TBL CELEBRATION DAY COUNTDOWN DAILY NEWSLETTER: JIMMY IN JAPAN/ JPJ IN BERLIN/THE COUNTDOWN IS OVER – CELBERATION DAY IS HERE…
To mark the impending momentous worldwide screening of the Led Zeppelin Ahmet Ertegun 02 reunion concert on October 17th, we are counting down to the day with a daily Celebration Day Newsletter post. This will feature relevant news and updates and archive features.
Countdown to the Celebration Day…TODAY IS THE DAY!
IT’S COMING YOUR WAY TODAY AND TOMORROW..
The waiting is finally over – tonight and tomorrow, Led Zeppelin fans from over 43 countries will be attending screenings of the Celebration Day effectively forming a global Led Zeppelin juke box all over the world.
As I mentioned in my original review what this film offers – beyond a mere concert (and albeit probably the most famous one act concert of all time) is a touching humility and sharing of emotions between four personalities as they create this very special performance.
It’s a film about humility and emotion….it’s also about redemption and rejuvenation.
You can see it continually between the interplay of the four – so brilliantly captured by Dick Carruthers direction. The knowing grins, the winks, the laughs, the sheer joy (that word again) to be had in re- creating the legacy of Led Zeppelin…they knew it was happening (and as Jimmy replied to my question at the press conference – from the very first number) and the sense of redemption they were experiencing is palpable. Make that undeniable.
Celebration Day will make you smile and cry in equal measures. I am not being mawkish here either – it’s the intense reality of watching Led Zeppelin re-claim their crown with such swagger and verve.
Watching this film spells out clearly one fundamental fact: It could never get any better than this…because this is the best it ever gets. Like the concert itself, it exceeds all expectations.
The global screenings of Celebration Day – the concert record of their reunion at the O2 arena to honour Ahmert Ertegun, Led Zeppelin will quite literally bring joy to the world.
…and you will know exactly how that feels when you witness this simply astonishing film for yourselves over the next two days…
Dave Lewis – October 17th 2012.
As mentioned yesterday we welcome all your feedback, comments etc – be sure to capture the moment as you line up at the cinema in your vicinity and describe the atmosphere and post your personal Celebration Day film experiences via the usual email Davelewis.tbl1@ntlworld.com or via the Tight But Loose Facebook page. You can also use the comments box below for instant comments.
Wherever you are watching it – have a great time and revel in this historic couple of days in Led Zeppelin’s long history -and let us know what you think of it all.
Before all that…here’s the latest Celebration Day news and views and comment…
JIMMY PAGE IN JAPAN:
Press conference-premiere screening at the Toho Cinema, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo:
Jimmy arrived as Rock And Roll was being played in the background before the screening, and Good Times Bad Times afterwards. Questions and answers followed, some from fans. (Hiroshi Miyagi). The previous night Ross Halfin reported on his dairy that he and Jimmy had spent thee evening in a small club watching the tribute band Mr Jimmy –meeting with them after their set. See more at
http://www.rosshalfin.com/diary/october-2012/diary-october-2012.php
Photos of Jimmy by mantan-web here
http://mantan-web.jp/gallery/
JOHN PAUL JONES IN BERLIN:
Here’s a You tube clip of the interview conducted with John Paul Jones after the Berlin premiere on Monday.
CELEBRATION DAY COMES TO BEDFORD
Tonight we will be heading for the Cineworld in Bedford to view the film.
This will not be the first time I have witnessed Led Zeppelin on the big screen locally. Here’s the story, drawn from the TBL archives of what happened when The Song Remains The Same came to Bedford town some 35 years ago:
THAT WAS THEN….
Above: the Bedford Granada billboard January 1977 – guess where that poster ended up!
Back in January 1977, I experienced a seven night stint in the company of Led Zeppelin….or to be more specific their film The Song Remains The Same.
The newly released celluloid masterpiece was on general release and doing the rounds nationally and cue fanfare…had rolled into my home town of Bedford.
Yes Led Zeppelin alive on film in the quaint market town of Bedford for seven nights only and I needed to be there every night. Simple as that.
