Anyone ever go to a Zepfest?

[Wolfman]

http://www.zepfest2011.com/

Sounds interesting. Anyone ever go and could you share your experience there?

[SteveAJones]

http://www.zepfest2011.com/

Sounds interesting. Anyone ever go and could you share your experience there?

I attended the Zepfest held in Cleveland on July 3rd 1998. In one afternoon I was able to meet author Robert Godwin, fanzine publishers Hugh Jones and Mark McFall, numerous merchants such as Dardo Simone and of course the incomparable Rick Barrett, among others. I acquired several boxes of Zep memorabilia that day.

If that wasn't enough, the event package I had included tickets to see Zep tribute artist Michael White perform at the Odeon, a chartered bus trip to see Page/Plant perform at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh and excellent seats for their Gund Arena concert in Cleveland. I distinctly recall discussing Zeppelin with two Canadiens at the front of the bus all the way to Pittsburgh. If they're reading this thanks again for those ice cold Molson Canadien beers. So after spending the next day at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I took in the Cleveland concert after spending a day at Zepfest. All told I attended six Page/Plant concerts in the nine days leading up to, during and after Zepfest. You could say I was having the time of my life.

The 2011 event announced for Washington won't be called Zepfest anymore as that name is trademarked by organizer Grant Burgess, who as I understand it is not involved in the planning/coordination and as such raised an objection to their use of the Zepfest name. Hopefully it will be every bit as memorable as the Zepfests that were held in the past. I wish them well.

(Edited to correct typos.)

Edited September 29, 2010 by SteveAJones

[slave to zep]

I attended the Zepfest held in Cleveland on July 2nd 1998. In one afternoon I was able to meet author Robert Godwin, fanzine publishers Hugh Jones and Mark McFall, numerous merchants such as Dardo Simone and of course the incomparable Rick Barrett, among others. I acquired several boxes of Zep memorabilia that day.

If that wasn't enough, the event package I had included tickets to see Zep tribute artist Michael White perform at the Odeon, a chartered bus trip to see Page/Plant perform at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh and excellent seats for their Gund Arena concert in Cleveland. I distinctly recall discussing Zeppelin with two Canadiens at the front of the bus all the way to Pittsburgh. If they're reading this thanks again for those ice cold Molson Canadien beers. I took in the Cleveland concert after spending the day at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, and all told attended six Page/Plant concerts in the nine days leading up to and after Zepfest. You could say I was having the time of my life.

The 2011 event announced for Washington won't be called Zepfest anymore as that name is trademarked by organizer Grant Burgess, who as I understand it is not involved in the planning/coordination and as such raised an objection to their use of the Zepfest name. Hopefully it will be every bit as memorable as the Zepfests that were held in the past. I wish them well.

wow, you lucky buggar! sounds like a truly memorable time.

[lzzoso]

I attended the Zepfest held in Cleveland on July 3rd 1998. In one afternoon I was able to meet author Robert Godwin, fanzine publishers Hugh Jones and Mark McFall, numerous merchants such as Dardo Simone and of course the incomparable Rick Barrett, among others. I acquired several boxes of Zep memorabilia that day.

If that wasn't enough, the event package I had included tickets to see Zep tribute artist Michael White perform at the Odeon, a chartered bus trip to see Page/Plant perform at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh and excellent seats for their Gund Arena concert in Cleveland. I distinctly recall discussing Zeppelin with two Canadiens at the front of the bus all the way to Pittsburgh. If they're reading this thanks again for those ice cold Molson Canadien beers. So after spending the next day at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I took in the Cleveland concert after spending a day at Zepfest. All told I attended six Page/Plant concerts in the nine days leading up to, during and after Zepfest. You could say I was having the time of my life.

The 2011 event announced for Washington won't be called Zepfest anymore as that name is trademarked by organizer Grant Burgess, who as I understand it is not involved in the planning/coordination and as such raised an objection to their use of the Zepfest name. Hopefully it will be every bit as memorable as the Zepfests that were held in the past. I wish them well.

(Edited to correct typos.)

I went to the Zepfest in Cleveland, Ohio in the summer of 2000(?). (I think it was in the year 2000). Some of my memory for detail for the Zepfest is still pretty good, however, my memory for the exact dates are not. My friend, Todd Blaylock an I flew from St. Louis to Cleveland for the event. Of course we were both thrilled and excited to be attending this event. Again, some details are hazy but I do know that we stayed at pretty High class hotel (Ritz-Carlton?) smack in the middle of downtown Cleveland.

Of course we met dozens, if not hundreds of the attendees. I also met the organizer, Grant Burgess along with Rick Barrett, Hugh Jones, and Dardo Simone. I am sure that Robert Godwin was also there. I did not have internet access in 2000 so I knew these people only by name from my ZOSO magazines that I had had a subscription to from previous years.

