Years Ago: ZZ Top Play 4th of July MTV 'Liberty or Death' Concert

ZZ Top’s July 4, 1986 performance became a distinctive MTV event tied to the Statue of Liberty’s centennial. The Texas trio played from the “Liberty or Death Party Barge,” helping MTV celebrate America with a hit-focused set rather than their usual headlining show. Bassist and vocalist Dusty Hill joked that the band was told to “blow the roof off,” even though it wasn’t clear which roof that meant, underscoring the playful spirit of the occasion. MTV booked the group at a time when their 1983 album Eliminator and its videos—such as “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs”—had fueled worldwide success and strong channel airplay. They also had won the 1984 MTV Video Music Award for Best Group for “Legs,” with the award presented by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. Logistics and scale included an auxiliary generator aboard, and advance work took place at the company’s dock in Connecticut. The invited audience numbered about 400 people.