A journey of reverence: UAE residents recall travelling to London to see Led Zeppelin’s last performance

Writer Ali Khaled and financial executive Sabah Al Binali hailed from different walks of life, but were united in their love for the rock legends

Robert Plant is the celebrated Led Zeppelin lead singer. AP File

When the surviving members of Led Zeppelin announced they were uniting for a one-off show in December 2007, fans when nuts.

Such was the anticipation that one million people signed up to an online lottery, but only 20,000 were chosen to see the British rock band’s first show in 27 years – an experience not repeated since.

The steep odds of landing a ticket (one in 50) and some of the outrageous ticket prices were enough to put off Ali Khaled from even considering applying online.

Not that he wouldn’t have gone if he had the chance.

The Palestinian journalist and concert lover has regularly flown to London from Dubai for quick weekend trips to see the likes of Kings of Leon and Oasis.

The Led Zeppelin Celebration Day concert, now streaming on the band’s YouTube page until Monday, June 1, was destined to be a lifelong regret until a fateful dinner where Khaled learned that his friend, the Emirati finance executive Sabah Al Binali, managed to snap up tickets.

“He casually mentioned that he came across some hospitality tickets through his business connections and was saying how a colleague wasn’t able to make it,” Khaled says.

“I immediately asked if I could come instead and he said yes. I then asked if I could repay him and he told me not to be silly as we were friends. I just couldn’t believe it.”

The shock and awe of the crowd

That surreal feeling was compounded when Khaled arrived at the packed venue and checked out the lavish hospitality suite situated right of stage.

More than the tasty treats and comfortable seating on offer, what struck Khaled first was the electric atmosphere. This was not the normal rowdy crowd found in major rock shows. The excitement was, instead, tempered with a sense of gratitude and respect.

“There was definitely a sense of awe of what was about to happen,” he says. “Now, don’t forget back at the time the phones were not so great. I only had a Nokia or Blackberry which took bad photos. So there was no one waving their phones around. Everyone was just focusing on the stage.”

Al Binali describes the vibe more vividly: “This was more a journey of reverence rather than ‘let’s go nuts'.”

And it was feeling that extended from the hardcore fans in the front row to those in the ritzy suites, normally a segment of the crowd less interested in the main event.

While Al Binali was joined in the suites with a few clients, he said that everyone was on the same page.

“We were all Led Zeppelin fanatics,” he says. “So, no-one was interested in discussing any business, we were all there for the show.”

The programme book for Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day concert in 2007. Ali Khaled

And how did it finally feel when the band, bassist John Paul Jones (61 years old at the time), guitarist Jimmy Page (63) and singer Robert Plant (58) walked on to the stage?

“They looked so strong and trim,” Khaled says. “I read that they were in the gym for months to prepare for this and it showed. It was a long concert and the energy was great. This was not of those shows where bands do a comeback and stumble on stage or they phone it in. You can see and hear how much effort they put into everything.”

A band transported

And then there were the songs.

Fans were rewarded with a brilliantly diverse set that included the rock staples Kashmir, Black Dog and Stairway to Heaven, as well as debut full performances of classic tracks Ramble On and For Your Life.

"The sound was spot on and the band were tight," Khaled recalls. "John Paul Jones is just an amazing bassist; Robert Plant's voice was also strong and just to witness Jimmy Page play the guitar in front of you was incredible."

The best part of all, the band members managed to park some of the animosity that dogged their relationship in the late 1970s.

It was an aspect that worried Al Binali during the opening moments of the concert.

“The first few minutes, a lot of us were concerned that there could be some bad vibes left over,” he says. “But you could see that the band transported. It was like a family that may have had a fight but they came back decades later to pick up where they left off.”

Khaled plans to relive those memories by watching the concert film on YouTube. However, he says the slick production could never replicate the feeling of being there.

“I saw the film before and, in a way, it is interesting in that it gives me a different perspective on the concert,” he says. “But of course, being there was just a totally different experience. Because I had a crappy phone at the time, I wish I would have taken better photos and videos of my own. It is a little regret that I have at times.”

Al Binali, on the other hand, hasn’t seen the film and doesn’t plan to.

“I don’t need to see it through someone else’s eyes or their interpretation,” he says. “I have my experience and there is no need to spoil it.”