Led Zeppelin Reunion Tour

[Nathan]

It is also, as many of you may be aware, the cover story of last week's Rolling Stone.



Excerpt

[Nicklab]

There's also a troika of articles dedicated to each of the surviving members of Led Zeppelin in the most recent issue of Mojo.  I read some of the John Paul Jones excerpt.  It was interesting to see him totally bash their former tour manager, Richard Cole for his book Stairway To Heaven.

[Reid]

Stairway to Stardom: If Led Zeppelin reunites, will they play the song that almost destroyed them? | Slate

Led Zeppelin, which is reuniting for a one-off charity gig in London on Dec. 10, appears to be positioning itself to make the Biggest News in the History of Rock: a new album and world tour—a prospect described by Billboard's Ray Waddell as "like twenty Super Bowls rolled into one." While there are still many obstacles to a Zeppelin tour, the most vexing may be that Robert Plant will have to overcome his reluctance to sing the song that has done the most damage to the band. Yes, "Stairway to Heaven."

I can't imagine they wouldn't play the song. Also, while we're on the subject, what would be your dream set list for the concert? 15 song limit. Mine is as follows...

01. Black Dog
02. I Can't Quit You Baby
03. No Quarter
04. Kashmir
05. Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp
06. Celebration Day
07. Since I've Been Loving You
08. Communication Breakdown
09. Dazed And Confused
10. Whole Lotta Love
11. The Rain Song
12. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
13. How Many More Times
14. Rock And Roll
15. Stairway To Heaven

If the rumors are true, I can't wait for the tour plus album. Tickets will be a pain to get though.

[Nathan]

I dunno. I'm not ready to fork over $500 for a ticket in the nosebleeds (assuming I could even score one), but at the same time I'd be kicking myself for the rest of my life if I didn't at least make some attempt. I mean the tickets will sell out within seconds of going on sale and people will be scalping the everloving **** out of 'em. And you thought Hannah Montana tickets were rough.

Kind of a no-win for me ... it would be too bad if they don't tour (although I really wouldn't blame them) but at the same time it would suck if they did tour and I couldn't get in.

Either way, I'd dearly love to see Zep go back on tour, own asses, and stomp all over the mummified Rolling Stones and their "Yet Another Year Closer To Death Tour XII" or whatever the **** it is they're on now.

[Sems Fir]

Read the text about half way down. 

http://www.mtv.ca:80/news/article.jhtml?id=5678

Robert
www.behindthetoys.com
LEAD EDITOR
BLACK S. U. N.

[Nathan]

"AHMET ERTEGUN TRIBUTE CONCERT TO COME OUT ON DVD.  Good news for the millions of people who want to go to the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert on Monday, but aren't able to - the event will be recorded for a DVD release.  The show, which pays tribute to the Atlantic Records co-founder, will feature performances from Foreigner, Paul Rodgers, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and, most notably, a reunited Led Zeppelin.  There's no word on when the DVD will hit shelves"

I think we all knew that would happen--it's too historic not to be recorded, and it's too much of a cash cow to not release on DVD--but it's still nice to see confirmation.

[Reid]

Yes! Although I knew it was coming eventually. But I agree, nice to see a confirmation.

[Nicklab]

The Ahmet Ertegun tribute was tonight in London.  Check out THIS PRELIMINARY REVIEW of the gig.


Led Zeppelin reunion: the review

The first opinion from NME.COM's critic at the O2 Arena
1 hour ago

You might think it couldn't possibly live up to expectation but, it transpires, the opposite is in fact true of Led Zeppelin's first public appearance in 19 years.

They seem buoyed by the deafening roars that greet their every twitch tonight - everyone present in the O2 Arena is willing their performance to the realms of greatness. It's almost impossible to be subjective, to not be sucked in.

It takes plant three songs before he offers a cursory "good evening". By the time they've blasted through an incendiary 'Good Times Bad Times', a dramatic 'Ramble On' and the stop start rhythms of Black Dog'. He needn't say anything.

