Day 91: 11/16/1971 Ipswich, England

11/16/1971 Ipswich, England  Feelin' Groovy: Definitive Edition

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Black Dog, Since I've Been Loving You, Rock and Roll, Stairway to Heaven, Going to California, That's the Way, Tangerine, Dazed and Confused, What is and What Should Never Be, Celebration Day, Whole Lotta Love, Weekend, Gallows Pole

The tape begins with a brief introduction from Plant before the explosive one-two punch of Immigrant Song and Heartbreaker. Plant is in top form, belting his lungs out with incredible power during Black Dog. Bonzo's pounding is like cannon fire during Since I've Been Loving You. The crowd is oddly quiet between songs. Rock and Roll is a raucous explosion of energy. Plant tells the crowd "the finest thing in the world is to smile" before Stairway to Heaven.

Plant's speech about San Francisco is repeatedly interrupted by feedback before Going to California. Page plays a bit of Black Country Woman after That's the Way. Plant acknowledges the unusual circumstance of the concert being held on temporary flooring over a swimming pool, jokingly telling the crowd "just think of the drop beneath you and the drop that might come eventually... we're all of one mind." The lead-in to the bow solo in Dazed and Confused continues to develop as a venue for heavy improvisation. Page, Jones, and Bonzo jam on The Crunge theme during an excellent guitar solo/workout section. Page is highly improvisational, with Jones and Bonzo locked in close behind.

Plant gives a rambling introduction about New York before a blistering Celebration Day. Page solos wildly during the extended theramin freakout section in Whole Lotta Love. The medley features an extended Boogie Chillen' jam, another great Hello Mary Lou, Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues, and Muddy Waters's Honey Bee followed by an excellent blues jam. The band closes the show with Eddie Cochran's Weekend followed by the second and final appearance of Gallow's Pole, as requested by someone in the crowd. Similar to the heavy electric arrangement from 5/3/1971, it's a shame this wasn't played more often. An excellent performance.

The tape is a combination of at least two sources. Clear and well-balanced with a good sense of atmosphere.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 90: 11/13/1971 Dundee, Scotland

11/13/1971 Dundee, Scotland  The Road and the Miles to Dundee

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Black Dog, Rock and Roll, Since I've Been Loving You, Stairway to Heaven, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Tangerine, Dazed and Confused, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Weekend

The tape begins with Immigrant Song already in progress. Plant again rushes the early verses during a crushing Black Dog. The tape is cut between songs. Since I've Been Loving You is powerful, Plant's screeching wails soar above Bonzo's thunderous pounding. The beginning of Stairway to Heaven is missing from the tape. There are a couple slight speed fluctuations during the guitar solo. The tape is cut during the final line, leading us into a series of speedups/cuts at the beginning of That's the Way. There are more speed fluctuations near the end of the song.

Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is interrupted by a loud screech of feedback near the end. A mournful Tangerine is plagued by speed fluctuations and dropouts. After more tape issues, Plant begins the first verse of Dazed and Confused with a spine-chilling wail. A cut during the third verse leaves us in the middle of the bow solo, which is marred with speed fluctuations until the tape cuts off during the guitar solo. Only the distorted intro and outro of Moby Dick survive, completely cutting the drum solo, before Whole Lotta Love. The speed fluctuations add an interesting new dimension to Page's theramin trickery during the freakout section. The medley includes Hello Mary Lou, Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues, and Muddy Waters's Honey Bee followed by an excellent blues improvisation. 

Plant tells the crowd to stay off the stage before Communication Breakdown, which features a great funky jam during the breakdown. Someone repeatedly shouts directly into the taper's microphone before the band returns to close the show with a riotous rendition of Eddie Cochran's Weekend. A good performance, unfortunately ruined by a bad recording.

