Issue date: 7/9/07 Section: On the Scene

Media Credit: Jason Boyd Steph Paynes on Guitar

Media Credit: Jason Boyd Sarah McLellan on Vocals

Media Credit: Jason Boyd A group photo of Lez Zeppelin

Media Credit: Jason Boyd McLellan and Paynes

Led Zeppelin who?

Lez Zeppelin took over the House of Blues Thursday night arriving an hour-and- a -half late to their own sold-out show -- it was a good thing their music and performance made up for it.

Lez Zepplin is an all- female Led Zeppelin cover band from New York. Their front woman Sarah McLellan is the female prodigy of Robert Plant - actually I think she is much better. I never really could stand Plant's never-ending screeches or over-drawn moans, but McLellan sang it to me like a serenade melting my face. She didn't miss a note.

I don't think any man could take on these girls.

Steph Paynes, the guitarist and Theremin player was amazing. She created sound effects that reminded me of a Pink Floyd intro. It sounded like aliens were going to invade the earth -all from a little black box with an antenna. With the Theremin, she would move her hands around the antenna creating a stimulating shrill that drove the crowd wild. No one could stop dancing.

LZ's cover of Whole Lotat Love was one of the highlight songs of the night, not only because it was a hit in the 70s but also because of the way it was performed. McLellan's tight stomach and hippie-influenced shirt with bell sleeves and plunging neckline swayed back and forth during the lines, "You need coolin', baby I'm not foolin'. I'm gonna send you back to schoolin'. Way down in side, honey you need it. Gonna give you my love. Gonna give you my love."

McLellan bent her knees and danced Indian style picking up a tambourine on the way, much like Plant used to do. Even though the tambourine can't be heard over the loud rock and roll, it still looks cool.

In between songs McLellan would talk about how it was their first time in Texas or down south, as she called it, and said if that night went well Texas would be their best show on tour.

If you're a bassist you better watch out for Lisa Brigantino. Not only does she play bass but she also plays the mandolin and keyboards for the band. On her own she plays a total of 13 instruments.

You can hear the mandolin in the bands original song called Winter Sun, which is just an instrumental written by Paynes and Brigantino. The acoustic and mandolin harmonize each other wonderfully but it's a lot different from that 70s classic rock feel.

They really know how to make covers their own by adding a spice of riot girl power.

But, I was a little disappointed at the end of the show when they didn't play two of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs, Black Dog and Stairway to Heaven.

Helen Destroy accompanied On The Rocks, another original on drums.. Destroy had about a 10-minute drum solo and every time she hit a drum the crowd would whistle or scream for more.

She played with her bare hands, they looked as if they would break the harder she would beat. Destroy finished her solo and the rest of the group joined her on stage finishing the song Communication Breakdown.

The foursome also have a project up their sleeves, a self-titled album that includes six

Led Zeppelin covers and two originals coming out this week. The album is produced by

Eddie Kramer through Emanation Records. Kramer also produced a lot of Led

Zeppelin's music, KISS and Jimi Hendrix.


I would definitely want to go see Lez Zeppelin for a second time. They kept me dancing

and beating my hand against the loud speakers I stood next too.


Thanks Lez Zeppelin for melting my face.

Lez Zeppelin Myspace

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