Led Zeppelin Celebration Day

[patrickBOOTH]

So I got the concert DVD for Christmas of Led Zeppelin's 2007 concert at The Royal Albert Hall, first show in like 30 something years and whatnot. All in all it seemed like a good show, however despite the members saying this show captured more of their "magic" on stage I feel is for publicity. I felt more moved by their older performances. I felt Plant still had that jaded ego onstage. Page was Page who I love and being a guitarist is a personal hero. He looked cool onstage while looking his age. I just felt his tone, and the whole sound in general was overproduced? Back in the day when Page used less effects things seemed to feel more organic and sound better. It seemed Page often used chorus or something. It gave the sound a Def Leopard, or 80's rock sound, which seemed very strange for Zeppelin. I think the limitations of stage and studio sounds back in the day worked in their favor and let their abilities do the speaking.

Also, I felt that Jason, while a good drummer didn't match his father. John used to do amazing fills that gave you the chills while Jason, it seemed just seemed to keep time, this particularly hit me at the end of Stairway to Heaven when Jon would do these monstrous rolls hi-hat floor tom rolls. Didn't happen with his son.

JPJ bass tone I felt was too deep. Probably a combination of those big humbuckers and lower tunings so Plant didn't have to strain as much. I felt he sounded best with his Jazz Bass back in the day.

Another note on Page. I felt his black beauty sounded better than his #1. It sounded great on For Your Life. I don't know if anybody noticed, but this pickup selector was on the neck pickup for that song, however it sounded like a bridge pickup. I don't know if he had any knobs pulled for phasing or anything, but I was surprised to hear such a gritty clear sound from presumably a neck pickup. Just some guitarist geekery.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

To tag onto this apparently Jimmy Page said he is doing a solo tour at the tail end of 2013.

 

[Thomas]

I received this on Blu-Ray as well, and watched a few numbers with the baby girl as she drifted off to sleep. I haven't seen the whole thing yet, and only listened to it on the baby's TV and the car stereo, so my opinion may change.

Page, I have mixed feelings on. Sometimes he's remarkable - as with White Summer / Black Mountain Side and Since I've been Loving You (SRTS version) - and other times he seems to lose the script. When the show ended with Rock and Roll, I thought Page had forgotten the song altogether.

I think Jason Bonham was adequate but didn't feel the 'thud' that John Bonham brought to the drums. Good Times Bad Times was a good example - the opening bangs just lacked the heaviness of the original. Maybe that was a miking / studio effect from that time, I don't know. Likewise Kashmir. Strong, but not really pounding.

More listening to come...

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Ultimately I agree. I thought Rock and Roll sounded horrible as well. Apparently there is a secret rehearsal footage on the disk that is amazing.

It strikes me as strange that they hated their performance on TSRTS. I think it is eons above this performance.

 

[Pennglock]



I think the limitations of stage and studio sounds back in the day worked in their favor and let their abilities do the speaking.

Yes.

Jimmy Page is still about the coolest man on the planet, but I can't get behind them reprising Zeppelin in 2007. At least not after getting my hands on How the West Was Won and their early 70s stuff on youtube. The magic happened 40 years ago:

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[Thomas]



Ultimately I agree. I thought Rock and Roll sounded horrible as well. Apparently there is a secret rehearsal footage on the disk that is amazing.
It strikes me as strange that they hated their performance on TSRTS. I think it is eons above this performance.

I thought - and I could be wrong here - but I'd thought that they hated the movie, more than the performances. If you feel they can be separated. I still listed to a few tracks (Rain Song in particular) but haven't seen the movie more than once.

Yes.
Jimmy Page is still about the coolest man on the planet, but I can't get behind them reprising Zeppelin in 2007. At least not after getting my hands on How the West Was Won and their early 70s stuff on youtube. The magic happened 40 years ago:
(...)

Funny, this: In college I had a bootleg tape (yes I'm that old, now get off my lawn PLZ) that opened with a killer version of Immigrant Song. The solo was magical and floated above the hammering rhythm section...and it really brought home the light/heavy dichotomy of their best works. Just this year I found out it was released commercially, (BBC Sessions). I listen to it a lot, even now.

 

[embowafa]

I saw the Celebration Day show in the theater. Not sure how the DVD mix sounded, but the beginning was AWFUL. Maybe it was the actual film, or just the sound in the theater i was watching, but it was so quiet at first.

Also, Plant's general inability to hit his high notes gave me a sad.

Overall, though, I thought the show was good. I'm not as big, or long standing a Led Zeppelin fan as some of you guys, so I can't dissect it in the same way.

 

[Thomas]

I don't think anything about Led Zep should be quiet at first. The DVD was nice, and now PB's got me itching to check the rehearsal DVD.

 

[Thomas]

yeah, the rehearsal DVD. about that... not really loving it.

 

[Imhoff]

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

One of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I was having conversation about all of this with the girlfriend last night. Not really conversation, but me lecturing her. Celebration Day to me sounds like a cover band, and a bad one at that.

Some of the best performances that I have seen was in the late 60's early 70's. That Danish radio performance of their early stuff is beyond amazing.

 

[Thomas]

Is it just me, or is anyone else amazed that John Bonham used one kick-drum?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I know it. Apparently when they were recording at Headly Grange he had two kick drums and he was so over the top with the double kick drum that the other member hid the second one on him so he couldn't use it.

 

[embowafa]



Celebration Day to me sounds like a cover band, and a bad one at that.

With that said, I'd f-ing LOVE for them to get back together and tour. Would be a dream come true to see the original 3 + Jason Bonham live...even if it falls short of the genuine article from the 70's.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Oh, don't get me wrong I would love to see them, but I am not going to pretend they are just as good for the sake of it.