Led
Zeppelin DVD review
The Led Zeppelin DVD is phenomenal and beyond expectations;
it clocks in at over five hours. According to the liner notes
within the package, the Led Zeppelin DVD is put together to
"provide a compelling snapshot portrait of their career as a
live band." In addition, to " allow a whole new
generation of people who weren't there the first time around to get
a chance to see what Led Zeppelin was really all about. "
For sure, the Led Zeppelin DVD delivers its mission
statement.
This
two DVD set that takes one on a journey through their career with
four major concert segments, from 1970, '73, '75, and '79, as well
as plenty of bonus footage.
The
first disc includes around an hour and a half of early Led Zeppelin
performing tracks from their first two albums. This period of their
career Led Zeppelin was primarily blues based in their playing.
The
second disc contains three main performances and all are priceless.
The Madison Square Garden is an extension of their live video The
Song Remains the Same. It is followed by six tracks
from their 1975 tour supporting their album Physical
Graffiti, and three of the songs are from that album.
The first three numbers show the band sitting in chairs with
acoustic instruments in hand, Jimmy Page with a guitar, Robert Plant
with a microphone, and John Paul
Jones with a mandolin. They begin with a gorgeous rendition of
"Going to California" that really emphasis Jones
varied musical skills with some nice mandolin solos and
riffs. While "Stairway to Heaven" has been
heard over and over it is an incredible song. This rendition
builds to a climatic peak with some incredible string bending that
will send chills up and down your spine.
The
final set captures the band on tour for their 1979 album In
Through the Outdoor. From our initial overview, the
seven song set is electrifying. The song list includes
material from five different albums. It includes strong
versions of two of the top songs from their album Presence,
"Nobody's Fault But Mine" and
"Achilles Last Stand," as well as the most popular track from
Physical
Graffiti,"Kasmir."
Of
the four different major sets included you may have your
favorite. We give the nod to the Earl's Court performance as
we love Led Zeppelin's acoustic music. However, the other three performances
are just as brilliant. Depending on your favorite period of their music will determine the one you enjoy most.
The
Led Zeppelin DVD earns the highest grade with flying colors.
Not only is the music killer, they priced it affordable. Many
artists charge for two hours of music what they are charging for
over five hours. Barry Small ©
Grade A +