[7/10] If there’s one thing that fans have been waiting patiently for from Texan based rock trio ZZ Top, it’s a definitive live concert recording of the band’s legendary stage prowess. But after 40 long years (marked by 14studio albums), the band (vocalist/guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill and drummer/vocalist Frank Beard) have finally recorded a full live concert for their first ever live DVD.

Recorded in front of a sold out hometown Texas crowd at the Nokia Theater in Dallas, on November 1st 2007, Live From Texas boasts a set list full of the band’s classic hits, delivered with an effortless cool that only the Texan trio can muster.

Over a 17 track set, ZZ Top serves up plenty of old school laid back heavy blues rock, with most of the song selection predominantly lifted from earlier recorded efforts, such as “Waitin’ For The Bus,” “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” the slide heavy “Just Got Paid,” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” “Heard It On The X” and “Cheap Sunglasses.”

Performance-wise, the band are rock solid, despite a couple of tracks where mistakes are a little glaring (notably Gibbon’s lead breaks in “Got Me Under Pressure” and “Pearl Necklace”). Sure, the band are really starting to show their age up there on stage, and the vocals might be a little more hoarse and strained than what they used to be, but there’s no denying the band can still cut it on tracks such as “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs” and “Tush.”

Overall, Live From Texasis a solid representation of what ZZ Top has to offer fans on the live circuit today, and it’s sadly not enough to make this package really essential to the casual fan. The sound mix is a too drum heavy in places (at the expense of vocals), while the set list only ventures as far as 1994 (“Pin Cushion” from Antenna).

The extras seem to a little on the thin side too. The 19minute “Poker Game” is the definite pick, with the band recounting some amazing stories, including their formation, opening for Muddy Waters, the Eliminator car and how Paula Abdul taught them to dance around a game of poker. Although nowhere near long enough, “Poker Game” is as insightful as it is cool.

However, the seven minute “Dallas Show Da”y (which focuses on the fans in the car park) and the five minute “Photo Shoot” are mere filler pieces. And as for the live cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Foxey Lady,” it’s clear that it was left off due to the band’s lackluster performance.

After such a long wait, I can’t help but feel that perhaps ZZ Top left recording a definitive live concert about 20 years too late, because as good as Live From Texas is, it’s still a bit of a disappointment. Diehard fans will certainly love this, but casual fans will be best to stick to the studio albums.

www.zztop.com