By BEN RATLIFF
Published: December 10, 2007
LONDON, Dec. 10 — Some rock bands accelerate their tempos when they play their old songs decades after the fact. Playing fast is a kind of armor: a refutation of the plain fact of aging, all that unregainable enthusiasm and lost muscle mass, and a hard block against an old band’s lessened cultural importance.
But Led Zeppelin slowed its down a little. At the O2 arena here on Monday night, in its first full concert since 1980 — without John Bonham, who died that year, but with Bonham’s son Jason as a natural substitute — the band found much of its old power in tempos that were more graceful than those on the old live recordings. The speed of the songs ran closer to those on the group’s old studio records, or slower yet. “Good Times Bad Times,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” and “Whole Lotta Love” were confident, easy cruises; “Dazed and Confused” was a glorious doom-crawl.
It all goes back to the blues, in which oozing gracefully is a virtue, and from which Led Zeppelin initially got half its ideas. Its singer, Robert Plant, doesn’t want you to forget that fact: he introduced “Trampled Underfoot” by explaining its connection to Robert Johnson’s “Terraplane Blues,” and mentioned Blind Willie Johnson as the inspiration for “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” (Beyond that, the band spent 10 luxuriant minutes each in two other blues songs from its back catalog — “Since I Been Loving You” and “In My Time of Dying”).
Ahmet Ertegun, the dedicatee of the concert, would have been satisfied, sure as he was of the centrality of southern black music to American culture. Ertegun, who died last year, signed Led Zeppelin to Atlantic Records; the show was a one-off benefit for the Ahmet Ertegun Education Fund, which will offer music students scholarships to universities in the United States, England, and Turkey, his homeland.
By the end of Zeppelin’s two-hour-plus show, it was already hard to remember that anyone else had been on the bill. But the band was preceded by Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings—a good-timey rhythm-and-blues show with revolving singers including Paolo Nutini and Albert Lee, as well as a few songs each by Paul Rodgers (of Free and Bad Company) and Foreigner — all of whom had recorded for Atlantic under Ertegun.
There was a kind of loud serenity about Led Zeppelin’s set. It was well-rehearsed, for one thing: planning and rehearsals have been underway since May. The band wore mostly black clothes, instead of its old candy-colored wardrobe. Unlike Mick Jagger, Mr. Plant — the youngest of the original members, at 59 — doesn’t walk and gesture like an excited woman anymore. Some of the top of his voice has gone, but except for one attempted and failed high note in “Stairway to Heaven” (“there walks a la-dy we all know{hellip}”), he found other melodic routes to suit him. He was authoritative; he was dignified.
As for Mr. Page, his guitar solos weren’t as frenetic and articulated as they used to be, but that only drove home the point that they were always secondary to the riffs, which on Monday were enormous, nasty, glorious. (He did produce a violin bow for his solo on “Dazed and Confused,” during that song’s great, spooky middle section.)
John Paul Jones’s bass lines got a little lost in the hall’s acoustics — like all such places, the 22,000-seat O2 Arena is rough on low frequencies — but he was thoroughly in the pocket with Mr. Bonham; when he sat down to play keyboards on “Kashmir” and “No Quarter” and a few others, he simultaneously operated bass pedals with his feet, keeping to that same far-behind-the-beat groove.
And what of Jason Bonham, the big question mark of what has been — there’s no way to prove this scientifically, but let’s just round it off — the most anticipated rock reunion in an era full of them? He is an expert in his father’s beats, an encyclopedia of all their variations on all the existing recordings. And apart from a few small places where he added a few strokes, he stuck to the sound and feel of the original. The smacks of the snare drum didn’t have exactly the same timbre, that barbarous, reverberant sound. But as the show got into its second hour and a few of the sound problems were gradually corrected, you found yourself not worrying about it anymore. It was all working.
Led Zeppelin has semi-reunited a few times in the past, with not much success: short, problematic sets at Live Aid in 1985, and at Atlantic Records’ 40th Anniversary concert in 1988. But this was a reunion that the band had invested in, despite the fact that there are no plans yet for a future tour; among its 16 songs was one the band had never played live before: “For Your Life,” from the album “Presence.”
The excitement in the hall felt extreme, and genuine; the crowd roars between encores were ravenous. At the end of it all, as the three original members took a bow, Mr. Bonham knelt before them and genuflected.
11th December 2007 08:52 AM
Some Guy
not just big, bigger than Van Halen.
11th December 2007 08:59 AM
LadyJane
"Unlike Mick Jagger, Mr. Plant — the youngest of the original members, at 59 — doesn’t walk and gesture like an excited woman anymore."
NO ONE CAN WORK A STAGE LIKE MICK JAGGER!
No comparison.
NONE.
