The gods of rock have answered our prayers. On Thursday, June 16 at 7 p.m. the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) will present The Music of Led Zeppelin featuring our own Sinfonia Gulf Coast, led by guest conductor/arranger Brent Havens, who scored this program to extend the listening experience of these beloved timeless rock tunes.

Performed by Sinfonia Gulf Coast and amplified with a full rock band featuring vocals by Randy Jackson, this MKAF Concert in the Village is sure to have “sheet blast power.”

Not that an evening of jamming to Led Zeppelin music needs any preparation, but … for fun, we have gathered 10 fun facts on the world’s greatest ‘70s rock band.

· In 1968, lead guitarist Jimmy Page initially rounded up Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass/keyboards), and John Bonham (drums) in part to fulfill a contractual obligation to play The Yardbirds tour dates in Scandinavia. Page had also wanted to form a supergroup for years, and he got it with the band that would become Led Zeppelin.

· The name is said to have come from a comment made by Keith Moon of The Who, who supposedly said the band would go down like a lead balloon.

· Their first album, Led Zeppelin, was released on January 12, 1969, and marked the beginning of the band that would come to dominate the 1970s.

· Frau Eva von Zeppelin, a direct descendant of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, demanded the group change their name, and got her wish on February 28, 1970, when the band performed as The Nobs in Copenhagen. Both popular and critical opinion favored the band's preferred name, and they were Led Zeppelin once more for their next show—and every show thereafter.

· Rock god Robert Plant actually aspired to become an accountant. Thankfully, that prayer was not answered.

· On July 26, 1977, Plant’s 5-year-old son, Karac, died from a stomach virus. The Led Zeppelin hit All of My Loveand Plant's solo hit I Believe are dedicated to Karac.

· In 2006, Hit Parader magazine named Robert Plant the "Greatest Metal Vocalist of All Time." In 2009, he was voted "the greatest voice in rock" in a poll conducted by Planet Rock. In 2011, Rolling Stone readers ranked Robert Plant the greatest of all lead singers.

· The band purchased an airplane called, The Starship, for $30,000 for a portion of their 1973 U.S. Tour. It was the first Boeing 720-022 ever built. It included a main cabin with seats and tables, a 30-foot couch, a bar with an electronic organ built into it, a TV set, a video cassette player, a den with a low couch and floor pillows, and a bedroom with a white fur bedspread and a shower room.

· Stairway to Heaven is arguably Led Zeppelin’s biggest hit.

· Both Whole Lotta Love and Stairway to Heaven deserve to be on the list of the best rock songs of all time, but claiming the top spot is surely Kashmir, the epitome of an epic, groundbreaking rock song.

Doors open at 6 p.m. The concert is at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket and chairs and enjoy dinner and drinks from food trucks and/or restaurant catering on site.

Become a MKAF member and enjoy savings on Concerts in the Village and other upcoming MKAF events. Details at MKAF.org.