A who’s who of drummers converge on West Hollywood’s Key Club next month in a celebration of drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham.
“Bonzo: ‘The Groove Remains The Same’” is scheduled for Sept. 25, the 30th anniversary of the passing of the Led Zeppelin member often acclaimed by musicians and critics alike as one of rock’s best, most passionate drummers.
So far, it’s looking like just about every drummer of note within a day’s drive of the L.A. Basin will be pounding the skins in memory of Bonzo. Jason Bonham, who recently announced his own tribute tour to his father’s band in an outing called “Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience,” is just one of the drummers scheduled to sit in on at least one Zep tune.
Other drummers include Briian Tichy (Whitesnake, Foreigner, Billy Idol), who helped organize the event, plus Steven Adler (Guns N’ Roses, Adler’s Appetite), Vinnie Appice (Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell), Frankie Banali (Quiet Riot), Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Smashing Pumpkins), Fred Coury (Cinderella), Jimmy D’Anda (BulletBoys), James Kottak (Scorpions), Khurt Maier (Salty Dog), Chris Slade (The Firm, AC/DC), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot), Joe Travers (Zappa Plays Zappa, Duran Duran) and Simon Wright (AC/DC, Dio).
Famed drummer Carmine Appice, big brother to Vinnie, will appear via video.
“I remember the day that John Bonham died, it broke my heart,” promoter Joe Sutton said. “Not only to lose a great man and the best drummer in the world, but to lose Led Zeppelin as a band was just devastating to myself and everyone I knew.”
Tickets on sale now. For more information, click here for the Key Club website.