The tape is muffled, distant, and plagued by constant speed fluctuations which get worse as time passes, rendering the recording almost unlistenable by the end. The least enjoyable listening experience I've encountered thus far.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 89: 11/11/1971 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England

11/11/1971 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England  Newcastle Brown Ale

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Black Dog, Since I've Been Loving You, Rock and Roll, Stairway to Heaven, That's the Way, Going to California, Tangerine, Dazed and Confused, What is and What Should Never Be, Celebration Day

Plant's powerful wails soar above the crowd during Immigrant Song. Before Black Dog, Plant informs the crowd that "today's the day of the teddy bears' picnic, and to go along with it, our new album came out." There are shouts from the crowd requesting new songs, obviously from those who bought the album earlier that week. Plant rushes through the song, starting verses a beat too early. The setlist has changed, bringing Rock and Roll up (now with a proper title) and moving Dazed and Confused to after the acoustic set. Plant flubs the lyrics a bit during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven. 

A flurry of shouts from the crowd is answered by a loud screech of feedback before That's the Way. Plant's mention of Newcastle Brown Ale is met with a loud cheer from the crowd before Going to California. Plant gets a bit lazy in the middle of the song, forgetting some lyrics and coming in off beat. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "one from three and a half years ago, every time we have a birthday, we play this." The guitar solo/workout section features the further development of The Crunge theme, now with guitar and squeals of "get funky!" from Plant. Celebration Day is dedicated to New York. There are a few very aggressive requests for Moby Dick coming from the crowd as the recording ends.*

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit muffled and hissy at times.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

*- The versions of Whole Lotta Love and Communication Breakdown on this release are actually from 5/3/1971. These two songs were recorded, but the tapes were M.I.A. when the rest of the show surfaced. A master transfer of Communication Breakdown has surfaced since then, but is not currently in our collection.

Day 88: 9/29/1971 Osaka, Japan

9/29/1971 Osaka, Japan Fatally Wanderer 929

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, Tangerine, Friends, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Thank You, Rock and Roll

The final night of Led Zeppelin's first tour of Japan begins with a simple "good evening, welcome to Osaka" from Plant. Bonzo can be heard shouting "louder!" before the count-in to Immigrant Song. Page's guitar solo is drenched in wah-wah. Bonzo can be heard saying "I can hardly play... me legs are like jelly, they won't do what I tell 'em to" as Plant greets the crowd after Heartbreaker. Page's guitar solo during Since I've Been Loving You is breathtakingly emotional. Someone in the crowd shouts "Black Dog!" as Plant is talking about the new album before introducing the same song. Bonzo sings along with Plant during the "sweet jelly roll" line. Page blazes through an excellent solo. As the song ends, Bonzo can be heard shouting "I'm falling apart!"

Plant jokes "common complaint in Osaka, rice in hair" and praises Japan to the crowd before introducing Dazed and Confused. The band are in a playful mood, joking with each other and having a good time between songs. Bonzo can be heard saying "they love a bit of comedy, don't they?" to Plant during the intro. Page's bow solo is hypnotizing. The epic guitar solo/workout section includes an amazingly beautiful, mournful rendition of Pennies From Heaven. A truly awe-inspiring performance, one of the best.

Bonzo shouts "more comedy, less work!" before Plant introduces Stairway to Heaven. Celebration Day is brutally frantic. Page plays a bit of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at the beginning of the acoustic set. Plant asks if anyone in the crowd was at last night's show before another beautiful Going to California. Bonzo has gone missing before an excellent Tangerine, so Plant has the crowd shouting "Mister Bonham!" "Fuck you mate" Plant responds when Bonzo refuses to return to the stage. After explaining "we don't usually do things like this", the acoustic set ends with the first and only appearance of Friends. It's a shame this never became a regular part of the set. Plant sings a bit of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes before What is and What Should Never Be.

At Bonzo's urging, Plant introduces him as "Max Wall!" before the best Moby Dick thus far. Plant mentions "tomorrow we shall be in England" before Whole Lotta Love, which is preceded by an excellent heavy jam. The medley begins with an amazingly heavy intro to Boogie Chillen', followed by a great Tossin' and Turnin'. Page leads the band in an excellent, raucous rendition of Twist and Shout before a riotous Fortune Teller. Plant comes in early during the first verse of Good Times Bad Times, but the band quickly rights itself. The medley ends with a great funky jam followed by a very loose You Shook Me. An amazing performance, one of the best.

