This is the second part of the newsletter edition published Sept. 27, 2007, exactly 24 years after the first live performance of "Stairway to Heaven" by any member of Led Zeppelin since the band's breakup. This second part concentrates first on the sale of tickets to a Led Zeppelin tour in 1980 that would have included "Stairway to Heaven" and to a one-off reunion concert at the end of 2007 that did end up including a live performance of "Stairway to Heaven."
During this week in 1980, Led Zeppelin was preparing for a North American concert tour for which tickets were about to go on sale and were reportedly in high demand. For many folks who were just turned on to the band or had finally convinced their parents they were old enough to go to a concert, the set of proposed dates beginning Oct. 17 in Montreal would have provided a first opportunity for many fans to see Led Zeppelin live. Unfortunately, the week didn't end with the same plans intact, as a hardcore night of drinking on a Wednesday night took the life of John Bonham and ended for good Led Zeppelin as fans knew it.
Twenty-seven whole years later, the chance of seeing Page, Plant and John Paul Jones perform together – this time with Jason Bonham on drums – is real again. The biggest story in music this past week, aside from an embarrassing televised dance by Britney "Oops" Spears, has been the Led Zeppelin reunion concert set to take place Nov. 26 in London.
The four are reported to have rehearsed eight times in a secret studio in London, readying a two-hour set that will include some material played in lower keys. More than a million fans have registered their names and contact information with an official Web site in hopes that they will be contacted about buying tickets for the event. Excitement today is definitely the highest it's been in 27 years, even if it is for a one-off show that will be attended by no more than 20,000 people and may not even be broadcast or recorded.
Bill Wyman and Jimmy Page both played at the ARMS concert benefits in London described in the first part of today's newsletter, and they're both scheduled to play this November at the Led Zeppelin reunion concert, another benefit in London. Isn't it nice sometimes when history repeats itself? Here's another instance where I hope history will repeat itself.
For more news and views on the reunion concert and other current affairs pertaining to Led Zeppelin, please visit my new supplement to this newsletter. My month-old blog, Lemon Squeezings: Led Zeppelin News, already has the following entries:
- Doing time for bootlegging: A review of the stances Jimmy Page takes on the sale of unauthorized live recordings.
- Plant on Fats Domino tribute CD: A summary of the contributions Robert Plant made for a compilation to be released next week
- John Paul Jones' busy year: Assembles a list of the festival appearances that have occupied the multi-instrumentalist's time throughout 2007
- Considerations about a Led Zeppelin reunion: Explaining why the reunion won't outlast a single concert
- Roy Harper album with Jimmy Page guest spot remastered: Describing the work that has gone into next month's anticipated reissue of Harper's 1971 album Stormcock, which features Page's lead guitar on one long track
- Official: Led Zeppelin to reunite, Nov. 26 concert confirmed: My initial report revealing the contents of last week's important announcement
- Uncle Earl, John Paul Jones protegees, enthusiastic in Virginia: A review of the all-female string band's concert this past weekend in Alexandria, Va.
- Coming very soon, a review of Raising Sand, the upcoming album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss!
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