sun Goes Down” a Kenny Chesney cover, which featured Kracker in both the original song and video, and the crowd favorite “Drift Away” which was made famous by Dobie Gray and also became a top 10 song for Kracker.

Being a co-headlining tour Lynyrd Skynyrd would take the stage before ZZ Top that night, probably because this was ZZ’s home stomping ground. With the hot Texas sun facing the stage and just starting to go down, Johnny Van Zant, wearing sunglasses, took the stage with the rest of the Skynyrd members.

A lot has been said lately of the fact that since the last founding member Gary Rossington passed away earlier this year that this was not really Lynyrd Skynyrd anymore. Be this as it may, the hard-working members of the band involved with the current lineup are: Guitarist Rickey Medlocke, best known as the frontman/guitarist for the Southern rock band Blackfoot and a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1971 to 1972. During his first stint with Lynyrd Skynyrd he played drums and sang lead on a few songs that would initially be released on 1978's "First and... Last". Singer Johnny Van Zant, who is the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and former lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, took over vocal duties in 1987 once the band reformed after the tragic death of his brother and other members in a plane accident. Sitting on his throne at drums was Michael Cartellone, he was a founding member of the Damn Yankees and has been drumming for Skynyrd since 1999. A local boy from Katy, Texas, guitarist Vincent Mark "Sparky" Matejka joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 2006. On the keys was Peter Michaelsen Pisarczyk, better known as Peter Keys and best known for his work with George Clinton, and he has been a member of Skynyrd since 2009. Keith Christopher joined in 2017 on bass and joining the band since the loss of Gary was guitarist Damon Johnson. Johnson is a co-founder of Brother Cane and has also been involved with Thin Lizzy, Alice Cooper and Black Star Riders. Other touring musicians include singers: Gary Rossington’s wife Dale Kranyz-Rossington since 1987 and Carol Chase who has been with Skynyrd since 1996. With all the lineup changes through the years this is still Lynyrd Skynyrd at heart. Who can’t help but sing along to the classics like “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Free Bird” with them.

With the pavilion packed with fans there wasn’t one song on their 15-song set that I doubt anyone didn’t know. They are always one highly entertaining concert and with the encore being “Free Bird” most in attendance were pretty amped up once Skynyrd left the stage.

Next it was the Boys from Texas’s turn to take the Pavilion stage. ZZ opened with “Got Me Under Pressure” from their album Eliminator. Bassist Elwood Francis, who assumed the role after the death of Dusty Hill in 2021, came out sporting a ridiculous 17 string yellow Fender bass. Having seen ZZ many times over the years it is no surprise anymore to see them debut some sort of over-the-top prop or instrument on stage. Otherwise, the stage was the same as the last time they played here one year ago in 2022. The band’s stage was lined once again by a backdrop of stacked light blue and orange Magnitone Amps. The band played through their 17-song set in what seemed like a flash covering most of the classics that everyone recognized. The Songs Ranged from their early 1971 classic “Brown Sugar” on the first album to the 2012 “I Gotsta Get Paid” from their last recorded album, finally ending the night with the 1973 hit “La Grange.”

After their show ended, I had a feeling that Billy, Frank and Elwood had a hard time recovering the crowd from the furious ending that “Free Bird” had entailed. Now that Billy has had to take on all the vocal duties since Dusty’s passing his voice seems to be getting rougher with age. I think its time for me to give up the hope of ever seeing them tour with a themed 50th year album anniversary tour as some bands have been known to do, which would feature a full album from the past played front to back such as a Tres Hombres tour or even hopefully a Fandango! tour. I’m not holding my breath anymore, but I would still love to hear Mexican Blackbird live one more time.

ZZ Top Setlist:
Got Me Under Pressure
I Thank You (Sam & Dave cover)
Waitin' for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Gimme All Your Lovin'
Pearl Necklace
I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
I Gotsta Get Paid
Guitar Solo
My Head's in Mississippi
Sixteen Tons (Merle Travis cover)
Just Got Paid
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs

Encore:
Brown Sugar
Tube Snake Boogie
La Grange

Lynyrd Skynyrd Setlist:
Workin' for MCA
Skynyrd Nation
What's Your Name
That Smell
Whiskey Rock-a-Roller
The Needle and the Spoon
Saturday Night Special
The Ballad of Curtis Loew
Tuesday's Gone (Dedicated to Gary Rossington)
I Know a Little
Simple Man (Dedicated to the troops and first responders)
Gimme Three Steps
Call Me the Breeze (J.J. Cale cover)
Sweet Home Alabama

Encore:
Free Bird

Uncle Kracker Setlist:
Nobody's Sad on a Saturday Night
All Summer Long (Kid Rock cover)
Follow Me
The Gambler (Don Schlitz cover)
Reason to Drink
When the Sun Goes Down (Kenny Chesney cover)
Smile
Drift Away (Mentor Williams cover)