Conrad Buedel / Tahoe Onstage
The Crown Room at Crystal Bay Casino has been polished to perfection, with the gem reset just in time for a stunning performance by Zepparella on Saturday night.
General Manager Bill Wood was ecstatic to report that the fire department issued the occupancy certificate for 800 at the same time the all-female Led 
Zeppelin tribute band took the stage.
“It was a lot of work but very satisfying to get the increase in occupancy,” Wood said.
The main goals for the changes at the Crown Room were to improve the sound system and increase the occupancy. Previously, three booths along the north wall were removed, along with the booths in the back of the room behind the bar.
The sound board was relocated to that area in the back. The entire sound system was replaced and additional speakers were added on the cross beams in the middle of the room to improve the sound for the back portion of the venue. Aisles were created on both sides of the room to provide easy access to the stage area for sound engineers, security and photographers.
Zepparella thrilled the crowd in the remodeled room with an inspiring performance. The group is a regular hit in Northern Nevada and currently is on its Trouble Free Transmission Tour. The hair colors have changed, but Zeparella’s music is spine tingling. The fans sang along to every song sung out by Noelle Doughty. Musically, the songs were so close to the originals that it gave you chills.
Gretchen Menn fired off the classic guitar riffs of Jimmy Page, even using the bow. She did everything but pull out the double neck. Angeline Saris laid down the steady bass ala John Paul Jones. Clementine was a whirling dervish on drums as she has devoted her life to playing John Bonham’s music perfectly. Anna Kristina was precise singing the vocals of Robert Plant and her harp playing was fantastic. The crowd was dancing and going wild for the entire two-hour set.
The Crown Room shined on a night to celebrate its reopening.
Next up, Eric Johnson will perform a solo show before a seated, general admission audience. There were 55 unsold tickets LINK as of Tuesday morning. Johnson is a guitar virtuoso who also will perform on the piano. This tour celebrates his third studio album, “Ah Via Musicom,” released in 1990. The album included the song “Cliffs of Dover, which garnered a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Rock Performance.
For this tour, Fender has released an EJ Thinline F-Hole Signature Stratocaster.
The New Age Music Guide wrote: “Eric Johnson plays guitar the way Michelangelo painted ceilings: with a colorful vibrancy that’s more real than life.”
Another big Crown Room show was announced this week: the David Bromberg Quintet on Saturday, Oct. 6. Tickets go on sale Friday, July 13.
Other upcoming shows include Doyle Bramhall II on July 29; The Floozies and Big Sam’s Funky Nation on Aug. 10; Tribal Seeds and Passafire on Aug. 11; Nahko and Medicine for The People on Aug. 22; The BoDeans on Sept. 2; Galactic on Sept. 13; Todd Snider on Sept. 14; Dean Ween Group on Sept. 15; Lettuce on Sept. 21; and Greensky Bluegrass and Lil Smokies on Nov. 7.
–Conrad Buedel
Photo provided by the Crystal Bay Casino