Plant sums up his feelings by saying simply "thank you very much for being great" before Communication Breakdown, which is preceded by a great herky-jerky intro. Page blazes through a frenzied solo before an excellent extended funky breakdown. One of the best performances of Thank You thus far is followed by a riotous Rock and Roll to close the show. A truly awe-inspiring performance from beginning to end, one of the best ever. Divine inspiration. Must hear.

The tape primarily consists of the so-called "soundboard" source, also thought to be just an audience recording captured from very close to the stage. The tape is excellent, perfectly clear and balanced. It gives the feeling of being onstage among the band, part of every interaction. Outstanding. This is augmented by a variety of alternate sources to fill the gaps.

Day 87: 9/28/1971 Osaka, Japan

9/28/1971 Osaka, Japan  Osaka Woman

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, That's the Way, Going to California, Tangerine, Down By the Riverside, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, C'mon Everybody, High Heel Sneakers, Communication Breakdown

Led Zeppelin's first night in Osaka begins with the thunderous battle cry of Immigrant Song. The sonic assault doesn't let up during Heartbreaker. Page is on fire, blazing through an amazing guitar solo. Plant declares "tonight you will be happy" before Since I've Been Loving You. Bonzo attacks his drums with incredible force. Plant mentions that his shoes won't stay tied before introducing Dazed and Confused, only to find that the next song is actually Black Dog. Plant's vocals are drowned in echo.

Page hints at Communication Breakdown before Plant introduces Dazed and Confused. The lead-in to the bow solo is growing longer and more complex every night. Page is very improvisational, playing anything that comes to him, with Bonzo and Jones close behind. The improvisation continues during the excellent guitar solo/workout section. Unfortunately, the song fades out during the outro as Page starts playing some 3rd Stone From the Sun-esque licks. An amazing performance, one of the best thus far.

There is a cut during Stairway to Heaven that loses most of the guitar solo, hindering an otherwise great performance. Plant tells the crowd "you are too quiet... dishonorably quiet" before leading the band in a mini medley of Please Please Me and From Me to You. Celebration Day is a cacophonous explosion of energy. The acoustic set begins with the first complete performance of Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. An alternate source provides That's the Way before the original source returns for an absolutely beautiful Going to California, the best yet. Plant leads the crowd in a tongue-in-cheek We Shall Overcome sing-along before Tangerine. They close the acoustic set with a foot-stomping rendition of Down By the Riverside with Jones joining in on organ near the end.

Plant introduces Bonzo as "your old friend" before Moby Dick. The theramin freakout section during Whole Lotta Love includes yet another impromptu jam before the guitar solo. The medley features an excellent Boogie Chillen' followed by a great run-through of Cliff Richard's D in Love. The band gets into a rare waltz rhythm for Bachelor Boy, followed by a riotous rendition of Maybellene. Unfortunately, the tape is cut just as the band finishes another excellent Hello Mary Lou.

An inferior source takes over as we join C'mon Everybody already in progress. Plant introduces tour manager Phil Carson, roadie Clive Coulson, and a third person whose name is indecipherable on backing vocals before a great rendition of Tommy Tucker's High Heel Sneakers. The show ends with a raucous version of Communication Breakdown, which features an extended boogie jam during the breakdown. A truly amazing performance. Must hear.

The tape is fairly clear and well-balanced with the atmosphere intact.

Day 86: 9/27/1971 Hiroshima, Japan

9/27/1971 Hiroshima, Japan  Live in Japan 1971

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, Tangerine, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love

After a brief soundcheck, Immigrant Song comes thundering out of the gate. Plant exclaims "rock on!" as Page begins an excellent guitar solo during Heartbreaker. Plant complains about his microphone cutting out before introducing Dazed and Confused. There are some distracting volume shifts during the intro. The end of the bow solo is drenched in wah-wah. There is a cut in the middle of the frenzied guitar solo/workout section. 

