Lez Zeppelin, yes Lez Zeppelin, have been around about six years, played all over the U.S., in the U.K., Japan, India and Canada and are one of the great tribute bands in the history of rock n roll. All four members are female and musically, they're all hot. None of that makes them so different as all-girl bands have been strong for decades and tour far and wide.
What is different about Lez Zeppelin, however, is that the band has a member, the drummer Leesa Harrington-Squyres, who is an ordained minister. As such she can marry people and a perusal of their website August 12, 2011 sees that they intend to take advantage of that by undertaking a rather unique event in rock 'n' roll history.
Harrington-Squyres, and the band, will be presiding over a mass marriage, the wedding of 50 couples all in one night and all getting married to the backdrop of 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Stairway to Heaven'. Research has not turned up another event quite like it.
Lez Zeppelin to Celebrate Same-Sex Marriages
The New York City based-band is doing it in part to celebrate the end of the summer - it's happening at their gig on August 26 at NYC's Irving Plaza - and in part to celebrate the New York state law passed in June that allows gay couples to legally marry. It does not matter, however, if a couple is straight or gay to Lez Zeppelin, they plan 50 marriages of loving couples, period.
“In light of the historic moment here in our very own New York, and as we are in the unique position of actually being able to marry people, we thought it would be a beautiful and magical way to say ‘thank you’ to our fans," Steph Paynes, Lez Zeppelin's lead guitarist and founder, said. Paynes started Lez Zeppelin in 2005.
Lez Zeppelin and Chuck Klosterman
The marriages will take place en masse before the music gets underway. Once couples are hitched the audience will join the newlyweds and guests (each couple can invite six people) and the rock concert will start. Should you and yours want to be one of those 50 couples the whole thing cost $65, that includes the concert and a photo with the band. You can sign up on the Lez Zeppelin website.
The band shot to prominence a few years back when cultural essayist Chuck Klosterman wrote an article in Spin magazine calling Lez Zeppelin “the most powerful all-female band in rock history." They have twice recorded albums but other than Paynes the first album featured different members than are now in the line-up.
The second album was recorded in 2010 with the same line-up the band has now: Paynes, Harrington-Squyres, Megan Thomas on bass and Shannon Conley on vocals. That album was a replica of Led Zeppelin's first album, right down to using the same recording equipment.
From Led Zeppelin to Lez Zeppelin
So while the 67-year old Jimmy Page and his mates from Led Zeppelin are no longer playing their music, Lez Zeppelin is, live and in studio. And, along the way it seems, are bringing Zeppelin fans together. For life.
References Used in this Story:
- Lez Zeppelin website.
- NBC New York; Heavy Metal Wedding for Gay, Straight Couples; Aug. 12, 2011.
- Spin Magazine.
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