23rd August 2010

LYME REGIS: Whole Lotta Led

THE series of gigs at Lyme Regis’ Woodmead Halls continues later this month when Whole Lotta Led - the Led Zeppelin tribute band - play the West Dorset venue.

Given the thumbs-up by no less than guitar god Jimmy Page himself, the group are keeping the spirit and songs of the legendary Led Zep alive with their unique energy and stage presence,

Whole Lotta Led play to over 40,000 enthusiastic fans every year. They don’t try to reproduce what the classic Led Zep line-up looked like because for these guys it’s all about the music... and what music! Whether a fan of the original Led Zeppelin or new to the sound, come and be astounded.

From six to 60, audiences love the dedication and musicianship Whole Lotta Led bring to classics like ‘Whole Lotta Love’, ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and ‘Immigrant Song’, and not forgetting the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin either.

Whole Lotta Led originally formed as No Quarter in 1993 playing a wide variety of rock standards, original compositions as well as the odd Led Zeppelin number.

Audience reaction to the Led Zeppelin material in their set was such that in January 1996 the band decided to play exclusively Led Zeppelin numbers and changed their name to Whole Lotta Led.

Originally playing local clubs and pubs, the band soon progressed to the major rock venues (some of which Led Zeppelin themselves played) touring all over the UK and Europe.

With the band becoming increasingly in demand, Whole Lotta Led turned professional in January 2001, thus becoming the UK’s only full time tribute to Led Zeppelin and are now considered by many to be one of the UK’s top tribute bands.

Whole Lotta Led regularly play two-and-a-half hour sets and perform approximately 100 concerts a year to enthusiastic crowds. The band’s aim is to reproduce the classic Zep songs with the same enthusiasm, excitement and passion that the original band created.

The band have also been very active in raising funds for The ABC Trust, a charity founded by Jimmy Page’s wife to help under privileged children in Brazil.

The involvement with the charity eventually led to a meeting with Led Zeppelin’s legendary guitarist Jimmy Page who has given the band his blessing and wished them all the best.

Whole Lotta Led really are the closest you’re gonna get to seeing Led Zeppelin for the foreseeable future. When the band reformed in December 2007 for a special one-off show at London’s O2 Arena they caused a media frenzy, with millions of applications for the 20,000 available tickets.

For a lot of people this may have been the first they had heard of the band, as in their heyday they shunned TV and never released singles. Despite this they became the biggest rock band of the Seventies, and quite probably the greatest rock band of all time.

Rumours that the success of their O2 show would tempt them to stage a full tour have been quashed by singer Robert Plant who wishes their legend to remain intact.

Despite disbanding in 1980 after the untimely death of their drummer John Bonham, Led Zeppelin’s reputation and legacy of incredible songs continue to survive and appeal to an ever increasing audience of fans who in the absence of the original will have to make do with the UK’s full time professional Led Zeppelin tribute band.

Whole Lotta Led’s show at the Woodmead Halls, Lyme Regis, takes place on Saturday, August 28th. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets are £14 on the night or £12 in advance. They’re available by calling 01297 442138, visiting Lyme Regis Tourist Information Centre in person or online at www.lymeregis .tv/legends.html

LYME REGIS: Whole Lotta Led

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