Jones is on fire during a frantic Celebration Day. Plant's introduction of Going to California  gets a big reaction from the crowd. The band plays a tongue-in-cheek country-flavored interlude before Whole Lotta Love. The theramin freakout is bookended by an excellent heavy jam. The medley includes Boogie Chillen, a great unidentified old rock song (Plant's lyrics are indecipherable), and an excellent, foot-stomping rendition of Be-Bop-A-Lula. Unfortunately, any encores are missing from the recording.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit overloaded at times, with minor tape issues here and there.

Day 85: 9/24/1971 Tokyo, Japan

9/24/1971 Tokyo, Japan  Live in Japan 1971

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, Tangerine, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Thank You, Communication Breakdown

The intense sonic attack of Immigrant Song is too much for someone near the taper who repeatedly shrieks with delight. Page shreds through the solos in Heartbreaker, again including The 59th Street Bridge Song in the a cappella solo. Since I've Been Loving You is epic and powerful. Black Dog includes the first appearance of Plant's "sweet jelly roll" lyrics. 

Equipment troubles leave Page without feedback at the beginning of the guitar solo during Dazed and Confused. There is a great full band funky jam during the guitar workout section. Plant tells the crowd he doesn't like playing during daylight hours before Celebration Day. He makes a brief reference to Friends before That's the Way. "What used to be San Francisco" is compared to Pompeii before Going to California. The acoustic set ends with the first appearance of Tangerine. Plant sings a couple lines from Friends a cappella before Moby Dick. 

Someone in the crowd shouts "Robert Plant!" before Whole Lotta Love, which is preceded by a heavy stop-start jam. The very disjointed medley begins with Boogie Chillen' with Cocaine Blues lyrics. An excellent Rave On! is followed by the first appearance of Your Time is Gonna Come. A strange rendition with Plant singing the first verse as the band tries to remember how to play the song. Jones even resorts to playing the bassline from Ramble On until Page brings them around for a haphazard chorus. I'm a Man is followed by The Hunter section from How Many More Times before another great Hello Mary Lou. Plant gets the band into a heavy jam based on Albert King's Oh, Pretty Woman before returning to How Many More Times. The show ends with Communication Breakdown, which includes lyrics from the bow section of How Many More Times on the first album during the breakdown. A very interesting afternoon set.

The tape is fairly clear, but terribly overloaded, making it a bit hard on the ears.

Day 84: 9/23/1971 Tokyo, Japan

9/23/1971 Tokyo, Japan  Live in Japan 1971

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

The first show of Led Zeppelin's epic first tour of Japan. The tape begins with a lengthy stage announcement in Japanese, which ends in a very enthusiastic band introduction. Immigrant Song is a sonic assault. While Page changes a broken string, Plant mentions how much the band have been enjoying their stay in Japan and tells the crowd that they want to make this the best time they've ever had before Heartbreaker. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo.

Dazed and Confused includes one of the earliest hints of what will become The Crunge from Bonzo and Jones during the excellent guitar workout section. Page plays an excellent solo during Stairway to Heaven. Jones is on fire during Celebration Day. The acoustic set begins with a bit of Bron-Y-Aur Stomp before That's the Way. Plant talks about San Francisco in 1967 before a beautiful Going to California. He tells the crowd to "stop all that whistlin' man!" before What is and What Should Never Be. 

There are a couple cuts during the theramin freakout in Whole Lotta Love. The second cut leaves us in the medley during Hello Mary Lou. Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues is followed by an excellent Tobacco Road and the first appearance of Good Times Bad Times since 9/4/1970. The biggest surprise is the inclusion of How Many More Times, its first appearance since 9/19/1970. The medley ends with an excellent You Shook Me. Plant tells some people causing trouble near the stage to cool it before Communication Breakdown. The band stops playing during the guitar solo as Plant shouts "stop that thing, you!" at the offending audience members. The recording ends during the return of the main riff after a short funky interlude. A taste of things to come. Must hear.

