As a Led Zeppelin tribute, No Quarter makes sense
There’s an inherent dilemma to reviewing tribute bands — namely, if a group so embodies the performance and spirit of its illustrious predecessor, even down to the minutest trivia and details — well then, in the end, which band are you actually critiquing?
Such was the case over the weekend with the Led Zeppelin Experience featuring No Quarter show at the Depot in Salt Lake City. The three-hour performance on Friday was so authentic, as to the legendary early live shows of Led Zeppelin, that the few places where it tended to bog down a tad could mostly be traced to the groundbreaking stage excesses pioneered by the mighty British band itself.
Led Zeppelin, for example, was famous for taking three- and four-minute songs off its albums and turning them into 10- to 15-minute extended jam sessions in concert. When Zeppelin originally did this in the early 1970s, though, it was fresh and invigorating with a kind of “Yes-we-dare-go-there” brashness. Going there now, some 40 years later, breeds more of a been-there, done-that vibe
No Quarter dutifully recreated these moments of excess, most notably in “Dazed and Confused,” which featured a five-minute long bow guitar solo (playing guitar with a cello bow), and a seven-minute drum solo in “Moby Dick.”
Now it should be pointed out that these extended sections were performed with enthusiasm to a near-flawless perfection by the members of No Quarter. But when the set’s momentum seemed to wane ever so slightly by the sheer length of these solo indulgences — who takes the hit, Led Zeppelin or No Quarter? Therein lies the dilemma.
Fortunately, it’s a small conundrum because the overall “Experience” is a must-see for not only diehard Zeppelin fans who grew up during that period, but also for those who missed out on viewing the excess of a live Led Zeppelin show when the band was rewriting the book on what could and couldn’t be done in a concert setting. No Quarter faithfully re-creates what that experience must have been like.
In attending several tribute-style shows, I’ve discovered that there comes a moment for audience members where they must either suspend disbelief and surrender themselves over to the performance or never quite achieve the full spirit of the experience. Evaluating the first several songs, it’s nearly impossible not to notice the differences between the tributes and their idols — much the same phenomenon, really, as in the movies watching, say, Frank Langella portray Richard Nixon or Michelle Williams embody Marilyn Monroe. If the performance is good enough, after a while the quirks and subtleties become inconsequential and the roles totally accepted.
No Quarter reached that moment of acceptance, for me, six songs in, during its rendition, ironically, of its namesake tune, “No Quarter.” That song is perhaps my favorite Zep tune and it sounded beautifully haunting — just like on the record — and even featured a six-minute middle breakdown highlighted by a keyboard solo that gradually brought the other band members back one by one, just like I’d envision Led Zeppelin doing in its heyday.
One cool advantage tribute bands have over their original counterparts is in the freedom of setlist construction. Whereas the originals may be limited to an extent by time constraints and the expectation of sticking to the hits, the tribute players are under no such obligation. That puts fan favorites and deep album cuts squarely into the rotation. It was great hearing songs like “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” “When the Levee Breaks,” “Heartbreaker” and “Livin’ Lovin’ Maid” alongside more recognized numbers like “Rock and Roll,” “Kashmir,” “Whole Lotta Love” and, yes, “Stairway to Heaven.”
Another cool segment was a 25-minute, four-song acoustic set an hour into the show which adeptly changed the pace. The acoustic highlights included “That’s the Way,” “Going to California” and “Bron-y-Aur Stomp.” The slowed-down casualness helped drive home the point that Zeppelin was much more than just a power-based blues rock band. It also allowed some audience clown to yell out an obligatory parody request for Lynryd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”
“There’s one in every show,” said singer Lonny Rice, playing the Robert Plant role, with a laugh. “We’re not going to play ‘Free Bird’ tonight. But thank you for mentioning it.”
As Plant, Rice, of course, was a major focal point of the show. He had the nuances down perfectly, from Plant’s mostly unbuttoned shirt to how he holds the microphone, along with arm and hand gestures and even the “Does anybody remember laughter” reference in “Stairway to Heaven.”
Bryan Christiansen was incredible as guitar god Jimmy Page. Not only was his playing spot on, most importantly, but his hand thrusts, head bobs, outfits and stage presence was extremely Page-esque. He even coaxed some wild effects from a theremin during “No Quarter” and “Whole Lotta Love.” (Speaking of which, would the famous “Saturday Night Live” skit with Christopher Walken and Will Ferrell have been even funnier if he demanded “More theremin” rather than “More cowbell”? Discuss among yourselves.)
Chad McMurray handled the role of John Paul Jones with authentically understated aplomb, whether on bass, keyboards, mandolin or other instruments.
While No Quarter is a Seattle-based touring band, it does have a Utah connection in the form of drummer Nathan Carroll, a Pleasant Grove native. No Led Zep tribute could succeed without a dynamic portrayal of the late John Bonham. So irreplaceable was Bonham to the Led Zeppelin sound, in fact, that the group disbanded following his death in 1980 rather than contemplate carrying on without him. Carroll certainly keeps the spirit and beat of Bonham alive in the No Quarter performance.
Rice mentioned that it had been three years since No Quarter last visited Utah, but promised the packed venue a return visit in the not-too-distant future, complete with lasers and other effects. He also promised a rendition of “Tangerine” — which would probably be worth the price of admission itself.
“We’re not going to half-ass anything,” Rice said after a fan yelled out that request. “If we can’t play it perfectly, we’re not going to play it. And that’s one we need to work on.”
His statement rung true on that night — what the band did play, it played perfectly. So if you’re looking for a group that re-creates Led Zeppelin in most of its glory — and all of its excess — then No Quarter makes plenty of sense.