Now this event in the life of this then 20 year old Zep fanatic was big news. I’d already seen the film six times before Christmas, the first three nights in London including the premiere plus screenings in Cambridge.
Now I had the luxury of walking from my home in Dents Road to Bedford High Street every night for seven days to view it at the local Granada cinema. This long since knocked down theatre was a grand old building that alongside its cinema presentations was a stop off for the many pop group package shows of the 1960s. It played host to The Beatles twice and Jimi Hendrix. In April 1964 the 7 year old DL witnessed his first ever gig there featuring The Dave Clark Five.
The whole week was a total blast as various friends and relations joined me in seeing just what all this Zeppelin film fuss was all about. My good friends (and past Earls Court and future Knebworth companions) Tom Locke and Dec came along on the opening Sunday where we stayed for the 4pm and 7pm shows. Luckily there was no football match that day for our team the Wallbangers to get in the way.
No Monday morning feeling that week either. Absolutely not. A day in the shop selling the records and tapes of choice to the Bedford public and then the nightly prospect of 137 minutes of Zep up on the big screen. It was pure heaven. Bedford Earls Court/Knebworth crew member Phil Harris was with us on the Tuesday night and another Bedford Zep fan and Wallbanger player Nick Crawley (Nick -if your reading this E-mail me) came along as well. Dec was back on Wednesday and again on the Friday where we sat through the afternoon and evening screenings.
Dec was also with me a year later when we made two bus rides in driving snow to see the film at Western Favell in Northampton. Now that’s what I call comradeship!
On the Thursday my late Mum and late sister came along to find out just exactly what it was that so inspired the junior one of the family. A lovely touch. This week of weeks ended on the Saturday and not even a family marriage could get in the way. My cousin was getting married that day but we still managed to sneak out of the reception for two hours to attend the final showing (viewing number nine for the week!) By then the manager of the Granada had seen our many visits and gave us free tickets. We even made the local press putting the record straight about some errors in the local review.
An incredible week looking back and it set the year up a treat. I did actually go down with glandular fever not long afterwards which is another story for another day. What we all wanted was to see of course was Led Zeppelin back onstage –the nearest I got to them was the memorable hour I spent at Heathrow Airport on the afternoon of May 17 as they flew out for the second leg of the US tour.
It was to be another two years before the glory of Knebworth. In between all that I went on to see the Song Remains film around 30 times in UK cinemas from 1976 to 1979. It was the next best thing during their enforced absence.
The arrival of the video age would soon make it much easier to view. However it was never quite as rewarding or exciting as those seven trips I made into Bedford St Peters Street on my week in the life of that film way back in 1977. It was like having the band live down the road available at will for a nightly fix.
THIS IS NOW
Fast forward some 35 years….
History is repeating itself as they are back for one more nightly local cinematic fix…
The Cineworld complex is merely a stone’s throw from where we live. The TBL crew pitching up tonight includes Michaela, Dan and Charlie and Cliff the ticket man from Milton Keynes, the ever present Earls Court vets (and as you read above Song Remains The Same Bedford screening vets) Tom and Phil, his brother our good friend Max , Adam’s former football team manager Dave who can boast of seeing Mountain and Johnny Winter at the Fillmore East back in the day , our good friends Marian and Terry plus Kam who was at the 02 show and of course the good lady Janet who will at last see for herself what the fuss is all about…
The TBL Bedford crew is ready….
BBC RADIO DEVON:
BBC Radio Devon’s The Late Show with Vic Morgan will be covering the Celebration Day film during tonight’s programme between 10pm and 1pm . Vic will be attending one of the screenings and relaying his thoughts. The programme will also include an interview with your TBL editor. Details at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radiodevon
CELEBRATION DAY MERCHANDISE:
Celebration Day T Shirts and posters now available to pre-order on the official site
AND FINALLY…02 REUNION CONCERT QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Answering a question from Rolling Stone’s David Fricke: And if there is no more Zeppelin after December 10th?
