First let’s dispel the rumor - there is no squirrel living in the beard of Dusty Hill or Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. That being said, they put on a heck of a show at Riverbend, before a crowd estimated by some at 85,000-100,000. Not bad for three old dudes. The weather was perfect and the view from the pier was beautiful, with hundreds of boats dotting the river under the moonlit Chattanooga sky.
Prior to the ZZ Top show, we went up top to the Unum stage to see David Walters with Kathy Tugman, except David couldn’t make it. His replacement did a fine job playing the piano, all the while with a drink straw in his mouth. Maybe he just stopped smoking. The band played some fine jazz tunes and classics.
I was disappointed to the see the piano being used as a musical instrument, however. I had seen the piano the other day on a truck, and I just knew it was the one Robert T. Nash of WGOW was going to ride down the hill through Riverbend in a blaze of glory.
We also saw the Alex Chilton Trio play at the Bud Light stage. Alex was the lead vocalist in the Boxtops, and the song “The Letter” was a number one hit in 1967. He performed that song at Riverbend much to the delight of the fans in attendance, including me.
Friday Schedule:
Coca-Cola Stage –
9:30 – Little Big Town
10:45 - Rodney Atkins
Bud Light Stage
5:30 – Lauren Suddeth
6:15 – Corrine Chapman
7:45 – The Derailers
TVA Stage –
5:30 – Opposite Box
6:45 – Tiffany Lynn Band
8:00 – Danger Kitty
Tennessee Valley Credit Union Stage –
6:15 – Dismembered Tennesseans
7:45 – Shannon Whitworth
9:15 – The Greencards
Unum Stage –
6:30 – Love Lotus
8:00 – Jason Ricci and New Blood
9:45 – T Broussard & The Zydeco Steppers
Kids Stage –
5:30 – Kids Talent
9:00 – Mudville Mafia
Bob’s picks-o’-the-day – Ok, don’t tell the wife, but I have a plan. The plan is to walk by the Unum stage on route to another act, but end up staying because I have little experience in the area of belly dancing, and Love Lotus will provide me the necessary culture awakening to gain an appreciation for the art form.
I would also like to see the Tiffany Lynn Band, since her description on the Riverbend website says “bad-girl country.” You have to love a description like that.
From there, we will probably catch the Derailers at the Bud Light Stage. I have been a fan of theirs for a while, and look forward to them having a chance to meet me.