Lez Zeppelin Rocks Out at The Kate

The music of Led Zeppelin continues to enthrall, excite and enchant music fans all over the world. There are several fine Zeppelin tribute bands out there, but one of the absolute best is Lez Zeppelin. This dynamic all female group brought their amazing talents to The Kate in Old Saybrook on Sunday, December 28, and they tore the roof off the place, performing the full set list from one of Zeppelin’s celebrated Earls Court concerts from 1975. To call these fabulous musicians a tribute band does them something of a disservice. Lez Zeppelin doesn’t just play the songs of Led Zeppelin, they inhabit them.

The group’s lineup consists of Dana Athens on vocals, Steph Paynes on guitar, mandolin and theremin, Joan Chew on bass, keyboards and mandolin, and Hillary Blaze on drums and percussion. Throughout the almost three-hour show, each of these incredibly talented women had moments of sheer musical brilliance, and their undeniable chemistry and non-stop energy literally lit up the room. The band breathed new life into tunes like “Kashmir,” “Going To California,” and “That’s The Way,” while retaining the essence that made these songs classics in the first place. 

 

photo by John V

 

Dana Athens channeled the soulful qualities of Robert Plant, while bringing a generous helping of rock goddess energy to her performances, and Steph Paynes proved she could hold her own with Jimmy Page with her incredible guitar work. Joan Chew anchored the band with her terrific bass and keyboard playing, and Hillary Blaze electrified the audience with her epic drumming. Every one of the evening’s knockout performances were infused with raw passion, power, and an ethereal quality that deeply enriched the music. Zeppelin's music features a lot of subtle nuances and intricacies that only the best performers can bring out in a live setting. Lez Zeppelin manages to capture the passion and soul inherent in Zeppelin’s oeuvre, while adding a bit of their own compelling spirit to these remarkable songs. 

 

This unforgettable show was a spectacular reminder of the enduring power of Led Zeppelin’s discography, and a showcase for the phenomenal talents of the members of Lez Zeppelin, whose absolute joy at performing these songs was inherent in every note. The band will be touring in 2026 with shows celebrating the music from The Song Remains The Same, Led Zeppelin’s concert film from 1976. If you'd like to hear some high-energy classic rock, performed with a healthy dose of girl power, I highly recommend checking out Lez Zeppelin. For more info on the band, head over to their website at https://lezzeppelin.com/. 

"Jay Kelly" Looks Back at His Life

George Clooney & Adam Sandler in Jay Kelly

Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly is the memory-driven story of the title character, an old school movie actor portrayed by George Clooney. Jay is working on his latest film, but suddenly abandons the project in order to follow his daughter Daisy to Italy, where he plans to spend time with her, and also attend a retrospective event devoted to his film career. While traveling, Jay begins to recall incidents from throughout his life, and examines his relationships with the people around him, including his friend and long-time manager, Ron, played by Adam Sandler.

While the film is centered on Jay Kelly, it's definitely the story of the people in his orbit, who have all been affected by the choices he's made. He often chose his career over his personal life, and those choices have had reprecussions in his professional and personal life. In some ways, the real Jay is a mystery, while his public persona, driven by his natural charm, is perceived by his fans to be his real self. The fateful journey to Italy also prompts those around Jay to share some hard truths with him, as they provide some hard truths, and even resentments regarding what they've sacrificed to work for him. His publicist Liz, portrayed by Laura Dern, quits midway though the trip, after an incident with a friend from the early days of Jay's career comes back to haunt him.

Clooney brings his considerable star power and charisma to the role of Jay, but there's a deliberate mystery about the character. We don't delve too deeply into what drives him until the climax of the film. Some of the strongest moments in the movie belong to the supporting characters, especially Adam Sandler's Roy, whose presence serves as a catalyst to Jay, prompting moments of conflict, confession, humor and finally, love and understanding between the two men. Sandler has never been better, and the rest of the cast, including Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keogh and Stacy Keach, also offer superb performances.

