Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day

Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day (2012)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

I'm sure when the four current movies of Led Zeppelin walked off the stage of this 2007 concert, all but one figured that there would be more shows to follow. As of me writing this it hasn't happened but we can always hope. If this concert does turn out to be the final Led Zeppelin show then it's certainly a good one and thankfully it has perfectly been preserved in this concert film. There's no question that all three original members and Jason Bonham are at the top of their game as they bring these classic songs to a new generation of fans. While there are certain changes from the last time the group was together, there's still no question that this here is a major achievement with all sorts of classic tunes. I think the highlight of the night would have to be the amazing version of "Stairway to Heaven," which perfectly captures the mood and spirit of the studio version. "Kashmir" is another masterpiece as is "Rock and Roll," "Black Dog" and "Whole Lotta Love." In fact, there's really not a weak moment to be found among the setlist as the tunes selected are all fan favorites and the band does a very good job here. I was surprised at how well the band was but it's clear that they were doing a lot of rehearsing in the six weeks prior to this show. Page's guitar playing is as good as ever and Plant's voice holds up extremely well. One just wishes that all the work and effort that went into this gave way to more shows but CELEBRATION DAY is certainly a nice little gem that fans should love.

As a die-hard Led Zeppelin fan, this was a bona fide treat to watch, especially since I wasn't able to be at the O2 Arena concert in 2007. The band redeemed themselves from their three largely forgettable reunion concerts they've done in '85, '88, and '95. Dick Carruthers did an absolutely fantastic job with this film. If this is the final ever Led Zeppelin concert, I'm content with it.

Plenty of highlights, and like most of their output, has a way of growing on you to an almost uncomfortable degree taking you on a miniature journey. As a rock audience, we've practically seen it all: multiple camera angles, audience noise, high-speed editing, close-ups, cameras in clear plastic balls, helicopter shots from above, giant video screens, wide angle shots, 3-D effects, and even fan-held cameras on the loose. After so many years of technological leaps and bounds finding their way to the big screen, it's downright hard to bring anything new or innovative to this medium.

In this concert film we see what we need to see – the concert. And probably all the things that I wanted to see were up close and personal. This includes close-ups of Jimmy Page playing his classic sunburst Les Paul at just the right times, John Paul Jones' fretless bass and Page's skillful slide guitar playing during "In My Time of Dying," Jones' use of the rare 12-string bass during "Trampled Under Foot" and Page's use of the Transperformance guitar during "Whole Lotta Love." Awesome percussion by Jason Bonham throughout and Robert Plant's vocals hold up well. And those were just the technical/musical close-ups of real value. Add in the human emotion of Jones, Page and drummer Jason Bonham looking at each other, nodding and smiling when they were locked in to a tight groove. Not a dull moment, completely engrossing all the way through.

This is definitely a film that is a must see.

They can still rock.

I was skeptical of the idea of a reunion concert, but this more than met my expectations for the DVD. I wish I'd been at the concert--my last chance. I was too young to drive to the arena in the 70s; now I'll never see them live. This DVD is going to be as good as it gets and it's good, better than good. Robert Plant's signing is slightly different but just as interesting, Jimmy Page is still passionate and technically amazing, John Paul Jones is still the consummate professional and Jason Bonham is a lot of fun to watch and listen to.

The concert was supposed to be a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun but it's obvious it also had other meanings to the band members. There's a moment during a break when Page leans over to ruffle the non-existent hair on Jason Bonham's head and I couldn't help thinking that maybe this concert extinguishes any lingering bad karma over John Bonham's death. All I know is that I fell in love with Led Zeppelin all over again this past year, with the attention they've been getting making me listen to and appreciate their music again, with a more seasoned ear and an appreciation of how unique they were and their lasting impact.

This is one of my favorite concert videos that I have ever seen. The performance of Kashmir gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. Jason Bonham, while not as skilled as his father, certainly holds his own with three legends. If you aren't a Zep fan, this concert just might make you one.