Upcoming ZZ Top dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Who ZZ Top is and what a ticket buys
ZZ Top is the blues rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969, led from the start by guitarist and singer Billy Gibbons. A ticket today buys a compact, guitar-driven set of Texas boogie and 1980s hits in an amphitheater or theater rather than a stadium. In rooms that size, a seat in the lower-center sections gets you close enough to watch Gibbons play, which is the point of the show.
The band's 1970s albums, including Tres Hombres (1973), built its reputation as a hard-touring Southern act. Eliminator (1983) made it a mainstream success: it is the band's only album certified diamond by the RIAA, with more than 10 million copies sold, and Afterburner (1985) followed it into the Billboard top five. ZZ Top has sold an estimated 50 million records and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
The lineup after Dusty Hill and Frank Beard
For five decades ZZ Top was the same three men: Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard. Hill died on July 28, 2021, at 72. Per his wishes, Elwood Francis, the band's longtime guitar technician, took over bass and vocals.
Beard stepped away from touring for illness in March 2025, with the band's longtime drum technician John Douglas filling in. The band announced that Beard died on August 17, 2026, at 77, and Gibbons said ZZ Top would continue touring per Beard's wishes. Buyers should expect a show led by Gibbons and Francis rather than the classic trio.
ZZ Top tours, dated
The tours below are documented in the sources for this page. The live event list on this page shows the dates currently on sale.
- Worldwide Texas Tour (1976 to 1977): an extensive 1970s headline run.
- Afterburner tour (1986): reported as the highest-attended and highest-grossing tour of 1986.
- Las Vegas residency (from April 20, 2019): at The Venetian, during the band's 50th-anniversary year.
- Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour (July 21 to September 17, 2023, and a second leg from March to September 2024): a co-headlining run with Lynyrd Skynyrd.
- Elevation tour (March to November 2024, and March to November 2025): the band's own headline run.
- The Big One Tour (2026): resumed on August 22, 2026, after cancellations, with fall dates in US amphitheaters and theaters followed by shows in Mexico and South America. The band also announced The Dos Amigos Tour, a co-headline with Dwight Yoakam, in November 2025.
What a ZZ Top show is like
ZZ Top plays a tight set built on the songs fans know: the 1970s boogie of Tres Hombres and the Eliminator and Afterburner hits of the MTV era. The focus is Gibbons' guitar tone and the band's look, beards and all, more than stage production. That makes the view of the players matter more than a view of screens.
Many recent dates are co-headlining bills or package tours, such as the 2023 and 2024 runs with Lynyrd Skynyrd and the announced tour with Dwight Yoakam. On a shared bill, each act plays a shorter set, so check the billing on the event page to see who closes the night.
Where to sit for a ZZ Top concert
ZZ Top's recent tours have leaned on amphitheaters (outdoor venues with covered reserved seats and a lawn behind them), and theaters. Check the venue on the event list, then use this guide.
- Amphitheater front sections: the best seats on the tour. Reserved seats in the first sections under the roof put you close to Gibbons and protect you from rain.
- Amphitheater rear reserved seats: a fair compromise. Pick center over the extreme sides, where the angle to the stage is steep.
- The lawn: general admission grass behind the seats. It is the most relaxed and least expensive way in, but the stage is small from there and you may be outside the roof line in bad weather.
- Theaters: the orchestra (the main floor) and the front of the first balcony are both strong. Avoid the extreme sides of the orchestra near the stage and seats under a deep balcony overhang, which can feel cut off from the sound.
Because ZZ Top is a band you watch play, a closer seat with a slight angle usually beats a distant seat square to the stage.
How demand for ZZ Top tickets behaves
ZZ Top tours nearly every year, which keeps demand steady rather than frantic. The patterns below are the ones to plan around.
- Artist presales come first. For the 2026 dates the band ran an artist presale two days before the general on-sale.
- Front sections go first. In small rooms and amphitheaters, the first reserved sections sell early, while lawn tickets often stay available close to the show.
- Texas and the South move fastest. Home-state dates and Southern markets tend to draw hardest for a Texas band.
- Lineup news moves demand. Losing Hill in 2021 and Beard in 2026 drew attention to every remaining date, and fans who want to see Gibbons play often buy early.
Resale prices on the secondary market can sit above or below face value and tend to move as the show approaches. Every order on GoodSeats is backed by a 100% guarantee. For announcements from the band, see ZZ Top's official site.
Frequently asked questions
Who is in ZZ Top now?
Billy Gibbons leads the band with bassist and singer Elwood Francis, who joined after Dusty Hill died in 2021. Drummer Frank Beard died in August 2026, and Gibbons said the band would continue.
Is ZZ Top still touring?
Yes. The band's site lists The Big One Tour resuming on August 22, 2026, with fall US dates and shows in Mexico and South America. The live event list shows current dates.
What venues does ZZ Top play?
Recent tours have played amphitheaters and theaters, plus co-headlining runs with acts such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and Dwight Yoakam.
Where are the best seats for a ZZ Top concert?
The front reserved sections of an amphitheater or the front of a theater orchestra. ZZ Top is a band you watch play, so being close matters more than being centered.
When was ZZ Top inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
ZZ Top was inducted in 2004. The band formed in Houston in 1969 and has sold an estimated 50 million records.