Loud, loving and wild are three words that singer Simon Meli uses to describe the Led Zeppelin celebration show, 'Whole Lotta Love', he will once again be a part of.
'Whole Lotta Love' is not your typical tribute performance of Led Zeppelin classics. The show taps into the spirit of classic rock & roll with powerhouse vocal performances that pays homage to one of the most influential bands in music history.
Simon has been a part of the show for several years, his passion for the music clearly evident. “For me, it's the music I know and love the most. It's the way the music is built, Eastern styles meets Western. It's perfect and the ultimate music. When I think of what rock & roll is, this is it, this is the sound that comes to mind.”
Dallas Frasca, Jimmy Cupplea and Tim Meaco share the same passion for Led Zeppelin; they too will be feature artists on the 'Whole Lotta Love' tour. “Tim is new and young with a great energy,” begins Simon. “Dallas and Jimmy are just monster singers, they belt it out and it makes you want to step up which is what the songs deserve.“Each artist brings their own style and interpretation to the music and songs, we have the original wigs and outfits... that individual interpretation is what makes the show a celebration.
"The excitement starts from rehearsals; there is around 20 people there, everyone has done their homework, there is an excitement, blood flow and when you’re side stage, the feeling is 'shit here we go', it's beautiful.”
The show has been masterminded by Joseph Calderazzo, a man that Simon jokingly describes as the “Mad Hatter”. “[Joseph] is mad, but a gentleman. He respects our choices for the music, he really gets the balance right and something magical happens.”
The electricity the music evokes has fuelled Simon's music and his band The Widowbirds. “Led Zeppelin has hugely shaped the sounds of my music. It was the era when rock & roll was not long out of the suitcase of blues. It was unexpected, looking at the unknowns, the early conceptions of the gospel of rock & roll really. That's where I've set-up camp and put the tent pegs down in late '60s rock & roll.”
The intense feelings of playing live, Simon says, is heightened even more when performing Led Zeppelin songs. “The power you feel, playing classic rock live. When you step out on the stage and have a live band behind you with the volume way up, and you feel the wattage hitting your back it’s like the wind in your sails. I'm addicted to that feeling.
“Hitting the stage is awesome, it’s aged and decadent, monstrous, scary there is a few ghosts there; the energy has been stomped into the floor, it's big and exciting and we definitely drum up some of that dust. There is a real atmosphere.”
He describes how the performance is truly soul touching. “I close my eyes and lose myself in the music. Then on the final note I drop to the floor, I’m down on my knees and there is a gap between the music stopping, right before the crowd applause, then BOOM they applause and you catch your breath, it’s amazing.”
‘Whole Lotta Love’ plays the Laycock Street Theatre 20, 26 August and the State Theatre 27 August.
