Get the Led Out brings 'whole lotta' Led Zeppelin to Greensburg

“The Song Remains the Same” is a 1976 concert film documenting Led Zeppelin’s 1973 three-night stand at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

You could say it’s also the motto of Philadelphia-based tribute band, Get the Led Out, which plays note-for-note versions of the classic British rock band’s recordings.

Long a local audience favorite, GTLO returns Jan. 14-15 for its annual two-night stand at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg.

“We booked them at The Palace for the first time in November 2010 and sold about 900 tickets. The audience went crazy and begged us to bring them back,” said Teresa Baughman, director of operations and programming, in a 2020 interview with the Tribune-Review.

It was 2013 before the band could return. In 2014, it started selling out the 1,369-seat facility, leading to subsequent double dates.

“Typically, we sell out The Palace, and it looks like we’re headed that way again,” said GTLO co-founder and guitarist/mandolin player Paul Hammond.

GTLO strikes a chord with listeners not just for its faithful renderings of the songs, he said, but also because the band digs deep into Led Zeppelin’s extensive catalog.

Along with the hits, he said, “We play the deep tracks that you seldom ever hear on the radio or in concert. The real die-hard fans get to hear all their favorites, too.”

At The Palace, the set list will vary each night.

“We’ll do seven to 10 different songs and the order changes, so you could see the show multiple times, and it’s always a different show,” Hammond said. “Led Zeppelin’s music is very varied, so there’s something for everyone.”

Still fresh

The music holds up more than 50 years since the release of the first Led Zeppelin album, Hammond said.

“(GTLO co-founder and lead singer Paul Sinclair) says they’re the classical composers of rock,” he said.

“I believe 100 years from now they will be looked at as the Bach or Beethoven of our time,” Sinclair said in a 2015 interview quoted on the GTLO website.

“The music back then was more individual, more creative, more real. It’s not disposable,” Hammond said — qualities that also keep it fresh for GTLO.

“The catalog is so extensive and the songs are so complex that even the easiest Led Zeppelin songs aren’t easy to play,” Hammond said. “Technique-wise, it’s a challenge, so you always have to be on top of your game — especially since the set list changes and you haven’t played a song in three months.”

Hammond cites “Black Dog” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You” as two of his favorite Zeppelin songs.

“Believe it or not, I still love ‘Stairway to Heaven’ too, even though I’ve probably played it a thousand times,” he said. “It’s just a great song. It’s been big for so long for a reason.”

Though Led Zeppelin had four core members, it takes a slightly larger group to replicate the studio sound on stage. Joining Hammond and Sinclair in Greensburg will be drummer Adam Ferraioli, guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Marchiano, bassist Phil D’Agostino, guitarist Tommy Zamp and keyboard player Eddie Kurek.

GTLO has been busy since live shows ramped up again in mid-202o, Hammond said, playing dates from California to Maine.

“Since June, we’ve done 70 shows, so we’re back to normal,” he said. “Typically, we play 120 or 130 shows a year, so it’s more than normal — a lot of them have been makeup shows.

“Hopefully, we’ll be back at The Palace next year too, doing the same thing.”

Both Greensburg shows will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $28-$4o, available by calling 724-836-8000 or online at thepalacetheatre.org.