Noah Baumbach's direction is strong, as usual, and the screenplay, which he co-wrote with actress Emily Mortimer, does offer some trenchant observations about movie stars and the cult of celebrity. Jay Kelly is entertaining, well acted and produced, but like its central character, its utlimate truths remain a bit elusive. The film is currently streaming on Netflix. Here's a look at the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8GbcVkqZwQ.

Let Me Drive The Van: Cool Power Punk Vibes

I recently posted about this fantastic record elsewhere, but I wanted to share this info here on my blog as well. If there's a music fan in your life, and you're looking for the perfect holiday gift, or if you're a music buff, and you'd like to listen to some awesome tunes, as well as support a good cause, please check out Decade by Let Me Drive The Van. Decade is an album of fabulous songs and demos from the talented Elaine DiMasi and Tom Spademan, a duo whose power pop meets post-punk sound radiates some very cool vibes. You'll dig great tunes like "Stars Already Gone" and "Little Lanterns," which are just two of the 30 tracks included on this fabulous release.

The album is available from bandcamp, and all proceeds from individual track and album sales will be donated to Open Medicine Foundation, a group which supports ME/CFS Research in their work to find a cure for ME/CFS and Long COVID, which are life-altering illnesses. Check out Let Me Drive The Van and Decade by following this link: https://letmedrivethevan.bandcamp.com/album/let-me-drive-the-van-decade.

Life, Love, Loss and Memorable Mix Tapes

If you've ever made a mix tape for someone you care about, or connected with that person through a shared love of music, then Rob Sheffield's Love Is A Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time will definitely resonate with you. The book tells the story of Sheffield's relationship, with his wife, Renée, how music brought them together, and also how music helped him cope with losing her, after her sudden death from a pulmonary embolism.

Each section of the book is preceded by a list of the songs from a mix tape that was an integral part of their time together. As Sheffield details the story of his and Renée's time as a couple, the music on those tapes becomes a soundtrack to their courtship and marriage, and deeply illustrates the integral part music played in their lives. Reading Love Is A Mix Tape makes you feel like you're having an intimate conversation with Sheffield about life, love, loss, memories, music and of course, creating the perfect mix tape.

The book resonates with me because of my own experiences with my late wife, as music and mix tapes played a large part in our lives as well. I met Gloria when she was the roommate of a colleague of mine. My heart was mending after a bad breakup, and she made me laugh with dead on barbs aimed at my ex, who had unceremoniously dumped me. We also bonded over our musical favorites, including The Beatles and Bruce Springsteen. I later made her a mix tape featuring songs from her George Harrison (her favorite Beatle) and some other music I knew she'd like on the opposite side. That was the first of many mix tapes I made her, and soon after, we started dating. As it did for Rob and Renée, music became an integral part of our life together, and like Rob, I lost my spouse far too soon.

Sheffield writes about how a song on a mix tape can carry a memory, a moment, or define a person, and I know exactly what he means. I can’t hear “Here Comes the Sun” or “Thunder Road” without feeling my wife’s love for, or connection to, those songs. Sheffield's mixes for Renée, like mine for Gloria, were love letters disguised as playlists. Love Is A Mix Tape: Life and Loss, One Song at a Time is a moving, powerful, and emotional memoir, which captures the joys of love, and charts the uneven rhythms of grief. Sheffield deftly moves from humor to heartbreak to nostalgia, because that’s how memory works when you think about someone you love.

A contributing editor at Rolling Stone, Sheffield has written several excellent books, including Dreaming The Beatles: The Love Story of One Band and The Whole World, but I think the powerful, moving, bittersweet, yet ultimately hopeful Love Is A Mix Tape is perhaps his best work. There is a sequel to Love Is A Mix Tape, entitled Turn Around Bright Eyes, about how singing karaoke helped Rob heal again, how he started a new chapter in life, and found new love. I look forward to reading that one soon. But if you want to read a compelling story about how music becomes embedded into our lives, and is deeply woven into the fabric of our relationships, seek out Love Is A Mix Tape.

