Get The Led Out is a note for note match to the original super group
You have to admire the candidness of Paul Sinclair (lead singer and harmonica for the Led Zeppelin tribute band “Get The Led Out”). Halfway into the nearly sold out performance in the State Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio he had the house lights pulled up and asked how many audience members were there for the first time.
“You’re probably a bit surprised to see the likes of Howard Stern, Sammy Hagar and Nikki Sixx look alikes. He went on to explained that their group was not an impersonator act but instead a group of musicians who are fans first as they strive to do justice to one of the greatest bands in rock history…and do justice they do.
Over the course of the evening, the six intrepid musicians who along with Sinclair include Paul Hammond (Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Mandolin); Jimmy Marchiano (Electric and Acoustic Guitars and Vocals); Phil D’Agostino (Bass Guitar and Vocals), Adam Ferraioli (Drums and Percussion), Andrew Lipke (Keyboards, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Vocals and Percussion) and Diana DeSantis (Special Guest Vocalist for “The Battle of Evermore”) rocked the house with a collection of 22 Zep hits.
The group began in 2003 and after some changes settled into the sextet that tour and perform today. The reason for six members (as opposed to the original four of the original Led Zeppelin group) is that Get the Led Out’s mission is to perform the original overdubbed studio recordings just as they appeared on the original vinyl. What they have accomplished is nothing short of a miracle.
The show got off to a thunderous start with “Rock and Roll” followed by “Good Times Bad Times” and “Custard Pie.” This was followed by renditions of “Dancing Days”, Ten Years Gone”, and the romantic ballad “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”. The crowd got reenergized with “Ramble On”, “Dazed and Confused” and an acoustic cover of “Going To California” and “the Battle of Evermore with guest vocalist Diana DeSantis. They closed out the first half of the show with “Hey Hey What Can I Do”.
Returning to the stage to a fired up audience (in more ways than one) they launched into “In My Time Of Dying” and a superb rendition of “Moby Dick” featuring drummer Adam Ferraioli. The energy stayed high (as well as the crowd) with “What Is And What Should Never Be”, “Heartbreaker”, “Living, Loving Maid” finishing off with “Kashmire.” They returned to the stage for a triumphant three song set of “Misty Mountain Hop”, “Stairway To Heaven” and ending the show with “Whole Lotta Love”.
The crowd was made up of various generations of fans from early teens to oldsters who had celebrated their teen years at Woodstock. The original group of Led Zeppelin cut a swath through contemporary rock and roll using intricate harmonies and complex sounds to bring a mood to the concert stage. It is a monumental task to replicate this sound but through years of playing, Get The Led Out hits it note for note. Here is hoping that they make Cleveland a regular stop on their tour schedule.