ZZ Top Performs First Concert Since Frank Beard’s Death
ZZ TOP BACK ONSTAGE AFTER FRANK BEARD’S DEATH
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ZZ Top is back on the road ... taking the stage in Austin Saturday night for its first concert since longtime drummer Frank Beard died earlier this week.
We broke the news of Beard’s death last week. Frank died at 77 while receiving hospice care at his ranch in Texas with loved ones by his side. No official cause of death was released.
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As we reported, the band scrapped two shows in the immediate aftermath, but kept its scheduled dates at Austin’s Moody Theater -- a venue the group said was especially close to Frank’s heart in a city that felt like a second home.
Billy Gibbons addressed the loss early in the show, introducing drummer Michael Monahan, who has stepped in behind the kit amid Beard’s recent health struggles. Gibbons recalled receiving a call from Beard, who joked that Monahan’s strong work filling in worried him.
However, Gibbons made clear Saturday night was meant to honor his late bandmate with the kind of energy Frank would’ve wanted ... telling the crowd they were there for a celebration and promising a good time.
Beard had played with ZZ Top for more than five decades, laying down the beat on classics including “La Grange,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and "Legs."
