Trip Report: Hark Rock Live

[vexvelour]

No, this one is not like the last one.

Anyway, so about 2 hours before a show at Hard Rock Live Orlando is supposted to start, I get a call from a friend. There is a band that I've heard tons about playing Led Zeppelin's first album, live. I have heard from a few friends that also are crazy about Led Zeppelin that this band is awesome and that I have to see it to believe it. I decide to go.

So we get there and the band is already on, playing the beginning of the first song. The bar is in the back by the doors, the stage in the front. I stop for a beer and get my first peek at this wannabe Led Zeppelin. I am amazed. They have the look down, but I'm still far away. I get my beer and make my way to the front. I notice everyone is sitting down. Sitting the [censored] down, at a "Led Zeppelin" show, at tables HRL put in the rocking out/moshing area. There are a few standing by the stage and I join them.

Because I'm right there now, I can see the band members very clearly now. "Robert Plant" looks almost exactly like Robert Plant, frizzy, long blondish hair and all. He is even wearing jeans that show his hoo-ha. I am impressed. "Jimmy Page" has the long black curly hair and facial features, but I am not as impressed. Upon closer inspection, he in fact looks more like Kirk Hammett from Metallica (Black album era) than Jimmy Page. I pretend not to notice. "John Paul Jones" and "Bonzo" are close but didn't put nearly the amount of effort the others did into looking like the originals.

The music and vocals, however, were *amazing*. The first album is great, but not one of my favorites due to lots of slower songs on it. There were a few times when the singer couldn't quite get the right high/gravelly thing that Plant does, but other than that he nailed everything. The show was great, he was swinging the mic around and gyrating an acceptable amount.

I go get another beer. I tipped the bartender well on the first beer and he remembers my order and gets to getting me another. I comment on how great they are and he says "You gotta check out the Pink Floyd band that plays here. When they played The Wall, they brought in a whole children's choir for ABITW Pt.2." I am very interested in seeing this, and carry my beer back to where I was.

They finish playing the album and go for intermission. They promise they will play favorites when they come back. Everyone goes outside for a cigarette. I decide I have to pee like the dickens, and start making my way to the back. On the way, I see "Jimmy Page" talking with a couple, and I decide to stop and talk to him. He notices I'm standing there and walks over to me. I tell him great show, how this is the first time I've seen them, etc. He's not impressed with my compliments. I tell him he looks like Jimmy Page but he'd make a better Kirk Hammett. He thinks this is hilarious and tells me about how some bartender somewhere insisted he was Hammett once and madehim sign autographs for a bunch of people. He thinks I'm cool now, and asks me what song I would like to hear after the intermission. I immediately forget every Led Zeppelin songtitle and finally blurt out 'The Lemon Song'. He says he'll play it for me. I figure he's drunk and I won't hear the song.

Anyway, they come back, play some awesome rocking out songs, including The Lemon Song. There is a couple, both tall (I'm 5'3) that push their way in front of me (it's not crowded) and drunkenly slobber and hump each other to Led Zeppelin songs. I tell them to get a room and push my way in front of them.

Anyway, I thought this was trip worthy. I was totally psyched to be able to see Led Zeppelin songs live, even if it is a bunch of fakers. They did a really good job, and I'm looking forward to them playing "In through the out door" in May, as well as seeing the Pink Floyd show. Has anyone else seen this band? They gave no name, and the flyer for the show only said "Classic Albums Live featuring Led Zeppelin 1".

[DarkForceRising]

Whatever- tl;dr. How did your bf react when you told him about mashing with that other dude?

[man]

I hate cover bands and will make it a point to never watch one. but that's just me. it sounds like a fun time.