ZZ Top Album: “Live in Germany 1980 [DVD]”

ZZ Top Double Down Live is a two DVD set with two distective styles and feelings. The difference is not only in the stage performance, but in the productions of the concerts.

Disk one is recorded in Germany and is a straight-forward concert video. Camera work is limited, especially on Frank, and there is little post-production. ZZ Top live purest will enjoy this, because the video gives extended look at Gibbon's guitar work. The sound is fine and the trio from Tejas was at its best with an energetic show that had a surprisingly boyish-acting Billy jumping around on stage like I have not seen in my four live concerts over the years. There is a good mix of the new and old songs and the tone is spectacular.

Disk two was recorded in France and is more of a rockumentary, with short, quick, often shaky camera takes, most of which are black and white and a little of them freeze-framed or slow motion for effect. An abundance of the camera work is spent on the crowd and most songs are augmented with footage of travel, photo sessions, back stage crew work and the band hanging around between shows, all while the song is going on. The second set, as well, has a good mix of old and new songs, plus a surprise cover of a Jimi Hendricks song.

Both sets are enjoyable if you watch them for what they are. If you want pure, unadulterated concert footage, you won't appreciate the artful post-production of the second set. If you want high tech camera work and interesting camera angles, you won't get it in the first disk. However, both stand on their.

Some comparisons between the two: Billy's guitar tone is better in the first, with his guitar a little over-processed in the second (in my opinion). However, the overall audio is better (newer) in the second. For some reason, in the first set, post-production has short character generated titles of the song during each song. It annoyed me at first, because, yes, we all know what song is playing, but I got over it after a few songs.