When
Sunday evening has nothing on the agenda, I like to Den. Tonight Randall, NK
and I met up with 2K at The Den for ZOSO, the Ultimate Led Zepplin Experience.
Do I like Led Zepplin? Not really, as their music is not in my preferred genre
known as Nursing Home Rock. But the stars aligned tonight which meant a trip to
the Houses of the Holy.
The
Den had a larger than expected Sunday night crowd. We were immediately pleased
that The Squatch was in attendance, meaning regardless of the band, this was
worth the trip. Well, fast forward ninety minutes and I was seriously
impressed. This band not only paid tribute to the Hammer of the Gods, but were so
in character that even the banter was full of Led.
The
show opened with “Good Times Bad Times”. From the onset it was clear that the
guitarist John McDaniel had dedicated his professional life to Jimmy Page. He
looked and acted the part, and in addition he was a gifted axe man. He ripped
through every song without flaw. Matt Jernigan (Robert Plant) started a little
weak as his voice was hard to hear, but eventually the sound guy got it to a
point where any discernible ear could tell that he was dead-on with the vocals.
Jernigan’s mannerisms and look were eerily similar to that of Plant, straight
down to the nut-hugging dungarees complete with thread-bare junk impression
(see opening footage of the movie The Song Remains the Same). The drummer, Greg
Thompson, was superb though he did the ten minute drum solo, which I can always
do without. Lastly, the JPJ bass guy, Adam Sandling, was talented and mute,
which in its own right was on the money. Thompson and Sandling notwithstanding,
this show centered on the performances of Jernigan and McDaniel, both
meticulously accurate in their portrayals and both extremely talented.
Now,
if you are a Zepplin fan, I strongly encourage you to see this band. If you’re
not a fan, then go anyway. They were just plain enjoyable. The first thirty
minutes were great as “Heartbreaker” and “Going to California” were most
memorable for me. Then the show derailed for the fringe fans with a fifteen
minute version of “No Quarter”. The last twenty minutes was a flurry of
high-octane old school rock not seen often at The Den, from the “Song Remains
the Same”, to “Stairway” and then finally “Kashmir”. Noticeably absent was
"Rock and Roll”, but that was okay. This show was flat out rock solid.
Twice I removed my glasses and with blurred vision actually transported myself
back forty years and had a moment.
The
show ended with a slew of band-handshakes and a five minute waiting period for
a full viewing of The Squatch. She did not disappoint, short sundress with a
plunging neckline that revealed tattooed cans that were only marginally
shrouded by what appeared to be a full size bison pelt wrapped around her
shoulders. A pair of Kremes and home by
9:30pm. Overall, a good night.
If
there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now…go see ZOSO.
Vick
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