NASHVILLE | JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE
Critical Soundbites
Live
"A Whole Lotta Love: Jason Bonham Plays Zeppelin Hits in Honor of ‘Bonzo’…
It was literally a drum solo with four sticks: Jason Bonham thundering through ‘Moby Dick,’ from Led Zeppelin II, with his late father, John ‘Bonzo’ Bonham, during the first set of Jason Bonham: The Led Zeppelin Experience at New York’s Best Buy Theater on November 8th. The elder Bonham appeared via audio and film clips of the drummer playing the song live with Led Zeppelin, while his son doubled and elaborated on the snare gunshots and kick-drum-and-tom bombs in synchronized real time. It was a tour de force illusion. It was also sincere theater. Jason introduced ‘Moby Dick’ by telling his audience about an interview John gave in 1970 in which he said he hoped to play drums side by side with his son one day at London’s Royal Albert Hall. For Jason, who was 14 when his father died in September, 1980, a virtual duet will always be as good as it gets. …The Led-Zeppelin Experience is comprised entirely of Zeppelin music, played by Jason with an able, spirited band: guitarist Tony Catania, bassist Michael Devin, keyboard and guitar player Stephen LeBlanc and singer James Dylan. But the night–which went the distance from "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You’ and ‘The Lemon Song’ to ‘The Ocean’ and ‘Kashmir’—is mostly about his dad's titanic presence in that music and the giant absence created by his death. ‘Thank You’ came with more home movies, while Jason, a keen student of Zeppelin concert bootlegs, revived and built on his father's live improvisations in ‘How Many More Times’ and the extended closing turbulence of ‘Dazed and Confused.’…In this show, he [Jason] gets to have Bonzo in the house every night–a reunion, at last, of father and son.”
It was literally a drum solo with four sticks: Jason Bonham thundering through ‘Moby Dick,’ from Led Zeppelin II, with his late father, John ‘Bonzo’ Bonham, during the first set of Jason Bonham: The Led Zeppelin Experience at New York’s Best Buy Theater on November 8th. The elder Bonham appeared via audio and film clips of the drummer playing the song live with Led Zeppelin, while his son doubled and elaborated on the snare gunshots and kick-drum-and-tom bombs in synchronized real time. It was a tour de force illusion. It was also sincere theater. Jason introduced ‘Moby Dick’ by telling his audience about an interview John gave in 1970 in which he said he hoped to play drums side by side with his son one day at London’s Royal Albert Hall. For Jason, who was 14 when his father died in September, 1980, a virtual duet will always be as good as it gets. …The Led-Zeppelin Experience is comprised entirely of Zeppelin music, played by Jason with an able, spirited band: guitarist Tony Catania, bassist Michael Devin, keyboard and guitar player Stephen LeBlanc and singer James Dylan. But the night–which went the distance from "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You’ and ‘The Lemon Song’ to ‘The Ocean’ and ‘Kashmir’—is mostly about his dad's titanic presence in that music and the giant absence created by his death. ‘Thank You’ came with more home movies, while Jason, a keen student of Zeppelin concert bootlegs, revived and built on his father's live improvisations in ‘How Many More Times’ and the extended closing turbulence of ‘Dazed and Confused.’…In this show, he [Jason] gets to have Bonzo in the house every night–a reunion, at last, of father and son.”
–David Fricke, ROLLING STONE.com (Live review,November 9, 2010)
“…this band was exceptionally true to the original studio versions of songs during a two-hour performance. The group was right-on during the show opener, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ the blues-fused ‘The Lemon Song,’ the trippy ‘Dazed and Confused’ and ‘Whole Lotta Love,’ which was saved for the encore.”
