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2007 08 24

Random Rippling

Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v04n17)

Lez Zeppelin rocked the Vogue - By Ashley Plummer

posted: Aug. 24, 2007

By Ashley Plummer

There is nothing more beautiful than female musicians plugging in their instruments and rocking out. . . at least in my opinion. Take that or leave it.

This opinion is what found me at the Lez Zeppelin show at the Vogue in Broad Ripple on a Tuesday night. While I must admit (please, music gods, do NOT send a lighting bolt down on me) that I am not a huge Led Zeppelin fan, I do appreciate their music and the fact that they veered from the popular music of the late 70s (dirty disco) and early 80s (hair metal) and created their own sound-one that many people would have trouble replicating.

Except Lez Zeppelin, that is.

Lez Zeppelin lead singer Sarah McLellan and bassist Lisa Brigantino on stage at The Vogue.

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Before I begin to explain what drew me to a band that replicates a psychedelic, overly-long and drawn out late 70s band, I should mention that the openers were a band called Devil to Pay.

Devil to Pay might as well have been a tribute band themselves-a tribute band to all that was wrong in the 1980s when hair metal was popular. They even had the hair to show for it.

I cannot simply slam something I really know nothing about. I understand that it takes very talented musicians to play metal music and the members of Devil to Pay seemed to know what they were doing musically. Their set was very together and their drummer even threw his sticks in the air a couple of times purely for audience entertainment. However, I would have liked to see them get more into it.

While I understand I don't necessarily like the sound of metal, I have seen numerous metal bands who are extremely entertaining, because the bandmates get very into their show-you can tell that they LOVE what they are doing and that passion is enough for me to appreciate them. Devil to Pay did not seem to possess this passion during their show.

However, the girls of Lez Zeppelin displayed this passion and much more.

Lez Zeppelin consists of Sarah McLellan (Robert Plant, vocals), Steph Paynes (Jimmy Page, Guitars and Theremin), Lisa Brigantino (John Paul Jones, Bass, Keyboards, Mandolin) and Helen Destroy (John Bonham, Drums and Percussion).

I was under the impression that the show would be a "hit parade," which meant they would probably play all the songs that a mediocre Led Zeppelin fan like myself has heard ("Whole Lotta Lovin," "Stairway to Heaven," "Going to California," etc.). Only one of those songs was played-but numerous others took the place of these radio hits.

The ladies opened with "The Ocean". I was immediately drawn to McLellan-her voice seemed to have an endless range that projected through every ear present at the Vogue (about 200 people appeared to be present). Originally from Australia, her vocals gave much needed British twang originally represented in Plant's voice in many Zeppelin songs.

My attention was then immediately distracted by the instrumentalists. Paynes was hitting every note with precision that Page would have been proud of and blew me away during her (his?) lengthy solos that included guitar work that would make grown men cry at the thought of attempting.

Brigantino and Destroy (I'll assume this is not her real name, but I totally dig it) held down the rhythm section with style and flair. Brigantino appeared to be somewhat of a one-woman band-she continuously switched instruments throughout the set (Bass, Mandolin, Keyboards) without any hesitation and displayed her keyboard skills while playing the opening line to "Kashmir".

Destroy showed her personal skills during the five-minute long drum solo featured in "Moby Dick". While drummers would probably be impressed with her consistent beat and arms that were lost in a blur of motion, I was impressed by the fact that she kept hitting a gong placed behind her kit with her bare hand and arm. Maybe I am just too easily impressed.

While their performance was not the four hour long rock opera that the original Led Zeppelin may have put on, these ladies produced a show that not only showcased the talents of the original members in their writing skills and music ability, but their own as well. If you are a Zeppelin fan, or a fan of seeing people do what they love with an extreme amount of passion and fun, make sure you do not miss Lez Zeppelin the next time they make their way to the Circle City.

Devil To Pay