Huge Rock Tour News, Good and Bad

Two possibly gigantic tours have been rumored lately.  Here is the good news and the bad:

First, the bad news.  Led Zeppelin is rumored to be planning a world tour.  That, in itself, is not bad news.  That would be very, very good news.  I even jumped the gun last year, predicting that Led Zeppelin would be my favorite concert of 2008.  The bad news, however, is that it seems Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham (filling in for his late Dad) are planning to go through with the world tour without singer Robert Plant.  Zeppelin without Robert Plant?  That's like The Doors without Jim Morrison, or The Cars without Ric Ocasek, or INXS without Michael Hutchence.  Admittedly, the greatness of Zeppelin is mostly Page & Bonham (and I'm assuming Jason can do a decent impression of his Dad's drumming), but still...  Here's hoping Plant comes around and joins up in time for the tour.

Now, the good news.  With a caveat:  I've heard this rumor over and over for at least 10 or 15 years, and every time I've gotten excited and it's never happened.  But here we go again.  According to the New York Times, Jermaine Jackson has confirmed that The Jackson 5 will reunite and tour.  And yes, that is all the Jacksons, including the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, out of exile in Dubai or Abu Dhabi or wherever he is hiding these days.  I realize this sounds like a sure disappointment (anyone remember the Victory Tour?)  But I put The Jacksons in the pantheon of greatest groups in pop/rock history, so I'll hold out hope that they'll recreate the magic of 40 years earlier.

I may have a tough prediction for best show of 2009.

INSTANT UPDATE:  Crap!  It's 1 hour since I wrote this post, and Michael has already quashed the rumor and says he's definitely not touring with his brothers.  And if you've heard the J5 version of My Cherie Amour, you know it just ain't the same with a different Jackson singing.  Sigh.