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The Queue Forms Here for Led Zeppelin Redux

by Zoe Strimpel
Mon, 10 Dec 2007 at 12:44 PM

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Who said music these days is all about overproduced poptarts? The return of Led Zeppelin — for one night only — has untold (and frankly, a little unexpected) hordes of fans in a furor. So frenetic has been the interest in the show — a tribute to the late Ahmet Ertegun, who signed the band to the Atlantic label in 1968 — that promoters have had to go to the utmost efforts to outfox touts. Yesterday and today, wristbands have been handed out amid presidential-style security. Those collecting tickets have been told to bring photo ID, the credit or debit card with which they made their booking, and a reference number. In return, they will get a special red-and-black wristband, without which tickets will be invalid.

Still, the authorities have never been able to stamp out touts, especially when pickings are as rich as this. Tickets have sold for nearly $4,000 on eBay, and the going rate for tickets gleaned unofficially is more than $2,000.

People have flown in from 70 countries for tonight's show at the O2 Centre (the former Millenium Dome). And London ain't cheap, so many fans have paid well over top dollar for their tickets. One couple from Wisconsin, interviewed by the Times, spent $3,000 apiece on tickets, hotels, and flights to Britain last month (the concert was originally scheduled for November but was cancelled because Jimmy Page broke his finger), and their return for tonight's concert. "We have the rest of our lives to pay it off," they told the paper.

The reunion concert will see Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones performing together for the first time in 19 years. More than 1 million people entered a ballot for 9,000 pairs of tickets to the show. Some people have lined up for as long as five hours for the privilege of collecting their passes — but then, this is England, and if there's a "queue," there must be something worth waiting for. Tonight's show certainly looks likely to be it — Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings, Foreigner, and Paolo Nutini will also perform, so even if Led disappoints, there's plenty of backup. The promoter who was in charge of the enormous Live Aid and Live 8 concerts, Harvey Goldsmith, told the BBC that this show had generated more interest than "any show I've done."

Lucky media types will be arriving via the Thames, aboard a glittering boat, swigging champagne with the likes of Juliette Lewis, Shakira, and Led Zep's kids. Rock on.

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