–Dan Aquilante, NEW YORK POST, (Live review, November 10, 2010)
“Jason Bonham drums up a worthy tribute to Zep, Dad: “The son of Zeppelin’s late drummer John Bonham, Jason, 44, has never really escaped his father’s shadow. His drumming style is nearly identical; he can copy his dad’s primal pulse and monster bass-drum fills with ease. He joined Zeppelin for its one real reunion show, at London’s O2 Arena three years ago, and would likely still be with them if the reunion had lasted. Now Bonham is effectively doing a Zeppelin tour without the rest of the band. To his credit, he didn’t surround himself with clones. Singer James Dylan–bald and muscular, with shades and a goatee–would never be mistaken on the street for Robert Plant. Onstage he hit all the high notes without aping the mannerisms. Lead guitarist Tony Catania had a fluid tone that smacked of Jimmy Page, but made some nice expansions on the original solos. Bonham himself was rock-solid, and the material emphasized Zeppelin’s heavier, less mythic side. The first two albums got the most play, along with some of the more basic blues numbers from the later ones (‘When the Levee Breaks,’ ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You,’ ‘I’m Gonna Crawl’–the last never played live by Zeppelin). But the show proved as much a father-son tribute as a Zeppelin homage. John Bonham was there in spirit all night, and sometimes his drum tracks (and his famous count-off to ‘The Ocean’) were flown in from the records. The drum showpiece ‘Moby Dick’ became a virtual duet, with the live Jason and the filmed John trading licks on split-screen. …If Zep ever does reform, there’s no question who should be on drums.”
–Brett Milano, BOSTON HERALD (Live review, November 4, 2010)
“Not only do they deftly recapture the feel of Zeppelin as we know it from those indestructible albums — the killing-floor grind of “The Lemon Song,” the spacey slide-guitar glide of “What Is and What Should Never Be,” the swampy stomp of “When the Levee Breaks,” abetted both by John’s indelible wallop and his daughter Zoe Bonham on blues harp — but they also zero in on the improvisational fury that could erupt out of the group on stage. “How Many More Times” was a surprise, jam-packed with fiery licks from start to finish, while a superb version of “Since I’ve Been Loving You” found Catania straddling the line between keeping faithful to Page’s original performance and pushing the boundaries of it with his own style. Likewise, the stutter-funk of “The Ocean” and the shifts of “Over the Hills and Far Away” were expansively dynamic in ways that mirrored live Led Zep recordings.”
–Ben Wener, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Live review, November 22, 2010)
“The sound was big, booming, echo-y and dirty-like vintage Zeppelin live. The band was loose, even a little sloppy–like Led Zeppelin was. ‘Black Dog’ sounded like a blast from the 70’s. ‘When the Levee Breaks’ had a great, strutting groove. ‘Kashmir’ was a psychedelic stomp. And ‘Whole Lotta Love’ was imperfect, frantic, feedback-drenched fun. …As for drummer/bandleader Bonham, 44 he was a percussive force, and his duets with his dad on film were suitably sentimental yet musically rewarding.”
–Jon Bream MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE (Live review, October 21, 2010)
“Led Zeppelin's magic was in effect …a rousing two-hour-plus set of classics from the Zep canon at the EnCana Events Centre. With state-of-the-art lighting and effects, dazzling video treatments and a crisp, thundering sound, the JBLZE offered a set of Led Zep gems that were strikingly faithful to the originals. The band tore through a set that included ‘I Can't Quit You Baby,’ ‘Dazed and Confused,’ ‘Kashmir,’ ‘The Lemon Song,’‘When the Levee Breaks,’ ‘Moby Dick’ (which featured a video of father and son pounding out the drum solo) and, of course, ‘Stairway to Heaven.’ The encore of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ coupled with ‘Rock and Roll’ earned a standing ovation.”
–Ritchie Yorke, ROLLING STONE.com (Live review, October 20, 2010)
“It was quite evident early on that Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience was not the typical tribute band. …As images of rock icons Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis flashed on the video screens, Bonham and his top-notch ensemble not only replicated the sound of prime Zeppelin, they simulated the original band’s energy as well. …the crowd of 30, 40, 50 and 60-somethings stood and danced like they probably haven’t in years. Of course, no Zeppelin show, tribute-or-otherwise, would be complete without ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ and the version on this night was, like everything else, spot on. On the whole, the show was as much a (very loud) theater piece as it was a rock performance. Exceeding all of my expectations, I found myself convinced that Led Zeppelin was the greatest rock and roll band ever.“
–Darryl Smyers, DALLAS OBSERVER (Live review, November 19, 2010)
“Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience is a tribute band and more, paying homage to one of the greatest rock groups ever. …Sunday night’s performance—over two sets and an encore at a nearly packed Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside—captured the music of the band, and it offered a glimpse into something more personal. The show might have been a meditation of music from decades ago, but Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience was the freshest show the Fox has booked in its first year of operation. I don’t remember the last time I saw so many people air drumming at a concert, if ever. The cheers from the fans were so loud after the second half of the set that they required ear plugs more than the gigantic amplified sounds coming from the stage.”
