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IT’S THE 02 REUNION TEN YEARS GONE WEEK ON TBL WEB – MORE DECEMBER 10 2007 MEMORIES – WHAT THE PAPERS SAID – WHAT THEY SAID/ ROBERT PLANT AND THE SENSATIONAL SPACE SHIFTERS ROYAL ALBERT HALL GIG REVIEW

9 December 2017 881 views 2 Comments

IT’S THE 02 REUNION TEN YEARS GONE WEEK ON TBL WEB – MORE DECEMBER 10 2007 MEMORIES – WHAT THE PAPERS SAID – WHAT THEY SAID…

Photo by Wyatt Brake

WHAT THE PAPERS SAID:

Events that have so much resting on them rarely unfold with such an air of assurance. The three original members of the band seemed to be relieved to be relinquishing the burden of anticipation. The heaviosity has always been the cornerstone of their reputation but it was astonishing to see how funky they could be for a rock band. With a synergy like this going on, it would be an act of cosmic perversity to stop now.

Pete Pahides – The Times

They delivered a show of breathtaking power and spine tingling excitement: a four way musical tug of war in which they all won. This really is as good as popular music gets

John Aizlewood – Evening Standard

The overriding sensation for me strangely was one of relief. Not just because they managed to build on what they’d left behind – and with a 30 year advance in technology sound even better that they had, before but the relief of simply being older – to be honest and of not being required to take it all seriously any more. You want dogged by the agonies of earnest teenage argument. You could watch a 63 year old man conjuring up symphonies from his guitar and you didn’t have to worry about weather it was a courageous art statement. It was just a slice of pure theatre, of drama and spectacle and a magnificent refusal by the four of them to airbrush their attack. I felt very lucky to have seen it.

Mark Ellen – Word

It’s difficult to believe this is a band who have barely played together for the best part of three decades. They sounded awesomely tight, bizarre, beguiling and better than ever.

Alexis Petridis – The Guardian

Led Zeppelin have proved in the face of all this reunion interest that they can still cut it. And then some. On tonight’s showing they are much rawer, more vital sounding,  less pantomime than any of their dinosaur rock contemporaries. What’s more they appear to be doing it again for the right reasons. That of being the joy of playing not money. Will they continue? On this evidence it would be a travesty if they didn’t.

Hamish MacBain – NME

It’s quite shocking to find men of advanced years wielding such power. If there is an entirely unique Zeppelin moment Kashmir is it and they nail it here a great sets greatest moment. If indeed this is to be their final stand then Zeppelin will have bowed out with a proper command performance. One is left to wonder though how they can now possibly leave all this behind again.

Paul Rees – Q  

The greatest thing about Led Zeppelin’s 2003 DVD was the footage from the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 when the band were still fresh out of the traps and getting off on the sheer joy of playing together. At the 02 Zeppelin rewind themselves to that Albert Hall gig. The frequently convene in the middle of the stage like a band jamming in rehearsal space almost oblivious to the audience. Its  heart warming to see and a welcome acknowledgement of their shared history experience and musicality which for once eclipses all those tales of personal rifts and jarring egos. Time and time again the band turn to Jason Bonham urging him on, offering smiles nods, encouragement and after the encores of Whole Lotta Love and Rock And Roll – fatherly hugs This once most imperious of bands  appears to be functioning as real human beings again.

Mark Blake – Mojo

Unlike so many of his contemporaries, Plant has found a way of combining rock heroics with a dignified gravity. When he swings his microphone stand he looks like a Shakespearean king wielding a broadsword not a 59 year old acting out a pantomime of his youth.

Disregarding the money for a moment, the need for these brilliant musicians to tidy up their stories for posterity to remind the world of their greatness suddenly seems very pressing. Tonight they can sleep easy knowing they have done just that. For the time being at least, Led Zeppelin’s legend has the happy ending it always deserved.

John Mulvey – Uncut   

WHAT THEY SAID:

That is what was so thrilling really — to come together after all this time and find that there was so much chemistry and so much electricity involved in these four characters. We’d all agreed to take it very, very seriously and have a really good time at the same time. We worked out the songs we were going to play, and it was exhilarating, it was fantastic. Every week was a week to look forward to. I can assure you the amount of work that we put into the O2 (concert), for ourselves rehearsing and the staging of it, was probably what you put into a world tour. We wanted people who might not have even been alive when we finished in 1980 to understand what we were. So we did the show…and it was great

Jimmy Page – Japanese press conference.

It was gripping.

We had a lot to lose if it had all gone wrong. It would have been the end of the real deal about what we had in the first place. Musically and emotionally we matched it and it put a lot of things to bed. For Ahmet it was great to get up one more time -it was a fitting thing becuase he menat so much to us and far beyond just getting our records out.

Then for Jason well,he s now the complete man… he’s delt with his demons. I think he wanted to prove something to himself. It was important for his family too – I mean I’ve known his Mum since we were 15.

There was so much anticipation and we matched it. It was marvellous and at the end we all shook hands and said ”Wow that was amazing,see you soon”.

Robert Plant talking to Steve Jones on Indie 103.1FM Radio Los Angeles.

Jason was fantastic A lot of his fills were not what his Dad did at all.

