Can Led Zeppelin still rock?

They have been described by critics as the definitive heavy metal band, they released eight studio albums in just 10 years and have sold more than 300 million records worldwide. And now, one of the best rock acts of all time is back.

After the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980, Led Zeppelin split up and, aside from occasional appearances at one-off gigs and a brief return by guitarist Jimmy Page and lead singer Robert Plant in the late 1990s, the band has stayed away from the limelight.

Monday, December 10, will see the surviving members of the band take to the stage again, in London's O2 Arena. They will be joined by Bonham's son Jason, for what is one of the most eagerly anticipated comeback gigs in recent memory.

The venue has a capacity of 20,000, but as soon as the tickets went on sale -- for a cool £125 ($253.50) -- fans rushed to get their hands on one. In total 11 million people signed up for the chance to see the reunion gig, officially announced as a one-off performance by the band.

But will it be worth it? The band were known for giving standout performances, and for having incredibly high standards -- their set at the Live Aid concert in 1985 upset them so much they refused to allow it to be added to the DVD released to commemorate the star-driven charity event.

In their heyday they were known for great performances on stage, and a wild and crazy life off, getting a reputation for partying as hard as they rocked. Stories of the band destroying hotel rooms and committing lewd acts with groupies have become the stuff of rock legend.