Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Festival Theatre. 4 Dec 2015
Bathed in moving and ever changing pulsating psychedelic light, the Festival Theatre stage was full to overflowing with the the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and local tribute band The Zep Boys. As lead singer Vince Contarino put it, “…tonight is about the coming together of two vastly different musical traditions – rock band and symphony orchestra – to produce something special to bring people together, and isn’t it a shame that religion and politics can’t do the same.” This is perhaps a simplistic take on the world’s woes, and a philosopher Contarino is not, but he and his fellow Zep Boys know and respect the music of Led Zeppelin and they belted it out to a capacity audience for over two hours.
It wasn’t your typical gig, but some of the Zeppelin faithful thought that it was, and kept walking in and out of the auditorium while others insistently filmed the concert on their phones. Some behaved as if they were in a mosh pit and head-banged and threw themselves around as if their lives depended on it, but hey, what the hell. It was adrenalin fuelled fun (and for some the fuel was perhaps illicit!)
The play list included many of the hits that made Led Zeppelin famous in the 70s and 80s, including All of my Love, Out on the Tiles, The Rain Song, Moby Dick, Stairway to Heaven, Immigrant Song, Black Dog, Kool Aid, Whole lotta Love, and many others.
Bradley Polain’s drum solo in Moby Dick ran for nearly fifteen minutes and brought the audience to its feet at its conclusion. Polain’s playing included some uncommon time signatures, but on one occasion, after he clapped the audience in to join him, he abruptly switched time signature and left them all behind!
Tzan Niko’s guitar work with the iconic Stairway to Heaven was clear and unfussed. For him it was the music that mattered - there were no histrionics that often overshadow the musicianship.
Conductor Hamish McKeich led the orchestra well and was clear and decisive in his direction. However the sound engineering occasionally spoiled the superb arrangements, with the string section of the orchestra sounding distorted at times.
This concert demonstrated the importance and cultural significance of Led Zeppelin. The audience ranged in ages from seven to seventy, and they loved it. The Zep Boys treated the music with great respect and the audience lapped it up.
Kym Clayton
When: 6 Dec
Where: Festival Theatre
Bookings: Closed