LJ.
11th December 2007 09:21 AM
Mel Belli
Plant sucks.
11th December 2007 09:37 AM
voodoopug
quote:LadyJane wrote:
"Unlike Mick Jagger, Mr. Plant — the youngest of the original members, at 59 — doesn’t walk and gesture like an excited woman anymore."
NO ONE CAN WORK A STAGE LIKE MICK JAGGER!
No comparison.
NONE.
LJ.
Don't even fight it anymore LJ.....this is the crap that is praised by far too many here....my review from watching the clips/news footage:
11th December 2007 09:42 AM
Mel Belli
quote:LadyJane wrote:
"Unlike Mick Jagger, Mr. Plant — the youngest of the original members, at 59 — doesn’t walk and gesture like an excited woman anymore."
NO ONE CAN WORK A STAGE LIKE MICK JAGGER!
No comparison.
NONE.
LJ.
That's critic-speak for "no charisma."
11th December 2007 09:42 AM
gimmekeef
Regardless of my personal views on Zep which are mixed I'm glad they played.Sounds like they nailed it and fans had a blast.Why would I not be happy that their fans could again enjoy the music just as I'm lucky enough to still have the Stones?.Put it in context..imagine if it had been Stones playing after a 30 yr break?...Pretty sure it woulda dwarfed last nights hype...Its music folks..the more the merrier I say...
11th December 2007 09:46 AM
FotiniD
quote:LadyJane wrote:
NO ONE CAN WORK A STAGE LIKE MICK JAGGER!
Of course I agree 100% LJ
But comparisons aside, I think Plant is a real lion on stage, and no video ever does him justice. His stage presence is awe-striking.
11th December 2007 09:46 AM
Nellcote
Naomi Campbell Mugged at Zeppelin Concert
Tuesday , December 11, 2007
By Roger Friedman
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316401,00.html
Would it be an event if Naomi Campbell weren’t somehow at the center of things? While Led Zeppelin reunited in London to memorialize Atlantic Records’ Ahmet Ertegun, the supermodel was in a luxury box at the O2 Arena getting mugged.
As the show ended I ran into her coming out of the VIP exit. She was having a fight with one of the security men. As we passed, she announced to me, "Someone stole my handbag. It had two phones in it!"
It’s unclear whether Campbell reported the crime or how it happened. She made her complaint to security and then exited through the VIP section while thousands upon thousands of music fans swarmed over her.
She was the only celebrity known to have had a problem at a concert that was filled with A-list names. Mick Jagger, for example, attended the show with girlfriend, L'Wren Scott, while his children, Georgia and James, came with their mother, Jerry Hall.
The two groups did not run into each other. Hall and kids were satisfied to sit in very good seats at the side of the stage near Bob Geldof, while Jagger was seated in resort mogul Sol Kerzner’s private box with Mica Ertegun and James Taylor.
Elsewhere in the O2 Arena, lots of other celebrities watched Zeppelin and a stellar roster of musicians put together by producer Harvey Goldsmith pay tribute to the memory of Ahmet Ertegun. They ran the gamut from Rosanna Arquette to guitarist extraordinaire Jeff Beck.
Arquette’s friend Paul McCartney was expected but not seen, although his security man arrived and lingered near Arquette in the VIP café before the show.
Also seen in the café were the entire Presley family — Priscilla, Lisa Marie, Riley and son Ben. The four appeared to have cornered the London market on mascara, and Priscilla now looks like Morticia Adams. Why? Who knows?
Juliette Lewis also was spotted in the O2, as was Nile Rodgers, New York radio personality Carol Miller, Will Arnett of "Saturday Night Live," legendary '60s pop icon Lulu with rock jewelry designer Loree Rodkin, the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl and, ultimately, Foreigner’s Mick Jones, who played one song — "I Want to Know What Love Is" — with a full band and girls’ choir as a tribute to Ertegun.
Jones wasn’t the only Atlantic alumnus on the bill preceding Led Zeppelin. Former Rolling Stone Bill Wyman played at the concert and official after-party with his Rhythm Kings featuring Albert Lee.
At the after-party, Wyman started the show that then featured in succession a group of Atlantic all-star R&B performers whose CDs still sell for the label, some more than current acts. They included Sam Moore, Percy Sledge, Ben E. King and Solomon Burke.
But just to demonstrate how much the new Warner and Atlantic have nothing do with Ertegun’s fabled label, no executives from the current company bothered to come see those performances.
In fact, Warner Music had its own private party in competition with the official after-party and its own artists. These included execs from Rhino Records, which now administers Atlantic’s Ertegun-created catalog that includes Moore, Sledge, King and Burke. Unbelievable, no?