He did an amazing job when you consider he had to answer to every drummer in the world after the show. With that short of pressure, to bring that off was astonishing. Kashmir was absolutely wonderful, the way he led in an out of the chorus an  bridges. The excitement was there on stage at the 02 as it was in the old days. It could be fun to do more stuff

John Paul Jones taking to David Fricke in Rolling Stone

I wanted to take in every moment which is why at the end I had to bow to them. As I grew older I became a fan as well as a part of the family. It wasn’t until after my Dad’s death that I could really appreciate his music. The day after I took the sticks that I used and put them on the grave and said ’’We did it Dad you handed me these, I’ll hand them back’’

Jason Bonham talking to Tamara Conniff

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Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters  UK Tour Reviews – Dave Lewis in London:

Royal Albert Hall – December 8, 2017:

 Setlist:

New World…

Turn It Up

The May Queen

Rainbow

That’s The Way

All The King’s Horses

House Of Cards

Gallows Pole

Carry Fire

Babe I’m Gonna Leave You

Little Maggie

Funny In My Mind (I Believe I’m Fixin’ To Die)

Misty Mountain Hop

Encores:

What is And What Should Never Be

Bluebirds Over The Mountains -with Chrissie Hynde

2000 Miles -with Chrissie Hynde

Whole Lotta Love

Phot by Rob Whitmarsh

To Albert’s Place for the 120th occasion I’ve been lucky enough to see Robert Plant perform live.

The pub before hand was very busy -it was a real TBL comes alive occasion with so many people saying hi – amongst them Dave Linwood, Dave Roberts from Canada, Gherd from Germany, Franco from Italy, Greg Purling, Ian, Richard Grubb etc .

The historic venue was well packed and we had a great view in the stalls to the side.

So performance 120 – and what can you say…he just does what he does with such consummate authority.  New Song and Rainbow were early highlights – it was  That’s The Way when the singer and the band really hit the heights and it soared from there. Richard Thompson’s House of Cards from the Band Of Joy album was a most welcomed addition to the setlist. Gallows Pole worked a whole lot better for me this time and as Gary Foy noted, had something of an Elvis Mystery Train approach. Carry Fire was just spectacular and on the home straight Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, Fixin To Die and the delightful Seth inspired arrangement of Misty Mountain Hop all inspired a fervent crowd reaction.

Encores: What is And What Should Never Be was simply joyous. Then it was time for a surprise guest – Chrissie Hynde looking great and sounding great, adding her vocal to Bluebirds Over The Mountain as she does on the album. The lovely 2000 Miles was a seasonal bonus before a crunching Whole Lotta Love sent the audience home more than happy as they faced the December chill night air.

So ends another Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters live chapter, which for me began with an early October lunchtime date in Maida Vale and ends in the confines of the always wonderful Royal Albert Hall.

”This is not a career this is a gift” he recently noted. Sharing that gift with Robert Plant continues to be a life affirming experience. Long may his creative fire burn brightly…

Dave Lewis – December 9, 2017.

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”Ahmet We Did it”:

Led Zeppelin 02 Reunion Ten Years Gone TBL Anniversary Celebration Day Event Update:

This is all shaping up to be a great day out

Tickets to the event are now on sale – please note you can also pay for entry on the day if that is more convenient. Entry cost is £8.

We are now running the event one hour earlier so we kick off at 1pm and run through to 9.30pm 

Just heard from legendary UK Zep collector/chronicler Andy Adams who is aiming to there

Guest speakers lined up are Legendary Led Zep author Luis Rey will be in attendance talking about his Led Zeppelin Tape Documentary book

Plus  Former Melody Maker editor and author Chris Charlesworth is coming along to talk about his time on the road with Zep – he will also talk about and have copies available of his new Elvis Presley book Caught In A Trap: The Kidnapping of Elvis.

Simon Cadman who covered the 02 Reunion concert for IRN News will also relay his memories.

In amongst all that, there will be plenty of Zep related and 02 Reunion Concert footage

There’s also a TBL Survey to complete on the day to determine the favourite Led Zeppelin 02 performance, all time favourite best track and all time favourite album – the results of which will be announced during the day.

The Quiz will involve questions surrounding the o2 Reunion Concert plus a Guess The Song lyric round – there’s prizes for the winners!

Photos:

A couple of other points – if you are attending on the day and have any photos you took at the 02 Reunion concert we would love to see them -so bring them along.

Lunch:

The Atlas pub will be serving meals including a Sunday lunch – if you require lunch we would ask you to ring the pub to confirm this so they know how many lunches to prepare. You can ring them on 0207 385 9129

http://www.theatlaspub.co.uk/

From 1pm to 9.30pm

Nearest tube: West Brompton (District Line, London Overground, and Southern train services)

A unique TBL Led Zeppelin fan gathering staged exactly ten years gone from that night of nights.

‘’Ahmet we did it’’

Ten years on let’s celebrate that fact all over again….

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To be continued – more 02 Reunion Ten Years Gone thoughts tomorrow…

YouTube clip:

Led Zeppelin The Song Remains The Same:

 

 

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2 Comments »

  • Mark Williams said:

    Thanks Dave – clearly the Albert Hall was THE place to be last night.Nice to hear ‘House of Cards’ bright into the set list and for sure ‘Carry Fire’ is the standout track off the new album,matching songs like ‘Slow Dancer’ even ‘Most High’. Got to give it to Robert,that fantastic creative ‘always looking forward’ ethos shows no sign whatsoever of dimming.

  • Rob Whitmarsh said:

    This was my 25th time seeing Mr Plant and what a fantastic night. The band are really tight (but loose, of course). Thet really gel well.
    Seth Lakeman certainly brought an extra heightened dimension to the band and the surprise appearance of Chrissie Hynde made an amazing night …. well,what word tops amazing? Whatever it is, then that’s the word to use.

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