ZZ Top returns to stage following death of drummer Frank Beard

ZZ Top has returned to performing following the death of longtime drummer Frank Beard, who passed away at age 77 while receiving hospice care at his Texas ranch.

The band played its first show since Beard's passing on Saturday at Austin's Moody Theater, a venue described as a favorite of the late drummer. During the performance, frontman Billy Gibbons paid tribute to Beard, calling him a “great friend and collaborator” and sharing that Beard had personally requested that Michael Monahan take over drumming duties due to health concerns regarding his bass drum foot.

Monahan performed behind the kit during the Austin shows. The band had previously canceled several tour dates in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs following Beard's death. The group's current North American tour is scheduled to continue through October, with plans for South American shows in November.