Album Review: Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day

Talk about a hot ticket. The 2007 Led Zeppelin one-off reformation for the Atlantic Records' boss Ahmet Etregun tribute concert holds the official Guinness World Record for highest demand, with 20 million ticket requests made online. Having been historically slated for ramshackle partial reunions since the death of drummer John Bonham, including patchy Page and Plant albums and a universally lambasted Live Aid performance which reunited the surviving trio, it's been stated on record that fear of failing such expectations had spurred the band – now featuring Bonham's son Jason – to get it right this time, which as this double CD and DVD document attest they most certainly did.
Perhaps what's most impressive is that none of the aging trio's skills have eroded, each having remained active in the industry with comparatively low profile side projects. Plant's voice has lost some youthful vitality, but none of its character. Jones in particular impresses with strapping yet nimble basslines and some fine organ work on the neo-prog creep show that is No Quarter. Flaws? Well, Plant's sense of pitch during Dazed and Confused temporarily goes for a wander as he proves it is possible to talk out of tune, but this is only the kind of cynical pedantry that occurs when a mega-hyped, TV advertised release comes along. Moreover, it's a quibble that's soon buried under an electric blues avalanche courtesy of another near-Hendrixian solo from Page.

In all, Celebration Day captures the fitting final chapter to one of rock's most epic stories, and makes a fine stocking filler for the shaggy-haired reprobate you love.