‘’That’s fine – because we will do it with a good heart. Ahmet will look down and go ‘Hey guys!’ Bonzo will smile. Pat will feel really good. Jason will stand up and go ‘‘’Yeah!’ Jimmy will take bow, Jonesy will shrug. And I’ll be going ‘Baby, baby, baby!’‘’ – Robert Plant 2007
Until tomorrow…keep reading – keep listening…
Dave Lewis/Gary Foy
October 17th, 2012
Don’t forget that you can follow Dave Lewis/TBL on Twitter – LedzeppelinTBL
and view additional photos etc at the Tight But Loose Facebook page (add us as a friend) at
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1611296783
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Dave – first time I have passed on my comments. Saw the film in Montpellier France on 18 Oct. Absolutely stunning! Suffice to say the French also joined into the mood. It was a full house and the audience was from young to Led Zeppelin era!! Can’t wait for the DVD to arrive! A few days ago I wrote to Jimmy to say how much we loved the concert and if he really is planning some new work I will be the first to be there if it is possible to get a ticket. I saw Robert last year in the Arene at Nimes playing with the Band of Joy which was v good, but I still prefer him with Led Zeppelin! Having spoken to many French on that occasion they were all great fans of LZ – bear in mind that the French are normally very patriotic and, therefore, it is a huge compliment if they appreciate a non French band. Lastly, the film is a huge testament to Led Zeppelin and I wouldn’t be surprised if they have got many more fans across the world as a result.
It seems strangely fitting that the release of Celebration Day should roughly coincide with Felix Baumgartner’s space jump.
Both endeavours may be poles apart, but they have the common ground of demonstrating the successful deployment of a risk and reward strategy.
Let’s be clear here. Led Zeppelin put everything on the line on that night in late 2007.
The result is a movie that changes one’s perception of what is possible from music.
It’s pointless singling out any particular moment, because there are no low points, only the scaling of new heights in the making of what is, without question, the finest music film ever made and one of the all time greats in cinema history. Hyperbole? Well if you’re thinking that, you clearly haven’t seen it yet.
The genius of Celebration Day is that it keeps everything very, very simple. Dick Carruthers went for very tight close up shots and this pays off in spades, as one is transported to the O2 stage itself. The end result is the overwhelming feeling that you’re playing every note with the four maestros.
And maestros they most certainly are.
Robert tackles much of the material with very different vocal treatments than any previous Zep outings. Partly it’s the passage of time, but mainly it’s the Plant DNA of not wishing to make too faithful a visit to old stomping ground.
JPJ reconfirms his status as a multi-instrumentalist of dazzling proportions. That driving bass that is such a characteristic of Zeppelin music is in abundance, underpinning the whole sound with what sounds to me like unprecedented gravitas. The keyboard playing is just sublime.
Jimmy has never sounded better and more consistently brilliant. The anti-climaxes of post-75 Page give way to the reinstatement of his position as the ultimate sonic architect and the true genius of the band. Some of the tonal aspects of his guitar playing are almost beyond belief. There’s a crispness to his playing that may, just may, indicate that this is the best he has ever been!
And so to Jason.
How on earth can you fill your Dad’s shoes, when he was not only the best drummer of all time, but arguably the most gifted single musician that rock has ever produced! Jason clearly has Dad’s genes alive and well in him, as he deploys the time-honoured Bonham tactic of avoiding anything that’s predictable.
With John, it was all about tiny accents and subtle, yet incredibly powerful, drumming that filled the soundstage in a manner even Phil Spector, in his pomp, could have dreamed of.
Jason adopts a simpler playing philosophy, yet it still turns out to be equally as devastating as Dad was. No-one else could have played like that.
In the end, you just want to stay in the theater for the next performance. But that is the wrong approach here. Led Zeppelin clearly treated O2 asthe completion of the circle. It seems only appropriate, therefore, to go home and take stock of what has been, without question or doubt, the best evening in nearly 40 years of gig going.
As Dave said, this is a gig. Surely there can be no finer tribute to the masterpiece that is Celebration Day.
We truly are not worthy.
