Pavement performed a wretched cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” on Saturday, July 17th at an Oakland, California festival in what was clearly a bit of fun for the band. The indie rock progenitors engaged in a bit of what English chaps like Zeppelin would call “taking the piss” out of the guitar-god-level slow jam while on their opening date of a short U.S. tour at Mosswood Meltdown. The clunky cover by a group that belies the idea of guitar-shredding rock stardom was also obviously the band having fun at their own expense.
The indie rock band’s rendition showed the band was loose and having fun at the onset of their tour, which next hits St. Paul, Minnesota on July 21st. Fans can look for tickets to any dates on Pavement‘s week-long U.S. tour here.
Tour and Music
Pavement transitions from their late-blooming hit “Harness Your Hopes,” a 1999 song that found unexpected streaming success in 2017 and went viral a couple years later, into a partial take on Led Zeppelin‘s “Stairway to Heaven,” playing on similarities of the intro to their tune to the 1971 composition. Frontman Stephen Malkmus sang mostly nonsense lyrics, at one point rhyming “fandangos” with “I like mangoes” before atonally moaning in a humorous impression of Robert Plant. The guitarists managed some excellent six-string stunts.
The band blasted through a 25-song set at Mosswood Meltdown that kicked off with “Silence Kid” and featured “Cut Your Hair,” “Range Life,” and “Summer Babe” before ending with an encore of “AT&T.”
Recent Releases and Appearances
Pavement released their first new studio recording in 25 years in 2025, a cover of Jim Pepper‘s “Witchitai-To,” which was on the soundtrack for Alex Ross Perry‘s biopic Pavements. The band also made their first late-night TV appearance in 15 years last year.
Pavement 2026 Tour Dates:
07/21 – Saint Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
07/22 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
07/23 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater & Ballroom
07/25 – Richmond, VA @ The National
07/27 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
07/28 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
In conclusion, Pavement‘s recent performance of Led Zeppelin‘s “Stairway to Heaven” showcases the band’s ability to have fun and not take themselves too seriously, while still delivering great music to their fans. With their upcoming tour dates and recent releases, Pavement is definitely a band to keep an eye on in the music scene.
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