Is ZZ Top co-founder Billy F. Gibbons a gambling man?
The 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s name has long been synonymous with his home state of Texas, but the blues-rocking guitarist and singer is now a Las Vegas resident.
No matter where he hangs his Stetson, Gibbons is a sure bet when it comes to pleasing audiences with his no-nonsense mix of blues, rock and boogie.
Where would ZZ Top guitarist and singer Billy F.
This holds true whether he’s performing with ZZ Top, which performed a sold-out show here May 27 at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay, or as a solo artist leading a band of musical pals.
His headlining set at the 2018 AimLoan.com San Diego Blues Festival at Embarcadero Marina Park drew the largest crowd in the event’s history and saw him debut his then brand-new blues band.
He returns Saturday for an encore headlining performance at the festival with his newly expanded nine-piece band, where he’ll likely feature some numbers from his most recent solo album, 2021’s aptly titled “Hardware.”
Lead singer Tierinii Jackson, a native of Memphis, is married to the band’s lead guitarist, Israeli native Ori Naftaly. Two of her sisters are also in the lineup of the Grammy-nominated band.
The festival’s lineup also includes Southern Avenue, Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials, The Phantom Blues Band, with special guest Curtis Salgado, and more.
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Embarcadero Marina Park North, 400 Kettner Blvd., downtown. $60 advance ($70 at the gate) general admission, $300 VIP. Children 12 and under receive free entry to the festival with a paid general admission adult ticket. Cash donations and cans of food will be accepted at the front gate, with all proceeds benefiting the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. sdbluesfest.com
Speaking of Texas, Dallas-born singer, songwriter and band leader Josie Cotton is headed back to San Diego.
Her Tuesday gig at the Casbah comes 40 years after her 1982 breakthrough hit “Johnny, Are You Queer?"" a song that the Go-Go’s regularly performed live at the time but declined to record.
Cotton’s version made her a New Wave rock “it” girl. She performed the song in the 1983 movie “Valley Girl,” but her career declined soon thereafter, at least commercially speaking.
Her new single, the rockabilly-flavored “The Ballad of Elvis,” was written by Stray Cats’ co-founder Brian Setzer and features Stray Cats’ bassist Lee Rocker, Blondie drummer Clem Burke and ace San Diego guitarist Buzz Campbell.
8:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown. $20 (must be 21 or older to attend). casbahmusic.com
Few Contemporary Christian Music stars have performed over the years at Soma, the 36-year San Diego indie-rock club that has hosted shows by blink-182, Billie Eilish, Nine Inch Nails, Green Day, and many more.
That makes the all-ages venue an intriguing setting for Christian music troubadour John Mark McMillan. His debut album, “Hope Anthology, Vol. 1,” was released in 2002. His ninth and most recent, “Peopled with Dreams,” came out in 2020.
8 p.m. Thursday. Soma Sidestage, Sports Arena Blvd., Midway District. $22. somasandiego.com
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Get U-T Arts & Culture on Thursdays
A San Diego insider’s look at what talented artists are bringing to the stage, screen, galleries and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
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