Perspective: Seeing Robert Plant made me feel closer to my dad

I have known about the May Queen for as long as I can remember. My father described her as a mythical creature, a part of a larger story, a history.

Robert Plant, of the Sensational Space Shifters and formerly Led Zeppelin, uses the goddess of spring as a matriarchal beacon for his music.

Now I must confess, my knowledge on Plant and his music is limited only to what my dad has told me.

My first dip into the world of Led Zeppelin and 1970s rock and roll was when I heard the song “Stairway to Heaven.” The quintessential ballad is a song almost everyone can recall and the last tune that played at every one of my dad’s school dances–which he always found dumb because you cannot dance to it.

Led Zeppelin’s music was the fantastical backdrop to my father’s childhood and early teenage years. When I was a kid, each night before bed I would ask him to tell me a story about when he was growing up. I was enamoured by how different the times seemed.

Memory lane

My grandparents had my aunt at 18 and my dad at 19. They lived in a tiny house in the south end of London, Ont.

I marvelled at the adventures my dad and his friends got up to. Pool jumping from one neighbour’s house to the next, hanging off of buses, and bringing home bats and tarantulas from trips to the southwestern United States, to name a few.

Growing up with young parents had its perks. My grandfather was always ready for the next adventure. There would be times where the two of them would get in the car, listen to eight-tracks, and drive.

Sometimes they would end up at the beach, others in the woods and, on a couple occasions, the southwestern United States. My grandpa told him they were going to the moon. My dad would stare out the window of the car and let his imagination run wild.

Led Zeppelin was a mystery to my father. They were not on the cover of teen beat magazines, nor were they featured in TV interviews. All he knew of them was their sound–and it was epic.

I wanted to know what that felt like. The freedom my father would describe to me before bed, or in passing when he would say “ZoSo, Grace,” a reference to one of the band’s famous symbols.

 It was not always easy relating to my dad. He’s a tradesman who likes to have a beer when he watches the news at the end of the night. He does not want to play barbies or paint nails. Do not get me wrong, there were other activities we bonded over. But I always wanted to have one special thing just between the two of us.

Music was that one thing. I started taking guitar lessons when I was 13. During the first lesson I made it clear to my instructor that I wanted to learn “Stairway to Heaven.” We started learning it not long after.

I never completed the song because, surprise, it was a lot harder to learn than I thought it would be. However, my introduction to music, thanks to my father and Led Zeppelin, led me to join a band. My dad attended every show.

 He bought tickets to Led Zeppelin’s show in Montreal in 1980. When John Bonham died earlier that year, the show was cancelled.

 Years later, along with some friends, he went to see Plant in London. Although he said it was great, he did not think Plant was ready for a solo career yet.

Showtime

When I entered the CityFolk grounds on Sunday night, the smell of pot danced around the middle aged crowd. I did not know what to expect. I wondered if Plant would meet the expectations I had made for him.

I stood at the back of the crowd at first. This was my first time attending a concert alone. 

Plant made his entrance onto the stage, along with his band The Sensational Space Shifters. The crowd immediately began to sing along.

 Shy and cautious, I am not one to overstep. But standing there, knowing this was a once in a lifetime moment, I decided to make the most of it. I weaved my way through the crowds of people all the way to the front of the stage.

 Not one to hog the stage, he stood encouragingly as his bandmates performed their solos. Smiling as he danced goofily to his music, he believed in what was being sung and played.

 Thinking about the videos I watched with my dad, I tried to picture how he would have performed with Led Zeppelin. His movements, although slower now, mirrored those in his earlier days.

 He is free. My dad is free. I am free.

 Despite never seeing his favourite band, my dad firmly stands behind his position that Led Zeppelin is the greatest rock band of all time.

From his office computer, he sits after work, beer by his side, and watches old clips of Led Zeppelin. As he watches his hero sing, he is brought back to his youth. It is simple.

 As I watch him from his office, I too am brought back to the days where I would wait up at night so I could hear a story about my hero.

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Feature Image by Jeff Pelletier.