Surprising the audience, the duo also broke into a playful medley of the 1950s country hit "Hello, Mary Lou," Jim Morrison's "Break On Through to the Other Side" and a mellow version of "Dazed and Confused."
Page and Plant twice surrendered the stage to Nigel Sherman, an alternative British rock star accompanying them on the tour. While Sherman played the hurdey-gurdey, Page and Plant caught their breath and gulped down a couple bottles of Gatorade.
Giving a possible indication of their future plans, Page and Plant accentuated a fascination with Near Eastern music which first caught their attention during a 1975 visit to Morocco. With the help of a full symphony and the Egyptian Pharaohs--a percussion and string octet--Page and Plant ended the show with a rendition of "Kashmir," one of Zeppelin's most popular hits.
Noticeably absent was former Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Filling in for Jones were Paul Thomas and Kevin Jones (no relation), who flawlessly executed parts in such difficult numbers as "Gallows Pole" and "The Song Remains the Same."
Aside from gaining a couple pounds and a few wrinkles, Plant lost about an octave off his upper range, avoiding the higher notes in " and "Since I've Been Loving You." Page, however, showed no musical wrinkles and attacked each guitar solo with reckless abandon.
The audience, which was split between the 50-something biker/hippie crowd and their flannel-covered college-age counterparts, showed marked enthusiasm throughout, thoroughly enjoying Page and Plant's first tour in 15 years; one that many feel may also be their last.
The crowd also shared a love for a certain five-leafed plant. We at FM politely refused several offers (having given it up for Lent), but benefitted from the effects of sitting downwind from a multi-generational trio who seemed bent on proving the old adage, "The family that smokes together, stays together."
The Jimmy Page/Robert Plant concert was a journey through Led Zeppelin's legendary history. For younger fans, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to personally see the two musicians whom they had previously known only through recordings, documentaries and nostalgic stories.
Outside the Garden, scalpers were charging the latecoming faithful upwards of $300 per seat. Although this was eight times their face value, it was still low; for die-hard fans, all that glitters isn't gold.