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Moving Sidewalks played B. B. King's, their first show in 44 years (pics, setlist)

photos by PSquared Photography

Billy Gibbons w/ Moving Sidewalks, 3/30/2013
Moving Sidewalks

That time and place, specifically, was 1967 to 1969, in Houston. The Moving Sidewalks — the guitarist Billy Gibbons, the organist Tom Moore, the bassist Don Summers, the drummer Dan Mitchell — learned from other great Texas bands like the 13th Floor Elevators from Austin, the Sir Douglas Quintet from San Antonio and the Zakary Thaks from Corpus Christi; they likely absorbed the thuggish pop stomp of the Seeds, from Los Angeles, and the aggressive and pop-savvy blues of Freddie King; and, before breaking up, they completely devoured, and got essentially lost in, the sound and style of the Jimi Hendrix Experience….

For the archaeologists of vinyl the Moving Sidewalks re-enacted most of its artifacts: the early single “99th Floor,” with a brisk, go-go-dancer vibe, a local hit in Houston in 1967; a slow, exaggeratedly heavy, funny arrangement of the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand”; and songs from its Hendrix-inspired album, “Flash,” messier and more soulful, which was released a little after tthe band split up and consequently never went anywhere. -[NY Times]

For many, the idea of a Moving Sidewalks reunion seemed far-fetched and ridiculous, what with Billy Gibbons moving on to (much) bigger things as a member of ZZ Top. Yet fans of the ’60s psych band from Texas were treated to a minor miracle Saturday night at BB King’s (3/30) when the band joined Headless Horsemen for a rare one-off appearance. No other East Coast shows are on the docket, but Moving Sidewalks will be playing Austin Psych Fest later this month. Pictures and setlist are below.

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Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Headless Horsemen

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

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Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

Moving Sidewalks

MOVING SIDEWALKS – 3/30/2013 at BB King’s SETLIST
On The Green
You Make Me Shake
Whatch Gona Do
Foxy Lady (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
Red House (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
Joe Blues
You Don’t Know The Life
Pluto – Sept. 31st
Flashback
No Good to Cry
Before You Accuse Me
Reverberation
Need Me
Wild Thing
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Catfish Blues (Robert Petway cover)
99th Floor
I Want to Hold Your Hand (The Beatles cover)