The tape is an excellent audience recording. Clear and well-balanced, if a bit overloaded in the bass frequencies.

Day 83: 9/14/1971 Berkeley, CA

9/14/1971 Berkeley, CA (various LP sources)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, That's the Way, Going to California, Whole Lotta Love

The band is on fire during Immigrant Song. There is a source change near the beginning of Heartbreaker. Bonzo is out of control, firing on all cylinders. Page's excellent a cappella solo includes a bit of The 59th Street Bridge Song near the end. Plant tells the crowd "you shoulda come last night, there were several bowler-hatted beatniks" before Since I've Been Loving You, which is cut slightly during the intro. Page begins the excellent guitar solo with some amazing long, sustained notes. Plant's wails of "don't you remember when you used to cry?" are full of raw emotion. A spine-chilling performance, one of the best thus far.

Plant mentions having trouble with his voice due to a pollution alert before introducing Dazed and Confused as "one from millions and millions of years ago, just when the good thing started checkin' itself out." There is a slight cut during the intro. Bonzo plays some interesting patterns on his hi-hat before the first verse. Page shreds through an extended guitar solo. Plant sings a few lines of Back in the USA during the workout section. An amazing performance, unfortunately cut during the outro. Plant improvises some lyrics about "children of the sun" during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven, which features an outstanding guitar solo from Page. Going to California is dedicated to "the days when things were nice and simple and everything was far out all the time." Page can be heard providing backing vocals during the chorus in Whole Lotta Love. The theramin freakout includes a bit of Rosco Gordon's Just a Little Bit. The medley features Hello Mary Lou, a funky arrangement of Elvis Presley's My Baby Left Me, A Mess of Blues, You Shook Me, and the return of the lemon squeeze. Unfortunately, the encores are missing from the recording.

The tape is an excellent audience recording sourced from vinyl. A wonderful recording of an amazing performance. Must hear.

Day 82: 9/13/1971 Berkeley, CA

9/13/1971 Berkeley, CA Going to California II

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Live, Communication Breakdown

The band seems to be racing to catch up with Plant during Heartbreaker. Page shreds through the frenzied guitar solo. The energy is definitely high tonight. Since I've Been Loving You is quick and brutal, Bonzo attacks his drums with incredible force. Black Dog is a sonic assault. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "one from a long time ago, at the old Fillmore." After the third verse, Bonzo and Jones start playing the lead-in to the bow solo, but Page stays with the main riff for a fourth verse, causing some confusion and repeated lyrics. There are many excited shouts and squeals coming from the crowd during the bow solo.

Stairway to Heaven gets a big response from the crowd. The whole band seem to be racing one another to the finish during Celebration Day, played at breakneck speed. The end of the song is a cacophonous explosion of energy. The crowd gets a bit rowdy, shouting requests and carrying on before What is and What Should Never Be. Whole Lotta Love is once again preceded by a heavy jam. The medley features another excellent Hello Mary Lou, Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues, and You Shook Me. During a funky jam in the breakdown of Communication Breakdown, Plant sings a few lines from Gallows Pole.

The tape is fairly clear, is a bit distant.

Day 81: 9/11/1971 Rochester, NY

9/11/1971 Rochester, NY Giants of the Sky

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Thank You

Plant is in good form during Immigrant Song, full of power. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful. Plant forgets to sing the a cappella "ah, ah..." bit after the third verse in Black Dog, causing the band to get lost before the guitar solo. After several tense moments of uncertainty, they manage to right themselves and finish the song.* After a cut in the tape, we're left in the middle of the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven.

Plant introduces a frenzied Celebration Day as "something from New York City... a place not too far away from here." He tries in vain to get the crowd to sit down and be quiet before That's the Way. Before Going to California, Plant jokes that donations for the man helping people over the barrier can be left on the stage. After Moby Dick, Plant tells the crowd to focus all of their vibes toward the earth in hopes of eliminating pollution through positive energy. Whole Lotta Love is preceded by a great frantic jam. The medley features an excellent Hello Mary Lou, Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues, and You Shook Me. The show ends with another great performance of Thank You.

