Jason Bonham in 2015

It looks like Jason Bonham's plans for 2015 are starting to firm up. On Episode 80 of Ramble On Radio last month, James Dylan confirmed that Jason was booking Led Zeppelin Experience shows for March.

The first date has popped up on Ticketmaster, March 11 at the Uptown Theatre, Napa California. Tickets go on sale Monday. Look for more dates to be announced in the next week or two.

On May 2nd, Sammy Hagar and The Circle to play the Carolina Rebellion Festival in Concord, NC. The Circle features Jason, Michael Anthony and guitarist Vic Johnson from the band Waboritas. Also on the 2-day festival (May 2nd and 3rd) lineup is Slash, featuring rumoured almost Zeppeliner Myles Kennedy, Cheap Trick, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Slayer and a host of others.

There will be, I am sure, much more from Jason as 2015 develops.

Music by Jason Bonham (sort of)

When producers of the new Man of Steel movie, due for release in June, released the latest trailer, Jason Bonham tweeted



Bonham spent two weeks in LA recently. During that two weeks he spent time in the studio laying down tracks for the movie.



According to Tool drummer Danny Carey, 12 drummers were used to create the soundtrack, including Bonham. The soundtrack was written by well known film composer Zimmer, and the movie features Henry Cavill as Superman and Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Russell Crow and Kevin Costner are also in the movie,

Kennedy Center Honors

Last night, Dec 26th, the world finally saw the broadcast of the Kennedy Center Honors Gala. The Gala honoured all five honourees: Dustin Hoffman, Natalia Makarova, Buddy Guy, David Letterman and Led Zeppelin. All honorees had an eminent person/a Jack Black/Tina Fey provide an introduction, plus a short video of their work and then a performance of their art.

In Led Zeppelin's case, at the top of the bill, performance by the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz and Heart provided the moments. Jack Black gave an introduction in the standard Jack Black style, that is to say, just a tad over the top: he really is a perpetual 14-year old and a more mature perspective of the band would have been nice.

The footage shown was edited for time, as early reports had Foo Fighters doing 2 songs, as did Kid Rock. As it was, the Foo Fighter's performed Rock and Roll, with Dave Grohl taking the drum stool and drummer Taylor Hawkins picking up the vocal duties. This is the second time the Foo's have performed this song with this makeup. Their performance of Black Dog, with Hawkins back behind the kit and Grohl singing, didn't make the broadcast.

Kid Rock's performance has the LedZeposphere buzzing this morning, wondering why he was chosen for this honour. Like him or hate him, however, Kid Rock has always paid homage to the rock and rollers who have come before him, and Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love gets a nod on his album Live Trucker when it bridges the songs Somebody's Gotta Feel This and Fists of Rage (go to the 3 minute mark on the linked video). Early reports had it that Kid Rock performed Babe I'm Gonna Leave You and What is and What Should Never Be, however the broadcast had him playing Ramble On.

Lenny Kravitz then performed Whole Lotta Love, while President Barack Obama sang along in the choruses (no word on him belting "woman, you need it..." to Michelle). Kravitz was followed by Jason Bonham appearing behind the drum kit to the obvious surprise and delight of the band themselves. He was then joined onstage by the Wilson sister, Ann and Nancy, of Heart, to perform an abridged version of Stairway to Heaven. As the song progressed, the artists were joined onstage by a small choir and a chamber orchestra, and then by a larger choir, all wearing bowler hats in homage to John Bonham. By the end the band members all seemed moved, with Robert Plant appearing to be moved to tears.

Here is Heart, with Jason Bonham and others, performing Stairway to Heaven.

Jason Bonham to Experience Canadian Winter.

Back in the fall when Jason Bonham extended his Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience dates to include the Northeast, he announced his hope they would also add some Canadian dates.

Better late than never, The Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience announce six Canadian dates at the end of January and into early February. The tour starts in the only place any tour should start, Southern Ontario, on the last two days of January, and then picks up with four western dates beginning Feb 6th.

