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Get ready for the ZZ Top musical.
Yes, as unbelievable as it may sound, producers are now developing a jukebox musical featuring the music of that Texas rock trio.
It’s called “Sharp Dressed Man” and it is expected to open in 2020 in — where else? — Las Vegas. It comes courtesy of Caesars Entertainment, with a team led by Michael Gruber and Jason Gastwirth along with lead producers Carl Stubner and Prem Akkaraju.
And, despite what you may assume, the band is actually aware that all this taking place and they are actually on board with the project. The three ZZ Top guys — Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard — are serving as executive producers.
“We’re excited about this fantastic project and look forward to hearing our music in a new innovative context,” said ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. “Fans have often told us that we’ve provided the soundtrack to their lives, and this is very much in line with that kind of enthusiastic thinking.”
The musical is “an outrageous, bawdy musical romp about a Lone Star auto mechanic who becomes a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing hearts — and car parts — with the help of his merry band of beer drinkers and hell raisers,” according to a news release.
Of course, it’s built on the band’s biggest hits, such as “Legs,” “La Grange,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Cheap Sunglasses,”
“Pairing ZZ Top’s iconic music with a Texas-version of the Robin Hood story delivers countless laugh-out-loud moments for audiences of of all ages. It’s an absolute blast,” says Prem Akkaraju.
“I know firsthand that ZZ Top is an enduring phenomenon; they’re now about to celebrate 50 years of rocking audiences around he world,” said Carl Stubner. “The show that Prem, Michael, Jason and I envision will utilize the band’s music and tremendous energy for audiences in a new immersive realm. This, just like ZZ Top, is all about having a good time at a great party and telling fun stories through their music.”
ZZ Top performed at the City National Civic in San Jose in January. Read our review of the concert here.
The band returns to the Bay Area to perform a co-headlining show with Lynyrd Skynyrd at Concord Pavilion on Aug. 24. Tickets are $39.50-$199.50, www.livenation.com.
