Clarion Content

That Led Zeppelin rocks is probably not news to some of our older readers, what is amazing is that they still rock. Reviews from their concert this week in London were almost universally positive. In fact, they were glowing.

Here's a sampling culled from Rolling Stone of what the pundits thought of Zep's first live show in twenty-seven years.

“Some of the top of [Robert Plant]’s voice has gone, but except for one attempted and failed high note in “Stairway to Heaven” (“there walks a la-dy we all know”), he found other melodic routes to suit him. He was authoritative; he was dignified.” (The New York Times)

“The finale of “Whole Lotta Love,” played as the first of two encores, was as raw and mesmerizing as ever.” (Los Angeles Times)

“The riff that powers In My Time Of Dying is authentically churning and queasy, Ramble On sounds not like a song that’s been brought out of mothballs for a benefit concert but wrigglingly, obscenely alive.” (The Guardian UK)

“By Dazed And Confused (all 26 minutes of it), Page was at his most avant-garde, attacking his guitar with a violin bow, but on Kashmir, unleashing the Zeppelin riff of Zeppelin riffs, he was almost inhumanly exciting. It was like watching a man invent electricity. One oft-repeated Seventies myth suggested Page’s prowess came as a result of a pact with the devil. Superstitious nonsense of course, but sometimes you wonder.” (The Evening Standard)

“Page may no longer swagger across the stage, his guitar worn low like a gunslinger as he churns out riffs. And Plant can’t scram and strut like he did in his rock god heyday. But the awesome power and majesty of the music was undiminished.” (The Daily News)

“Bonham’s volcanic fills on Nobody’s Fault But Mine confirmed that there are some things that can be transmitted only through DNA.” (The Times UK)

Those are some raves.

On a personal note the Clarion would like to concede, Wheeze, you were right all along.

Labels: music, Pop Culture