The announced dates are:

• January 30: London, Ontario - Centennial Hall


• January 31: Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall


• February 6: Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre


• February 7: Regina, Saskatchewan - Casino Regina


• February 8: Edmonton, Alberta - River Cree Resort and Casino


• February 11: Calgary, Alberta - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

I have heard no rumours of additional shows, but that doesn't mean there won't be. If there are, I'll add them in bold.

Memo to the band: pack the long underwear, it gets cold around here this time of year, colder still in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Review: Black Country Communion - Afterglow

A random thought passes as I listen to Black Country Communion's new album Afterglow: with the recent bad blood between bassist Glenn Hughes and guitarist Joe Bonamassa, if Bonamassa was on fire, would Hughes put him out?

Answer, not on Afterglow he doesn't.

Throughout the band's third studio album in as many years, Bonamassa's playing is smoking: Big Train's wah-wah infused rave up; the white hot solos on Midnight Sun and the Giver; the guitar intro to Midnight Sun; or the slow burning slide on Cry Freedom. Bonamassa lights the album up with his best playing to date with this band. Hughes response is to fuel the flames with a collection of songs of great licks and words that twist and turn, offer loud and soft (light and shade?) moments throughout.

If, as has been allowed as possible through various media outlets, this is the end of the line for Black Country Communion, it will prove to be a great pity. On reviewing their first album, I offered a number of times their influences came to the top, on their second album, I noted less of this. On this album, they sound from start to finish uniquely like themselves. Hey are a band that has found an identity. Moments like the dual Hughes/Bonamassa vocals on Cry Freedom or the tight, super-funky groove Hughes and drummer Jason Bonaham get on the Bonham penned piece Common Man sound like Black Country Communion and no one else.

You can't talk about Afterglow without also mentioning Derek Sherinian, who takes a greater role than the first two albums, playing a couple of organ solos that are exceptional. His playing throughout is top notch.

Black Country Communion's Afterglow, which was released yesterday is a great rock and roll album that will improve with time and listenings. It is what these guys do best, flat out rock.

Tracklist:

1. Big Train (Hughes)


2. This is Your Time (Bonham/Bonamassa/Sherinian) (Lyrics Bonham/Hughes)


3. Midnight Sun (Bonham/Bonamassa/Sherinian)(Lyrics: Hughes)


4. Confessor (Hughes)


5. Cry Freedom (Hughes/Bonamassa/Bonham/Sherinian)(Lyrics: Hughes)


6. Afterglow (Hughes)


7. Dandelion (Hughes)


8. The Circle (Hughes)


9. Common Man (Bonham) (Lyrics Bonham/Hughes)


10. The Giver (Hughes/Bonamassa/Shirley) (Lyrics Hughes)


11. Crawl (Bonamassa/Bonham/Hughes/Shirley) (Lyrics Hughes)

Celebration Night

[caption id="attachment_2060" align="alignright" width="292" caption="Photo: Nech Tytla - Used By Permission"][/caption]

It was Celebration Night around the world, and certainly in my little part of it where no less than 5 theatres within' a 25 minute drive were showing Celebration Day. I must say, minus a few quibbles, it was as good, better, than I hoped for: a magical recreation of a magical night.

The movie is the concert, full bore. A few edits to keep the pacing going, a few small parts of the show where cut for brevity. But ultimately, it was the show. They didn't mess too much with the music, although they tried to fix the little mess in "Dazed and Confused when the rhythm section seemed to not be connecting." But otherwise it was the show, just the show, and nothing but the show. On that note, here's what I said about the show at the time:

...I won’t equivocate: this was a great concert by a great band that was in great form. I simply can’t imagine how good these guys would be after a few shows to get the groove going. If they do tour, and it would be a crime if they don’t, I want to see them again mid tour. They would be an unimaginable force of music.

Too bad about that last bit.

