But the performance on the night was good. It wasn’t simply hype. Better in fact than I expected. Jason Bonham taking over from his late father on sticks did an amazing job. Right from the beginning his drums thundered at the back, driving the songs forward. It was clear the night meant something to each of them and they didn’t want to mess it up.

The question after the gig was would they reform. The performance was good. Why wouldn’t they? The answer lies with time. Time makes us different people and in Robert Plant’s case, he’s long since moved on from being ‘rock god’ and forged his own post-Zep career. Maybe it’s arrogance as some fans think, personally I think he’s long since realised that they couldn’t re-tread old ground but the fans would demand the ‘fans’ idea of Zep. So Zep fans have been left with the O2 gig and the knowledge that it was a good gig. When would it be released? It has to be released? Why wouldn’t they release it? After nearly five years, I think many had given up on it.

So to tonight. Here I am sat in Hammersmith Apollo about to relive the biggest music night of my life. Would it live up to my memory? Was my memory of the evening right? If other people experience the evening would it take something away from my experience? (Selfish, I know). So here I am, sat at the UK Premier of ‘Celebration Day’, the film of the O2 gig. A packed house full of anticipation for seeing what’s likely the last even Zep gig. The only other time I seen this much anticipation in a cinema was sat in the audience waiting for the Phantom Menace – and we all know what disappointment that led to. Would it be good, please let it be good?

After a brief introduction from Jimmy and Robert, the lights went down and then…. ‘dum’, ‘dum’…. ‘dum’, ‘dum’.. thundered into the auditorium and the realisation started that I was actually watching the O2 gig. Not crapy Youtube clips (including my own) but a high quality film. For the next two hours I relived the evening and many of the emotions of the evening. I’m not saying that watching a film could be an equivalent for being at an actual gig. But presenting it in a real venue with the sound turned up, sitting along with 2000 other fans, definitely added to the evening.

From the opening song ‘Good Times Bad Times’, through to the ‘Rock and Roll’ everything was as good as I remembered. The guys did nail it on the night and Jason, Jason would have made his dad so proud. Jason was simply fantastic. I remember at the time everyone coming out of the O2 with smiles on the faces. But there were conversations all around about how good Jason had been. Before the gig there had been concern that he wasn’t the right choice. That he couldn’t fill his father’s place. But we knew on the night that he was the only choice, the right choice and the lad delivered. This film proves it. It’s clear from the admiring looks, smiles and nods and laughter, that Robert, Jimmy and JPJ knew that Jason had nailed it. I can only imaging what the evening meant to Jason. Can you imagine stepping into your famous fathers shoes on the biggest stage ever and getting it right? If I’m honest, I don’t think I can comprehend what that must mean to Jason.

There are many highlights from the gig. For me Kashmir stands out as the best song of the evening. It’s my favourite Zep song. I think it’s one of the best versions they’ve ever done. Equal to anything I’ve heard on bootlegs and re-issues. Maybe it’s the most ‘Zep’ song. Maybe it’s still the song that they can all sit happiest with. But it was perfect on the night and perfect on film.

But there are too many highlights from the evening. Even songs I wasn’t overly keen on, came across better live. The song many thought Robert might ‘karaoke’ his way through, Stairway, was excellent. No Quarter, another highlight. I suspect when I get the DVD. My favourites will change again. It really was such a good performance that every Zep fan will love this film. But what the film captures most, was how proud the guys were of Jason. We can only guess what the evening really meant to them. So let’s leave it as that. Let’s stop hassling the guys to reform. Let them go out on a high knowing that they did Ahmet Ertegun and John Bonham proud.

For the first time this year, I was unable to get a ticket through legitimate means – so I had to hit ebay. Luckily the prices weren’t too bad, but hopefully next time there’s a big gig, people like me who managed to get through to the payment screens, have their payments taken.

The Vultures had decided to close their UK leg at the Hammersmith Apollo in the middle of December, at a time that happened to coincide with snow in London. The night before the gig was my work’s Christmas party and I was unluckily enough to be snowed in at work, spending the night in a sleeping bag in my office. But I had planned ahead and made sure I brought my ticket with me so that I could head off to the gig on the Friday morning.

The support act were Sweethead, the side project of fellow Queens of the Stone Age’s member, Troy Van Leeuwen. I’d seen Sweethead earlier in the year when they supported ‘The Eagles of Death Metal’. They’re one of the best support acts I’ve seen this year and I suspect they converted quite a few people in the audience who seemed to receive them warmly. The lead singer Serrina Sims, did a great job not only of carrying the vocals but also covering the numerous technical problems the experienced.

‘Them Crooked Vultures’ came on the stage around 9 and then the aural assault started.

I’ve not seen QOTSA or the Foo Fighters live. Although I have a few of the Foo’s albums, I’ve never really ‘got’ them. So haven’t seen Dave Grohl drum since Nirvana and boy does he drum. It’s a long time since I’ve seem somebody pound the drums like him. Swirling around this aural assault (and I made the mistake of standing too close to the sound stacks), is the irrepressible John Paul Jones, Alain Johannes on guitar and Josh Homme.

The Vultures, started off with the ‘Nobody Loves Me & Neither Do I’ which just seemed to slide us all into the mood. It’s an excellent choice for an opening song. With it’s numerous changes of pace helping to get the crowd going.

From their on in, it was 90 minutes of non stop rock. Concentrating mainly on their debut album, they did manage to introduce one new song that had John Paul Jones on mandolin. It seemed that all of the band, but especially JPJ, were enjoying themselves. I think JPJ is really enjoying being out on the road again playing in front receptive crowds and it appeared there were lots of Zep fans in the audience who agreed. It was great to see.

The set finished up with the neverending (in a very good way) and the night’s highlight, ‘Warsaw or The First Breath You Take After You Give Up’. Which allowed the group to jam away and take the song in several different directions building up to end a great night’s music

And that was it. No encores, just 90 minutes of aural delight. It wasn’t quite the best gig of the year, that honour went to the Dead Weather. But it was a close run thing. If they play the UK again. I’ll be there. But I suspect next time they tour the UK, they’ll be playing bigger venues than Hammersmith.

Photos from the evening on Flickr