Pavement Destroys "Stairway to Heaven" (In the Best Way Possible) as Summer Tour Begins

Pavement kicked off their 2026 summer tour in spectacular fashion, performing a gloriously unhinged cover of Led Zeppelin’s“Stairway to Heaven”at the Mosswood Meltdown pre-party in Oakland on July 17. The indie rock legends, fronted by Stephen Malkmus, took the eight-minute classic and transformed it into something completely their own, with Malkmus improvising lyrics while the band played loose and purposefully imperfect. This wasn’t a tribute to Zeppelin—it was Pavement having the kind of unapologetic fun that defined their approach to music in the 1990s and continues to make them beloved by fans today. The cover marked their first live performance since November 2025 and served as the perfect warm-up for their full US tour, which launches tonight in Portland and continues through late July with stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, Nashville, and beyond.

What makes this moment special is what it represents about Pavement as a band. They’ve never been interested in perfection or reverence for their sources. Instead, they’re about spontaneity, creativity, and the kind of musical risk-taking that keeps rock and roll feeling vital. The“Stairway to Heaven”cover actually originated during rehearsals for their 2022 reunion tour and has become a setlist staple ever since, but each performance brings something new. This is a band that understands that covering a classic means making it yours, not recreating it note-for-note. With their tour launching this weekend and momentum building from their 2022 reunion and the viral TikTok resurgence of their music, Pavement continues to prove that indie rock never really dies—it just gets weirder and more wonderful.

If you’ve been sleeping on Pavement’s reunion momentum, their 2026 tour is the perfect excuse to catch them live. The band brings the same irreverent energy that made them essential listening in the’90s, plus the confidence that comes with decades of influence and two successful reunion tours under their belt. Whether they’re deconstructing Led Zeppelin or playing their classic hits, Pavement reminds us that rock and roll is supposed to be unpredictable, daring, and fun. Have you caught Pavement live during this reunion era, or is this your chance to finally see them?