Zoso plays tonight, channeling Robert Plant and company for two intense hours.
By LOGAN NEILL
Published August 13, 2004
NEW PORT RICHEY - For many fans, Led Zeppelin was the epitome of hard rock.
For nearly a dozen years, the British quartet was a powerhouse, earning eight platinum albums and selling out stadium concerts.
At some point, though, even for the best bands, the successful run ends. For Led Zeppelin, the end came with the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980.
Since then, the band's legend has only grown larger as younger fans continue to discover Led Zeppelin's influence on modern-day rock. Perhaps no one knows this better than the members of Zoso, a Led Zeppelin tribute band that has been around for nearly nine years.
Playing an average of 280 club dates a year, the band has amassed a healthy following, as well as a reputation for being perhaps the most exacting of the Zeppelin tribute bands in existence.
"For us, it's much more than just getting up every night and playing Zeppelin songs," says Zoso frontman Matt Jernigan, who helped start the California band in 1995.
"In order to do this the way we do it, you have to commit to the ideas and message behind the music," Jernigan offered. "Those guys wrote great songs that have a lot of positive meaning to them. That's why people still love to listen to them."
Jernigan, who portrays Robert Plant on stage, will perform tonight at the Bourbon Street Concert Club in New Port Richey along with guitarist Mike Morgan, bass player Adam Sandling and drummer Greg Thompson for a two-hour romp through Led Zeppelin's high-energy repertoire. They are astute students of the band's onstage mannerisms and movements as well.
"One of the things that amazes me most about the music is how difficult it is to play," Jernigan said. "Led Zeppelin often got criticized for being on the sloppy side. But playing it takes discipline. You realize there's are a lot of different musical things going on all the time."
The authenticity of the act even carries over to the band's stage gear. From the blond bass Ludwig drum set that Bonham preferred to play to the double-neck-style Gibson guitar that Jimmy Page made famous, Zoso's faithfulness to its heroes has endeared the band to its fans.
"We know that when we go onstage, we're going to play for people who saw Led Zeppelin live as well as people who didn't," Jernigan said. "It keeps you on your toes."
Jernigan says Zoso typically has about 40 songs at the ready, the majority of which come from Led Zeppelin's concert repertoire. Included just about every night are Rock and Roll, Black Dog, Whole Lotta Love and, of course, Stairway to Heaven. There's a short acoustic set as well, with songs such as Going to California and Bron Yr Aur Stomp.
As for being known as musical imitators, Jernigan thinks the positives outweigh the negatives.
"Being a tribute band has gotten us a lot of recognition that we might not have gotten otherwise," said Jernigan. "We've been able to make a lot of contacts in the industry. So when the time comes when we want to do something on our own, there are people ready to give us a listen."
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Zoso, with opening act the Lost Boys
WHEN: 9:30 p.m. todayfri; doors open at 8.
WHERE: Bourbon Street Concert Club, 4331 U.S. 19, New Port Richey.
ADMISSION: Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
