greatbear | Kennedy Center Honors

I always make it a point to watch the annual Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts show bestowing the Kennedy Center Honors on very deserving and diverse individuals for their contributions to the performing arts world. This time, the honorees were prima ballerina Natalia Makarova, actor Dustin Hoffman, blues man Buddy Guy, late-night host David Letterman, and rockers Led Zeppelin. Aside from the obvious presence of the honorees, the roster of greats in the respective fields of the recipients is nothing short of incredible. The performances given to each of the honorees not only highlight the peak of each artists' careers, but the mutual respect between them and their peers is obvious and beautiful. This night was no exception. In fact, it was almost magical.

I sat myself in front of the television last night and let myself become completely wrapped up in the show. I had familiarity with all of the honorees, even Natalia Marakova, getting a bit choked up as a number of familiar dances were performed reminded me of Mom and her constant immersion in opera and ballet. I became giddy and amazed at all the performers, as they followed each other during the show. The performances given in honor of Buddy Guy were outstanding, with Jeff Beck and Beth Hart, Tracy Chapman and Bonnie Raitt bringing down the house. I could not wait to see what awaited Led Zeppelin, who were being inducted as a band and with Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones as individual artists.

Lenny Kravitz performed "Whole Lotta Love." The Foo Fighters did "Rock and Roll." Then Jason Bonham, son of late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham was called to the stage, and, well, I'll let the video speak for itself:

Yeah, color me blown away. I hope these videos aren't nuked by YouTube for some silly infringement bullshit. I saved my own local copies.

One more thing. Throughout the performances President Obama and First Lady Michelle are seen thoroughly enjoying each performance, either engaged in the speeches given both seriously and comedic, and completely into the music. They get it. I cannot for the life of me imagine a Mitt Romney and his wooden wife even pretending to enjoy the songs for the scary bluesman or those drugged out rockers. Stairway to Heaven? That'll be a minimum of ten percent of your salary, please. Thankfully, tonight was all about art (of all kinds) in excellence, mutual respect, and a whole lotta love.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Have you seen Celebration Day, the 2007 concert by the _real_ Led Zeppelin ?

Yes! The old dudes can still rock.

What a sensational rendition! - loved watching Yoyo Ma's reaction to the guitar solo ... and that drummer with the derby (grrrrr!). Thanks so much for showing this, along with your remarks... I so agree with your comments about the Pres and First Lady (she looked fabulous!)
You filled in the rest of the show for me ... I managed to catch only the first half on TV. Beth Orton's singing in the tribute to Buddy Guy was astonishing; I had forgotten how much I admire Tracy Chapman's mellow voice.
Since I happen to be a ballet fan, I recalled seeing Makarova for the first time, on tour in LA with American Ballet theatre in the early '70's. I arrived just after curtain went up, and had not had a chance to read the program, so I didn't know who this ballerina was. She looked like she had been blown onto the stage by a sudden gust of wind. Her movements were practically extraterrestrial, unlike anything I had ever seen before on a stage... just magical.

I'm a total ballet neophyte, I've only actually been to a few, the usual Swan Lake and Nutcracker, plus a couple shows done by the Moscow Ballet and Moiseyev dance company, plus some smaller companies. All of these were with mom, and I enjoyed all of them.

So many familiar faces in the audience who were having a great time. I wish I could've been in that audience. Last time I was at the KC was two years ago to see WICKED. It's a wonderful venue.

That was Yo Yo Ma? He was so into it, I think when the whole choir appeared it was 'woah' - also taking that solo in front of Zep and especially Jimmy Page? Ouch. Did well.

I hate I missed this year's Kennedy Center Honors due to being at my parent's house where the only thing that could be seen was football or Discover/TLC/Bravo trash. I have heard the Stairway to Heaven moment was the best and am glad you posted it here...

*sigh* I remember when Discover/TLC/Bravo used to have some really cool programming. That's why it's so refreshing to see something like this that isn't all about a race to the bottom for ratings.

I was watching the Kennedy Center Honors too, and I agree with you about the evaluation of the First Family. They do get it, and love it, and I just don't see Mitt Romney and his family honestly relating to that.

When they said Heart was performing I was like "really?" They did an amazing job, and as the arrangement expanded I just kept grinning ear to ear. A very nice evening.

There was a wonderful subtlety about that performance. Heart were known in the beginning as "the Female Led Zeppelin" and indeed they covered lots of Zep songs in concert and albums, no to mention being heavily influenced by them. I saw Heart in '77 (damn I'm old) and they did "Rock and Roll" during that show. The steady building arrangement was amazing. Jason Bonham, son of the late Zep drummer John Bonham, wears a bowler hat, as you saw. I didn't think anything of that until the mass choir near the end is revealed wearing the same hats. John Bonham would occasionally wear one back in the day:

A wonderful tribute inside of a tribute, subtle and loving.

I really don't like Led Zep, that's one of about 3 songs I can stand of theirs - and I don't like Heart. Alone has made me want to leave places before now.

I love how Plant and a few others at the start were like 'oh no' - quite rightly so, there have been some *dreadful* covers of it in the past. No Stairway - denied for very good reasons...in fact only one, Dolly Parton's cover (yes that Dolly) has even come close to the emotion in the song - it may rock but it harks to an older time...in fact 2/3 songs of theirs I like are both from before 71.

But that surprisingly moved me, that was about Jason. And John.

Edited 2012-12-30 02:44 (UTC)

I'm a Zep head from way back, so I was already giddy about the prospects for the tribute. The previous performances were on point. When Jason, Ann and Nancy were announced, I knew there would be something special, and I expected it, given it's their most recognizable song outside of hard rock circles. Yes, it is vastly overplayed, and a couple guitar shops I used to visit had "NO STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN" signs up. Still, I was not even prepared for this powerful performance. It kept building and building, that set piece lifted revealing that huge choir and that hoary rock standard became pure gospel. It took a while for me to realize the hat thing, so there was an "aftershock" after seeing the performance from seeing that tribute to John. I don't think anyone who isn't a fairly hardcore fan would have made the connection, but it was meant for the three old guys first. You could see their reactions how it was received.

I have the Dolly Parton album, it helped me to give the country gal, whom I already liked, a new level of respect.

BTW it was sadly someone called Beth Hart not Beth Orton - I *would love* to hear Beth Orton do 'I'd Rather Go Blind - it would suit her voice better...

I gotta go back and fix that. I had Beth Orton on the mind when I was banging out my HTML. :)

and liked your post.

But I don't know how many people are aware of the fact that Led Zeppelin is essentially a COVER BAND who never paid any of their biggest songs' writers and composers a penny, unless sued and settled out of court.

All but 1 of their signature songs are stolen from other people. The word "stolen" is appropriate because they never paid these writers or given them credit (until they sold their catalog to Atlantic records for $25 million).

And now, Jason Bonham is doing everything he can to cash in on the Led Zeppelin myth, including selling drum kits.

Stunning as it is, Led Zeppelin needs to pay the people they ripped off from and acknowledge where their biggest hits came from.

Kennedy Center Honors

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

hi I strayed over