The tape is a combination of at least two sources, both fairly muddy and noisy.

*- a fragment of Dazed and Confused is included after Black Dog, but is actually from 3/17/1975.

Day 80: 9/9/1971 Hampton, VA

9/9/1971 Hampton, VA  (master>reel>dat)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick

The tape begins with Immigrant Song already in progress. Page misses the change to the lead-in to the a cappella solo during Heartbreaker, but quickly rights himself. The solo itself is a bit subdued. Since I've Been Loving You is a mournful death march. Page's playing is simple, but powerful. Plant introduces Dazed and Confused as "a really far out ditty from long, long ago." Page takes his time getting to the bow solo, fiddling with licks and riffs as Bonzo and Jones try to follow along. After shredding through the guitar solo, Page is in a very playful mood during the guitar workout. Highly improvisational, he leads the band through a variety of rhythms and jams, even throwing in a bit of Over Under Sideways Down, which causes Plant to lose his cool and laugh. Unfortunately, the tape is cut before the return to the main riff, leaving us in the middle of the outro.

During a pause before Stairway to Heaven, Plant explains that the band has come to expect some downtime during the show before announcing "and over to William Tell" as Page begins the song. An out of time vocal from Plant causes Page and Jones to get a bit mixed up just before Bonzo comes in. Plant introduces Celebration Day as "a New York song." After Going to California, Page plays the riff from Tommy Tucker's High Heel Sneakers, to which Plant responds by singing the opening lines of the song. Jones flubs part of the opening to Moby Dick, which cuts off during the finale, ending the recording. A rather sluggish performance overall with a few moments of inspiration.

The tape is a clear soundboard recording. A bit bass heavy and overloaded at times, which causes crackles of static in the higher frequencies.

Day 79: 9/6/1971 Boston, MA

9/6/1971 Boston, MA  Listen! Listen! Listen to Me!

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Thank You, Rock and Roll

The tape begins with an announcement about an upcoming Lawrence Welk show before the band takes the stage. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the rather erratic guitar solo in Heartbreaker. Since I've Been Loving You seems to teeter on the edge, constantly threatening to fall apart. Page introduces a riff that will become commonplace in the years to come during the lead-in to the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. He experiments with many licks and styles during the frantic guitar solo/workout. There are a couple cuts in the tape near the return to the main riff and during the final verse. As the song ends, Plant struggles to keep the crowd under control. Shouting "listen!" repeatedly, he reminds them that if they don't stay cool, the police will stop the show.

After a cut during the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven, the tape becomes very fragmentary. After about forty-five seconds of Celebration Day, another cut puts us at the beginning of That's the Way. After a couple short fragments, we jump to the beginning of Going to California, which is missing a bit in the middle. After about four and a half minutes of Moby Dick fragments, we're left in the middle of Killing Floor during the Whole Lotta Love medley (its first appearance since 4/27/1969). Page pulls off another epic guitar solo during Thank You.

The tape is a bit muffled and distant with a good amount of hiss.

Day 78: 9/4/1971 Toronto, Ontario

9/4/1971 Toronto, Ontario  Maple Leaf Gardens

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Thank You

The tape begins just as Immigrant Song is getting underway. Page's a cappella solo in Heartbreaker is rather quiet and subdued. Since I've Been Loving You is slow and mournful. Plant improvises new lyrics during the final verse. The tape is cut between songs. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the guitar solo in Dazed and Confused. Plant is no longer attempting to hit the original high notes during the coda of Stairway to Heaven.

Celebration Day is once again dedicated to New York. Bonzo plays a great funky rhythm at the beginning of the first verse. Jones's lightning-fast picking is mesmerizing. Page can be heard saying "fuckin' unbelievable" as Plant tries in vain to get the crowd to quiet down before That's the Way. Plant's beautiful delivery of the line "and so I said to you that nothing really matters" is punctuated by some fine mandolin licks from Jones. Plant continues to wax philosophical about the nature of big concerts and mutual respect between musicians and their audience before Going to California. His dream girl "comes from Canada" tonight.

