Our favourite southern fried rockers return to England for maybe the last time… come on they are about 60!

But first we have the comedy 80’s metal of Steel Panther. I wasn’t sure how well these guys would go down in front of the ZZ Top crowd, being essentially a long string of jokes about getting laid, padded out by retro metal and swearing. How pleasant then that they are positively embraced by the crowd, hooting along to Steel Panther’s hilarious between song banter, mostly about fucking your mum, your sister and sometimes your dad. They aren’t slack on the musical front either, pulling out some quality songs from their debut album, the best of which was 'Eyes of a Panther'. Ending the set with a Journey cover, the crowd politely clap their approval, but I am left demanding where the hell 'Death to all but Metal' was!?!

ZZ Top stroll on to the stage as leisurely as you like and with one smile, have the crowd in the palm of their hands from the off. Looking as comfortable as ever, and sporting the best facial hair in music, they lay out the blues. In the gaps between songs they come across as warm and charming, laughing at how we don’t have dollar shops, we have pound shops, which end up as $1.6 and their adoration for playing the blues. Covering 'Foxy Lady' by Jimmy Hendrix, their set is varied but packs in all the classics; 'Cheap Sunglasses', 'Legs', 'Gimmie all Your Lovin', Smart Dressed Man', and my personal favourite, 'Tush'. As the closing bars of the raucous slice of rock n roll ring out, the crowd scream and ZZ Top depart the stage. An incredibly entertaining band and well worth seeing if you get the chance!

Carl Sucharyna Thomas