On a day in 2007, Fifteen years ago this weekend, Led Zeppelin performed a reunion concert as part of a charity concert. The historic show at London’s O2 Arena, was turned into a 2012 concert album and DVD/Blu-ray Celebration Day. For the anniversary this weekend, Saturday, December 10, at 8 p.m. U.K. / 3 p.m. EST / 12 p.m. PST will broadcast the entire performance on the official Led Zeppelin YouTube channel. UPDATED: Watch at the new link below!
Led Zeppelin has partnered with YouTube for a special streaming event of “Celebration Day”. Recorded live at London’s O2 Arena on December 10, 2007, the film captures a two-hour-plus tour de force of the band’s signature blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll that instantly became part of the legend of Led Zeppelin. Founding members John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant were joined by Jason Bonham, the son of their late drummer John Bonham, to perform 16 songs from their celebrated catalog, including landmark tracks “Whole Lotta Love”, “Rock And Roll”, “Kashmir”, “Stairway To Heaven”. “Celebration Day” and more will be streamed in its entirety for three days only on the official Led Zeppelin YouTube channel, premiering this Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PST.Continue reading
On this day forty years ago, Led Zeppelin signaled the begging of the end when they released their final studio album, In Through The Out Door (Atlantic). That title alone should have been then first clue really, that this was not your older brother’s Zep album. The turmoil stricken members fought through loss, and injury, and drugs, and excess, but wound up still making fine music. ITTOD is a solid album with moments of greatness. It’s definitely a late-era gem in their catalog in many ways, but also a signpost to the fatigue they were feeling after over a decade on top of rock’s peak. Drummer John Bonham would pass away just thirteen months and two weeks after this release, more or less ending the band as a regular unit. Continue reading
Led Zeppelin has few peers on record in their fiery but brief career. Born from the crowded blues-rock wave, post-British Invasion 1960s, the band expertly and cleverly guess the tastes and whims of the growing music world and capitalized on them. Long gestated in Jimmy Page’s brain as a way to create his own band with a distinct identity that could touch many music bases, but not be commercial and weak. Page created Led Zeppelin and the album Led Zeppelin I (Atlantic) on the back of years of writing, planning, and plotting. The marriage of Jimmy Page’s writing and Robert Plant’s voice, in particular, is the secret sauce of the album and the early era of the band and what makes their debut one of the all-time greats. Continue reading
Black Orchid Empire’s Yugen (Long Branch/SVT) is a slick new spin on the sounds Heavy Metal people love. The opening song, ‘My Favorite Stranger’ is a headbanging gem, evokes shades of NIN, Tool, and Primal Rock Rebellion. The guitars have a heavy soulful tone to them one moment and a classic rock sound to them the next, all of this is accentuated by clean vocals. The trio is Paul Visser on vocals and guitars, Dave Ferguson on bass and vocals, and Billy Freedom on drums, bringing the thunder.
Serious praise has been heaped on LA trio High Priestess and judging by the majesty of this self-titled debut album (Ripple), much more is coming. As the name implies, the band peddles a mystical, dark yet melodious slow crush, but there’s a joyous inventiveness here that sets it apart from its peers.Continue reading
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience will be on a month long US tour throughout the month of May. The new show celebrates the life and music of his father, the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, and the new show encompasses the band’s albums including their 1969 debut Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II. The set list includes:
“Good Times Bad Times”
“Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”
“Dazed and Confused”
“Your Time Is Gonna Come”
“Communication Breakdown”
“I Can’t Quit You Baby”
“How Many More Times”
“Whole Lotta Love”
“What Is and What Should Never Be”
“The Lemon Song”
“Thank You”
“Heartbreaker”
“Ramble On”
“Moby Dick”
“Bring It On Home”
“In The Evening”
“Kashmir”
“10 Years Gone”
“Trampled Under Foot”
“Immigrant Song”
“Since I’ve Been Loving You”
“Black Dog”
“Rock N’ Roll”
“When the Levee Breaks”
“Going To California”
The band features Jason Bonham (drums), Tony Catania (guitars), Alex Howland (keyboards/guitars), Dorian Heartsong (bass) and James Dylan (vocals).
May 03: Seminole Hard Rock – Hollywood, FL
May 05: Bijou Theatre – Knoxville, TN
May 07: Sands Events Center – Bethlehem, PA
May 08: The Music Box – Atlantic City, NJ
May 09: Wellmont Theatre – Montclair, NJ
May 10: Wellmont Theatre – Montclair, NJ
May 12: State Theatre – Portland, ME
May 13: NYCB Theatre – Westbury, NY
May 14: NYCB Theatre – Westbury, NY
May 17: Hard Rock Rocksino – Cleveland, OH
May 19: The Palace Theatre – Albany, NY
May 21: Casino Rama – Rama, ON
May 22: Collosseum at Caesars Windsor – Windsor, ON
May 23: Collosseum at Caesars Windsor – Windsor, ON
May 24: Arcada Theatre – St Charles, IL
May 25: Arcada Theatre – St Charles, IL
May 27: Brady Theater – Tulsa, OK
May 29: Wild Horse Pass Casino – Chandler, AZ
May 30: Avi Resort – Laughlin, NV
May 31: Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
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Last month saw the release of Cemetery Gates – Saints & Survivors Of The Heavy-Metal Scene by Mick O’Shea. The book is a collection of portraits on the more notorious figures within the rock and metal scene who’s party antics became their undoing or at least affected their lives in a significant way. Ghost Cult caught up with the author himself to discuss the backgrounds of this rather disturbing collection of rock and roll tales.Continue reading