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Zeppelin tribute act ZoSo at Legends Thursday

by Michael Lee

It was an April morning when they told us we should go to ZoSo at Legends.

ZoSo, The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience, will once again pay homage to the pioneers of heavy metal Thursday evening at 9 p.m.

Matt Jernigan portrays mesmerizing lead singer Robert Plant, Greg Thompson brings down the walls as heart-stopping drummer John Bonham, Adam Sandling brings the funky back beat of bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones to life and Mike Morgan rips across the fret board as the low key, but by no means quiet, guitarist Jimmy Page.

Morgan is the third different guitarist to grace the stage with Zoso.

"What can I say, guitar players are freaks, sometimes in a good way. It's rock and roll," Jernigan said.

A band manager in Los Angeles saw the foursome perform and though they could fit the bill as Zeppelin perfectly.

Since their debut show on New Years Eve in 1995, the band has been touring America extensively, blanketing the states in a heavy cloud of metal.

"We play anywhere from 175 to 200 shows a year. We'll probably do about 185 this year. It's in its eighth year and it's gaining momentum. The crowds are great and the enthusiasm is still there," Jernigan said.

This is the second time ZoSo has performed at Appalachian State University this academic year.

The Appalachian Popular Programming Society (APPS) is the council responsible for booking live music at Legends. Stage Show chair for APPS, Peter Van Schoick, said he is excited.

"They do an excellent job. There are a lot of tribute bands out there and ZoSo is the best of the best as far as Zeppelin goes. We're hoping that people who missed the first show will be able to come out and see it this time," Van Schoick said.

Many students at Appalachian weren't even alive when Led Zeppelin performed their last show in 1980. ZoSo is a chance for everyone to experience the awe and wonder of a live Led Zeppelin show.

"People can expect to relive a great era. We try and represent the music as best we can. We try and mix it up and do more than we did last time. We do so many shows that we try and make sure they're diversified," Jernigan said.

All the hard work is paying off for the foursome, and according to the band, things are going well.

"We're getting into a lot of new rooms this year. So much is coming in and we're trying to break new ground. It's like we're moving at a possum's pace, but you keep doing it because you are doing so good," Jernigan said. "You can't forget about the people who made you. The fans are what makes a band, any band."

The song has definitely remained the same and the music of Led Zeppelin continues to flow through ZoSo into the hearts of Boone fans.

"I think they bring better music to people. They bring better and older music to our generation because today's music sucks," J. Tyler Williams, a sophomore biology major, said.

"By definition a tribute band pays tribute, and few bands have had as much impact on rock as Led Zeppelin. If you are going to see a tribute band, you want to see a tribute to the big ones, Elvis, Zeppelin, maybe The Doors," Dr. Kay E. Taylor, an assistant professor in the department of communications, said.

"It's an honor," Jernigan said when asked about playing in the name of Led Zeppelin. "When you break it all down analytically every night you can see what it all really means. It transcends generations, the spirit of rock and roll and music in general."

The name ZoSo is actually two words joined together to make a single word, meaning the key to the door to the mystery.