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Pete Paphides at the O2 arena, London
Back in 1976, when Led Zeppelin were part of the musical furniture, Jimmy Page claimed that the minutes before a show were the worst. “I always get very edgy, not knowing what to do with myself.” Lord knows, then, what he must have been feeling as the lights went down to herald a comeback far more hotly anticipated than any show Led Zeppelin played during their 12 years together. If he was nervous though, you couldn’t tell. Silhouetted by lights at the back of the stage, he gazed out behind his shades and casually dropped his hand onto six strings, playing the first chord to bear the Led Zeppelin imprint.
With Good Times, Bad Times came a noise that suggested the rockers were, for a laugh, setting themselves the task of inventing heavy metal all over again. It seemed to catch everyone by surprise, including Robert Plant, who momentarily struggled to assert his vocals.
At a rehearsal a few weeks ago, Plant was heard to complain about the challenges of divining a voice of a 20-year-old from the body of a 60-year-old man. He needn’t have worried. Older equipment may take a while to get going, but once the requisite valves heat up, the quality is unmistakeable. And so it turned out 15 minutes in, when a bracing round of call-and-response oh-yeahs triggered an incendiary Black Dog. Plant’s quick kick to the base of his mike stand sent it flying up into the path of his hand. Page dispensed powerchords like an aged Thor lobbing down thunderbolts for kicks. It had been good before, but something of the devil seemed to get hold of them at this point. Now sans shades, Page launched into a filthy seam of swamp guitar, from which a magnificent In My Time of Dying swelled to epic proportions.
Events that have so much resting on them rarely unfold with such an air of assurance. The three original members of the band and Jason Bonham, the drumming son of John Bonham, seemed relieved to be relinquishing the burden of anticipation. Their heaviosity has always been the cornerstone of their reputation but it was astonishing to see how funky they could be for a rock band. Moving to electric harpsichord, John Paul Jones offered some redress on a pile-drivingly danceable Trampled Underfoot.
Bonham’s volcanic fills on Nobody’s Fault But Mine confirmed that there are some things that can be transmitted only through DNA.
In a set of trusted crowd-pleasers the inclusion of Stairway to Heaven was inevitable, but the song’s ubiquity made it difficult to summon much enthusiasm for it. Perhaps it just comes down to the fact that some tunes have dated better than others — because the moment Page and Bonham locked into Kashmir something transcendent took hold. Over a rhythm that have a way of advancing like Martian tripods, John Paul Jones billowed out chords of portent while Plant’s used his wildcat roar to the best effect of the evening.
An on-stage embrace and sundry bows seemed to hint at the band’s relief. They returned for a cathartic Whole Lotta Love and a sublime Rock’N’Roll. “It’s been a long, lonely time since I last rock’n’rolled” screeched Plant. Well, at least since he has showed this sort of fire-eyed intensity. And so, was it all for a one-off show in memory of their label boss Ahmet Ertegun? Come on. With a synergy like this going on, it would be an act of cosmic perversity to stop now.
Full set list
Good Times Bad Times
Ramble On
Black Dog
In My Time Of Dying
For Your Life
Trampled Under Foot
Nobody's Fault But Mine
No Quarter
Since I've Been Loving You
Dazed and Confused
Stairway To Heaven
The Song Remains The Same
Misty Mountain Hop
Kashmir
Whole Lotta Love
Rock And Roll
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I was at reunion concert...I dont think there is a word to describe the emotion in that arena...people walked out with there mouths hanging open.....priceless......
denise, crystal lake, ill
I was there!
I will remember that night for as long as I live!
Michelle, Lisbon, Portugal
Why they are the greatest.. what they didn't play
Thank you
What is and should never be
Heartbreaker
Immigrant Song
Communication Breakdown
!0 years gone
The Rain Song
Going to California
That's the Way
When The levee Breaks
Bring it on Home
and may more
steve, Fair Oak,
i applied for tickets and did not get any it looks as though half of america got the tickets! ! after seeing people being interviewed after the show, i was well annoyed i do hope they go on a world tour.
jerry craven, basingstoke, hampshire
Now the dust has settled, and I've had a chance to gather my thoughts, I'd just like to add a musing or two .
This was a genuine EVENT, on so many different levels.
For Ahmet Ertegun, who was loved in universal high regard.
For the band too, to heal the rifts and finish the unfinished, especially for Jason and Pat Bonham.
For the Gliteratti, who obviously know a hot ticket when it pops up ( I mean who else could bring along Paris Hilton, Elvis' family, Peter Kay, Martin O'Neill and Dave Grohl among others and leave them ALL roaring for more?)
Mostly for us, though. The Zeppelin Tribes, for whom this was a gathering to end all others. As Robert said in his intro to Kashmir, people had come from 50 different countries to show their devotion and not one, not the guy I met from South Carolina, nor the couple from Santa Monica we qeued with, nor the Dutch guys who asked if we could see past them (tall folk the Dutch) left disppointed.
A privilege.
Much Love.
Gerry T, Prestwick, Scotland
i was there and must say the music was perfect. i so hope they tour for more to enjoy but i would be suprised if they could match what they put out on the stage on monday night. i feel for any true fan that was unable to go.
brian, louisville, ky, usa
The first time I heard Led Zeppelin I was a spotty teenager listening to punk (Clash,Buzzcock etc) and my older brother had a house party. A group of guys were listening to some song on the stereo which to me sounded like a prayer.......Stairway to Heaven. I was hooked and over the years bought everything they ever released. In the 29 years since that night I have seen every band worth seeing.....including seeing Pink Floyd pull down the Wall at Earls Court, AC-DC, Thin Lizzy, Guns n Roses, Rush, Def Lep, you name them....... Nothing however prepared me for this....Nothing!
The word 'gifted' is used too liberally these days, but that's what these guys are....... 'gifted' We will never see their like again...Thanks for a never to be bettered live performance. Mind blowing for us....effortless for them.
Jonny T, Cardiff,
Congratulations on a fantastic, well written review. I have just finised reading Andy Gill's pseudo intelligent, over analytical drivle of a review in the Independent, during which recourse, he took the opportunity to talk a great a laborious lengths about the price of the ticket and the lack of good acoustics at the O2 arena.
Led Zeppelin represents a time when music was music and musicians were musicians and you could not manufacture talent. Judging by this review, they have not lost any of their ability to impart awe and majesty onto any crowd of any sizeat any venue.
it is not about the price of the tickets or the logistics of the location, it is about the music, and having seen Bonham perform previosuly, I can imagine that he was more than an apt replacement for his father.
Here's hoping that this is the first of many more gigs.
Daniel Holden, Leeds, England
what!!?? - no Lemon Song?
rob, alton, usa
Having been there since the beginning, and loving every second of my memories, I'm still in tears about not being there. I will drown my sorrows in live recordings and DVDs but my god! why didn't I get a ticket, Dawkins is right there is no God.
Good luck to the band, and if you tour let me have a ticket.
Lefty, Beccles, England
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