Celebration Day (2012) 


 


Disc One
 1. Good Times Bad Times
 2. Ramble On
 3. Black Dog
 4. In My Time of Dying
 5. For Your Life
 6. Trampled Underfoot
 7. Nobody's Fault But Mine
 8. No Quarter

Disc Two
 1. Since I've Been Loving You
 2. Dazed and Confused
 3. Stairway to Heaven
 4. The Song Remains the Same
 5. Misty Mountain Hop
 6. Kashmir
 7. Whole Lotta Love
 8. Rock and Roll

 

After decades of false starts, denials, and aborted attempts, Led Zeppelin finally reconvened—briefly—in 2007 for a one-off tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. Celebration Day is the document of that night, and while it may not rival their peak-era ferocity, it offers something else entirely: closure.

The three surviving members are joined by Jason Bonham, son of the late John Bonham, whose presence adds both emotional weight and rhythmic continuity. He’s solid, occasionally stirring, and while he doesn’t possess the volcanic swing of his father, the familial muscle memory is unmistakably there. As for Plant, the years have weathered his voice—his banshee wail now replaced with something rougher, wearier, more blues than bombast. But it works. He doesn’t attempt to cheat time; he leans into it.

Setlist-wise, the band made all the right decisions. There are no gratuitous deep cuts, no self-indulgent 25-minute detours. The longest song on offer barely cracks the 12-minute mark, and the performances are tighter, leaner, and more focused than anything from their overblown 70s live heyday. Kashmir, in particular, benefits from this clarity, surging forward like a battleship instead of meandering like a jam session.

Oddly, the sound quality isn’t quite up to par. When compared to How the West Was Won, the difference is noticeable—less depth, less warmth, and a slightly sterile edge that blunts some of the live atmosphere. One would think that a recording made 40 years later would sound better, not worse, but perhaps that’s asking too much of either technology or time. And for the record: no, the song Celebration Day is not included. Go figure.

Still, as a final word—or a long-overdue encore—Celebration Day does its job with dignity and a surprising amount of fire. It may not capture the Zeppelin of legend, but it captures the Zeppelin that endured. Not a bad way to say goodbye, really.

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