I've been Dazed and Confused...
The Film
Few bands (including the Beatles) ever created the kind of stir that surrounded Led Zeppelin. Yes, the Fab Four from Liverpool were the most popular band of all-time with record sales that would make Justin Bieber take his own life with the dull end of a hockey stick, but there was something different about their British counterparts that made fans dazed and confused for so long. To be blunt, the quartet of Page/Plant/Jones/Bonham may have been (outside of the Who) the most perfect rock band of all-time. Can you dance to Zeppelin? Absolutely not. Well, at least not sober and with a girl you like. Hence the reason why my parents hated it so much when I would blast "Ramble On," "Black Dog," or "Kashmir" at 11 pm. It was loud and bombastic and infused with the blues and unlike anything that anyone had ever played before. So when three of the original members reunited in London in 2007 to play, a great concert video emerged. Celebration Day is certifiably that.
Robert Plant can still belt out the tunes, but time has thinned out his voice; making that the only really disappointing part of the show. Can Jimmy Page still play? The better question? Is there anyone who can play better than him even at the age of sixty-eight? Page just demands your attention as he creates a soundstage of music that utterly envelops the audience. The venerable John Paul Jones; who influenced a generation of bassists including Geddy Lee, Flea, and John Deacon, still knows how to lay a solid foundation and looks way too good to be sixty-one (at the time of filming). Jason Bonham does an admirable job filling in for his late father, John Bonham, and it's clear that despite the personality conflicts, the chemistry never died.
The sixteen song mix has all of the classic Zeppelin tracks, minus one of my personal favorites, "Over the Hills and Far Away" but it's a stellar performance from start to finish.
The Picture
Unlike the audio which I found somewhat wanting, the image quality on this 1080i release is quite satisfying thanks to a sharp image and better than average black levels for a concert video. The camera work is a tad frantic so don't be alarmed by all of the quick cuts; there are probably too many cuts for Zeppelin fans who cherish those long shots of Jimmy Page playing or Plant stretching out the end of lyric.
The Sound
Celebration Day is offered with both DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 tracks and while the concert sounds quite robust and clear, there are moments where the sound disappoints; especially in the 5.1 track where Robert Plant's thin sounding vocals get lost in the mix and it doesn't sound so cohesive. The midrange is quite clean sounding and there is adequate punch in the low end, but the crowd noise is distracting and it just doesn't totally gel; I could see listeners preferring the 2.0 stereo mix which has solid clarity and soundstage separation. Not a disaster by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn't have the magic that one would expect from a Led Zeppelin production.
The Extras
The bonus material is a tad spartan if not for the bonus DVD which has almost two hours (in SD) of rehearsal material filmed at Shepperton; although the video quality leaves a lot to be desired. One camera angle and less than stellar lighting make it tiring to watch. The uncompressed LPCM 2.0 audio is far superior and you may want to turn the TV off and just enjoy the music.
Warner has also included 2 CDs of live concert footage with all sixteen tracks, although I think Zeppelin fans would agree that this is no Song Remains the Same in comparison. Zeppelin's studio albums are far superior to this live recording.
Final Thoughts
Any kind of Led Zeppelin reunion, even for only one night was bound to create a stir and it's a genuine shame that a world tour did not ensue after this monumental concert with the world's greatest rock band. Solid audio and video performance combined with a collection of concert CDs and rare rehearsal footage make this a must-own for Zeppelin fans around the world. Ramble on!
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