But the after party at Club Indigo on the O2 campus was packed to the rafters while Moore wowed them with "Soul Man," "Money," "I Can’t Turn You Loose," a tribute to Billy Preston on "You Are So Beautiful" and a gorgeous duet with Rodgers on "We Shall Be Free."
Percy Sledge followed with "When a Man Loves a Woman," King offered a tribute to the great Atlantic group the Drifters and Burke brought his famous throne and gospel soul tones.
It was the real Atlantic Records or, as Robert Plant said during the Led Zeppelin show, a tribute to when Atlantic was "the most magnificent record company on the planet."
Of course, a lot has changed in all that time. Plant, for example, only arrived at the O2 Arena less than a half hour before the group went on stage at 9 p.m. Jimmy Page already was in the house before that, fretting about the show and how he would perform.
The corridor in front of the group’s dressing room was the only place "absolutely no one" with backstage passes was allowed to go before the show began. They were obviously nervous.
There was no reason to be. If you were a Led Zeppelin fan when they last performed together 30 years ago, nothing has changed. But to paraphrase the song they chose for a final encore, it’s been a long, lonely time since they rock and rolled. After blowing on stage like a thunderstorm with a trio of hits — "Good Times Bad Times," "Ramble On" and "Black Dog" — the group stumbled.
A strange song selection combined with iffy audio dynamics didn’t help. "In My Time of Dying" and "Your Life" were a little obscure and too long for a crowd packed frighteningly like sardines onto the floor of an arena. To use the vernacular, it was a buzz kill.
The audience — which had gone wild singing the "ah-hah" refrain in Black Dog — drifted. Plant finally really spoke to the audience at that point: "Thank you for the thousands and thousands of emotions we’ve been going through for Ahmet." He added: "And to bring Jason in."
The reference was to Jason Bonham, who joined Plant, Page and John Paul Jones in place of his late father, John, on drums. Bonham the younger is a muscular, hard-hitting and enthusiastic drummer who gave the group a renewed zest for life.
His father would have been proud to see his bald son (funny since the remaining Zeps have heads of hair only Sweeney Todd could love) reinvigorate some of the hoariest music rock 'n' roll has ever seen.
Some things did not work so well. "Stairway to Heaven," the group’s famous seven-minute-plus reverie and radio staple, should have been the finale. Instead, it sort of popped up in the middle of the set and had a pedestrian quality. The sound quality was distorted, and the grander moments of this soap opera were lost. It was a disappointment.
On the other hand, "Kashmir," which has Middle Eastern tones and a shuddering drum line, was remarkable. When Plant twice hit beautiful high shimmering notes, the video operator was wise to show Page smiling from ear to ear. It was as if his partner had just made Olympic history.
"There are people from 50 different countries here," Plant announced before the song began, "and this is one of them."
Maybe because it was a one-off show and the group was nervous, there was little humor. The connection to the audience was more corporate than personal, a stark contrast to the later soul show when Moore, King and Sledge showed where Ertegun’s real heart belonged.
Still, you could see in Led Zeppelin’s dynamic English blues a connection to the world from where Ertegun (and Jerry Wexler) came. And when it was time to sing "Trampled Under Foot," Plant not only cited Robert Johnson but cracked wise.
"We were in a church in Mississippi in 1932," he said, smiling for the first time.
The show was a success, financially and emotionally. There’s no doubt about it either: Seeing how many hundreds of millions The Police have raked in this year, Led Zeppelin no doubt will make one last incredibly lucrative tour.
It may have been a coincidence, but in the audience was Gary Arnold, the senior entertainment officer of Best Buy, the huge American electronics chain. It was Best Buy and Arnold who underwrote the Police tour and saw hugely positive results. My guess is he’s gonna have a whole lotta love for Zeppelin when they’re ready to tour, as well.
11th December 2007 09:46 AM
Mel Belli
quote:gimmekeef wrote:
Regardless of my personal views on Zep which are mixed I'm glad they played.Sounds like they nailed it and fans had a blast.Why would I not be happy that their fans could again enjoy the music just as I'm lucky enough to still have the Stones?.Put it in context..imagine if it had been Stones playing after a 30 yr break?...Pretty sure it woulda dwarfed last nights hype...Its music folks..the more the merrier I say...
I'm with you there. What bugs me is the music establishment's itch to not just enjoy the moment for what it is, but to project it backwards, so to speak. It's the nature of the business, I suppose.
11th December 2007 09:53 AM
voodoopug
quote:Mel Belli wrote:
I'm with you there. What bugs me is the music establishment's itch to not just enjoy the moment for what it is, but to project it backwards, so to speak. It's the nature of the business, I suppose.
The So called experts were going to give this show rave reviews no matter what the performance was like and they all should be taken with a grain of salt.
