Jasper is packed with rodeo-inspired entertainment for the weekend, but for those looking for music with a bit of a harder edge, The Led Zeppelin Show will be playing the Athabasca Hotel on August 20 and 21. 

The show is a recreation of an authentic Zeppelin show circa 1972 complete with lasers and smoke to set the scene back almost 40 years.

“We’re putting on an extremely accurate Led Zeppelin concert in the early 1970’s,” said Daniel James, who plays guitarist Jimmy Page during the show. 

The band has travelled Canada with their show, but this will be their first time in Jasper. Zeppelin fans will be shocked at how closely the band resembles the iconic rock band made up of Robert Plant, Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham. 

The show is set when Led Zeppelin was at its height in 1972. James said one of the challenges was getting the authentic costumes and equipment. Finding the skin-tight bell-bottomed jeans Plant was famous for proved to be difficult.

“Right now we’re doing an early live show,” James said. 

The Led Zeppelin show brings in a range of fans, from younger people who weren’t even born when Led Zeppelin made their name, to those who saw the band play in the ‘70s. 

“We actually get a great mixture,” James said. “Everybody loves Zeppelin, no matter what age you are. There’s Zeppelin fans everywhere.”

James said Zeppelin fans aren’t the only people who enjoy the show; people looking for a night out with loud rock music will too. 

“Whether you’re a big Zeppelin fan or whether you just want to come out and see some good rock,” James said. “We get a tremendous response wherever we go.”

The band has tried to be as accurate as possible to the original band. 

“Our singer Erik (Olufson), he’s a dead-ringer for Robert Plant,” James said. The band also features Tyler Lindgrin as John Paul Jones and Josh Mcdonald as John Bonham. 

The idea to perform as Led Zeppelin came from the member’s time as an original band. They would perform Zeppelin covers at the end of their set, and received positive feedback. They were then approached by a promoter in Vancouver who offered them money to perform an entire show of Zeppelin songs. They realized the opportunity to tour while playing their favourite music, and The Led Zeppelin Show was born. 

“I’m a Zeppelin freak, We’re all Zeppelin fans,” James said. 

Starting the show took a lot of research and effort. Each of the band members had to study not only the songs, but how they were played live. Led Zeppelin often improvised when on stage. Each individual member had a different way of performing, which had to be mastered for an authentic performance. 

“It took a little bit of work,” James said. Now everything down to the strings and amps are correct. “We go all out to make sure it sounds as authentic as possible.”

Jimmy, Robert, John and John will take to the stage at the Athabasca Hotel on August 20 and 21 at 9 p.m.