Next They launch into 'Nobody's Fault But Mine' and Zep are smiling at each other, only occupying about six foot of the enormous stage. You wouldn't believe this is a band who haven't played together for so long.

They do No Quarter' and they're locked in as tight as if it were the 1970s. Only the close ups on the screen at the back give away their advanced years.

Launchomh into a version of 'Dazed And Confused' that seems to last forever but every last second is enthralling.

Jimmy Page is lit up by lasers and at the song's climax Robert Plant yells out "Jimmy Page on electric guitar!" in a moment the resonates right back to their first heyday.

'Stairway To Heaven' follows. Ridiculous in many ways yet it is a song that everyone present thought was fated to only be performed by dodgy pub covers bands and not again by its creators.

Jimmy has the double headed guitar, bassist John Paul Jones is sat at a keyboard and Plant - contrary to the pre-gig rumours is singing beautifully.

Playing this well known classic proves a shrewd move as it gently reminds everyone present just which, giant-sized rock band they're dealing with.

The final half an hour is comprised of songs so omnipresent it's hard to make any sort of tangible judgement.

'Kashmir' finishes the main set sounding incredible the band take a bow and they're gone.

Rapturous applause follows as you might expect but its nothing compared to the sheer mania that greets the first encore song 'Whole Lotta Love'. Not many bands have one of those, you see.

The middle section veers into space rock territory any young band would be proud of and when that riff returns its well you know how it goes.

Then Led Zep blast through a second encoure of 'Rock And Roll' - paying tribute to their old mentor and the reason this concert is taking place, Ahmet Ertegun, on the way - and, well again... you know how it goes.

If there were sceptics here tonight - there weren't but just for the sake of argument consider it - Led Zeppelin silenced them and banished any rotten memories of their shambolic Live Aid reunion.

More importantly though, what they have done here tonight is prove they can still perform to the level that originally earned them their legendary reputation.

We can only hope this isn't the last we see of them.
Hamish MacBain, NME Live Editor

Led Zeppelin played:

'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'

[Nathan]

I am incredibly relieved to hear it did not suck. Not that I thought it would, but there was always in the back of my mind, as I'm sure it was in most of yours, a fear that they would turn out to be a sorry shadow of their former selves and we'd end up wishing they'd let the Zep legend lie in peace. Good to hear this was not the case.

I wonder how long til video gets out?

[Nathan]

It looks like "Black Dog" is the only snippet that's been officially released, since it's shown up in multiple YouTube videos of news reports. Here's the best one. Page looks bloody freaky with that Einstein hair, but I gotta say the beard looks awesome on Plant ... he's starting to look kind of like Billy Connolly though.

This is the best of the pirated vids I've seen so far: "Kashmir" ... like they never freakin left. Sound gets a little dodgy toward the end though.

And Snippet of "Good Times Bad Times" ... sound quality crummy but it is what it is.

"Rock and Roll"

"Whole Lotta Love" ... can't hear much from this one though.

And a pretty ****** clip of "Stairway". The recording quality is ass, but I still got chills. I am such a nerd.

Get 'em before they're pulled!

Also, photo gallery from Rolling Stone. Some pics are from rehearsals.

[evenflow]

I was very much let down by the vocals on Black Dog. I am at work and cant check out the other clips but sad so far. 

[Nicklab]

They transposed the keys on the songs down by about one whole tone.  Plant's voice can't hit those same high notes anymore.  That's actually a natural occurrence with voices.  As people age their vocal range tends to diminish.

[evenflow]

They transposed the keys on the songs down by about one whole tone.  Plant's voice can't hit those same high notes anymore.  That's actually a natural occurrence with voices.  As people age their vocal range tends to diminish.

I understand that, its just worse than i was expecting.

[Reid]

Good to hear the show was great, hopefully this bodes well for a '08 tour.

[Sems Fir]

Unfortunately, my pc's audio and video card are shot and I can't view or hear anything.  Oh well, I'm going to be obtaining a copy of the show.  There's so much on the net a quick search will reveal some good material.

Another memorable night for the aging dinosaurs! 

Robert
www.behindthetoys.com
LEAD EDITOR
BLACK S. U. N.