ZZ Top have announced a new live album, titled Raw. The live recording was the soundtrack behind the band's 2019 Grammy-nominated Netflix documentary That Little Ol' Band From Texas.
Raw additionally serves as one of their final live albums with bassist Dusty Hill, who passed away in 2021.
The album is scheduled for release on July 22 via Shelter Records/BMG, and is dedicated "in righteous memory of Dusty."
Directed by Sam Dunn and released by Banger Films, the Netflix documentary features the classic ZZ Top lineup of Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and the late Dusty. It captures the trio performing inside "the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas" in Gruene Hall. The album was conceived from this particular intimate and "raw" performance.
"It was, in a very real way, a return to our roots," said frontman Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard in a joint statement. "Just us and the music, no audience of thousands, no concession stands, no parking lot social hour, no phalanx of tour busses. Just us and the music. We knew right then it was a very special circumstance, all of us in the same place at the same time and what a time it most certainly was!
"It was as bare-bones as when we first started touring in a behemoth Chrysler station wagon, driving vast stretches between those early far-flung shows under blackened Texas skies and first hearing our records on the radio. We were bonded as brothers.
"'The Dust' may have left the building but he's still very much with us," they conclude.
ZZ Top have also announced that they will be heading off on tour this May, with bassist Elwood Francis replacing Hill. The first leg of the Raw Whiskey tour will start from May 6 in Niagara Falls. Further dates will be announced soon.
Find out the dates announced so far below:
ZZ Top 2022 tour dates:
May 06: Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, ON
May 29: Vina Robles Amphitheatre Paso Robles, CA
Jun 01: Redding Civic Auditorium Redding, CA
Jun 02: The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
Jun 05: Britt Pavilion Jacksonville, OR
Jun 07: Hayden Homes Amphitheater Bend, OR
Jun 08: Wine Country Amphitheater Walla Walla, WA
Jun 09: First Interstate Center for the Arts Spokane, WA
Jun 12: MetraPark – First Interstate Arena Billings, MT
Jun 14: Las Colonias Park Amphitheater Grand Junction, CO
Jun 17: Casino Del Sol's AVA Amphitheater Tucson, AZ
Jun 19: Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts Colorado Springs, CO
Jun 21: Budweiser Events Center Loveland, CO
Jun 22: Fonner Park Heartland Events Center Grand Island, NE
Jun 24: Hartman Arena Park City, KS
Jun 25: Zoo Amphitheatre Oklahoma City, OK
Jun 26: First Security Amphitheater Little Rock, AR
Jun 29: Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion Rogers, AR
Jul 01: Toledo Zoo & Aquarium Amphitheater Toledo, OH
Jul 02: Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill Sterling Heights, MI
Jul 05: Foellinger Theater Fort Wayne, IN
Jul 09: Greenville Lion's Park Greenville, WI
Jul 22: Leader Bank Pavilion Boston, MA
Jul 23: Watertown Fairgrounds Baseball Diamond Watertown, NY
Aug 27: Beaver Dam Amphitheater Beaver Dam, KY
Raw tracklisting:
Side 1
01. Brown Sugar
02. Just Got Paid
03. Heard It On The X
04. La Grange
05. Tush
06. Thunderbird
Side 2
01. I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
02. Gimme All Your Lovin'
03. Blue Jean Blues
04. Certified Blues
05. Tube Snake Boogie
