Billy Gibbons Rocks Old, New Sounds at Wilbur Theatre

By Alex LaRosa

Billy Gibbons and the BFG’s delivered a stellar performance at the Wilbur Theatre on Wednesday night, crossing genres seamlessly and still pleasing the audience. Gibbons, famous for his work as the guitarist for ZZ Top, brought a powerful and flamboyant presence to the stage. Kicking off their show with Gibbons’ newest single, the bluesy “Treat Her Right”. In total, they played 12 songs to an enthusiastic audience. Over the course of the night, the band moved through the ZZ Top catalogue, original Afro-Cuban jams, and a few surprise covers near the end.

The opening act, Chad Hollister, played for 30 minutes and his three-piece band featured strong lyrics and blazing mandolin solos in a very enjoyable set. “

I’m glad to be here with y’all,” Gibbons said before the band played “Sal Y Pimiento.” Dressed up in a glittery suit that was decorated with red roses and decked out in his signature sunglasses, he owned the stage but left room for his backing band to shine. In several songs, Gibbons traded solos with the two keyboardists, and at the end, the two drummers banged out fills at a lightning pace. The band also featured a DJ who laid down three raps over the course of the night.

Gibbons kept up the energy all show, and offered up jokes about his wardrobe, the speaker systems, and studying jazz. Near the end of the show, the band cranked out “La Grange,” much to the joy of everyone in the venue.

The last song of the night was an encore performance of “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. After the 70 minute set had ended, Gibbons and the BFG’s had definitely provided the audience with a show worth their money.