ChiIL Live Shows: 2014

It was our great pleasure to catch Chicago's own LZ2 again LIVE, down in Cincinnati. There's still time to get your tickets and see them at The House of Blues Chicago for New Years Eve! (21+). Click the link above to lock in your tickets and for full show details.

Here at ChiIL Live Shows, LZ2 is our favorite Zep cover band, hands down. They're incredibly talented musicians in their own right, with their own original material, and when they put on their Led Zeppelin personas, it's truly a time machine experience! While other tribute bands just recreate the studio versions of top hits, LZ2 goes above and beyond to rock live improv versions of the classics and more obscure favorites. Highly recommended.

In concert, LZ2 delivers authentic renditions of classic Zeppelin material, as well as recreating the live improvisation & onstage dynamics that earned Led Zeppelin their legendary status for performing. LZ2 has performed across the US and draw rave reviews for a "spot-on" Zeppelin show, playing both deep cuts and classic tracks from the entire studio, live and bootleg catalog, and occasionally entire Led Zeppelin studio albums and performances from specific dates. LED ZEPPELIN 2 brings forward the Led Zeppelin experience to a new generation while satisfying diehard Zep fans with a raw, fresh approach.

Don't miss Led Zeppelin 2 (featuring Bruce Lamont of Yakuza and Paul Kamp formerly of Busker Soundcheck) and special guests The Steepwater Band

While we were out of town for the holidays we set up press/photo credentials to shoot several excellent bands. The house was packed for LZ2 on 12/26 and we were treated to a high energy show featuring smokin' solos, dual neck guitar, mandolin, theramin, harmonica, tambourine and screaming vocals.

Check out our full set of Pit Photos in the Slide Show here and favorites embedded below.

The Cincinnati show was particularly fun as the audience really took to heart the "all ages welcome" ticket policy and there were numerous kids of literally all ages there with their Zep lovin' parents and older sibs.

This was a first rock concert EVER for Makenzie, age 7 (above). Other rail riders we chatted up while waiting in the photo pit were 9 and 11 years old respectively. The 11 year old was already an experienced concert goer, ready to see LZ2 for the 2nd time!

Want more? Check out the band's main site right here.

"As good a Zep as Zep ever did back in the day."
- Jim DeRogatis of NPR's Sound Opinions

LED ZEPPELIN 2: The Live Experience recreates the sights, sounds, and pure rock & roll euphoria of a prime Led Zeppelin concert. Resplendent in satin and denim, LZ2 delivers the intense, raw energy and dynamics of songs such as Whole Lotta Love, Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir, Dazed and Confused and many more from the entire catalog of Zeppelin studio, live and bootleg recordings.

"These guys sound f'ing exactly like Led Zeppelin!"
- Kirk Hammett of Metallica

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and in the case of Led Zeppelin 2, it's one of the best." - The Chicago Sun-Times

LED ZEPPELIN 2: The Live Experience, from Chicago, IL is comprised of musician/songwriters from the best of Chicago's indie/alternative/metal music scenes. From cutting their individual teeth in the top rock clubs of Chicago, often sharing stages with major international acts, LZ2 promptly gained national attention in 2010 and has sold out major rock music venues across the USA.

"Led Zeppelin 2 is a tribute band devoted to replicating the live shows of the legendary hard-rock dinosaurs...for a generation of fans too young to have ever experienced the genuine article." - The New Yorker

More of our Favorite Show Shots:

Clutch has been a favorite of ours for decades and we've had the pleasure of shooting them a number of times over the years, and catching lead singer, Neil Fallon for a video interview that's up to nearly 17,000 views. Click here & scroll down & here too, to check out more of our past Clutch Photo Features.

We always hit Cincinnati to spend the holidays with family, but this year we were extra stoked that several of our favorite bands were playing back to back while we'd be down! We scored photo credentials/press list for two nights at Bogart's and got our metal on. We'd actually seen Clutch at Bogart's once years ago, and it's a great smallish venue compared to the places we usually see them in Chicago.

Check out our full set of pit photos from Clutch in the slide show and favorites embedded below.

They killed it with a high energy, sold out tour opener that featured loads of old school favorites and some sweet, new material making a first debut on stage!

We were particularly happy to catch Texan Book of the Dead, D.C. Sound Attack!, Profits of Doom, Cypress Grove, The Mob Goes Wild, and A Shogun Named Marcus.

Clutch is currently on tour with support by Torche and Lionize. Lionize’s Jetpack Soundtrack was co-produced by Clutch drummer Jean-Paul Gaster and released on Clutch's own Weathermaker Records label earlier this year.

Tour Dates:

12/27 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s 12/28 Cleveland, OH @ HOB 12/29 Sayreville, NJ @ Starland 12/30 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory 01/03 Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage 01/04 Buena Vista, FL @ HOB 01/06 New Orleans, LA @ HOB 01/07 Houston, TX @ HOB 01/08 Dallas, TX @ HOB 01/09 Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s 01/10 Austin, TX @ Emo’s