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Three years ago today


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Clearly I made a mistake posting my thoughts on this thread. I have pm'd Shadowblue and apologized for doing so. I would also like to sincerely apologize to all who posted on this thread and to all who had intended on posting. My bad and I accept full responsibility for my impromtu... out of body experience. Don't really know what else to call it.

Ally

No biggy to me, but thank you. I usually just ignore the arguments/disagreements.

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Firstly I would like to sincerely apologise for my gross over-reaction earlier in this thread and the profanities contained therein. I would be most grateful if mods would edit or delete my post #13. I did see red admittedly, as I felt that anti-O2 posts on an anniversary celebration thread was like accepting an invitation to couple of friends' anniversary dinner, turning up and saying "I objected on the day, I still object now and you're still shit for each other" (like... why would you go there?)

I have communicated with Ally and we're good.

I actually thought I had been banned when the forum was experiencing server / hardware issues and couldn't even reply for a day to Ally's apology and felt sick as, although I'm not a prolific poster, I much enjoy visiting this board. (All the IP adresses from which I'd signed-in seemed to have been blocked).

We are all on the same side - Led Zeppelin fans. Of course we will have different opinions and that's fine, although I didn't really envisage this thread being (another) forum for those differing opinions on the O2 show.

My opinions:

- No doubt at their peak the LZ performed many concerts which were better in many ways than this. However that was 30 - 42 years ago. For me, the only ones within 5000 miles of here were in 1972 when I was 13 - discovering rock music while in a very classical orientated family but not quite up to chasing tickets.

- Despite this, the one single full-concert show this band (whatever name you want to give it) has performed in the last 30 years, which 18 000 people got to see and millions wanted to, was this. If only for those reasons, it was probably the most anticipated and perhaps important rock show in history (perhaps rivalled by Pink Floyd when the Berlin Wall came down).

- Robert is on record before the show (alluding to the performances at Live-Aid and Atlantic's 40th) that "Led Zeppelin need to do one more great show". I believe they did it. It didn't need to be their best ever.

- The three surviving members were different. Older and beyond past demons (which I'm lead to believe that in their glory days resulted in some not-so-legendary shows - well... by LZ standards). Jason was of course significantly older at the O2 than Bonzo was when he passed away. In spite of these changes this band produced the best rock show that I've ever seen.

- Concert technology, in terms of sound reinforcement and even visual effects was light years ahead in 2007 compared with 1980. That the extensive visual effects were put together for one single concert, not to mention that a band of this calibre put in much preparation for one perfomance seems to point to this being a very significant show (... so why, oh why can't we have the benefits of this in an official recording / video - proceeds to Ahmet's Foundation?)

I'm so glad I was fortunate enough to go. It is definitely a defining point in my life's tapestry. The expense and effort was immaterial.

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Of course it was Led Zeppelin. They played as Led Zeppelin. It was not exactly the same as it was then which is stating the obvious, but if it was not

Led Zeppelin than who was it??

Consider This:

They played led zeppelin songs and only led zeppelin songs, no solo material or jasons stuff.

The props(laser lighting, smoke machines, thermamin, bow were all props used specifically at

led zeppelin conerts.

Then, considering the history of their industry many times when there is an event there is only one original

member of a band and they still goes by that name. considering this is

3+ out of 4 it points in that direction. Again nothing that strictly qualifies it but...

The shirt said led zeppelin, the book said led zeppelin. Poster. LZ.

The opening sequence was specifically about Led Zeppelin.

Several of Plants comments were about led zeppelin. where

the led zeppelin songs originated, that certain songs must be played

and that "we" did it

And the banner behind the stage.

and every media outlet billed it as the led zeppelin reunion before, during,

and after.

And the band's website lists it as a led zeppelin concert.

It wasn't the original four members but this was still led zeppelin.

absolutly agree.

if robert, jimmy and john paul didn't feel this way, they wouldn't have allowed all ( that you posted ) to occur.

good enough for them = good enough for me. :)

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When I first heard the news I was as excited as the next person, the media hyped it up over here and was convinced it was the beginning of a world tour that as we know now was false hope.

Then unprecedented (to my knowledge), a lottery was held for the 18000 or so tickets that caused the site to crash.

My only slight criticism is why the whole Ahmet tribute show was not played at a bigger venue like Wembley or Knebworth to give more people who were into the band the opportunity to experience them live?

I have heard there were concerns that an arena show might be too much pressure for the band or something along those lines?

Another suggestion was it could have been telecast live on pay per view TV, a valid notion given there were umpteen cameras there anyway with a live feed.

The original date in November was my eldest daughters birthday and the revised date was a few days short of my youngest daughter's birthday!

So as it turned out I wasn't able to attend even if I had been lucky enough to score a ticket, however if it had been on at a bigger venue I would've done my utmost to secure tickets for all of us to attend.