Some of us went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the second day or so. I do remember going up to an exhibit of one of Jimmy Pages stage costumes that was hanging on some form about a foot from the ropes and reaching over and touching the suit with my fingers for a few seconds thinking how great it was to actually touch something that Jimmy Page actually wore on stage during a Led Zeppelin concert (crazy? maybe) and just as quickly some usher or whatever came over and told me that I could not reach over and touch anything that was that beyond the ropes. By that time I did not care, I did what I wanted to do and knew that it was strictly forbidden.

I remember alot of the attendess and myself and my friend Todd had tickets to the Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes concert in Cleveland that coincided with the end of the Zepfest. I also remember sitting around drinking and talking to some people when the word came around that the show had been cancelled because Jimmy had back problems and would be unable to play that gig (and the rest of the tour it turned out). One of the reasons that I remember people saying that had caused Jimmy's back problems was the Jimmy had hurt his back because he had recently been seen cavorting with a bunch of strippers somewhere earlier on the tour. How true that was at the time and subsequently, I really have no idea. All I know is that it was what was being said at that time.

Anyway, I have more good and funny and hazy and drunken memories of that brief time I spent in Cleveland with hundreds of other Led Zeppelin fans from throughout the United States and many more countries of the world. By the way, Michael White, or during this Zepfest, the White also played in some small venue and I was near the stage and also near the bar during his performance.

[SteveAJones]

I remember alot of the attendess and myself and my friend Todd had tickets to the Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes concert in Cleveland that coincided with the end of the Zepfest. I also remember sitting around drinking and talking to some people when the word came around that the show had been cancelled because Jimmy had back problems and would be unable to play that gig (and the rest of the tour it turned out).

Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes were scheduled to perform at Gund Arena in Cleveland on Oct 1st 2000 but a publicist announced the cancellation of all postponed and remaining tour dates on Sep 8th.

Links to several Zepfest photo galleries can be found here: http://www.oldbuckeye.com/ though quite a few seem to no longer work.

[BlackDog71]

Does anyone know if this would ever come to the Chicago area ever? Is there only one of them, or several?

[Deborah J]

http://www.zepfest2011.com/

Sounds interesting. Anyone ever go and could you share your experience there?

I am planning on attending this. Anyone else going?

[bigzepfan]

I am planning on attending this. Anyone else going?

Most definitely. Looks like we'll finally have a chance to meet up. I was wondering if there

will be a ledzeppelin.com booth. That would be pretty cool.

I've never been to a zepfest before.

I did go to a star trek convention once but i'll never admit it. lol.

Zep cover bands galore. Maybe others selling bootlegs, original albums, special albums, etc.

I'm also hoping that Jason does the jblze there. That would be sweet!

And who knows what other guest appearance possibilities lie ahead.

One thing's for sure, it's gonna be a rockin' weekend!

[DanelectroGod]

Hey Steve, you wouldn't have happened to be at the Hard Rock Cafe on July 3, 1998? It was the grand opening, and Michael Lee and Charlie Jones were there. I watched Michael get interviewed, and it's on the 3rd Eye Video of the Cleveland '98 show.......

[SteveAJones]

Hey Steve, you wouldn't have happened to be at the Hard Rock Cafe on July 3, 1998? It was the grand opening, and Michael Lee and Charlie Jones were there. I watched Michael get interviewed, and it's on the 3rd Eye Video of the Cleveland '98 show.......

Hello. Unfortunately I wasn't at that event as I was over at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. I have the video and it's great to see Michael so happy. Of course I asked the taper who the stunningly beautiful lady was that he zoomed in on. He said she was a "friend" of Michael's.

Edited October 1, 2010 by SteveAJones

[SteveAJones]

Does anyone know if this would ever come to the Chicago area ever? Is there only one of them, or several?

This is a one-off event, as they usually are, and still in the early planning stages so there's no guarentee it will even happen.

Earlier this year Frank Smith & I had discussed organizing simultaneous Led Zeppelin conventions in Chicago, London & Tokyo to be held this past summer. A site was chosen for the Chicago event and there was momentum behind other aspects of our plans but ultimately time ran out. Given what was accomplished I would not be surprised to see something announced for Chicago within the next two years. Holding simultaneous events in London & Tokyo may prove to be just too difficult/cost-prohibitive, though I'm still open to doing so.

[Virginia]

We have a family committment already Friday/Saturday of that weekend, but since it's only 2 hours from here I am planning to drive up for the day on Sunday.

[SteveAJones]

Vox (July 1992) (UK)

Scan courtesy Steve A. Jones Archive

[Virginia]

Any insider info on the day to day schedule?