Live Review and Photos: LED ZEPPELIN 2 in Atlanta

Led Zeppelin II put on an excellent show, running through two hours worth of classic rock, all while accurately reproducing the musical and visual staples of the Led Zeppelin stage show

Review and photos by Michael Bradley

Playing in a tribute band is a tricky proposition, especially when paying tribute to the one-and-only Led Zeppelin, undoubtedly THE most loved and influential rock band of the last 4 decades. Succeed, and you’ll have legions of followers worshiping at your rock ‘n’ roll feet. Fail…well, let’s just say that the potential for ugliness would run pretty high. No ugliness existed Saturday night as “Led Zeppelin II: The Live Experience” rolled into Atlanta’s Masquerade.

Led Zeppelin II put on an excellent show, running through two hours worth of classic rock, all while accurately reproducing the musical and visual staples of the Led Zeppelin stage show.

The band opened the night with “Good Times, Bad Times,” and from there performed many of Led Zeppelin’s most popular songs such as “Black Dog,” “Heartbreaker,” “Celebration Day” and, of course, the all-time classic “Stairway to Heaven.”

Also included in the set were songs that every die-hard Led Zeppelin fan probably knows, but maybe has never heard performed live, such as “In My Time of Dying” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” Lead singer Bruce Lamont might not have Robert Plant’s trademark high-pitched banshee wail completely down, but in his normal singing voice the similarity to Mr. Plant is absolutely uncanny.

Bassist Matthew Longbons, much like John Paul Jones himself, remained mostly in the background, taking a short stint on the keyboard to drive the bouncy “Misty Mountain Hop.”

Guitarist Paul Kamp’s Page-ish smile was evident during much of the evening, but he was locked deep in concentration during the spacey violin bow section of “Dazed and Confused,” capturing much of the spookiness of the original. By this time in the evening the band was in full swing, launching into rampaging back-to-back versions of “The Immigrant Song” and “Moby Dick.”

I was hoping that drummer Ian Lee’s kit would include a giant gong ala John Bonham, but the modest drum riser looked a tad too small to house it. The Hell Stage at The Masquerade isn’t exactly Knebworth ’77, so you’re going to have to use your imagination a bit. An encore of “Whole Lotta Love” and “The Ocean” brought out the “devil horns” from the appreciative crowd chanting for “ONE MORE SONG!” but the evening had unfortunately come to an end.

“Led Zeppelin II: The live Experience” is as close as it comes to the real thing, and a definite must-see for any Led Zeppelin or classic rock fan.

http://www.ledzeppelin2.com/

Set List

1. Good Times, Bad Times
2. Nobody’s Fault But Mine
3. Heartbreaker
4. Black Dog
5. Celebration Day
6. Thank You
7. Misty Mountain Hop
8. Stairway To Heaven
9. Going To California
10.  Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You
11.  In My Time Of Dying
12.  Dazed and Confused
13.  What Is And What Should Never Be
14.  The Immigrant Song
15.  Moby Dick
16.  When The Levee Breaks

Encore

1. Whole Lotta Love
2. The Ocean

Bruce Lamont – Robert Plant

Paul Kamp – Jimmy Page

Matthew Longbons – John Paul Jones

Ian Lee – John Bonham

[Show as slideshow]