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Led Zep at the O2


The Admiral
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I recorded this on Sky Arts the other week in glorious HD, and watched it in bits over the weekend. I have the Blu Ray, but haven't watched it since buying it when it first came out, and I had forgotten what a great show it was, particularly as a 'one off' - no pressure then! I also appreciated more on a second viewing how Jason Bonham absolutely played his arse off, and that couldn't have been an easy gig on so many levels : expectation, memories of his dad, and the constant and inevitable comparison.

Interesting article here from Performing Musician : http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/jun09/articles/techthat.htm

You know you are a bit special when your bass tech is Hugh Manson.

Pity they can't persuade Robert Plant to do some more shows :

http://consequenceofsound.net/2014/06/robert-plant-fires-back-at-jimmy-page-over-led-zeppelin-reunion-criticism/

Perhaps time to dig out your copy and have another watch?

Edited by The Admiral
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Can't blame Plant...he has moved on, and carved another career and he probably knows he hasn't the voice for it anymore..
So, all in all, why on earth would he..?

Sometimes, I wish more people would have the same viewpoint and leave things in the past. but agree the fans would want it
but then he would most likely be bombarded with ' not the same' type comments and it is to his credit, IMO..that he just really doesn't
need, or see fit, to do it.

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[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1402352290' post='2472646']
Perhaps time to dig out your copy and have another watch?
[/quote]

Thanks for ahem planting the suggestion, I've now got Celebration Day lined up for a listen today. Hard to believe that the gig will be 7 years old in December - I was there, and have brilliant memories of the day.

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If it had even vaguely stank of 'old blokes trying to recapture former glories' I'd had instantly hated it.

As it happens, i thought it was awesome. Very classy, and rehearsed to do it justice within their current capabilities. And yes, Jason was incredible.

My only disappointment was that the bass is lost in the mix on the Blu-ray, and they didn't do Carouselambra. :)

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I reckon 'Celebration Day' really works as a visual feast. Watched it for the umpteenth time last weekend and was blown away yet again. So many good moments. The thing is, Zep had so many great tunes and that's why they stand out so much imo. However listening to 'Celebration Day' on CD, I find is underwhelming imo. The dropped key changes really sound obvious and the renditions of some of the tracks, just do not compare with the studio versions.
But when one considers that the O2 gig was Zep's their first full performance in nearly 30 years ( No warm up gigs etc.) it stands up really well. They were putting so much on the line and had it gone belly up, they would have been a laughing stock.
I reckon Plant was right to resist a Zep tour. He realises he is not the vocalist he once was and it would be a major struggle to get it right (are you listening Ian Gillan) so better leave things as they are.
Jason done a wonderful job, but understandably he did not nail the groove his Dad had in abundance (No disrespect to Jason here. His Dad was a one off).
A mate of mine reckons " no John Henry Bonham--no Zeppelin", but that's a debate for another day.

Edited by leroydiamond
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[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1402390143' post='2472827']


Thanks for ahem planting the suggestion, I've now got Celebration Day lined up for a listen today. Hard to believe that the gig will be 7 years old in December - I was there, and have brilliant memories of the day.
[/quote]

That's just rubbing it in!

The thing I noticed more than anything was the fun they seemed to be having, which I suspect came from knowing they were well rehearsed and it wasn't a chore, which the first date of a 60 date tour would have been I would imagine. Also, interesting that they also stood so close to each other, with loads of eye contact, unlike a 'stadium' band these days, where they can be 40 yards apart, and if in the round, not even facing one another. Proper old school.

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[quote name='The Admiral' timestamp='1402412860' post='2473200']
That's just rubbing it in!

The thing I noticed more than anything was the fun they seemed to be having, which I suspect came from knowing they were well rehearsed and it wasn't a chore, which the first date of a 60 date tour would have been I would imagine. Also, interesting that they also stood so close to each other, with loads of eye contact, unlike a 'stadium' band these days, where they can be 40 yards apart, and if in the round, not even facing one another. Proper old school.
[/quote]

Hah - great minds think alike: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/186689-led-zeppelin-reunion-concert-movie-premiere/page__view__findpost__p__1840321

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I'm massive fan and love watching the DVD.
However I can't help but feel that the crowd contained many B-list celebs and "cool" people who knew it was THE gig to be at yet couldn't name more than 5 songs at a push.
I couldn't get a ticket for the gig, however I was working on the tour that loaded out of the O2 mere hours, If not minutes before the led Zep gig loaded in.
A lot of the the crew on the led Zep gig are very close friends of mine and we did have a plan for me to stay in the building and grab a pass, but I had to be at manchester's MEN arena at 8am the morning after the Zep O2 gig for the next show of the tour I was working on, something I wasn't 100% confident about happening.
Looking back, I wish I'd taken the risk and stayed, I'd have gotten to Manchester even it meant taking a taxi. It'd have been worth it.
One of life's big regrets! (As flea says, it's better to regret something you did, than something you didn't do).
I have heard their rehearsals from Elstree which is interesting - especially when it all falls apart during Kashmir and you can picture them looking at each other with raised eyebrows saying "where's the 1"?.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1402391498' post='2472841']
My only disappointment was that the bass is lost in the mix on the Blu-ray, and they didn't do Carouselambra. :)
[/quote]

The bass really jumps forward when JPJ switches to the Fender. Funny that. :rolleyes:
Ah, Carouselambra... The ultimate example of a great song ruined by hideous production.

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