Words & Photos by Marco Denzer
Jason Bonham, son of legendary rock drummer John Bonham, is currently on tour with his band Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening (JBLZE), and fans were out in force at The Capitol Theatre on November 26 to enjoy their performance and celebrate the iconic music of Led Zeppelin. The theater was abuzz and the audience’s excitement was palpable by the time the band – featuring vocalist James Dylan, bassist Dorian Heartsong, keyboardist & rhythm guitarist Alex Howland, lead guitarist Jimmy Sakurai, and drummer Jason Bonham – walked on stage at 8:00PM.
As the house lights dimmed and the crowd quieted, JBLZE opened the show with the up-tempo song “In The Evening”, and suddenly everything fell in place. Zeppelin’s unmistakable sound and percussive groove set the right mood immediately. Jason was seated atop the riser behind his clear amber color Ludwig Vistalite drum set, characteristic of Bonzo and his thunderous sound, marking the heartbeat of the night’s repertoire. The band worked through an awesome setlist of Zeppelin songs that quickly generated good vibes with the audience. Many in the crowd started dancing, singing along, and truly having a great time from the first moment on.
After playing a few songs in a row, including “Good Time Bad Times” and “Ramble On”, the band briefly paused for Jason to greet the crowd and thank everyone for coming to the show. He stated how proud he is of being able to honor his father’s legacy by touring with JBLZE and performing this music for the fans. He added that members of the band are not just excellent musicians, but they’re also huge fans of Led Zeppelin and they love their music as much as the fans do. And he invited the audience to connect in spirit, to get in the groove, and enjoy the music as one. “Let’s have some fun”! he said.
That said, with each musician in the band demonstrating outstanding instrumental prowess playing their respective musical parts, JBLZE performed impeccable renditions of tunes like “Achilles Last Stand”, “Dazed and Confuse”, “Misty Mountain Hop” and many others. They periodically paused between songs so Jason could share lively anecdotes about his father, and explain some of the nuances and variations in arrangements that Led Zeppelin made to their songs over time. Providing such details clearly demonstrate Jason’s scholarly knowledge about the music and history of the legendary rock band, and greatly enhance the experience of seeing the band live in concert.
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening will continue touring the U.S. through February of 2025.
Setlist:
In The Evening
Good Times Bad Times
Ramble On
What is And What Should Never Be
Heartbreaker
When the Levy Breaks
Achilles Last Stand
Dazed and Confused
The Ocean
Over the Hills And Far Away
Misty Mountain Hop
Black Mountain Side
Kashmir
Stairway to Heaven
Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver cover)
Whole Lotta Love
Rock and Roll
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