City grit, classic thunder
Lez Zeppelin formed in New York in the early 2000s, built by guitarist Steph Paynes to channel the fire and detail of
Led Zeppelin. They focus on tone, touch, and the swagger of the film-era band, which fits a night centered on
The Song Remains The Same. Rather than pure note-for-note mimicry, they let the songs breathe. Two decades in, the lineup shifts have settled into a steady core around Paynes, so the feel is confident and lived-in.
Film cues, deep cuts, and who shows up
A likely run might include
Rock and Roll,
The Rain Song,
No Quarter, and
Stairway to Heaven, with room for a moody detour that nods to the movie's long solos. You will see classic rock lifers, younger guitar students, and plenty of women who light up at hearing this catalog played with care, plus a few film buffs comparing versions. A neat bit of trivia: the band once worked with engineer Eddie Kramer to recreate vintage studio tones, and they travel with a small theremin to honor the late-night freakouts. All setlist and staging details mentioned here are reasoned from past shows and the soundtrack and could change night to night.
The scene around Lez Zeppelin: denim, symbols, and loud hearts
Vintage threads, present-tense pride
The room feels like a friendly swap meet for rock stories, with faded film tees, dragon-print jackets, and enamel pins showing the four symbols. People trade favorite pressings of
The Song Remains The Same and compare which solo in the movie hooked them first. Chants pop up in the breakdowns, and the call-and-response during the
Whole Lotta Love freakout is loud but playful. You will see as many nods to women in rock as to legacy icons, which gives the night a grounded, celebratory pulse. Merch leans toward posters styled like 1973 Garden ads, clean black tees, and the occasional limited run print that lists the film sequence. Between songs, fans point out gear choices, like the bow for the eerie section or the double-neck guitar resting on its stand. During
Rock and Roll, claps fall into a simple backbeat and the room locks in, not because anyone was told to, but because the groove demands it. It is a scene built on care and curiosity, where knowing the deep cuts is welcome but not required.
How Lez Zeppelin makes the sound hit first
Riffs first, frills second
The vocals aim for grit and range rather than a carbon copy, with lines that lean just behind the beat for extra heft. Guitars carry the room with thick, glassy tones, and you may notice quick retunes between songs to keep the low strings ringing like the film versions. The rhythm team holds a wide pocket, using rolling three-hit kick patterns and light taps between the main beats. Keys step forward on
No Quarter, favoring a slightly wobbly tone that makes the chords feel foggy and eerie. When
Stairway to Heaven lands, the double-neck switch is a show-and-sound move, letting the band climb from hush to roar without losing color. Lights tend to stay warm and amber with slow sweeps, serving the music by sketching space rather than chasing every hit. A fun live habit: they often stretch the middle of
The Rain Song, letting the drummer play brushes before snapping back to the big crash. That balance of faithful parts and small, human tweaks is why the set breathes like a real rock show.
Kindred Thunder: Fans of Lez Zeppelin also flock to these acts
Kindred bones, shared roar
Fans of
Lez Zeppelin often cross paths with
Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening, which leans archival and reverent, with long-form epics and drum-centric moments.
Greta Van Fleet draws a younger crowd chasing towering vocals and bluesy riffs that echo arena 70s energy.
The Black Crowes fit because their shows pivot on loose grooves, slide guitar bite, and sing-along choruses that reward classic rock ears. If you appreciate powerhouse voices and Zep-inspired arrangements,
Heart has decades of proof, and their concerts ride the same mix of muscle and melody. All four acts prize dynamics over flash for its own sake, which means big quiets, bigger lifts, and room for the band to stretch. That shared approach makes a Lez night feel like part of a living lineage rather than a museum stop.