Now the quibbles. First, I would have set the stage, given the movie some context. An intro in which the camera is outside the O2 before the show, so everybody understands it was London. Further I would have replaced the old Tampa TV news clip that started the show with one from the O2 show. My feeling watching it was, if I didn't know better, I'd think I was seeing Led Zeppelin in Tampa in the 70's.

Others have commented on the 35mm footage used in the movie, and it was too much. It's a cool effect used half a dozen times through the movie: they used it 3 or 4 times a song. Way too much. And the film was edited to MTV standards, which means it was far to jumpy.

But again, these are mere quibbles, disagreement over choices, not commentary on the performance itself. The truth on the performance itself is, it holds up extremely well, and Celebration Day is a must see movie for music fans, and a must see more than once for Led Zeppelin fans.

Ramble On Radio Episode #22

Led Zeppelin held a press conference and I have all the details, plus: Black Country Communion at war; Jimmy Page out and about; Did Robert Plant do a movie soundtrack? John Paul Jones jams with Alfie Boe and more, on the only Led Zeppelin podcast on this, or any, known internets.

Listen here

or

Subscribe on iTunes

*******************

Links

Shawn Sarazin's Mystery of the Quotient

Dony Wynn's blog post on Modern Drummer

Buy Carol Miller's Autobiography on Amazon.com



Pre-order the Celebration Day LP:



Jason Bonham's son, J-Swagg's Facebook page.

Led Zeppelin live at Cineplex Odeon

It appears Led Zeppelin is lining up with Cineplex Odeon theatres for Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day. Here's the synopsis from Cineplex's website:

On December 10, 2007, Led Zeppelin took the stage at London’s O2 Arena to headline a tribute concert for dear friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. What followed was a two--- hour---plus tour de force of the band’s signature blues---infused rock ’n’ roll that instantly became part of the legend of Led Zeppelin. Founding members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were joined by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham, to perform 16 songs from their celebrated catalogue including landmark tracks “Whole Lotta Love,” “Rock And Roll,” “Kashmir,” and “Stairway To Heaven.” Although 20 million people applied for tickets, the band’s first headline show in 27 years was seen only by the 18,000 ticket holders who were fortunate enough to have secured seats through the worldwide lottery. Now, for the first time, fans in over 40 territories worldwide will be able to get a front row seat to experience this historic event in glorious high definition and incredible surround sound. Experience it on the big screen for a strictly limited period only.

[caption id="attachment_1968" align="alignright" width="242" caption="Screen shot - click to enlarge"][/caption]

This will likely be officially announced tomorrow with the announcement of the DVD.

Two days are being listed in Canada, Wednesday October 17th and Thursday October 25th. Check your local theatre for ticket information or go to http://www.cineplex.com/Movies/MovieDetails/Led-Zeppelin-Celebration-Day.aspx?date=2012-10-17 and search your location.

****************

Update, this theatrical release is confirmed with my local theatre. Link added.

And another: It hadn't occurred to me, but is the picture at  top, which was at the Cineplex Odeon website, the DVD cover?

Afterglow - The Video and the Preorder

Black Country Communion's third studio album, Afterglow, is now available for pre-order through the Black Country Communion website.

As well, the band released an "in the studio" video yesterday called AFTERGLOW Webisode 1:



Meanwhile, Glenn Hughes seems to be backing away from comments he made last month that this could be Black Country Communion's last album. In an interview, Hughes said that without a deeper level of commitment from guitarist Joe Bonamassa, who also has a successful solo career, perhaps it was time to move on.

Today on twitter, Hughes backed away from that statement:

Peeps~BCC is not splitting up~we have a new album comin'~hey I get a lil sensitive with the media...and controversy makes for good copy..GH

O2 DVD Announcement Coming

The countdown is on. With a '5' in the traditional Houses of the Holy font appearing on their Facebook page Saturday, Led Zeppelin announced something was up. Sunday was 'four', Led Zeppelin 4 style, and yesterday a 'III', ala the third album. So what of today? You guessed it, brown bomber style:



What can it all mean? Jeff Strawman has a good accounting of the possible theories, only one of which makes any sense whatsoever: the O2 DVD/Bluray will see commercial release.

