Hats off to Led Zeppelin come with a high reputation. the band,whose name is a reference to the Led Zep song Hats off to (Roy) Harper and voted best TB in the UK in 2017.
Its a busy night , the army of car park attendants have their work cut out to squeeze everyone in. 'It's a full house tonight ' one tells me as I deliberately avoid the awkward space he tried to direct me into.
We are safely inside and I buy the obligatory raffle tickets (still never won) it saves further harassment at least. It's a bit like paying protection money I find.
After a drink and smuggled in peanuts we moved into the Jim Marshall Auditorium.
We were pleasantly surprised to find seats that we were front row stage right! Or at least we would have been if a couple hadn't been sitting in them. The situation was not entirely helped when the steward tried to eject the wrong couple.
Eventually safely seated the surprises continued! The band were introduced by 'Warren Grant'. Only the son of Peter who was Led Zeppelin's Manager. 'HOTLZ are the closest you are going to get ' is what he said after first seeing the band.Lets face it we are never going to get the chance to see the likes of Plant, Page and John Paul-Jones all on the same stage again.
The second surprise came when singer Peter Etheridge encouraged the audience to take as many photos and videos as possible !! What ????? I've been coming hear for years and never allowed so much as a snapshot with the risk of being forcibly ejected. Just my luck not to have brought my camera with me on this of all nights.
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| Peter Eldridge (Robert Plant) |
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| Jack Tanner (Jimmy Page) |
The night gets off to a rip-roaring start with the classics; Rock and Roll, Immigrant Song, Black Dog and Ramble On. The audience spans the ages with young and old in attendance. Some of the songs that follow I'm not quite so familiar with apart from the awesome 'No Quarter'. The first set is very much the earlier years of the band. The great thing is they don't try and impersonate the original band with wigs etc, relying on replicating the original sound , note for note.
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The second half sees guitarist 'Jack Tanner' return in a 'Dragon suit, just as Page used to wear'
The second set is more of the band when they were at their mid 70's peak. Highlights for me were, Good Times Bad Times, Kashmir and Since I've been Loving You which really showcases the power of Eldridge's voice.
There are times when you could close your eyes and think you are listening to the original Led Zep.
As if things couldn't get any better, we are then treated to one of my all time favourites ' Heartbreaker'.
The show finishes with the legendary ' whole Lotta Love' (Once the theme music for TOTP) with a bit of 'Dazed and Confused' thrown in. By now the crowd are on their feet and few are dancing in front of the stage. One or two get a bit carried away and decide to actually get on the stage. This isn't going to end well........Sure enough one particular idiot falls off and is lucky not to injure himself.
Its been a fantastic night , the only disappointment being that they didn't do my all time favourite 'When the Levee Breaks'.
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Hats Off to Led Zeppelin are ;
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