by Michaela O’Donnell ’13

If you are someone who appreciates an array of music genres, lively venues and a memorable concert experience, then the Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring is the place to be. I didn’t know what to expect when walking into the building that held up to 2,000 die-hard Led Zeppelin fans. What I found at “The Led Zeppelin Experience” was a surreal look at the sentimental meaning that music has for people of all ages.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the death of the drummer, John Bonham. His son, Jason Bonham, put together a presentation of home videos that consisted of him dancing while his father drummed to be viewed in between songs and while they played. Standing at the rail in front of the stage, I looked all around me at the father and son bonding over their mutual love of Led Zeppelin to the balcony where an old couple smiled and swayed to “Stairway to Heaven,” an emotional song for the entire audience. It was humbling to close my eyes and hear the same music that these people grew up with. It made me feel unworthy of being so close to the band and knowing only a few songs.

The highlight of the night was Jason confessing how he never got to drum with his dad, only to then pull up a video of John drumming from his time in Led Zeppelin and finally playing with his dad by playing with the video. If all performances at the Fillmore gave me that memory that will last my lifetime, then I encourage everyone to look into the upcoming shows to have a similar experience.