There is no surprise here as it was talked about heavily last year, and then died suddenly on the vine. Rumours of it being issued this year  began a few months ago, and last week was seemingly confirmed by a Belgium radio station. That post was taken down after a day, suggesting not necessarily inaccuracy, but that the original post was premature. And so it seems it is.

Early this morning, the Sun newspaper in the UK reported that the O2 DVD/Bluray is being released on November 22nd.

As well, over the last 2 days, video has been appearing on the Facebook page and the band's official YouTube page. Here's today's:



As for the countdown, know that five years ago on day zero, September 13, the band announced the reunion show. Seriously, it's a CD/DVD/Bluray and nothing else.

Gentleman (and ladies), start your Christmas list.

Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience Tour Dates

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience has a series of dates scheduled in the fall, starting with 2 dates in Chile and three in Australia in September. They then return to the US for shows in California and Nevada in October.



September 5th, 2012: Caupolican Theatre - Santiago, Chile
September 7th, 2012: La Tortuga - Concepcion, Chile

September 13th, 2012: Enmore Theatre - Sydney, Australia
September 14th, 2012: Forum Theatre - Melbourne, Australia
September 15th, 2012: Challenge Stadium - Perth, Australia

October 6th, 2012: Silver Legacy Casino - Reno, NV
October 7th, 2012: The Warfield - San Francisco, CA
October 8th, 2012: The Uptown Theatre - Napa Valley, CA
October 9th, 2012: Crest Theatre - Sacramento, CA
October 11th, 2012: The Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
October 12th, 2012: Aliante Casino - Las Vegas, NV
October 13th, 2012: Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, CA

Expect more dates to be announced.

The Led Zeppelin Olympics

In August 2008 Jimmy Page and singer Leona Lewis rode atop a double decker bus playing Whole Lotta Love during the closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.



Of the performance, Page wrote on his website last year:

On this day in 2008, I performed at the Olympic closing ceremony at Beijing, where the baton was passed on, so to speak, to London 2012. The cast members had been secretly rehearsing in London and Beijing. Armed with the double-decker bus, ballet, hip hop dancers and David Beckham, Leona Lewis and I performed ‘Whole Lotta Love’, augmented by Phillip Shepherd’s string arrangement and Prenderescki-like swoops. Along with many, I had been intoxicated by Leona’s performances on The X Factor and I was curious as to how she would approach ‘Whole Lotta Love’. Her classy delivery was sultry and impeccable, and her visual performance, dazzling to say the least! This was without doubt, one of the high points of my career, and it was one happy man who performed with such a remarkable talent.

As Page accepted the proverbial baton on behalf of London's 2012 Olympic Games, rumours of Led Zeppelin reuniting for the opening ceremonies on July 27th have been circulating. Last week, Jason Bonham told The Sun newspaper that it was unlikely Led Zeppelin would perform the ceremonies, as he hadn't even talked to Robert Plant in six months:

If you ask me today is it gonna happen immediately, well no, there is no talk of it...

Jimmy Page concurs, noting in a September interview that is making the rounds:

If they asked, it would be an honour.

They have not been asked, however, according to Page.

It seems entirely unlikely that Robert Plant would do the gig, it being the kind of performance that is likely to create as much criticism as praise for the band. As Page himself noted in the above mentioned interview:

We got so much criticism and I really don't know why. I think we did a great job - it was an honour to be there... we only had 10 minutes - what did people expect?

Page suggests if asked to reprise his role, he would be willing, but it certainly sounds like anyone trying to get tickets to the opening ceremonies based on a possible Led Zeppelin reunion should probably save their money and watch at home on TV, just in case Jimmy Page shows in a London taxi cab with Adele.

