Jimmy Page coming out of retirement; guitarist makes 2nd onstage visit as Web countdown ends

Jimmy Page joined the Black Crowes onstage
in London, Wednesday, July 13. They played
"Shake Your Moneymaker," a blues by Elmore
James they last played together on tour
over a decade ago. YouTube: brenotube

Jimmy Page has now found himself back onstage for another surprise performance, the second time since June, following the better part of a decade spent just about anywhere other than stages.

London, where many of Page's post-Led Zeppelin gigs have taken place over the past 31 years, on Wednesday night solidified his intention to make a comeback of sorts.

Wednesday's gig was at Shepherds Bush Empire, a venue where Page might remember sharing the stage in March '98 with Robert Plant, during the tour in support of new material on an overlooked album but whose live sets focused on Led Zeppelin hits from another era.

Singer Chris Robinson marvels as Jimmy Page plays
one of the first guitar solos of a long-awaited and crucial
phase of his career, his coming out of retirement.
YouTube: dsrc18

This time, though, Page stepped on the stage with other folks and for only one song, one that surely wasn't "Stairway." Not even close.

With the Black Crowes, the very group with which Page embarked on his last tour just over a decade ago, he entertained Shepherds Bush on a blues standard, Elmore James's "Shake Your Money Maker."

Meanwhile, fans who've been aware of an imminent change to Jimmy Page's official site, www.jimmypage.com, prepared to check in on the hour, every hour, until something changed.

Kool-Aid drinkers believed Page would come out of retirement, in one way or another, when, 24 days ago, a daily countdown of Roman numerals first appeared on Page's site alongside an active sandglass.

YouTube: brenotube

The guitarist to Page's left is 38-year-old Luther Dickinson,
the Black Crowes' most recent acquisition, plucked from
the North Mississippi Allstars. YouTube: brenotube

YouTube: dsrc18

YouTube: dsrc18

YouTube: dsrc18

YouTube: dsrc18 

YouTube: dsrc18

Jimmy Page surprises Donovan's crowd with onstage guest spot

Donovan and Jimmy Page play "Sunshine Superman"
Friday night in London.

Jimmy Page sat in with singer Donovan on Friday night in London, in a way reprising an in-studio collaboration dating back to the days before Led Zeppelin was founded.

Donovan recreated his 1966 album Sunshine Superman during his concert at the Royal Albert Hall, with the backing of an orchestra. One of the unnamed "very special guests" teased in advance of the gig turned out to be Page, who recorded electric guitar on the title track while he was one of London's most highly demanded session guitarists.

Page's onstage appearance amounted to adding guitar to "Sunshine Superman" and another one of Donovan's popular singles from that era, "Mellow Yellow."

Donovan, left, and Jimmy Page embraced
after their live rendition of "Mellow Yellow" on Friday.

The gig marked Page's first time playing (or miming) guitar in front of a live audience in more than two years. For the past decade, it was Page's eighth onstage appearance, including the Led Zeppelin reunion concert in 2007.

In recent years, Page has stated he is working on new music and that a return to live appearances would be imminent. He also released a pictorial autobiography last year, participated in the film It Might Get Loud, and planned a possible new group with such familiar artists as John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham.

The guitarist's current project involves developing an official website at www.jimmypage.com.

Jason Bonham part of 3 touring lineups in UK, US, Europe

A summary of Jason Bonham's upcoming tour dates with as many as three different band lineups (updated as time goes on):

UK tour dates with Paul Rodgers
April 15: Blackpool - Opera House
April 16: Sheffield - City Hall
April 18: Newcastle - Metro Radio Arena
April 19: Glasgow - Clyde Auditorium
April 21: Manchester - O₂ Apollo
April 22: Nottingham - Royal Centre
April 24: Bournemouth - International Centre
April 25: Southend - Cliff Pavilions
April 27: London - Royal Albert Hall
April 28: Birmingham - National Indoor Arena

US/Canada tour date(s) with Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience
May 4: Wallingford, Conn. - Oakdale Theatre NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 25
May 5: New Brunswick, N.J. - State Theatre NEW! Tickets available here
May 6: Atlantic City, N.J. - Borgata Resort NEW!
May 7: Concord, N.H. - Capitol Center for the Arts NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 21
May 9: Buffalo, N.Y. - University PAC NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 25
May 10: Westbury, N.Y. - Theatre at Westbury NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 25
May 12: Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis NEW!
May 14: Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy NEW!
May 15: Greensburg, Pa. - The Palace Theater Tickets available here
May 17: Indianapolis, Ind. - The Murat Theatre NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 25
May 18: St. Louis, Mo. - The Pageant NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 18
May 19: Kansas City, Mo. - Harrah's Casino NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 26
May 20: Denver, Colo. - Ogden Theatre NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 19
May 21: Salt Lake City, Utah - The Depot NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 18
May 24: Fremont, Calif. - The Saddle Rack NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 25
May 25: Napa Valley, Calif. - The Uptown Theatre NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 18
May 26: Sacramento, Calif. - Crest Theatre NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 19
May 27: Los Angeles, Calif. - Greek Theatre NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 25
May 28: Las Vegas, Nev. - Aliante Casino NEW! Tickets on sale beginning March 26

US tour dates with Black Country Communion
June 9: San Diego, Calif. - Civic Theatre Tickets available here
June 10: Anaheim, Calif. - City National Grove of Anaheim Tickets available here
June 11: Salt Lake City, Utah - The Depot NEW! Tickets available here
June 13: St. Louis, Mo. - The Pageant NEW! Tickets available here
June 15: Indianapolis, Ind. - Murat Theatre NEW! Tickets available here
June 17: Hampton Beach, N.H. - Casino Ballroom NEW! Tickets available here
June 18: Sayreville, N.J. - Starland Ballroom NEW! Tickets available here
June 19: Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club NEW! Tickets available here

European tour dates with Black Country Communion
June 23: Vitoria, Spain - Azkena Rock Festival
June 30: Stuttgart, Germany - Killersberg
July 1: Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
July 2: Liepzig, Germany - Parkbuhne
July 4: Munich, Germany - Zenith
July 5: Berlin, Germany - Zitadelle
July 6: Hamburg, Germany - Stadtpark
July 10: Weert, Netherlands - Bospop Festival
July 14: Bonn, Germany - Museumsplatz

UK tour dates with Black Country Communion
July 23: Llandudno, Wales - Llandudno Cymru Arena NEW!
July 26: Leeds, England - O₂ Academy
July 27: Newcastle, England - O₂ Academy
July 29: Glasgow, Scotland - O₂ Academy
July 30: Manchester, England - O₂ Academy