ZZ Top planning to tour smaller venues

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Billy F. Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill, better known as the rock 'n' roll trio ZZ Top, say they plan to tour numerous intimate U.S. venues this fall.

The six-week-long, "ZZ Top In Your Face Tour" is set to kick off Sept. 26 in Wichita, Kansas.

"Earlier this year, because of a routing quirk, we accepted a 'fill-in' date at a little old theater in Knoxville," guitarist Gibbons said in a statement. "That experience reminded us of our roots, both in terms of a stripped-down, gut-bucket musical approach and the direct connection with the people who came to see us. So, we said, 'Why not do this on a more extended basis and have some real fun?'"

"We figured it would be a kick to, so to speak, get in people's faces and the idea for this tour was born," Hill added.

"To actually be able to see the whole audience and interact with them like this is a throwback to our early days and who wouldn't want to go back in time?" Beard said.

The band said it plans to play small venues in Minneapolis, Nashville, Cleveland, St. Louis, Denver, Indianapolis and Kansas City, as well as in Grand Forks, N.D.; Fort Smith, Ark., Huntington, W.V. and Sioux Falls, S.D.