Concert review: Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening | 05.17.25, The Factory (with photo gallery)

Photo of Jason Bonham by Laura Jerele

Jason Bonham certainly has rhythm and legendary rock royalty in his DNA. But Bonham did more than just channel his legendary father—Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham—Saturday night at The Factory, he paid great honor to him and the music he created in a way that many people simply cannot. On a tour billed to celebrate 50 years of Zeppelin’s 1975 double-LP Physical Graffiti, Bonham and his band began the night with the opening track to this legendary piece of music and slid right into the snarl and volume of “Custard Pie.” It was impressive and it was loud. Bonham plays with great heft and you feel his drumming in a way that is a bit different than most, but even with all his power, he possessed a certain finesse and timekeeping that made it feel flawless. 

Bonham played the album’s second track “The Rover” (my favorite) next, as you would expect, but then, to keep the (seated) audience on their toes, he took a moment after that to thank the crowd for being here on this evening and to buckle up, because the rest of the songs were not going to be played in order. Cue “The Wanton Song” and huge roars from the crowd, and we were off. Vocalist James Dylan channels enough of Robert Plant’s voice, but not too much as to be seen in a kitschy, tribute band kind of way. The same can be said for guitarist Akio “Jimmy” Sakurai, who blazes on some of the most famous guitar riffs ever written. He does it with talent and honor for what he’s playing, while all of that combined shows that he is an amazingly talented player in his own right.

There was a cool acoustic breakdown mid-set which had the whole band seated on the huge drum riser and again, it gave Bonham a chance to be behind the mic to share more with the crowd. He spoke of family and took a video for his grandkid, which brought a very human and humble reality to this show. And with that, my heartstrings were really tugged at thinking about how young he was when his father passed—and how few years they actually had together. The fact that he is so dialed in to his father’s music and way of playing without losing a sense of self and personal identity is truly remarkable. Again, this was his special way of paying homage to the music people love dearly as it’s been the soundtrack to their lives, just as much as it was paying homage to John Bonham’s contribution to it. 

Finally, the entire crowd (yes, even the balcony peeps) was on its feet when “Trampled Under Foot” began and of course, that led perfectly into the album’s pinnacle and crowd favorite, “Kashmir,” that hit like a meteor!  Not leaving the night on just Physical Graffiti, Bonham gave the crowd “Good Times Bad Times,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “Rock and Roll,” and would you believe “Stairway to Heaven”? That song hits kinda different when it’s a son, playing his father’s music so many years after he passed. What a beautiful way to give honor to your pops, Jason. We all felt the love. | Laura Jerele