Led Zeppelin 2 at the House of Blues

Cleveland, Ohio
February 19, 2016

What was it like to see Led Zeppelin back in the 70s? Many people only find out from old recordings, but I was fortunate to be able to watch a live reproduction of a famous 1972 Led Zeppelin performance by a truly talented set of musicians: Led Zeppelin 2, a tribute band, at the House of Blues in Cleveland. Check out the highlights of the show and my interview with the fascinating Paul Kamp, guitarist (aka Jimmy Page).

Could this be Robert Plant and Jimmy Page? It’s Led Zeppelin 2 at the House of Blues

Paul Kamp as Jimmy Page at the House of Blues

The Emulation
If you want to feel the energy and thrill of what it might have been like to witness a concert of the legendary Led Zeppelin, attending a Led Zeppelin 2 show will daze and confuse your sense of reality and make you wonder if might have gone back in time. The talent of Led Zeppelin 2 is quite amazing as the band was able to capture and convey the essence of the original band both in sound and in sight. Paul Kamp’s guitar playing is shockingly fantastic; he nailed his emulation of Jimmy Page, playing every song with passion and enjoyment. Matthew Longbons, aka John Paul Jones, brilliantly played multiple instruments throughout the show: keyboards, mandolin, and bass. Ian Lee as John Bonham mightily rocked the drums. And, of course, Bruce Lamont belted out Robert Plant’s powerful lyrics. If you are or were a fan of Led Zeppelin, you must plan to see Led Zeppelin 2 in concert. Entertainment is guaranteed.

Left: Matthew Longbons as John Paul Jones ● Right: Ian Lee as John Bonham

Exciting Twist
Rather than playing a random set of songs, the band performed the actual setlist from How the West Was Won, a recording from a set of live shows that Led Zeppelin played in 1972 at the L.A. Forum and Long Beach Arena. Hearing the band replicate a show from over 40 years ago, was mind-blowing. Check out the setlist below!

Bruce Lamont as Robert Plant at the House of Blues

Best Lyric of the Night
Most of us have memorized Stairway to Heaven, but do we stop think about what the lyrics mean? Think about this one: “There’s still time to change the road you’re on.” Bruce Lamont followed up this compelling line with a very Robert Plant-like sounding set of statements, “I hope so. I mean, I know so!” Definitely true: We need to remember that it’s not too late to make changes in life.

Best Flashback
Listening to the songs and watching “Robert Plant” on stage, I couldn’t help but reminisce about one of the best concerts I was incredibly lucky to have attended: Robert Plant’s solo show at Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in the late 80s. We had 17th row seats and the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan was the opening act. A truly amazing and unforgettable experience.

Highlights of My Chat with Paul Kamp
Before the show, I was fortunate to have a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with Paul Kamp, Led Zeppelin 2 guitarist and emulator of Jimmy Page, who is a truly interesting guy with intriguing interests.

Nici and Paul in a rock star invterview setting at the House of Blues, Cleveland — Photo by Amy

How did you decide to form a Led Zeppelin tribute band?
Paul explained that there is a tradition in Chicago where bands would get together on Halloween, schedule a night at a venue such, as the Double Door, B Kitchen, or The Metro, and then they would pick a band to be for the night, costumes and all. The first couple years of participating, Paul and the band chose to cover Black Sabbath. The year they decided to play Led Zeppelin, however, turned out to be a highly successful night and they were encouraged to continue in that direction. Per Paul, there are “so many different styles and dynamics with Led Zeppelin” and the music is more challenging to play. By the end of 2009, they were selling out venues and decided to perform on a more regular basis. The House of Blues in Chicago wanted them to play, so they decided to invest in costumes and equipment, and the rest is history. The band’s current line-up has been together since the fall of 2011.

How does it feel to emulate superstars from one of the most famous bands of all time?
Paul explains that “It’s most fun when the audience is getting into it and having a good time, especially when we have a young audience. They’ve never seen Led Zeppelin live. If they’re really having a good time, then we just have a good time with them. Our view is that it’s like a big Zeppelin party and people want to go out and have fun, and we just happen to be the guys on stage. So, if everybody has a good time and it’s a good night’s entertainment, then that’s really what we’re going after.” Plus, Paul admits that every once in awhile, he’ll “catch the shadow of the guy playing guitar on the stage and think, hey that kinda looks like Jimmy page!”

Any wild parties like Led Zeppelin?
Although they used to have parties, they usually head back to the bus. Paul says that he usually gets up at 8am to work because he has other businesses, one of which is a consulting company in the renewable energy business.

So, renewable energy by day and rock and roll by night?
Paul explains, “Honestly, this is the truth: I have to support my dream somehow. So, my dream is to develop biomass refineries all over the United States. But, with all of the opposition by the oil industry to that happening, it’s not very profitable. So, I have to support my dreams with an honest to goodness job based on my skills. So, I play guitar in a Led Zeppelin cover band to support my dreams in renewable energy. I might be the only person in the world that can say that.”

That’s a really good and interesting answer! 🙂

Nici and Paul on stage at the House of Blues, Cleveland — Photo by Amy

What adventure do you experience outside of music and the renewable energy business?
“I’m not quite as adventurous as I was at one time,” says Paul, “because I’m married and have three kids. But, we do still get ourselves into a few pickles here and there.” Paul and his family enjoy spending time in Great Lakes area, namely the coast of Lake Superior, as they enjoy going “where it’s cold in the wintertime.” They enjoy hanging with snow mobilers, hiking, biking, fishing, and skiing.

What song are you most looking forward to playing tonight?
Paul explained that during the concert, the band planned to perform the setlist from How the West Was Won. Per Paul, “Some of the versions of those songs like Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, Whole Lotta Love… [Led Zeppelin] really went off the rails at times. You could tell that they were looking at each other and winging it, and just playing music, with not sure where to go next. So we are intentionally emulating that. Dazed and Confused has been a whole lot of fun… Whole Lotta Love, and Bring it on Home. We’re doing a whole lot of back and forth call and response playing.”

Setlist (From Led Zeppelin’s How the West Was Won. Download the entire original album on iTunes or the individual, original songs)
1. LA Drone
2. Immigrant Song
3. Heartbreaker
4. Black Dog
5. Over the Hills and Far Away
6. Since I’ve Been Loving You
7. Stairway to Heaven
8. Going to California
9. That’s the Way
10. Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp
11. Dazed and Confused
12. What Is and What Should Never Be
13. Dancing Days
14. Moby Dick
15. Whole Lotta Love
16. Rock and Roll
17. The Ocean
18. Bring It On Home