Just back from watching in Tulsa, fantastic! The cinema here advertised that it would be at the Imax in surround sound, instead it was at a small screen without surround sound and virtually no sound at the start. After numerous complaints they got it turned up by about the fourth song and it rocked from there. Start to finish, loved the interplay and the playing. What a triumphant way to end it if that’s indeed what it was.
Just back from New York showing at Times Square. Message to Robert, venue sold out, these guys need to see you for real 🙂
Saw the screening last night in Melbourne with a couple of friends and my kids. Just amazing to watch these guys pull off such a tight & vertually flawless performance. I couldn’t believe the level of happiness and emotion I felt throughout the enrtire concert – a feeling that will stay with me for a very long time. My kids were totally blown away by the performance as well.
Thanks Dave for your coverage on this incredible event and for all the work you put in to TBL – it is very much appreciated.
Just back from the late screening in Reading. Not too many people in the cinema, but what a fantastic film – it felt like you were there. Only problem was the sound – not loud enough. The interplay between the 4 was great, as were the faces they pulled. Particularly liked jimmys face at the start of Dazed, when Robert started singing! Brilliant. Even the good lady enjoyed it.
Just got back from Amsterdam: great, great, great film. Best part? the joy and smiling faces by all four… runner up: Kashmir! Other great moments: Jonesy in TUF, TSRTS, D&C and No Quarter. Some negative remarks also: Pathé Cinemas in Holland did a bad job: No film-posters, no tickets (only the .pdf e-ticket) and I think my surround-set at home produces a better sound so I’m waiting for november 16th…
I saw the concert in Monza (Italy) with my two sons aged 17 and 20 years (I 51 ..), yes a concert ’cause it’s a real concert is not’ just a movie!
Incredible! Unbeliveble! Just great!
Images, sound, performance! However, I was really impressed by
Robert, truly exceptional.
I’ve been to several of his concerts in Italy, all great ,but I never saw him at these levels!.Dazed,TSRTS,In My Time ,for me are the highligts of the show ,but it’s realy difficult to choose!
Thank You Led Zeppelin!
And of course, thank you Dave for your excellent work!
Hi Dave just back from being blown away by that performance. Amazing stuff, very emotional at times. The sound was absolutely fantastic, so many highlights. At times it was almost like a ” Live broadcast” with people clapping, cheering and dancing at the front of the cinema. Its not hard to see why they’ve touched so many people lives over the years and that will probably continue with a new generation after this epic show.
TBL 33 arrived the other day! What a few weeks its been, youve done a brilliant job with everything mate.
Best wishes
Steve Livesley
Just back from Vue at Bolton – 150 to 200 in the house.
Great,great film, thought Jason did a grand job and great to see the boys having so much fun.
Sat near a guy who won two lots of 2 tickets in the lottery but couldn’t find anyone to go with him so he put 2 of them back for resale! Another chap proudly told us that he had a piece of the red carpet from Friday at the Hammersmith Odeon.
Thanks Dave and Co. for all the effort you have put in these last few weeks, it is much appreciated.
Just got home from the Vue Cinema in Cleveleys,Lancs.11pm,Celebration Day was brilliant what can I say Kashmir awesome!and the rest if the concert.
Jason Bonham is the only one to be able to sit in his fathers drum stool,amazing drumming just brilliant.
Don’t miss this event on the big screen?
Just got back from watching again this time at Bolton 200 in attendence guy next to us in full view at the end of Nobody’s fault..
He finally made it on the silver screen,
To use one of Dave’s quotes “this really is a way of life”
Feels like i just jumped the train that never stops
Just came back from the Celebration Day. Visuals, sound and performance are great. Set list the best ever. The guys are at their best. For me the best rock movie.
All the best from Freiburg, Germany
Harald
Saw the early showing in Stevenage this evening. I thought it was superb, loved the fact that it was all about close-up coverage of the band on stage. Found my self grinning stupidly on a number of occasions, usually a very good sign with me! Frequent signs of hands hitting thigh snares visible from the corner of my eye – my iPad was my snare 🙂 There weren’t many of us in the early showing, but there was a decent queue waiting to go in for the second showing as we came out. How good was Jason Bonsham!
