Cory Marks had the job of opening up for ZZ Top on Oct 14th,2023. And not an easy job that was as Abbotsford was there to see the legends themselves ZZ Top. The crowd was a versatile crowd in age from kids and young adults to grown adults who were just teenagers when ZZ Top first became a household name.
Cory Marks is a Canadian-born country musician who has released two albums the first back in 2015 This Man and the second Who I Am. One of the singles off of Who I Am gained him popularity in the rock genre as he had some heavy hitters play on the song “Outlaws & Outsiders”. They were Ivan Moody (Five Finger Death Punch) and Mick Mars (Motley Crue) also country star Travis Tritt lent his vocal talents to the song.
Cory Marks played tracks off his two album releases and even threw in a Steve Miller Band cover (“Jet Airliner“) which he blew the doors off. Cory and his band ended the short set with his biggest hit “Outlaws & Outsiders”. Cory Marks and his band put on a great show and are still cutting their teeth in the touring circuit.
Cory Marks setlist:
Devil’s Grin
Keep Doing What I Do
In Me I Trust
Jet Airliner (Steve Miller Band cover)
Burn It Up
Blame It on the Double
Country Rock
Outlaws and Outsiders
CORY MARKS OFFICIAL WEBSITE / FACEBOOK
ZZ TOP
Forming in Houston, Texas back in 1969, ZZ Top consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill. That lineup spent 51 years on stages until Hill‘s death in 2021. Dusty’s replacement, Elwood Francis, had been serving as a long-time guitar tech for Billy Gibbons so was an easy choice after the untimely death of Dusty Hill.
ZZ Top came out strong with the first song “Got Me Under Pressure” from the Eliminator album. They pulled three more ZZ Top classics off this release and had them in their setlist throughout the night which kept the crowd dancing. ZZ Top even paid homage to late great classics “I Thank You”, “I Ain’t Superstitious” and “Sixteen Tons”, all from artists who helped create and mould the sound of ZZ Top.
ZZ Top pulled more hits from their catalogue which they have a total of 15 albums to draw from, so there sure is no shortage of music to draw from. They made sure that they drew the most popular hits from their catalogue that night and kept the crowd on their feet dancing along. It’s amazing to hear from Billy Gibbons that ZZ Top has been playing to crowds for 51 years, that in itself is a feat.
ZZ Top played from their first ever release back in 1971 to the last release which was 2012. They delighted the Abbotsford crowd with hit after hit throughout the night. ZZ Top played for an amazing 70-minute set where Billy Gibbons (Guitar) Elwood Francis (Bass) and Frank Beard (Drums) showcased why they are a classic American Blues Rock Band from the great state of Texas.
ZZ Top Setlist:
Got Me Under Pressure
I Thank You (Sam & Dave cover)
Waitin’ for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Gimme All Your Lovin’
Pearl Necklace
I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide
I Gotsta Get Paid
My Head’s in Mississippi
I Aint Superstitious (Jeff Beck cover)
Sixteen Tons (Merle Travis cover)
Just Got Paid
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs (w/the furry guitars!)
Encore:
Brown Sugar
Tube Snake Boogie
La Grange
ZZ TOP OFFICIAL WEBSITE / FACEBOOK
