MANILA, Philippines - The recent worldwide release of Led Zeppelin DVD/CD set docu- menting its 2007 “reunion concert” has given opportunity to more people to see the once-in-a-lifetime gig which by observation is a kind of get-to- gether that was long hoped but never happened for The Beatles.
Led Zep reunited at the O2 Arena to pay tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The concert featured the surviving members of the band, namely, singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist/ keyboardist John Paul Jones. Jason Bonham, son of the group’s late drummer John, suited up for his dad to complete the lineup.
The highly-praised scenario brings back to mind the longed-dreamed idea of The Beatles reuniting with John Lennon’s son Julian filling up for him. However, at least for The Beatles set-up, such an idea is counted some- what inappropri- ate.
“Thousands of thousands of emotions we’re going through for this past six weeks,” Plant is heard say- ing during the concert watched live by 18,000 people.
Warner Music Philippines lo- cally released Led Zeppelin Cel- ebration Day, which is now available both on retail and iTunes.
For die- hard Beatles fans, the case with Led Zep was in essence dif- ferent. Bonham, who died after passing out of intoxication one fateful night in September 1980, was the drum- mer, while Len- non, shot dead by a deranged fan in December of the same year, was one of The Beatles’ frequent lead vocalists. Led Zep sounded practically the same at the O2 concert, with Plant’s searing vocals leading the way. The Beatles arguably won’t be able to capture those distinctive harmonies with- out Lennon, and so too without George Harrison who passed away in 2001.