I have DVD's of the concert and as someone pointed out, a recording or video does not capture the essence or power of being in the venue on the night.

Was it really Led Zeppelin or Led Zeppelin by proxy?

Opinions vary here and I guess even among the original band members.

Maybe they could have billed it as P, P, J & B, but seriously it hasn't got the same marketing impact as Led Zeppelin has.

I have seen the "real" Led Zeppelin in their prime and that will stay with me until my memory fails me or I die, whichever comes first.

So for those of you who witnessed O2 I'm glad you got the opportunity and enjoyed it, but spare a thought for those who for whatever reason couldn't make it.

An official DVD would be nice especially if it were to be released in 2011!

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For me there were several moments that will be in my memory forever. Here's one:

The anticipation after the last warmup band got over and before Led Zeppelin(I will always call it Led Zeppelin) came out.

The feeling of oh my god. is this really going to happen. is this real. am i like f'ing dreaming or something because this

really can't be happening. Not Led Zeppelin. and then the screen above the stage came on telling us about the tampa show.

Its building. I'm feeling high. I mean frigging elevated. almost another level of consciousness. I was truly in a daze watching

as they came out, Robert as bright and shining as always, jpj just right to his instrument and to the point..ready to go...

then jimmy, as badass as ever, my absolute favorite musician ever. far beyond anyone as far as the mystique and the unattainability and truly

the one guitarist who shaped the sounds of his instrument for the next generations. There they are right in front of me, noone between

me and them. I kept thinking should I pinch myself like the saying goes, bedazzled in my space and time, knowing that this...is absolutely unbelievable.

Tears are in my eyes I've gotta tell U. I know-without a shadow of a doubt that this is it, this is the most amazing experience that

anyone could ever imagine Front row right in front of Jimmy Page and then all of a sudden the drums come crashing down, the lights kick

on to the opening drumbeats of-holy shit what is the first song gonna be?, previously thinking rock and roll but it's not it's--oh my god it

can't be it's frigging Good Times Bad Times. AAAAAAAAAH. It's true, they're playing. i gotta admit i'm barely able to contain. my brain is like

overloading on all good things and incredibly everbuilding adrenaline and feeling of past memories of jamming to the most amazing group ever.

It's all coming together. This is it. GTBT. Sounds sooo good.

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  • 3 weeks later...

For me there were several moments that will be in my memory forever. Here's one:

The anticipation after the last warmup band got over and before Led Zeppelin(I will always call it Led Zeppelin) came out.

The feeling of oh my god. is this really going to happen. is this real. am i like f'ing dreaming or something because this

really can't be happening. Not Led Zeppelin. and then the screen above the stage came on telling us about the tampa show.

Its building. I'm feeling high. I mean frigging elevated. almost another level of consciousness. I was truly in a daze watching

as they came out, Robert as bright and shining as always, jpj just right to his instrument and to the point..ready to go...

then jimmy, as badass as ever, my absolute favorite musician ever. far beyond anyone as far as the mystique and the unattainability and truly

the one guitarist who shaped the sounds of his instrument for the next generations. There they are right in front of me, noone between

me and them. I kept thinking should I pinch myself like the saying goes, bedazzled in my space and time, knowing that this...is absolutely unbelievable.

Tears are in my eyes I've gotta tell U. I know-without a shadow of a doubt that this is it, this is the most amazing experience that

anyone could ever imagine Front row right in front of Jimmy Page and then all of a sudden the drums come crashing down, the lights kick

on to the opening drumbeats of-holy shit what is the first song gonna be?, previously thinking rock and roll but it's not it's--oh my god it

can't be it's frigging Good Times Bad Times. AAAAAAAAAH. It's true, they're playing. i gotta admit i'm barely able to contain. my brain is like

overloading on all good things and incredibly everbuilding adrenaline and feeling of past memories of jamming to the most amazing group ever.

It's all coming together. This is it. GTBT. Sounds sooo good.

Good description, I have just looked back at a few posts from the 9th and 10th of Dec 2007 and its all coming back to me, the excitement as you say that this is really happening and how lucky i was to have someone on here give me the chance to go... I was just 10 days away from not going untill I got the call, and I still feel humble about it and to all those that aslo wanted to be there. Its some thing that connects us all even if we didn't meet. The fact that for a week or so before hand people from every part of the globe came and we all arrived for this once in alifetime event. WE went up Sunday Morn, the day before the gig to get tickets and meet Steve the guy who was from the forum...the meet up at a Zep fest in a pub, the drink, quiz, vid footage on the wall, meeting people from all over the world.

The next day and the long wait and then time, the footage of Tampa as you said and then Jimmy looking cool in a suit and shades. The getting to a pc that night to upload photos for all those on here around the globe waiting.

Expectations were met that night and we were not dissapointed.

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LedZeppelino2009.jpg

LedZeppelino2054.jpg
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