Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening

1 festival played →

John Bonham's son revisiting his father's catalogue from behind the kit, with a hand-picked band and family stories between the songs — reverent rather than nostalgic.

Jason Bonham is the son of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, and a working drummer in his own right, with time in Foreigner, Black Country Communion and Sammy Hagar's band behind him. He formed this touring outfit in 2010 in Hamilton, Ontario, first billed as Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience before it took its current name in 2018.

Bonham had already played alongside the surviving members of Led Zeppelin in 1988 and 1990, and again at their 2007 reunion concert in London. Afterward he hoped to tour and record with the band properly, but singer Robert Plant did not agree to it, and Bonham built his own project around the catalogue instead.

The original lineup paired Bonham with guitarist Tony Catania, a former bandmate from his earlier group Bonham, singer James Dylan, bassist Michael Devin and keyboardist Stephen LeBlanc. Dylan has stayed with the project throughout; the current band also includes bassist Dorian Heartsong, keyboardist Alex Howland and guitarist Akio "Mr. Jimmy" Sakurai.

The Led Zeppelin Evening format pairs this band with archival footage and Bonham's own recollections of growing up around the group, working through the well-known material rather than reinventing it. The emphasis falls on the drum parts and on Bonham's direct connection to the songs.

Read more