ZED:
Shaun+Sanders+-+Vocals
Dwayne+Errington+-+Guitar+&+Theremin
Ryan+Spong+-+Bass+&+Mandolin
Graham+Goss+-+Keyboards+&+Acoustic+Guitar
Rob+MacEachern+-+Drums
One,+I+have+the+chance+to+see+and+hear+some+great+cover+or+indie+music+and+secondly+in+95%+of+the+cases+–+the+band+consists+of+friends+of+mine+so+I+have+the+opportunity+to+take+delight+in+their+talent+and+skill+set+onstage.
My+dear+friend+has+an+amazing+voice+for+rock+but+for+Zeppelin,+well+it’s+a+perfect+fit+as+this+man+has+pipes+–+yet+it+was+that+bracelet+that+stuck+out+to+me.
Then+if+there+is+any+doubt+about+the+guitar+work+of+walking+down+the+path+of+Jimmy+Page+–+well+Dwayne+has+that+covered+too.+His+guitar+playing+is+amazing+for+a+fan+or+musician+to+watch+or+hear;+he+is+in+complete+control+all+the+time+and+is+faithful+to+the+original+leads/chords+of+Jimmy+Page.
I+know+he+is+highly+respected+around+town+so+that+speaks+volumes+about+him+as+not+only+a+musician+but+as+a+person.
To+sum+it+up,+if+you+want+your+Zeppelin+fix+by+a+band+that+will+sound+pretty+much+identical+to+the+real+thing+complete+with+the+visual+aspect+–+ZED+is+the+one+to+go+check+out+live,+believe+me,+you+will+have+a+helluva+time+and+be+glad+you+did.
One+word+of+caution+though+–+if+they+are+playing+at+a+venue+where+you+pay+at+the+door,+get+there+real+early.+I’ve+seen+this+band+sell+out+The+Eastside+Bar+by+10:15pm+for+a+10:00pm+show+and+people+were+lined+up+down+the+street+waiting+to+get+in.
Friday Allstage Band Highlight:ZED
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Official Site
Contact
ZED:
Shaun Sanders - Vocals
Dwayne Errington - Guitar & Theremin
Ryan Spong - Bass & Mandolin
Graham Goss - Keyboards & Acoustic Guitar
Rob MacEachern - Drums
In my world I have the pleasure twofold in seeing bands play when I go out on an Allstage Crawl.
One, I have the chance to see and hear some great cover or indie music and secondly in 95% of the cases – the band consists of friends of mine so I have the opportunity to take delight in their talent and skill set onstage.
ZED fulfills both of those mandates for me in spades.
Like a lot of people my age, I grew up with Led Zeppelin from day one so I was fortunate to witness history. Never did I imagine the magnitude the band would impact on many of our lives.
The last few years Tribute bands have become all the rage again with many excellent bands reflecting big name artists with uncanny ability and accuracy to detail. If you are going to tackle a tribute band you had better nail it on every level from the music, to the clothes to the stage presence and legendary individual personal attributes the artist(s) were known for. Seeing a Joe Cocker tribute without the fabled hand gestures would just take away from the realism of the show to me.
This brings me to my dear friends in ZED.
This band NAILS IT on every level!!
I remember seeing them the first time and strangely the first thing that jumped out at me was the turquoise bracelet on Shawn Saunders wrist. Now Shawn has the Robert Plant thing down to a tee with the moves, the flowing long blond hair, and the stance, yet most importantly - the voice.
My dear friend has an amazing voice for rock but for Zeppelin, well it’s a perfect fit as this man has pipes – yet it was that bracelet that stuck out to me.
There is many pictures of Plant wearing this type/color of bracelet and the fact that he later told me it took him a year to track one down, highlighted his dedication to replicating a Zeppelin show as close as could – that is detail !!
Dwayne Errington took the same route putting the infamous “Zoso” insignia from the Zep Four LP on the grill cloth of his Marshall amp. In addition, Dwayne wears black pants reminiscent of the pants that Page wore onstage for their shows with the intricate stitching on them – again, it all adds up to an authentic replication of the Zeppelin aura.
Then if there is any doubt about the guitar work of walking down the path of Jimmy Page – well Dwayne has that covered too. His guitar playing is amazing for a fan or musician to watch or hear; he is in complete control all the time and is faithful to the original leads/chords of Jimmy Page.
In keeping with the live show Zeppelin was noted for, Dwayne brings three famous features to the stage – a double necked guitar, the violin bow and a Theremin.
Now any loyal Zep fan knows the bow solo on Dazed and Confused and Dwayne has that down pat – if you aren’t sure what a Theremin is or does – well I guess you will have to go to a ZED show to witness and believe me, it’s a cool little gizmo which Dwayne also has down pat.
Ryan Spong is an incredibly gifted bass guitarist and one of the most sought after “hired guns” in town – down to earth, easy to work with and a killer bass player for any genre he is hired for. In ZED he I am sure gets to live out his “rock star” life playing the incredible bass patterns of John Paul Jones – and he does it very, very well.
My dear pal Rob MacEachern is the foundation of the band on drums, and his skill and unique almost remarkable attention to his craft makes him worthy of replicating the late John Bonham. Robbie is a hitter and as such with his excellent foot work on the BD pedals, he is the pounding thunder that drives the band from behind. To those of us that play drums we have learnt that while Bonham material sounds cool and fun to play – it is NOT easy to learn and execute, Robbie has that taken care of. Between his goofy non-stop grin due to the true love of what he does for a living, to the illuminated drum kit to the complex fills and grooves required to learn to give the show justice – Bonzo would be smiling in approval.
Sadly, as of this writing, I do not personally know Graham Goss the Keyboardist & Acoustic Guitar player – but I did see him live with the band at Grand Palooza 9. The band speaks very highly of him and seeing him perform live with ZED he certainly has the skill to play in the band without a doubt.
I know he is highly respected around town so that speaks volumes about him as not only a musician but as a person.
To sum it up, if you want your Zeppelin fix by a band that will sound pretty much identical to the real thing complete with the visual aspect – ZED is the one to go check out live, believe me, you will have a helluva time and be glad you did.
One word of caution though – if they are playing at a venue where you pay at the door, get there real early. I’ve seen this band sell out The Eastside Bar by 10:15pm for a 10:00pm show and people were lined up down the street waiting to get in.
London Free Press Nov/2015
London Free Press June/2016
My Kawartha June/2017
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