What, No Black Dog?

Can it be done? Can Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience do their show and not perform Black Dog? Not perform Dazed and Confused? Not even have guitarist Tony Catania use the Theremin?

It can be, and was done Saturday Night at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ontario.



There were problems it seems, both technical and logistical. From a technical standpoint, Tony Catania seemed to be having some issues. Early on he slipped into a solo, hit on a pedal, and nothing. The sound died. At other times he just seemed to be having trouble. The theremin sat on the stage all night un-used, another clue of technical difficulties.

This is not to say Catania didn't play well, or spent all night with a deer in the headlights look, wondering why God was failing him so. All told, the look of "what the..." totalled thirty second or a minute of a two hour show, and if you weren't close enough, weren't watching the guitarist with the intensity only a hobbyist can apply to a professional, then you probably noticed nothing wrong.

[caption id="attachment_1573" align="alignnone" width="422" caption="James Dylan, "Goin Down Now...""][/caption]

The logistical problem was venue related. The casino's love to get 5,000 music fans into their casino who might not otherwise come. But once there, they don't really want them sitting pin the hall watching a show. If they had their choice, you would buy your ticket, then just come to the casino and gamble. So they put a rider in the bands contract, maximum 90 minute show.

After the show, both James Dylan and Stephen Leblanc mentioned that they had to cut songs from the set list. The longer songs took the hit, with Dazed and Confused, it was mentioned by both Dylan and LeBlanc, getting cut. With the tight time, Whole Lotta Love got a short, Over Europe 1980 treatment. It wasn't until the next day I realized Black Dog wasn't played either.

[caption id="attachment_1579" align="alignnone" width="410" caption=""I would like to thank..." "][/caption]

Problems aside, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience didn't miss a note Saturday night. They kept the show rolling, not taking their usual break after Moby Dick, instead rolling along, keeping it moving. And in the end, they packed a lot of songs into a 90 minute set. They packed, it seemed to me, a lot of minutes in as well, as the show ran far closer to 2 hours than 90 minutes by my count.

Dazed and Confused and Black Dog notwithstanding, they didn't miss a trick. Immigrant Song, Rock and Roll, Kashmir, When the Levee Breaks, Stairway to Heaven: they touched all the bases.

[caption id="attachment_1581" align="alignnone" width="432" caption="James and Tony doing Stairway to Heaven"][/caption]

Musically, the band gets better and better, the music of Led Zeppelin, so complicated to perform, seeming to roll off them. They are tighter than last time I saw them, and they are playing with an ease I don't remember. Stephen LeBlanc has become essential to this band, adding lap steel here, an electric guitar part there. Keyboard, acoustic guitar, mandolin, every song is given that extra touch by LeBlanc, who has also developed his theatrical flair.

Dorian Heartsong, the new guy in the band, although he has probably played more shows with them now than Michael Devon has, lays down a perfect groove every time. He fit's in so well he was barely noticeable, which is the highest compliment I can pay to a bass player.

James Dylan was once again, note perfect. Hitting Robert Plant's notes and phrases, without ever sounding just like Robert Plant. If you didn't miss Robert Plant, if you closed your eyes, you still knew it wasn't Plant. The perfect frontman for a cover band, he sings in a way that is flattering to Plant, without being imitative.

Tony Catania, technical issues aside, hit all the notes, strutted and preened ala Page. He plays with energy and plays his part musically. He is as good as anyone doing the Jimmy Page circuit.



As for Jason, he obviously can play the parts, and he did so with energy. He tells his stories, sometimes prowling the stage while doing so. He is amusing, self  effacing and a hell of a drummer. Combined with the guys mentioned above, and he is putting on a fabulous show in the name of the father.

If Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience is coming to your town, it's well worth checking out.
______________
* Note: Notices at the Casino informed fans the show was being recorded for possible later use. During the show, auditorium lights often came on as songs were ending, quite obviously to film the crowd reaction.

