/ 2 November 2007

Zep concert delayed after Page breaks finger

Led Zeppelin’s one-off reunion concert, originally scheduled for the end of this month, has been postponed for two weeks after guitarist Jimmy Page broke a finger, the band said on Friday.

The gig, at the O2 Arena on the south bank of the River Thames in London, was originally pencilled in for November 26 but will now be held on December 10, the legendary rockers said on their website, www.ledzeppelin.com.

Page injured his finger last weekend and doctors have advised him not to play guitar for three weeks.

The guitarist himself said: ”I am disappointed that we are forced to postpone the concert by two weeks.

”However, Led Zeppelin have always set very high standards for ourselves, and we feel that this postponement will enable my injury to properly heal and permit us to perform at the level that both the band and our fans have always been accustomed to.”

The band said all tickets for the November 26 show will be valid for the rescheduled gig. But those who cannot attend on December 10 should apply for a full refund of the ticket price before 12pm British time on November 14.

Tickets made available as a result of refunds will be offered to ballot winners selected at random from original registrations from November 15.

More than one million people applied for the 20 000 tickets after the reunion gig was announced.

The concert is a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun, the late founder of the Atlantic Records label, who signed the group in 1968.

Led Zeppelin split in 1980 following the death of drummer John Bonham, who choked on his own vomit following a drinking binge, and have not played together for 19 years.

Singer Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones, with Bonham’s son Jason on drums, will headline the gig.

Led Zeppelin have sold more than 300-million albums worldwide and in 1995 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. — AFP

 

AFP