–Vanessa Franko, RIVERSIDE PRESS ENTERPRISE (Live review, November 23, ‘10)
“For those who missed it last night, well, you missed one heck of a show. Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience brought personal tales of him and his pops Zep drum legend John Bonham, to life in a multimedia extravaganza that had people on their feet for multiple screaming ovations, standing on chairs, chanting along in unison glee, ‘Bonzo,’ ‘Bonzo,’ ‘Bonzo.’ JBLZE was an intense, three hour roller-coaster ride through rock ‘n’ roll history, led by Bonham’s golden-hued monster drum kit and Zep-era psychedelic gong replete with Tony Catania playing his gnarly and distorted guitar blues, Michael Devin’s screaming and blashphemously nimble bass-playing, Stephen LeBlanc’s emotive lap steel, keyboard and blues harp and James Dylan’s immaculately rendered vocals. The concert was one of the best-received concerts I have ever seen… …This was the real deal, explosively emotional, and giving a rare insight into the lives of one of the best rock ‘n’ roll drummers of all time and music that made him famous.”
–Jennifer Chancellor, TULSA WORLD (Live review, November, 18, 2010)
“Bonham clearly is cut from the same cloth as his father, one of rock’s most powerful drummers, but the younger Bonham often threw in welcome twists to the endings of such classics as ‘Black Dog,’ ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’ and ‘Good Times Bad Times.’ …the magical moments of this show, which included a pristine take on ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ a fun rollicking ‘The Ocean’ and a taut, dramatic ‘Kashmir,’ complete with well-done psychedelic imagery, put the enthusiastic crowd squarely in Bonham’s corner. …this show captured the essence of Zeppelin’s music and stage show for those not lucky enough (or old enough) to have witnessed the original spectacle. …The drummer promised to keep the Led Zeppelin Experience going as long as fans want to see it, and that’s a good thing for the legacy of this legendary band.”
–Larry Rodgers, ARIZONA REPUBLIC, (Live review, November 21, 2010)
“Ranging in age from 10 to 70, the wide cross section of attendees really proved that the appeal and passion felt for Led Zeppelin and their impressive catalog still burns as hot as ever. The band had to be heard to be believed. As clichéd as it is, it’s a reality to say that if you’d closed your eyes at any point of this show, you would have believed you were listening to the real thing. Lead singer James Dylan was able to repeatedly reach the notes and emulate the squeals that made Robert Plant’s vocals such and integral part of the Zep sound. … The real standout was guitarist Tony Catania, the Long Island axe man has undoubtedly spent countless hours listening to and figuring out every nuance and subtlety of Jimmy Page’s wizadry throughout his life. …Clocking in just over 2 ½ hours, this show was indeed an experience for those who were lucky enough to be in attendance. Chock full of all the Zeppelin nuggets one would expect to hear (‘Good Times, Bad Times,’ ‘Kashmir’) and some that were welcomed surprises (‘I’m Gonna Crawl’), there was no room for complaints from anyone in the audience. The night was truly an experience for all in attendance and one that won’t be soon forgotten.”
–Gabe Echazabal, CREATIVE LOAFING (Tampa, FL) (Live review, November 17, ‘10)
“Jason Bonham’s family business means wielding sticks and bashing out some of the most monolithic, studied and earth-rattling drum parts known to man or rock and roll. Tuesday night the Experience pulled through Houston, stopping at Verizon Wireless Theater. It was a night to revisit high-school hangs, back-seat shenanigans, hazy boozy nights, and hear songs that would forge metal, grunge and everything in between. …The group ran through every Zep landmark for nearly two-hours, from the scorched skies of ‘Your Time Is Gonna Come,’ the breezy sex of ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,’ to an eardrum-harrowing duet between father and son on ‘Moby Dick.’ ‘Whole Lotta Love’ ended the night, in the loudest way possible, right down to the theremin parts and slide guitars. The older guys next to us wouldn’t stop howling with joy, and we were wailing away on our imaginary kit for the duration of the song. The younger Bonham has done his pops well. He’s still helping spread the Zeppelin gospel from behind the family drum riser. Somewhere as Jason put it last night, his Dad is jamming with Hendrix."