Just spent 2 hours in one of the Houses of the holy.Awesome is a much overused phrase but it fits this! It was zeppelin and it was the best they have played those tunes in years.How Robert can seemingly walk away when you can create that magic on stage beggars belief.They all played their hearts out,and short of resurecting Bonzo i dont think it could get any better.A celebration? A total triumph more like.Thank you LED ZEPPELIN for this film.
Just back …wow ” celebration day”was certainly worth the wait for those that were unlucky enough not to see the “live” show! I went with my 19 year old son, the screening @ 6 was 90% full with all ages attending but predominantly “maturer” fans, bang straight into good times bad times… You couldn’t draw breath into the next then the next , Christ those guys have got stamina for their age,all looking fit and well!! Jason Bonham what a powerhouse !!he certainly did his dad & the band proud. I was unsure of how Percy’s voice would be but no need to panic he found it and singing like a canary….! Stand out songs for me were” in my time of dying” “for your life” “nobody’s fault” “Kashmir” I don’t care how long it’s taken to get the concert out it has been worth it… Ironically I ordered and recieved through the post today the bootleg of the very last concert “the last stand” I think it’s fitting that this is the last time we will see them perform together as Led Zeppelin ….ever! and for those who think that they may reform permanently …wake up…anyway roll on November for the release.
Great feedback !
3 hours to go here now!
Hi Dave, you did a great great job, thanks from all of us.
Keep rocking in a free world !!!
Peace and Light,
Michel
Have had an all-Zep, all-vinyl day today in anticipation. Off to the 6pm showing, followed by some food and maybe an Ichiban or 3 with the good lady wife. It doesn’t get any better than that!
Hey just got back from seeing the movie here in Melbourne Australia
It has to be the greatest Rock swan song ever
The visuals and audio are superb keeping with the Zeppelin standards
The last edition to a great legacy
Will become one of Rock’s great movies I.E The Last Waltz
In 3 hours we’ll be off to Amsterdam to see them, with some good friends, at 21.00. Together with my wife, son and daughter (17 & 15 yo) we’re anxious to see and hear them: ever since he woke up my son’s been playing Led Zep on his I-pod. Now LZ-l is on the stereo: first song? first song tonight… Hope I’ll be able to get my hands on this poster.
Booked into the finchley vue for tonight , only downside is only 46 tickets sold in advance , should just about have time to see Mr Defoe grab a couple this afternoon before setting out,(hope he’s fit for sat morning coys)getting a bit excited about the film brings back feelings of the earls court days was it so many years ago !!!!!!!!
Many thanks Colin for that first report!
Just back from screening here in Melbourne, First thoughts were that it was not loud enough (small gripe) but as it got going the sheer brilliance of the playing shone though.It really is a blues based concert with subtlety amidst the riffs.I can’t wait now for the DVD so I can relive it all again, Highlights for me are IMTOD,SIBLY,SRTS
and nothing could prepare me for the immensity of Kashmir!
If this is really their Swansong well I can now say –fine let it be!
Colin
Just can’t wait to do it all over again , and
I’m bringing tissues this time! And waterproof mascara!
Kris
Have a great time!
Gearing up here in Australia.It’s 4:15pm and the movie is only a short drive and yet hours away…if you get my drift.Can’t wait but will have to.
I’m sharing tonight with my 21yr old son and his fiance..and it’s my birthday on Monday so lots to “Celebrate”.
Dave, I received my copy of the latest TBL this morning..have read a little and it looks great.Once again thanks for all the coverage and links to interviews…you’ve done a grand job as always.
See you on the other side.
Kris
As much as I can’t wait for this to come out and will buy the Blu Ray version when it’s available – this should have been released four years ago. I think they will lose a large number of sales due to the stupidity of such a long delay. What’s next? The Blu Ray of the upcoming Rolling Stones 50th anniversary concerts are released in 2022? Actually they’re doing it right and you can PPV one of the upcoming shows.
As chance would have it I’m in New York City. As chance wouldn’t have it I’ve got tix for Celebration Day at ts showing in Times Square. Doesn’t get much better than this!
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