I usually prefer tribute bands to put their own twist on songs - to capture the spirit rather than the one-to-one copying of notes. However, I make an exception for Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd songs. Maybe that’s because that music had such a profound effect on me personally growing up, that it feels a little like sacrilege when a band messes with it.
That's why I enjoy Pink Zeppelin so much. They somehow operate in that elusive space where they capture the music “as is” but without becoming a soulless channeling of form over substance - hijacking someone else's genius for their own profit.
There are several PF and LZ tribute bands around town, and I don’t know that I’ve seen them all, but, so far, the only other one I enjoy is Stairway to Zeppelin, and that’s for their mystical aura. They are definitely worth seeing, but it’s an entirely different experience from Pink Zeppelin.
What is remarkable and unique about PZ is that every nuance –virtually every vocal inflection, every tap, every wawa, every effect on the originals - is there on every song they perform. The amount of time in listening, hard work, and practicing together that allows them to do this live, without the advantage of multiple takes or an effects studio, probably averages out to pennies per hour. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: It is sad how we treat our musicians here in the Atlanta area. A $20 tip, at least, for 3 hours of entertainment ought to be standard for those who can afford it.
I reviewed PZ nearly a year ago, and I have followed them ever since. They were good then, but better now – a professional act with all their ducks in a row. I could elaborate on that, but it would be boring and take time to do so, just like the logistical work behind the scenes that not every band leader has the patience for. It is obvious to me how much time and thought Mark Michelson puts into the coordination of all the complexities and minute details that take a show from good to great, while simultaneously being a front man who sings and moves like someone who really “gets” the music.
PZ is not the same show twice (I’ve seen them four times), but they never disappoint. I hadn’t heard them do Communication Breakdown, and Reese Boyd’s guitar work was especially impressive, as I have come to expect from him (how can his fingers move so quickly?). Rick Austin somehow manages some of the most complex drumming in the history of rock music. I also appreciate Johnny Barrett’s JPJ-like versatility when helping to create all the crazy effects that LZ and PF are known for, and, for some reason, I particularly look forward to him voicing the clean-your-plate schoolmaster in Brick and the lawn loony in Brain Damage.
The guest performers were as carefully curated as the set list – most notably Melissa Goehner’s warrior woman vocals in The Immigrant Song. Other highlights were Jeff Ianitello yelping out Black Dog like Robert Plant but without the perm, and the complex keyboard work, especially on Since I’ve Been Loving You, from Jeff Banks.
PZ is faithful to both their inspirations, and they capture their music amazingly well. I think what I like best about them is that they do not try to gild the lily. They are committed to maintaining the legacy of some of the best rockers and rock music ever made as purely and truthfully as possible, and how beautiful is that?
That’s why it made me sad that the crowd was way smaller than it should have been, although I know another favorite band of many of the regular fans was playing at the same time. Also, the Green Room is a bit of a drive for a lot of people, including myself.
However, the Green Room makes my regular list of venues, and the reason is the same as why I like PZ: they keep it simple. Their furniture doesn’t match, the décor is kind of haphazard, and the owners are not afraid to get right in the midst of the action to ensure friendly service and delicious food. Who needs weird tacos and pizza with no sauce? How about just normal pizza from a wood-burning oven, homemade ice cream or a sandwich done just right? And, it’s obvious that they care about supporting good music given their band selections, stage set-up, and sound system. These are the kinds of venues that deserve our support, and so what if you have to drive a little? Put I, II, III, or the one with the guy with straw on his back on on the way, and you will hardly notice.
So, as I started to write this one, I kept getting lost in trying to make it clever and special and different from the norm in the same way. But what I realized is that sometimes appreciation can be just as simple and straightforward as the band and the venue.
What PZ does in not at all simple technically, but it is simple in the sense of: “Here’s music that means a a lot to us, and we want to get it just right for you who love it just as much”. I hope that my simple review gets it just right for them in return.