11th December 2007 09:59 AM
Mel Belli
quote:voodoopug wrote:
The So called experts were going to give this show rave reviews no matter what the performance was like and they all should be taken with a grain of salt.
True. They tend to do that with the Stones, too, though.
11th December 2007 10:00 AM
Ten Thousand Motels
11th December 2007 10:01 AM
voodoopug
quote:Mel Belli wrote:
True. They tend to do that with the Stones, too, though.
I'd argue the contrary......Every review I've read, specifically regarding a Chicago show, the stones are always attacked, called "Wrinkly Rockers" and are criticized for their ticket prices and not living up to it. The British Press is far worse than that on the Stones as they, as with most of the British public, despise the stones.
11th December 2007 10:02 AM
voodoopug
quote:Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
I emailed that to my wife the other day....funny pic!
11th December 2007 10:10 AM
Mel Belli
quote:voodoopug wrote:
I'd argue the contrary......Every review I've read, specifically regarding a Chicago show, the stones are always attacked, called "Wrinkly Rockers" and are criticized for their ticket prices and not living up to it. The British Press is far worse than that on the Stones as they, as with most of the British public, despise the stones.
There's some of that, sure. But even with most attacks, there's a begrudging respect.
11th December 2007 10:10 AM
FotiniD
quote:voodoopug wrote:
I'd argue the contrary......Every review I've read, specifically regarding a Chicago show, the stones are always attacked, called "Wrinkly Rockers" and are criticized for their ticket prices and not living up to it. The British Press is far worse than that on the Stones as they, as with most of the British public, despise the stones.
This is only natural. The Stones have been around forever and the press and / or fans never had to do without them. Had they disbanded back in the seventies, any reunion would be hailed as legendary today - even if ticket prices were over the top. Intimacy breeds contempt and all that.
On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that if Zeppelin sucked yesterday night, there'd be some pretty nasty press reviews today.
Call me naive, but I don't see the problem here. One either likes Zeppelin or not, but personally speaking, I'd welcome their reunion with open arms and a brand new credit card for tickets
[Edited by FotiniD]
11th December 2007 10:13 AM
voodoopug
quote:FotiniD wrote:
This is only natural. The Stones have been around forever and the press and / or fans never had to do without them. Had they disbanded back in the seventies, any reunion would be hailed as legendary today - even if ticket prices were over the top. Intimacy breeds contempt and all that.
On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that if Zeppelin sucked yesterday night, there'd be some pretty nasty press reviews today.
Call me naive, but I don't see the problem here. One either likes Zeppelin or not, but personally speaking, I'd welcome their reunion with open arms and a brand new credit card for tickets
[Edited by FotiniD]
Trust me, if Led Zep showed up last night, played one song, took a shit on the stage, and then molested a goat....the press would have called it "The Greatest Comeback in the HIstory of Rock and Roll"
The STones, by and large are reverred by everyone outside of the small (VERY SMALL) group of core fans that still remain. The proof is in the enormous papering and dismal record sales.
11th December 2007 10:13 AM
Ten Thousand Motels
quote:voodoopug wrote:
....funny pic!
I thought so....it definetely lifted my spirits this morning.
11th December 2007 10:30 AM
Joey
quote:mojoman wrote:
this things gonna be bigger than star wars tater
BEST LED ZEPPLIN YET !!!!!!!
'kins , Est. 1999 -- and loved by Everybody .
11th December 2007 11:17 AM
Mikey
quote:voodoopug wrote:
Trust me, if Led Zep showed up last night, played one song, took a shit on the stage, and then molested a goat....the press would have called it "The Greatest Comeback in the HIstory of Rock and Roll"
The STones, by and large are reverred by everyone outside of the small (VERY SMALL) group of core fans that still remain. The proof is in the enormous papering and dismal record sales.
Dude,
after 978 posts, we get it, you don't like Zep.
Jesus, chill the fuck out, take a deep breath and pet your dog. You'll feel better.
11th December 2007 11:21 AM
voodoopug
quote:Mikey wrote:
Dude,
after 978 posts, we get it, you don't like Zep.
Jesus, chill the fuck out, take a deep breath and pet your dog. You'll feel better.
It sickens me to see the vast acceptance and excitement that LZ has created on a Stones board, even to the point where the discussion thread had more participation here than at the LZ's largest fan site at most points of the day yesterday.
People should come to a Stones message board and expect Stones related discussion, not praise of a vastly overrated band.
I respect your opinion, but by standing idly by and allowing LZ to be praised does not seem like the actions of a die hard Stones fan!
Please leave my dogs out of this, they also hate Led Zeppelin.
Note: I have a bit more than the 978 posts you credit me with, I'm a staple here and have been for nearly 6 years.
[Edited by voodoopug]
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