Dweezil Zappa 

@ Astor Theatre Perth

27/02/18

(Live Review)

Review by Jarrod Henry

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Photography courtesy of Stuart McKay

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The music of the late, great Frank Zappa represents some of the most technically astounding, sonically challenging, chaotic, blissful and virtuosic compositions of the 20th Century. Since his passing in 1993 his groundbreaking albums have been celebrated worldwide by any number of musicians but none more so than Zappa’s own son Dweezil. Himself a virtuoso guitarist, he has never wasted an opportunity to go out and perform his father’s works to ecstatic audiences often to the detriment of his relationship with his fellow siblings. So in a night billed as “Dweezil Zappa plays whatever the f%#k he wants” – a thinly veiled reference to the Cease and Desist order put in place by his brother Ahmet – a near capacity Astor Theatre was treated to one of the most stunning musical performances in recent memory.
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Zomby Woof set the tone for most of the evening right from the start as Zappa led his incredible band through a two plus hour career retrospective full of the customary twists and turns, maniacal energy and show stopping solos indicative of his dad’s records. Some blinding fretwork courtesy of the guitarist had the audience in raptures but this was to be a night as much about the band as well. Cian Coey‘s vocals throughout the night were a full throttle assault and featured on such classics as Joe’s Garage favourite ‘Keep It Greasy’ and an hilarious ‘Illinois Enema Bandit’. “We’re going to be playing a lot of my dad’s music tonight”, Zappa informed the crowd early on and that’s precisely what all they wanted to hear. Early Mother’s Of Invention tracks like ‘Who Needs The Peace Corps’ and ‘Call Any Vegetable’ were played with as much respect for the originals as is possible, and each musician in turn was given a chance at the spotlight to show off their playing.

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Photography courtesy of Stuart McKay

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Drummer Ryan Brown, at times dwarfed by the massive kit he was ensconced behind, put on a display of blinding percussive excellence and navigated the band through some timing changes that would make many modern players run screaming into the night. And on no other song was this in evidence than ‘Inca Roads’. It’s a piece that requires all the concentration and dedication a musician can muster and Dweezil and Co handled it with consummate ease.

The most stunning and emotional moment of the evening came with Dweezil’s performance of ‘Watermelon Over Easter Hay’. Itself a hallucinatory segue section from the aforementioned Joe’s Garage, it’s one of the incredibly melodic, stirring pieces of guitar work committed to tape and revered by Zappa fans everywhere. It’s akin to a temple where one goes to seek solace and contemplation; to lose oneself for a short while and forget everything except the MUSIC.

After a jaw dropping ‘Pound For A Brown’ that featured the trade-off soloing between Zappa and sax/keyboardist Sheila Gonzales, the band took a short break before continuing on with another hour of the great man’s eclectic songs. Frank Zappa‘s work can at the best of times be likened to a serious overdose of psychotropic pharmaceuticals and that’s exactly what the second half of the night brought. ‘Orange County Lumber Truck’ and ‘Flower Punk’ were muscular and intricate as was ‘Cheepnis’, and ‘Trouble Every Day’ benefited from a reworking that took in snatches of the Bee Gees ‘Stayin’ Alive’. The ‘Black Page’ Drum Solo again showcased Ryan Brown’s insane talents and ‘Son Of Orange County’ was yet another early Zappa Favourite.

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Photography courtesy of Stuart McKay

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Finishing off the night with a trinity of classics in ‘Sofa No.1’, ‘Po-Jama People’ and ‘Florentine Pogen’ only bought home to the appreciative crowd that they were in the presence of a group of truly talented musicians hell bent on paying tribute to one of the most influential artists of our time.

And at the centre of it all was Dweezil Zappa. Displaying all the warmth and humour of his dad, the massive grin on his face was utterly infectious. At times during the show he would simply stand back and take in what each person was doing with a shake of his head as if the incredulity of it all was overwhelming.

This was a night where everyone, musicians and fans alike, came together to bask in the twisted genius that inhabited Frank Zappa‘s mind. Dweezil Zappa could certainly have played whatever the f%$k he wanted but for one night paying tribute to his late father was more more than anyone could have hoped for.

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