Featuring Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts, Ruthie Foster Band, and ZZ Top
All Photo Credit: Tara Thompson
The final night of the 2025 Iceberg Alley Performance Tent concerts started off strong with Nick Earle & The Reckless Hearts. Hailing from St. John’s, NL, the band boasts something raw, real, and reckless by bringing East Coast Rock to the masses.
The band released their self-titled debut album in 2020, showcasing a blend of 70s-inspired rock and vintage blues. This album included tracks such as ‘Out of My Head’ and ‘Crosscut Saw’, exemplifying their raw talent and catchy rhythms. They found additional success with their album No More Hiding, complete with their single ‘Born to Lose’. This is a must-see band, with a fresh surge of energy to rock ‘n’ roll, creative songwriting, and show-stopping guitar riffs, it will surely leave you wanting more.
Next up was the Ruthie Foster Band. This American singer-songwriter mixes a wide array of music, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk, and soul. Foster performed for multiple years before releasing her first self-released album, Full Circle, in 1997.
Foster’s tenth studio album, Mileage, displays a reflection on a life full of professional triumphs, personal loss, and a musical journey that took a look at life as a little girl all the way up to Grammy nominations (and a win in 2025) and collaborations with some greats.
This powerhouse ensemble is rooted in blues, gospel, soul, and Americana with dynamic and emotion invoking performances. Their live shows are electrifying and uplifting, leaving the audience just a little more at ease.
Finishing up the night and this year’s concert series was ZZ Top. Hailing from Houston, Texas, ZZ Top began their rise to fame in 1969 and have been playing together for over 50 years. The band are known for their live performances, sly and humorous lyrics, and the matching appearances of Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, who wore sunglasses, hats, and long beards.
ZZ Top brings a gritty, blues-infused brand of rock complete with distorted guitar riffs, mesmerizing rhythms, and catchy lyrics. Since the release of their first album in 1971, ZZ Top have brought us many memorable tracks that have followed us through the years. Many of these favourites were played for the patrons of the tent, including one of their first hits, ‘La Grange’. They played hits from the 80s that helped them solidify their name in music history, such as ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’, and ‘Legs’. They also included hits from the 90s such as ‘My Head’s in Mississippi’.
Released 15 studio albums and sold an estimated 50 million records. Won multiple awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. Their live shows have a little something for everyone. With synchronised moves, mind-blowing solos, and mesmerizing tunes, this was definitely a memorable way to end this year’s rendition of the Iceberg Alley Performance Tent.