Is Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience planning on releasing a DVD of the show, or doing a broadcast at some point in the future?

Sunshine Sketches of Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience

Jason Bonham rolls into Central Ontario this weekend, playing Casino Rama in Orillia. Orillia’s claim to fame is the home of Canadian author and humourist Stephen Leacock, and the setting of his most famous book, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Townis reputed to be Orillia.

Heading into the show, Toronto Sun’s Darryl Sterdan has a short interview that is full of information. Bonham tells Sterdan that, should there be another Led Zeppelin Reunion, he’ll find out when we all find out:

When I was last with those guys they said, ‘You will always be the last to know of anything from now on because you can’t keep your mouth shut.’

He adds defeatedly, “They said ‘What are you going to do? Say no?’”

There are a few more very interesting tidbits in the interview, including that the band had to learn “the entire catalogue.” These guys are prepared to play any Zeppelin song (note to Bonham: Fool in the Rain on Saturday Nov 5, please).

As well, he Bonham reports that Black Country Communion will be recording ‘3’ sometime next year. This was reported previously, but Glenn Hughes has since announced he’s recording a solo album and doing a world tour in 2012, which seemed to preclude also doing a BCC album.

Hopefully Black Country Communion doesn't have the same "don't tell Jason rule" as Led Zeppelin does.

Jason Bonham Working on Original Material

In an exclusive interview with James Dylan, word that Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience (JBLZE) is writing material, with plans to record and release at some point down the road. James told me:

Since we’re back out on the road, Jason’s band (JBLZE) started to write songs together. So we’re hoping before too long, we’ll have some stuff for everybody to check out

On a follow-up message, James said:

We are just in the beginning stage so it is just something we would all like to do right now. The idea is to write music while we’re on the road. It started last tour when we were in sound check.

The full interview with James Dylan can be heard on Ramble On Radio, Episode #6, which will be released by Tuesday.

Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience Add Dates

Edited and Bumped

Last spring, Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience had to cancel 4 shows due to singer James Dylan's illness. The shows in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Sacramento and Napa Valley were rescheduled for this fall. The band has added three more California shows, plus a number of dates in the North East, including three in Canada.

Here is the full schedule for Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience fall tour:

• October 12: Riverside, CA - Fox Performing Arts Center


• October 13: Bakersfield, CA - Fox Theatre


• October 14: Los Angeles, CA - The Greek Theatre (make-up date)


• October 15: Las Vegas, NV - Alliente Casi (make-up date)


• October 17: Sacramento, CA - Crest Theatre (make-up date)


• October 18: Napa Valley, CA - Uptown Theatre (make-up date)


• October 27: Englewood, NJ - Bergen PAC


• October 28: Huntington, NY - Paramount Theater


• October 29: Upper Darby (Phil), PA - Tower Theater


• October 31: Boston, MA - The Wilbur Theatre


• November 1: New York, NY - Best Buy Theater


• November 2: Hartford, CT - The Webster


• November 4: Buffalo, NY - Town Ballroom


• November 5: Orillia, ONT - Casino Rama


• November 6: Ottawa/Gatineau, QC - TBD


• November 7: Quebec City, QC - TBD

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Update

New dates added:

• Nov 10: Silver Spring MD - The Fillmore


• Nov. 11: Poughkeepsie NY - The Chance Theatre


• Nov. 12: Richmond VA - The National


• Nov 13: Atlanta GA - Sun Center Stage


• Nov 16: Orlando FL. - The Hard Rock


• Nov. 17: Hollywood FL. - Seminole Hard Rock and Casino


• Nov 18: Clearwater FL. - Ruth Eckerd Hall

Derek Sherinian on BCC

Keyboardist Derek Sherinian has been largely the quiet one when it comes to Black Country Communion, and interviews with him seem to be rarer than with the bands other three members, Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham. With a new solo album coming out, however, he sat down with Bravewords, and managed to spill the beans on what's next for BCC:

Bravewords.com: Black Country Communion - what’s it like working with the voice of rock, Glenn Hughes.

