Presented by Bruce A. Blakeman for Governor, Eisenhower Park's free summer concert series continued at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in East Meadow this past Wednesday night with a performance from legendary rockers, ZZ Top. Originally slated for Tuesday night, the show was postponed due to heavy rains across Long Island and NYC, and was very nearly rained out again as midday storms on Wednesday held the event status in question. However, by 6 p.m., the sun began to emerge from behind the clouds, and the event continued as planned.

As instructed, many concertgoers, some of whom had attended the Flo Rida show in the park just days prior, came equipped with lawn chairs and towels. A leisurely atmosphere, as opposed to, say, Westbury Music Fair or Jones Beach, the evening was as casual as casual can be.

Local officials kicked the night off at 7:00 p.m. with general announcements, a rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner and a flyover, acknowledgement for members of the armed forces, police, and health care workers, and finally, a short moment of silence for ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard, who passed earlier this summer.

Music began at 7:30, but not without consequence. Opening tune "Got Me Under Pressure" was stopped and restarted due to technical difficulties, but, from there, the sound would remain generally consistent until "La Grange," the very last song of the set.

ZZ Top, currently on their The Big One! Tour, have maintained a steady setlist of late, and did not variate for the East Meadow show. Of course, at 76-years-old, lead singer Billy Gibbons is likely not interested in the constant circulating of material, and who can blame him? Much of his onstage banter, used to introduce nearly every tune over the course of the 90-minute show, is likely recycled nightly as well, but it scored some laughs. Certainly from this writer, a first time ZZ Top show attendee. Others, such as Nassau County comptroller Elaine Phillips , expressed fond memories of catching Top shows decades prior.

Notable records for the band, such as 1983's Eliminator and 1973's Tres Hombres, are represented well across the nostalgia fueled setlist with four and three songs performed from each respectively. The former includes "Got Me Under Pressure" and "Gimme All Your Lovin," performed within the first fifth of the show, and both "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man," saved for the end portion of the main set. Of the Tres Hombres cuts, the band moved between the high-octane "Jesus Just Left Chicago" and Prince-like "Waitin' For The Bus" early on in the evening, with Gibbons and crew digging particularly deep for " ... "Chicago."

They'd represent other albums, such as 1981's El Loco with "Pearl Necklace" and later the eccentric "Tube Snake Boogie," as well as 1979's Deguello with "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide," a recorded cover the Sam and Dave tune "I Thank You" played early in the set, and "Cheap Sunglasses. "Bad... Nationwide" was surely a high point of the set, if not solely for its wily introduction by Gibbons who, again, at nearly 80 years old, is still an incredibly convincing salesman. He does the same for the sort of one-two-punch of "I Gotsta Get Paid" (2012's La Futura) and "Just Got Paid" (1972's Rio Grande Mud) placed in different sections of the show, with both hinting at storytelling-driven financial woes four decades apart. Some things never change.

1990's Recycler was the final project to be represented, with "My Head's In Mississippi" played at the midway point of the set. The tune was notable for Gibbons' low, extended drawl, as maintaining any sort of presence whatsoever in that register in a live setting is extremely difficult. Elsewhere, he would occasionally let out his best attempts at a Joe Cocker-like wail. He'd often find his way to the note, but could not often sustain it. The sole outlier, and the newest addition to the set, was "Brown Paper Bag," Gibbons' recent duet with Keith Urban released just this year as a standalone single.

To reiterate, the show was, in fact, a casual affair, but attendees near the front were quite involved. Despite this, and while it might not have been completely necessary, "Sharp Dressed Man" may or may not have featured as dash of piped-in crowd noise to assist Gibbons' request for audience participation. Likely a highlight of any ZZ Top show, the tune is undeniable, and is looked back on fondly by this writer, who has always appreciated American Idol winner Trent Harmon's cover of it during the final season of the original iteration of the show in 2016. Mentored by Stevie Van Zandt, Harmon sung what Van Zandt called something of a swamp version.

At the conclusion of the anticipated performance of "Legs," the band took a lengthy exit before making their way back for a standard four-song encore. It consisted of "Brown Sugar" (1971's ZZ Top's First Album), "Tube Snake Boogie" (El Loco), "Thunderbird" (1975's Fandango), and the previously discussed "La Grange." Slight sound issues did not stop the band from teasing its end before ultimately swimming back around for another instrumental section that had Gibbons yelping "HELLLLLLL YEAHHHHHH."

Some local residents did seem to begin to pack their belongings and make their way to the accessible parking lots during "La Grange," with others committed to sticking around until the band's final exit. It was only right to do so, as this band has provided multiple generations with music that has filled their homes, honky tonks, and arenas like clockwork. If you're looking for a perfect live show, you won't find it at a ZZ Top concert in 2026. But, if you're looking for infectious musical and villainous energy one cannot help but reciprocate, ZZ Top may just need to be added to your concert bucket list.

Catch ZZ Top on tour through late November:
09/09 – Lynn, MA @ Lynn Memorial Auditorium
09/11 – Solomons, MD @ PNC Waterside Pavilion
09/12 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
09/13 – Hyannis, MA @ Cape Cod Melody Tent
09/15 – Lancaster, PA @ American Music Theatre
09/16 – Newport News, VA @ Ferguson Center
09/18 – Wilmington, NC @ Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre
09/19 – LaGrange, GA @ Sweetland Amphitheatre
09/20 – Greenville, SC @ Peace Concert Hall – Peace Center
09/22 – Hiawassee, GA @ Anderson Music Hall
09/24 – Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park
10/03 – The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
10/04 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/07 – Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre
10/08 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater
10/09 – Port Wentworth, GA @ VyStar Pavilion
11/09 – Guadalajara, MX @ Telemex Auditorium
11/11 – Ciudad de México, MX @ Auditorio Nacional
11/13 – Monterrey, MX @ Banamex Auditorium
11/16 – Santiago, CL @ Teatro Caupolican
11/18 – Porto Alegre, BR @ KTO Arena
11/20 – Curitiba, BR @ Igloo Super Hall

11/21 – São Paulo, BR @ Suhai Music Hall
11/24 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Movistar Arena