Las Vegas is full of tribute acts, but most have no real connection to the artists they are covering. That’s not the case for Zappa Plays Zappa, a tribute/concert show created by Dweezil Zappa to showcase the music of his legendary father. Frank Zappa’s music blended rock, jazz and classical composition styles with Zappa’s own bizarre sense of humor, which often baffled audiences in the 1970s and ’80s. But his reputation as a genius has only grown since his death in 1993, and acts from System of a Down to “Weird Al” Yankovic cite him as an important influence.
Dweezil has taken it upon himself to bring that music to a new audience. He’s recruited a band of seasoned musicians to back him up, and has featured several of his father’s original collaborators as guests over the years. Zappa Plays Zappa keeps the complexity of the music intact, and on the group’s current tour—April 25 at Brooklyn Bowl—they are playing the 1975 Frank Zappa album One Size Fits All in its entirety. As Dweezil celebrates a decade of performing his father’s music, it’s clear that this is one tribute act that’s about more than just playing some old familiar songs.
Brooklyn Bowl at The Linq, 9 p.m. April 25, starting at $38.50 plus tax and fee, 21+. 702.862.2695