Sherinian: “Glenn is great with his British wit. He’s the elder statesman of rock and it’s a real pleasure to tour with him. The last nine weeks (touring) have been a very smooth ride. I’d love to do more touring with these guys.”

Bravewords.com: True, but why only Europe? Why no BCC in North America?

Sherinian: “We need to do a proper North American tour. We just need to go out there and grind it out.”

Bravewords.com: It’s strange. The first album was great. The second album was better, but the band remains largely hidden from North America.

Sherinian: “It all comes down to demand. We’re selling a lot more records in Europe and the demand for us to play live is greater there. You have to go where the warm current is.”

Bravewords.com: What’s next for BCC?

Sherinian: “Well, we are putting out a live DVD from this last European tour for Christmas and the plan is to make a third record next spring and then next June (2012) we’re going back on tour, but I’m not sure where. That’s the rough sketch.”

The DVD we knew about, but BCC3, plus another summer tour. As I said in the podcast, it's the to come to parts north.

Jason and Deborah Bonham: Battle of Evermore

Near as I can figure, this is from a 2007 Rock Line Radio appearance. Jason Bonham and his aunt, John's sister, Deborah Bonham, duetting on Battle of Evermore. Always knew she could sing, but his voice is a bit surprising.

Happy Birthday Jason Bonham

Has it really been four years since Jason Bonham sat in his fathers stool, and kept the Led Zeppelin clock ticking?

Today is Jason Bonham's 45th birthday, a tribute to how old all of us are who remember him as a kid. And a birthday in Vienna with good bandmates, that can't be so bad.

Happy 45th birthday Jason Bonham, from one Zeppelin fan to another.

Triple-Play Weekend for Members of Zeppelin

It was a big weekend in the world of Led Zeppelin, with three of the four members of the band that performed at the O2 arena in Dec, 2007 playing this weekend.

On Sunday night, Robert Plant and the Band of Joy took the stage in Tennessee at the annual Bonnaroo festival. Reviews are strong, as they have been for The Band of Joy since they began touring together last year.

On the other side of the ocean, one of Britain's biggest and oldest festivals, the Isle of Wight, featured Plant's old bandmate, John Paul Jones. Jones stepped on stage with at Isle of Wight with a Gibson bass Saturday Night, backing up itinerant bluesman Seasick Steve.

Jones appeared on Seasick Steve's latest album, You Can't Teach an old Dog New Tricks, and has been stepping out at various gigs with Steve. An interactive video of last months Streets of London concert is currently available on at SeasickSteve.com.

Finally, Jason Bonham began the first tour with his band, Black Country Communion last week.

On Friday Night, Black Country Communion played their second show of the tour in Anaheim. The band kicked through a 16 song set, half of which came from their new album, "2."

Aubrey Stewart, a Led Zeppelin fan from Texas, travelled to Anaheim to catch the show. He later commented that,

BCC rocked.  They are excited about what they are doing and it showed... If you get the chance, go see these guys you wont' be disappointed.

Aubrey also took a number of great pictures, which he has graciously allowed me to post here.

Black Country Communion's Setlist, for Friday Night in Anaheim:

1. Black Country


2. One Last Soul


3. Crossfire


4. Save Me


5. The Battle for Hadrian's Wall


6. Beggarman


7. Faithless


8. Song of Yesterday


9. Smokestack Woman


10. Cold


11. John Henry

(Joe Bonamassa song)

12. The Great Divide


13. Sista Jane


14. Outsider

Encore:

15. Man In the Middle


16. Burn
    (Deep Purple cover)

Jimmy Page, it is rumoured, spent the weekend writing HTML code, after showing up at Royal albert Hall with Donovan last weekend.