Tuesday, December 4, 2012

On Performing to a Dull Audience

Watching a video from 1969 of Led Zeppelin playing before a non-appreciative, stone-faced French audience reveals much about the band's stagecraft.

Footage begins behind the curtain as the band is told to start, seemingly nonchalant about the whole thing.  They seem very experienced by this time: going out before an audience of about 200 people and a television crew is not a big deal. Noticed the John Paul Jones is late coming out, maybe familiarity is starting to become contempt?

Then they just start playing as polite applause can be heard. And one thing really stands out - no matter what the audience, Robert Plant has to work himself into a frenzy to be able to sing the way he does. Jimmy Page can't just stand still and play the rhythm and lead. John Bonham must twirl the sticks over his head. John Paul Jones is the only one who can stand off in the corner and do his thing regardless.

So, maybe this is a lesson about an essential aspect of what defines Rock and Roll music: it must be performed with an uncompromising approach to be done at all. In Led Zeppelin's case it is the frenzy of Plant and Page combined with loudness. In another context it is the detached cool of Lou Reed. In any case it is a real challenge for a cover band. Especially when playing to a polite audience in the age of Youtube.





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