SPECIAL MENTION: LED ZEPPELIN - CELEBRATION DAY
For many
reasons which I won’t bore you with, my own rules don’t allow me to select a
live Album as an album of the year. These are my rules and no-one else’s but I
have to stick to them (principles and all that!). However, I couldn’t write
this feature without devoting some time to this fantastic live performance.
Recorded at the O2 Arena in 2007, Led Zeppelin’s Celebration Day concert was
the reunion gig music lovers all over the world had been praying for and it
didn’t disappoint. This was a one off gig to a packed out Arena with no warm up
shows and a drummer who had never played live with the rest of band before.
Ironically, Jimmy Page has commented in interviews that Jason Bonham (son of
the late, great John Bonham who took the drum stool for this show), knew the
songs better than the rest of the band and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of
Led Zeppelin. The show kicks off with Good Times Bad Times. It clearly a
deliberate choice with the opening lyrics ‘In the days of my youth, I was told
what it means to be a man. Now I’ve reached that age I try to do all those
things the best I can’; Robert Plant openly reflecting on the time that’s
passed since Zeppelins heyday. Whats clear straight from the off is how hard
the band have worked to be ready despite the lack of warm up shows. The rhythm
section of Jones and Bonham is as tight as ever, a massive compliment to Jason
who goes beyond imitation and makes the drum parts his own. All the old
favourites are here although, after the momentous opening, the show does take a
few songs to warm up. However, once Jimmy Page starts to pick out those
delicate opening notes of Stairway To Heaven the crowd are nicely warmed up and
you know that there’s no way this is going down as anything but a triumph.
Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love and Rock & Roll bring the show to a huge finish. I
think what ultimately makes this so special is that it won’t happen again. This
was one of the greatest bands of all time, who shaped and changed the sound of
Rock music, together one last time. Over the space of two hours Led Zeppelin
reminded us just why they are held in such high esteem with some of the
greatest rock music ever written. Celebration Day indeed.
Favourite
Track: Stairway To Heaven
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