–Craig Hlavaty, HOUSTON PRESS, (Live review, November 17, 2010)
“There was a whole lot of love shown for Jason Bonham and Led Zeppelin on Friday night in Toronto, but the connection the son of the late drummer John Bonham felt to his father was quite evident. …What the younger Bonham managed to accomplish were a string of impressive drum fills and solos highlighted by the ridiculously intricate ‘Moby Dick,’ a staple of Zeppelin’s live shows. With video of Jason performing live with synchronized footage of his father playing the same song, the skill and talent was clearly passed on. A loud standing ovation marked the first of a handful of highlights. It’s a night fans and father would have been proud of.”
–Jason MacNeil, TORONTO SUN, (Live review, October 30, 2010)
“…a fun celebration of Led Zeppelin’s music, at its best when it tapped into the bluesy roots of the band’s sound. Yes the big anthemic show stoppers were present-‘Stairway To Heaven,’ ‘Kashmir,’-but the most exhilarating moments came when the blues were served relatively straight up, as on ‘The Lemon Song’ and ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You.’ "
–Rob Hubbard, ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS (Live review, October 21, 2010)
“Kicking off with (what else?) the iconic snare and-and-hi-hat bash of ‘Rock and Roll,’ Bonham and co. cranked out a 20-song set that included signature hits, album tracks, blues workouts, bombastic epics and even a couple of deeper cuts for the hardcores.”
–Darryl Sterdan, WINNIPEG SUN (Live review, October 18, 2010)
“Two thousand New Yorkers filled the Best Buy Theater last night as Jason Bonham, son of the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, led a thrilling tribute concert to the music of his father and the rest of Zeppelin’s groundbreaking, awe-inspiring music. Jason and his band did not disappoint, opening with the classic Zeppelin song ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ followed by ‘Celebration Day’ and the dirty, grinding riffs of ‘Black Dog,’ the group instantly established a crushing, all-encompassing sound, with Jason’s hand-picked singer and lead guitarist nailing all of Page and Plant’s sounds both booming and subtle. …’Stairway to Heaven,’ generally considered the greatest rock song ever recorded, was a truly moving performance, with fans singing along to the gentle verses and jumping up, playing air guitar and even head-banging as the wild solo screamed through the venue and the final, crushing riff blasted in every direction. Naturally, the night could not end without Zeppelin’s last defining song, the hard-rocking ‘Whole Lotta Love,’ which saw Jason’s guitarist expertly maneuver the swirling theremin to create the solo’s spooky quadraphonic effects. Virtually the entire audience was on their feet by the end, singing along… The exhausted but thoroughly satisfied audience was raucous in their cheering and applause for the best Zeppelin show to play New York in decades. Although Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience has been billed as a one time tour, with the success and acclaim garnered as they travel across the country, Zeppelin fans should keep their fingers crossed for future tours, because short of Page and Plant reuniting, this is as genuine Zeppelin as it’s going to get.”
–Elliot Levin, EXAMINER-NYC (Live review, November 9, 2010)
“Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience performance at the Merriam Theatre, on November 6 was perfection. As one fan said, ‘When I closed my eyes, I thought I was listening to the real Zeppelin.’ The four-stick duet of Zeppelin's ‘Moby Dick’ that technology allowed Jason Bonham to play alongside with his father was the most emotional moment of many during the concert. The band performed Led Zeppelin classics such as ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ ‘Kashmir’ and ‘Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You.’ Bonham won the audience's heart by sharing his never before seen personal family photos during the performance. The mostly male middle aged audience showed in its appreciation by standing for the last quarter of the concert.”
–Laura Goldman, METRO-PHILADELPHIA (Live review, November 16, 2010)
“Thirty-one years (and 4 days) earlier, Led Zeppelin’s line-up of vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham had graced the stage of the very same venue. The performance [‘Moby Dick’] was met with a standing ovation, with a large number of fans either teary-eyed or described having feelings of goose bumps. When the band returned the celebration of Led Zeppelin’s music continued with one classic after another, including ‘Good Times, Bad Times,’ ‘When The Levee Breaks,’ and ‘The Ocean,’ among others. A deafening outburst of cheers and hollers caused the walls of Sony Centre to vibrate and brought the band back to the stage for an encore, where they finally played “Whole Lotta Love.’ Considering the outpouring of love coming from the crowd, the song could not have been a more appropriate way to end the evening’s performance, and cemented the fact that Bonham’s five-piece band was unquestionably the next best thing to seeing Zeppelin.”
