Rockin' & Rollin'

Would you rather see Robert Plant and Jimmy Page perform Led Zeppelin songs live in their current state, or would you rather watch a cover band dressed up exactly like the original band shred through that very same catalog? It's a tough choice. It's almost like the dilemma whisky customers face when they struggle between buying the original brand name versus something quite similar under an independent label. I went to go see Heartbreaker—a Zeppelin tribute—in Redwood City this past week and rocked out like there was no tomorrow. I kept going back to the bar for plastic cups of Belvedere on the rocks, while my wife danced at the front of the stage. These guys absolutely ripped up the joint. They can really play and the guy who does Robert Plant can wail those high notes like no one else. In my opinion, this whole thematic cover band movement is one of the coolest things ever. I want to hear the songs that I love live in concert, but many of my favorite bands are no longer active or performing. I would highly, highly recommend catching these guys on their next trip through. I would also highly recommend drinking heavily during the show and screaming as much as possible.

When it comes to the real thing, however, David J of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets fame is still doing it well. He invited me to catch his show in San Francisco last night, then stopped by the store this morning to grab a few bottles of whisky. Mr. J loves his sherry-aged Scotch, so I sent him home with the 1988 Blair Athol and the 1990 Bruichladdich from our Signatory labels. I was heading out the door to lunch and he was getting ready to hit the road, so I gave him a ride back to his guesthouse and we chatted in the car about music. David is one of the nicest rockers I've ever met and has kept in touch since our initial D2D interview a while back (but that's because he loves my whisky, not necessarily me!).

I also managed to rock out Lebanese style this past weekend as my local San Mateo restaurant Tannourine was doing a big belly-dancing show. We had reserved our spot a month in advance since we're regulars, so we had primo seats. I brought a few bottles of Château Musar with me to celebrate—the famed Lebanese winery that makes both delicious reds and whites—and ordered up a table's worth of appetizers and grilled meats. The ladies came out one by one and turned the party out, twisting and gyrating their way through the crowd as we drank ourselves silly. 

Music and booze are just a wonderful combo, if you ask me.

-David Driscoll