Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day (2012)

You won't be disappointed!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Plenty of highlights, and like most of their output, has a way of growing on you to an almost uncomfortable degree taking you on a miniature journey. As a rock audience, we've practically seen it all: multiple camera angles, audience noise, high-speed editing, close-ups, cameras in clear plastic balls, helicopter shots from above, giant video screens, wide angle shots, 3-D effects, and even fan-held cameras on the loose. After so many years of technological leaps and bounds finding their way to the big screen, it's downright hard to bring anything new or innovative to this medium.In this concert film we see what we need to see – the concert. And probably all the things that I wanted to see were up close and personal. This includes close-ups of Jimmy Page playing his classic sunburst Les Paul at just the right times, John Paul Jones' fretless bass and Page's skillful slide guitar playing during "In My Time of Dying," Jones' use of the rare 12-string bass during "Trampled Under Foot" and Page's use of the Transperformance guitar during "Whole Lotta Love." Awesome percussion by Jason Bonham throughout and Robert Plant's vocals hold up well. And those were just the technical/musical close-ups of real value. Add in the human emotion of Jones, Page and drummer Jason Bonham looking at each other, nodding and smiling when they were locked in to a tight groove. Not a dull moment, completely engrossing all the way through.This is definitely a film that is a must see.

My brother and I had a bet when the show was announced.....If I won, I would take him. If he won, he would take me..... HE WON! Although the film is excellent.... nothing could compare to the energy in the O2 that night.... I know now why Dicky, ( The Director, Editor and One of the Producers) took five years to complete the film. He truly captured the magic of the evening. The way the whole evening was conducted, (Bill Wyman did an excellent job as MC), all of the other "Super Groups", that Ahmet had signed, (Yes... Emmerson, Lake and Palmer...), were there, and the night flowed perfectly... The audience was literally a who's who of the music biz. We stood at mix position, and we could see Sir Paul, Dave Grhol....etc. all within a few feet. Truly an amazing night. Once in a lifetime.

This is more of a technical review on each musician rather than of the concert as whole as there are enough of those already.Robert Plant Well he did a remarkable job considering it was almost 40 years ago that he recorded the most well know Led Zeppelin tracks. His voice with its age can't hit the high notes anymore and he changed the articulation in several songs as he may just not have the muscle memory of what they used to sound like.Jimmy Page Not sure if it was his finger or just age but he was struggling to keep up to tempo on several songs. His fingers were not as nimble along the fret board as they used to and thus there was not the resonance from the guitar parts that is in example on other live Led Zeppelin titles like Song remains the same or How the west was won.John Paul Jones By far the standout from this performance. The tone and sound he gets from the bass guitar is amazing for a guy over 60. Maybe the road fitness he would have built up touring with Them Crocked Vultures a few years back is part of it but from the first song till last when he has a bass in his hands he fills out the whole bottom end of the sound beautifully. Sadly I found his keyboard a little, rushed maybe. No quarter which should have been a highlight for me kind of just came and went for me.Jason Bonham Well he had massive shoes to fill and sadly it was his feet that let him down. I have no idea why he chose to use a double bass peddle but it was the wrong way to go. Fair enough he may not have the "jack rabbit" right foot that his dad was famed for having but to just create a basic muddy sound where Led Zeppelin was known for having distinction was a massive disappointment. From the opening of Good times Bad times, he was on song with everything above the waste but as a drummer he missed the bass drum parts by a long mark. I also found the choice of Zildjian cymbals a little surprising as they have no where near the cut through and volume that the old Paiste giant beats that his dad used had. I know he is sponsored by Zildjian but seriously this was Led Zeppelin.The overall sound mix I also found a little guitar heavy, but then the same problem happened when Song remains the same was remastered for DVD release. I think Jimmy Page kind of went, make me louder :POverall an awesome show and I can't wait for the blue ray so I can listen properly without the echo that a cinema brings.

Just returned from seeing Led Zepplin's celebration day at Hammersmith Odeon. The film is simply phenomenal, the sound out of this world. Thank you to all involved for blowing the mind of a man who thought he'd seen and heard it all. Thank you to Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones for showing up to introduce the film. Will definitely be going again and again to see this one. Visually the camera work and editing leaves nothing to be desired although I wouldn't have used those square CGI's; they were an unnecessary distraction. The film is emotionally charged right out the gate and caused my eyes to well up through the first two songs. Throughout the film I sat with my hands together as if in prayer, my body occasionally moving in time.The sound mix is near perfect, I wouldn't change a thing although there was one song I would revisit where the guitar was noticeably lowered to accommodate Robert, this could be more subtle. (I'd have to see it again to be sure though) Actually the mix is perfect. It is brilliantly thought through with incredible attention paid to the emotional value of Led Zeppelin. My hat is off to all involved, you should all be tremendously proud of creating a master piece which will, for all time, set in celluloid the legend of Led Zeppelin.