ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons and John Fogerty are sharing a preview of their summer US tour in a new interview with Rolling Stone.
The “Blues And Bayous" trek will begin in Atlantic City, NJ on May 25, with shows scheduled to wrap up in Welch, MN on June 29.
“I've been wanting to kind of hook up with Billy or ZZ for a long time,” explains Fogerty about the origins of the 2018 run. “I think we've traded emails. I ran into him down somewhere and I was playing and Billy was playing the next night. I had him come into my show and we did ‘Sharp Dressed Man.’ It was a lot of fun. He sent me a couple of emails. I think he even gave me a CD or two that he labelled ‘Big Ol' Blues.’ There was a whole bunch of great old songs on there. We've been trying for a while and it finally has fallen into place, which I'm delighted about.”
The ZZ Top guitarist reveals the pair will take turns closing the show each night.
“We’re tossing the coin,” says Gibbons. “Who is going to start, who is going to stop and do we have to stop? That was the real question. I think it'll work out nicely. It's a collaboration experience, which I think makes a lot of sense, not only for both bands, but for the fans and followers.”
Fans can expect some new sonic experiences when both acts play together on the month-long run.
“Hopefully we're going to have a little cross-pollination,” predicts Fogerty. “That's the plan. Something like that needs a tad bit of, if not rehearsal, at least a tad bit of discussion to make it seem worthwhile to the audience, anyway. Selfishly, this is just a bucket list thing for me. I'm really looking forward to jamming and becoming intimately aware of their music and all the little things that happen during their set.”
And it works both ways, according to the CCR rocker.
“It's all kind of fair game, I suppose,” he adds. “I don't think we'd be cheating the audience if we spoil ‘Proud Mary’ by having a Billy solo in the middle – I'm kidding about the spoil part – but I think the audience would tolerate that because they know they are coming to a show where both of us are there. This is a new set of rules.”
Gibbons and Fogerty can be seen jamming on each other’s hits in a new video of a warm-up session ahead of the 2018 tour – watch it here.
ZZ Top & John Fogerty
"Blues and Bayous" summer 2018 US tour
May 25 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Spa & Resort – Event Center
May 26 - Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
May 27 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
May 29 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
May 30 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
Jun 01 - Pensacola, FL @ Pensacola Bay Center
Jun 02 - Clearwater, FL @ Coachman Park
Jun 03 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheater
Jun 05 - St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheater
Jun 06 - Atlanta, GA @ TBA
Jun 10 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheater
Jun 12 - Chicago, IL @ TBA
Jun 13 - Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
Jun 14 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
Jun 16 - Southaven, MS @ BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove
Jun 17 - Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
Jun 19 - Youngstown, OH @ Covelli Centre
Jun 20 - Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Heath at Jones Beach Theater
Jun 22 - Gilford, NH @ Bank of NH Pavillion
Jun 23 - Canandaigua, NY @ Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
Jun 24 - Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
Jun 26 - Mt. Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort
Jun 27 - Detroit, MI @ DTE @ Energy Music Theatre
Jun 29 - Welch, MN @ Treasure Island Resort & Casino
See also:
VIDEO: ZZ Top and John Fogerty jam ahead of summer US tour
ZZ Top and John Fogerty team up for summer US tour
ZZ Top announce Las Vegas residency
VIDEO: ZZ Top guitarist joins Guns N’ Roses in Houston
Search ZZ Top at hennemusic