–Laurie Lionsdale, LITHIUM MAGAZINE (Live review, Toronto, ON, October 29, 2010)
“They’re some big shows to fill but Jason Bonham fits into them just fine. For most drummers playing John Bonham’s legendary work would come as a daunting task, but for the progeny of the prodigy it’s just something he was born to do. Jason Bonham proved it once again as he stopped at the Orpheum Theatre on Tuesday as part of his ‘Led Zeppelin Experience’ tour. Bonham balanced the set flawlessly. The stories and videos (especially the one featuring young Jason getting a drum lesson from Dad) were heartwarming and intriguing enough that they didn’t seem to slow such a hard rocking show. Still despite the touching home videos and excellent execution of classics like ‘Black Dog,’ ‘Dazed and Confused’ and ‘When the Levee Breaks’ there was no better moment than watching Jason Bonham’s six-minute drum solo during ‘Moby Dick’ as clips of John were synched up with his son as they both bashed away in unison.”
–Kevin McSheffrey, BOSTON MUSIC SPOTLIGHT (Live review, November 5, 2010)
“Opening with ‘Rock And Roll,’ the talented band of unknowns which included guitarist Tony Catania, bassist Michael Devin, keyboardist Stephen LeBlanc and phenomenal vocalist James Dylan played two sets of Zeppelin classics and deep album cuts. This was a special show that captured the spirit of Led Zeppelin. A fitting tribute for a legendary father from his loving son.”
–Andy Laudano, JAM MAGAZINE (Live review, November 18, 2010)
“Zeppelin fans, young and old, were pleasantly surprised with the precision Bonham’s band brought to the stage, despite only a few weeks of rehearsal and this being only the second stop on the tour. If you closed your eyes and listened, it wasn’t hard to imagine a Zeppelin gig might sound like this.”
–Ted Clarke, PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN (Live review, October 13, 2010)
"…once they started in with ‘Celebration Day,’ the whole band seemed to transform into the original Led Zepp line-up. There was a brilliant light show along with a 3-panel back-drop TV screen that played footage from the Bonham’s early life among other hypnotic pictures and scenes. The entire band rocked out to every song. The whispering heard throughout the show by fans was nothing short of praise for JBLZE’s high standards of representing rock legends Led Zeppelin and the individuals within. For those that never got to see Led Zeppelin live, this is the closest thing you will ever see. JBLZE, you have done Led Zeppelin and their fans proud.”
–Angie Pile, TULSA TODAY (Live review, November 18, 2010)
“The younger Bonham has assembled a band that recreates Led Zeppelin’s music to such a degree that one can’t help but close their eyes and simply listen. …the band returned to the stage for Set II and began with ‘Good Times Bad Times’ followed by the musical highlights of the evening, ‘How Many More Times’ and ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You.’ These two songs featured soloing that was spot on while Dylan’s wailing brought the crowd to their feet. With emotions running high, Bonham began the classic opening thuds of ‘When The Levee Breaks,’ which received the biggest ovation to that point in the show. Set II ended on a high note with ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and ‘Kashmir.’ ‘Stairway’ was predictably well-received but ‘Kashmir’ proved to an energetic catalyst that saw the band take it up yet one more notch–a feat that one would not have though possible. Jason Bonham touched the audience and gave everyone a small taste of what he was born into, the Led Zeppelin family. The power of Led Zeppelin transcends both time and space. The music they made will live on forever and with Jason Bonham’s assistance, one can now witness it firsthand.”
–Jeb Wright, CLASSIC ROCK REVISITED, (Live review, November 2010)
“'Stairway to Heaven’ was absolutely flawless, with [Tony] Catania playing an acoustic on a stand before switching to the famous double neck guitar. But it was Bonham who was the indisputable star of the show. I think everyone would agree that the highlight of the night was ‘Moby Dick,’ which saw both Bonham’s playing side-by-side thanks to the wonders of modern technology. A video of Bonzo played in the background, his drum parts ‘piped in,’ with his son more than keeping pace with the master of the kit. It was unreal, and earned Jason a well-deserved standing ovation.“
–Gilles LeBlanc, ROCKTHUSIAST (Live review, Nov 1, 2010)
For JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE publicity, contact:
Libby Coffey/MSO 818-380-0400 x224
LCoffey@msopr.com
Bari Lieberman/MSO 818-380-0400 x222
BLeiberman@msopr.com
###
http://
JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE: CRITICAL SOUNDBITES LIVE
