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A Whole Lotta more

Zeppelin tribute band gets right down cozy with Plant

What: Crankworx Mainstage Concerts

Who: A Whole Lotta Led

When: Thursday, July 27

Where: Skier’s Plaza

Admission: Free

In the words of one of Greg Reamsbottom’s favourite Led Zeppelin songs, The Song Remains the Same for Whistler’s Led Zeppelin tribute Band A Whole Lotta Led.

The local rockers will be carrying on their musical merriment to Plant and Page with crowd pleasers such as Dazed and Confused and lesser known gems such as Traveling Riverside Blues at the Crankworx mainstage.

However, within the lyrics is foreshadowing of the new direction the band is taking. "Everything that’s small has to grow and has to grow!" so push, push and away the Whistler boys fly, or at least drive.

A Whole Lotta Led is taking their crazy Zep antics – the electric guitar with a cello bo routine, the rehearsed over and over again Achilles Last Stand whose musical score looks more like an exploded ant farm, those screaming high notes that make a choir boy look like a baritone – the whole Zep shebang is finally hitting the Sea to Sky Highway with gigs in Kelowna, Vancouver and Vancouver Island. But not before a Crankworx mainstage performance today (July 27) at 4 p.m. at Skier’s Plaza, then again at 9 p.m. at the Longhorn Saloon. Both shows are free.

"The band has hit a new peak lately," Reamsbottom, a.k.a. Grateful Greg, explained. "We are playing some shows that are freaking us out. We are really sounding like Led Zeppelin. We’ve got people coming up all the time saying ‘I can’t believe you sound like Led.’"

He credits the relentless passion of the band – bassist Mike Wilson, drummer Tom Rimmer and guitarist Phil "Creekside" Richard – and the even more relentless rehearsal schedule to the growing musical likeness.

"Musically, it just feels like we hit a whole other plane," he said. "The more often you do it. The better you get at it. It’s starting to pay dividends. You can tell how much time we are playing is paying off. The bookings are becoming really busy. We are doing a lot more out of town stuff."

The local group is gearing up for a major tour in October, starting back east and working their way home.

From just turned legal-drinking-age teens to old timers who remember seeing Zeppelin live, the high energy and incredible music prowess of the veteran musicians win over young and old alike. Plant is alive and well in Whistler – and a lot better looking to boot.

Zeppelin music is not for the faint of heart musician, but with challenge comes the reward of putting musicians’ talents into the limelight.

Rimmer’s rhythm steps centre stage with Moby Dick, the be all and end all of drum solos. The insane bass line of The Lemon Song does Wilson’s talent credit. Richard’s colossal cello bow solo on electric guitar is a mind-bending event in Dazed and Confused, and What is and What Should Never Be lets Reambottom’s amazing vocal range stretch out from soft to blaring proportions.

"Rock and roll is like sex," he said. "You start out with foreplay (or you should) and start off slow and let it build to a thundering climax that blows the roof off the house."

The group will blow off the Longhorn Saloon roof following the Crankworx mainstage performance Thursday night as well as on Wednesday, Aug. 2 at Garfinkel’s.