Early Music From The Iveys on "Anthology 5"

The Iveys were the early incarnation of Badfinger, the supremely talented Welsh rock group that would later score hits with songs like “No Matter What,” “Baby Blue,” and “Day After Day.” The band first got together in Swansea in the early 1960s, and later signed with Apple Records in 1968. The group went on to garner a devoted following as Badfinger, and their music is still celebrated by a legion of fans, despite a history that was plagued with personal tragedies and professional setbacks. Y&T Music, a Miami based record label, has been issuing a terrific series of albums featuring rare demos and live recordings by The Iveys. The latest entry in the series, Anthology Volume 5: Miniskirts and Rainbows, will be released on CD, and also be available on music streaming services, on November 28.

The songs on Miniskirts and Rainbows offer an intriguing look at some early work by the band, providing an inside look at their creative process. The CD features 19 rare demos, originally recorded between 1966 and 1969. Many of these tunes would later find their way onto official releases by both The Iveys and Badfinger. These incredible tracks have been compiled and edited by Badfinger archivist Tom Brennan, and were cleaned up and mastered by another expert on the band, engineer Kevin McElligott.

The track selection on Miniskirts and Rainbows ranges from the Beatlesque “I Love You” to “All The Fun Of The Fair,” a baroque pop infused tune written by the band’s then manager, Bill Collins, and it was actually intended for the band’s fellow Apple artist, Mary Hopkin. There are also demos of “Angelique” and “Yesterday Ain’t Coming Back,” a pair of tunes eventually recorded for The Iveys 1968 debut LP, Maybe Tomorrow. The disc is filled with musical treasures that will delight fans of both The Iveys and Badfinger, including the guitar-based “Bound To Get Lucky Someday” written by bass player Ron Griffiths.

Griffith also shares lead vocals with guitarist and keyboardist Pete Ham on a fantastic early version of “Blodwyn,” a Ham composition later included on the classic Badfinger album No Dice. Other memorable tracks include “Cleopatra In A Miniskirt,” a quirky number that wears its 1960s pop origins on its sleeve, and a full group demo of Ham’s lovely “I Miss You,” one of the disc’s most emotionally resonant tracks. Guitarist Tom Evans, who joined the group in 1967, co-wrote a song with Bill Collins called “Good Boy,” which is another highlight of the collection.

Throughout Miniskirts and Rainbows, you get a real sense of The Iveys’ top notch skills as musicians and songwriters. In fact, the songs on the collection offer a deep dive into the band’s array of musical styles, including pop, rock, power pop and a touch of psychedelia. Their excellent musical chops, marvelous harmonies and playful spirit shines through on every track. This release isn’t just for hardcore fans, though it certainly will delight them. It’s a meaningful trip through British Invasion-era rock, a look at the beginnings of power-pop, and a fascinating journey through the early days of a band that would go on to produce a lot of classic and memorable music as Badfinger. To give you a preview of what you'll find on the album, here's a link to a video for the demo of "Blodwyn." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQcBZG_1w0.

"Legacy of Monsters" Expands The Monsterverse

The "Monsterverse" series, which began with Gareth Edwards' 2014 re-imagining of Godzilla, and has continued on through several sequels, including Kong; Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024),  has re-invented the classic Toho kaiju films for a new generation of fans. These movies have found great success at the box office, but some of them have concentrated more on kaiju battles, rather than developing the backstory of these creatures, or the shadowy organization Monarch, which appears to be studying the monsters. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, an Apple TV series which completed its first season in 2023, seeks to provide an origin story for that mysterious group, while also acting as a sequel to the events depicted in some of the Monsterverse films. 

The series chooses to offer a dual-timeline narrative, and it quickly becomes clear that this entry in the saga will be something different. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters carefully weaves a present day narrative, which in the timeline of the series is the aftermath of 2014's Godzilla, with a story about the formative years of Monarch set in the 1950s. Cutting back and forth between past and present emerges as a smart choice. It's not just a stylistic flourish; it becomes one of the show's strengths. The past informs the present in significant ways, and the monsters themselves become part of the story, as their origins are also explored.

