Well, the next best thing actually.
Kiers Marketing where I work sponsored the Classic Albums Live show at The Fredericton Playhouse tonight so I got to go for free. For the uninitiated, this is a group of guys who travel around performing classic rock records in their entirety, note for note. Tonight’s platter du jour was a classic for sure, Led Zeppelin III.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going in. I knew they weren’t ‘impersonators’ per se, I knew the lead singer wouldn’t be a shirtless, bellbottomed goldilocks that Robert Plant was, but I was also unsure of exactly what it would sound like.
Well, I tell you right now it was fucking awesome.
These guys came out and nailed it. It was unreal. Every note, every nuance, even the fuckups and false starts and ambient recording noise from the recording. All there. And talk about consumate musicians. Holy. Shit.
It sounds strange to gush so much about what is essentially a cover band, but I feel like it’s insulting to call these guys that. I have heard these tunes for years both on record and in many cases with various levels of proficiency by other musicians and cover bands, but to go there and hear and feel it live, and perfect totally blew me away.
They came out and proceeded to rip through the album Led Zeppelin III like they’d written it. All the power. All the emotion. All the skills. Right. Effin. THERE. It was nuts. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite, but ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ was absolutely transcendent and gave me the chills.
I didn’t realize going in that there would be an intermission and then they were gonna come back and do a greatest hits set. Holy bonus.
Somehow, it was even better. Every lick I’d heard over the years was captured. I ended up laughing out loud and giddy in amazement of the display of guitar prowess. The guitar player nailed every Jimmy Page lick. The bow work, the Theremin. EVERYTHING. Did I mention that it was unreal?
So in closing, if you have the chance to check ’em out, I’d, uh, say, do so at whatever cost. WHATEVER COST. And thanks fellas, for the amazing show.
The lead singer closed by thanking the audience ‘for loving rock music’. Man, when you guys play it like that, how could you not.
Set list:
Set 1: Led Zeppelin III
Immigrant Song
Friends
Celebration Day
Since I’ve Been Loving You
Out on the Tiles
Gallows Pole
Tangerine
That’s the Way
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Hats Off to (Roy) Harper
Set 2: (I think this was all of ’em, not 100% sure of the sequencing)
Whole Lotta Love
Dazed and Confused – yep with the full blown bow/theramin solo
The Song Remains the Same
Lemon Song – KILLER.
Moby Dick – yep, with the monster drum solo
Heartbreaker/Livin’ Lovin’ Maid
Communication Breakdown
Encore:
Rock and Roll
How Many More Times – probably my fave of the whole night.