Whoa. I'm...I'm...well, you know what I am.
It was a rocking Friday night at the State Theater in Falls Church as a sold out crowd took in Lez Zeppelin's performance of the legendary first album in its entirity. The last time I saw the ladies, at the same place, back in 2005, the venue was half to two-thirds full and they played a greatest hits set. This time, it was sold out and packed as they tracked through the eponymous 1969 debut. (The one with the big flaming d**k on the cover.) There are probably hundreds if not thousands of Zeppelin tribute bands, but gleeful gender subversion is Lez Zep's key appeal which likely makes them the most interesting as well as the most commercially successful. They're like Camille Paglia's most fevered wet dream not involving Madonna and/or herself.
I've blogged previously about Zep's quiet reunion late last year as well as what I think of Raising Sand, 2007's collaboration, produced by T-Bone Burnett, between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. (I'll see all of them Friday, June 13th, at Merriweather Post Pavilion.)
From the nuanced English folk balladry of "That's the Way" from the underrated (and my favorite) Led Zeppelin III album...
to the swooping, flourished stomp of "Kashmir" off the epic Physical Graffiti ...
There are considerably worse ways to kick off your weekend. You can't beat appealing women playing Zep.