One of the show’s strongest set pieces is the 1950s storyline, which showcases the formation of Monarch. This group of scientists and soldiers led by Lee Shaw, played in the 1950s scenes by Wyatt Russell. The group uncovers the existence of the kaiju, referred to in the series and films as “Titans.” Meanwhile in the present day, Shaw (now played by Kurt Russell, Wyatt's real-life father) works with siblings Cate and Kentaro Randa, who are trying to discover the truth behind their father Hiroshi's disappearance, which appears to be tied to his work for Monarch. The flashbacks aren’t just window-dressing; they enrich the present-day narrative by showing just how Monarch's actions and their moral compromises affects events in the current timeline.

Kurt Russell’s solid portrayal of Lee Shaw in the present day adds a layer of gravitas to the proceedings, and having his son Wyatt play the younger version of Shaw is a nice touch. The Shaw character acts as the show’s human core. Russell's weathered presence illustrates the real-life consequences of Monarch's decisions in the past. Some critics and viewers have noted that the modern timeline (the story with the younger protagonists) lacks the same spark as the 1950s storyline, but the dual timeline adds genuine depth to the MonsterVerse saga. The series lays the groundwork for future Titan stories by showing us how the world came to accept, and fear, the existence of Titans like Godzilla and King Kong. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters  is set to return next year, so we'll see where the next iteration of the Monsterverse saga takes us.

Bring Her Back: Emotionally Devastating Horror

For fans of horror cinema, the past year has delivered quite a smorgasbord of tricks and treats, including Sinners, Weapons, Heart Eyes and The Monkey, as well as sequels like Final Destination: Bloodlines and Black Phone 2. One of the most thought-provoking (and terrifying) genre films of 2025 is Bring Her Back, the sophomore effort from directors Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, whose first effort was 2022's well-received Talk To Me. With Bring Her Back, these talented Australian filmmakers have crafted a horror film that's as much a story about about the pain and heartbreak of mourning as it is about invoking feelings of terror.

At its core, the film uses grief as a kind of emotionally fraught terrain: siblings Andy and Piper have recently lost their father to suicide. They end up in the care of Laura, a foster mother who, we soon learn, is dealing with the loss of her daughter. Laura initially seems welcoming and caring, but her behavior quickly becomes unnerving, erratic, and then absolutely terrifying. Her grief has consumed her, and formed the basis for a murderous plot to bring back her daughter from the dead.

Sally Hawkins’ work as Laura is nothing short of remarkable. Her transformation from a kind and supportive mother figure into a frightening psychopath is absolutely chilling. As the film goes on, the outward seams of her mask begin to crack. Her friendly smile suddenly seems too tight, her supportive actions seem a little too good to be true. The overall effect is that Laura is terrifying not because she is obviously evil from the start, but because her evil seems to be born out of her sorrow her twisted love for her daughter.

What makes the film compelling is how effectively Hawkins carries the emotional weight of the character. She resists turning Laura into a mere monster. Laura remains someone who has loved someone, lost them and who cannot let go. That inability to deal with her grief, turns her both desperate and deadly.  It's a bravura performance from a phenomenally talented actress, and her amazing work is matched by her co-stars Sora Wong as Piper, and Billy Barratt as Andy, and Jonah Wren Phillips as Ollie, another child adopted by Laura, who currently lives with her.

While there's more than a bit of family drama on display here, make no mistake, Bring Her Back is a horror film. Be warned, there's quite a bit of blood and gore on display, but the true horror lies in the corrosive way Laura's grief takes shape: the rituals that inspire her, which are glimpsed on grainy VHS tapes, the recurring image of the rain-soaked backyard pool, and the odd behavior of the mysterious Ollie. The film immerses us in the aftershocks of dealing with a death in the family, both of Andy and Pier's father, and Laura's daughter, and effectively shows us how the characters' lives are not only haunted, but deeply fractured by these losses.

Bring Her Back is a movie that's ultimately about the pain of grief just as much as it's a tale of terror, madness and murder. The film asks what happens after someone suffers a loss, when only the emptiness remains and you're desperate enough to do anything to bring that person back. The answers are far less comforting than one might hope. Bring Her Back is terrifying, heartbreaking, and haunting in equal measure, and if you're a fan of well-crafted horror films, it's worth adding to your watch list. Here's a look at the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I15ttCedfY.