Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top shake the Adidas Arena in Paris

The legendary American band stopped in France for two shows, on July 15 at the Adidas Arena, the new Paris venue located at Porte de la Chapelle, and on July 16 at the Festival de Poupet in Saint-Malô-du-Bois. The rock thundered and the legend spoke. Blues Actu was there and tells you all about it.

Live report – ZZ Top
📆 July 15, 2026
📌 Paris – Adidas Arena
📷 sara___mahouachi

On July 28, 2021, fans of ZZ Top, and of blues rock more broadly, were in mourning. The legendary Dusty Hill, bassist and co-lead singer of the Texas band, had died. His wish was for the band to carry on, to keep playing even after his death. Billy Gibbons later recalled Dusty Hill’s final words: “Let the show go on!” For the past five years, Elwood Francis, Dusty Hill’s bass technician, has taken his place. Frank Beard, still behind the drums, continued to perform. In late 2025, however, the band’s original and iconic drummer experienced health problems. He has been replaced on this European tour by Michael Monahan, who, like Elwood Francis, knows the band’s repertoire by heart.

Electric Pyramid opens the evening. The British band, signed to the French label Vivienne Music Label, builds its sound around rock with touches of pop. The group displays real power on stage. One to watch…

It is therefore an unusual version of ZZ Top that appears before the Paris audience. Billy Gibbons, the only original member, and his two companions get the crowd roaring with the opening number, Got Me Under Pressure, taken from the album Eliminator (1983). Formed in 1969, 57 years ago, the band is no longer the same, but its soul remains unchanged. The magic works just as well on the fifty- and sixty-somethings, present in large numbers, as it does on the handful of thirty-somethings who have also come to see the concert. ZZ Top is a story told by its musicians. A few years ago, Billy, Dusty and Frank were its narrators. Tonight, they are Billy, Elwood and Michael. This trio works and, above all, the story continues to be told. The music carries on and, above all: “The show must go on!”

ZZ Top follows with the band’s greatest classics. Gimme All Your Lovin’ and Sharp Dressed Man ring out through the venue. ZZ Top does not rely on gimmicks. The songs flow one after another, and the three members deliver a huge performance. In front of an enormous graffiti-style ZZ Top backdrop, which contrasts with the band’s usual world, nothing is left to chance. The music remains at the heart of the show. It is powerful!

Towards the end of the set, the hit that sums up the band without defining it begins: La Grange. Michael Monahan does not falter, and his drums have found their place. The 2026 version of ZZ Top recalls the pre-2021 ZZ Top. The rock and the beards are still there. So is the band’s soul. Dusty Hill haunts the group, the set and the entire evening. A night of American blues rock with such power is a rare thing.

To keep up with all the latest news from the band: https://www.zztop.com/

ZZ Top setlist at the Adidas Arena

1. Got Me Under Pressure
2. I Thank You (Sam & Dave cover)
3. Waitin’ for the Bus
4. Jesus Just Left Chicago
5. Gimme All Your Lovin’
6. Pearl Necklace
7. I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide
8. I Gotsta Get Paid
9. My Head’s in Mississippi
10. Brown Paper Bag
11. Cheap Sunglasses
12. Just Got Paid
13. Sharp Dressed Man
14. Legs

Encore
15. Brown Sugar
16. Tube Snake Boogie
17. Thunderbird
18. La Grange