Blueberry Hill Review John Ruchti

Dread Zeppelin
Blueberry Hill
St Louis, Mo
May 16, 2008

The show began with the band confidently walking on stage and taking their places…the anticipation slowly rising until there at last was the person we had all come to see…Charlie Haj! Go Charlie Go!
Seriously though, the band looked relaxed, confident, and glad to be back on the road. I almost didn’t recognize Butt Boy…this was the first time I’d ever seen him with that many clothes on! Tort-Elvis was so SKINNY (even though he annonced he had gained 5 pounds), I almost missed him entirely! I was actually wondering if his new physique might keep him from having that deep rich voice. He soon put that fear to rest. From the minute the music started on Good Times Bad Times, I knew we were all in for an exceptional show and little did I realize how
fan-dang-tastic it was going to be. The time signatures and switch from rock to reggae were so seamless, they made it seem effortless, it was as if they themselves were the embodiment of the genres of music they were emulating. I suddenly felt transported back to another time and place. I felt the smile begin to creep across my face as they flowed into Kashmir, Viva Las Vegas (caught myself singing along…to the dismay of those around me) and then into Immigrant Song. WOW! Tort-Elvis was in fine voice and the band was tight! By this time I was in full euphoric flight on the music. I was totally lost.
It was about this time I remember Tort giving a shout out to somebody in Southaven…wow that’s where I live…did he just say my name? Snap back to reality…It only took a moment for the music to take me back to a state of absolute bliss. Excellent versions of Thank You, Hey Hey What Can I Do and then a blistering Heartbreaker right into Suspicious Minds. While I had heard this song done before, I had forgotten it morphed into Hey Jude… and surprisingly to me,
We are the World???say what? By this time my jaw was about on the floor. Darn these guys are GREAT! Next came Whole Lotta Love. During the guitar solo B-Boy was channeling Jimmy Page. Absolutely amazing! They closed out the set with an excellent Stairway to Heaven. After a quick break, they came back for 4 encore songs. Big Ole Gold Belt, Black Dog (to which Tort Elvis announced that this was Mr. Plant’s least favorite song…) Moby Dick (beat them mothers Tort) and ending the night with My Way….
After the show the band stuck around signing shirts, CD’s, posters, posing for pictures and talking with the fans….All I can say is “Wow”…......

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Peace ya'll ! Betsy