Page attempts a couple intro riffs before deciding to stick with the main riff at the beginning of Whole Lotta Love. Plant makes a brief reference to Rosco Gordon's Just a Little Bit during the theramin freakout. The medley includes Elvis Presley favorites My Baby Left Me and another excellent A Mess of Blues, followed by a heavy You Shook Me. Only about thirty seconds of Jones's organ solo survive before the tape cuts to the first verse of Thank You. Page delivers another excellent dramatic solo.

The tape is a fairly clear audience recording, augmented by a great soundboard recording. A bit bass heavy, but still quite enjoyable.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 77: 9/3/1971 New York, NY

9/3/1971 New York, NY  (? gen, source 2)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick

The tape begins with an introduction of "Led Zeppelin, most popular!" Plant repeatedly asks the crowd "how've you been?" before Immigrant Song. Page is in good form during Heartbreaker. Plant warns the crowd not to make a racket while the band is playing before a powerful Since I've Been Loving You. Page shreds through the guitar solo/workout in Dazed and Confused, even playing some country-inspired licks between solos. There is a cut in the tape near the end of the song.

As Page begins Stairway to Heaven, shouts of "shut up!" can be heard coming from multiple places in the crowd. A frantic Celebration Day is dedicated to New York. Plant asks the crowd what they've been doing for the past twelve months before That's the Way, which includes a new intro from Page and some beautiful mandolin from Jones. Plant sings "and yesterday, I saw you standing by the Hudson" at the beginning of the second verse. Plant jokes that the next album will be called "Led Zeppelin are alive and well in Scottsborough, Nebraska (?)" before Going to California. The recording ends about seven minutes into Moby Dick.*

The tape is noisy and distant. The highs are a bit hard on the ears at times.

*- a more complete alternate source exists, but is not currently in our collection.

Day 76: 8/31/1971 Orlando, FL

8/31/1971 Orlando, FL Florida Sunshine

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Dazed and Confused, Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Thank You

The tape begins with the announcer telling the crowd to be calm and their patience will be duly rewarded. Page plays a Train Kept a Rollin'-esque riff during a brief soundcheck. Page is in top form, tearing through a flawless solo during Immigrant Song. He raises the bar with another excellent set of solos during Heartbreaker. Bonzo plays with incredible finesse during Since I've Been Loving You. Plant's voice cracks a few times, but it doesn't stop him from unleashing some blood-curdling screams. Page is in a fun mood, occupying himself with playful licks and riffs between songs.

Dazed and Confused is outstanding. Page further develops his bow solo routine and the excellent guitar solo/workout section continues to expand. Page plays some licks from White Summer during the outro, as he did in Tulsa a year earlier. A truly amazing performance. After Plant introduces Black Dog, Bonzo can be heard shouting "are ya alright Jimmy?!" to which Page responds in a voice mimicking Bonzo, "ye, I'm alright!" The song is incredibly heavy, Bonzo sounds as if he's pounding directly on your brain. Plant freely improvises new lyrics throughout. The band does a little stutter-step hesitation before the second verse, unsure of when to stop.

Plant announces "this is one for New York" as Page plays a funky new intro to Celebration Day. The tape shifts to the audience source early in the song. Plant asks the crowd to "shut up a bit more" before That's the Way. There is a dropout in the tape near the end of the song. There is a slight cut during What is and What Should Never Be before the soundboard source returns during the guitar solo. The coda is a brutal sonic attack. Plant screams "good evening!" at the crowd before introducing Moby Dick.

Whole Lotta Love is preceded by an excellent heavy jam. The medley includes an extended Boogie Chillen jam, Elvis Presley's My Baby Left Me, and an excellent A Mess of Blues. Unfortunately, the tape is cut during a great funky jam leaving us at Jones's organ solo, already in progress. Thank You is absolutely amazing, it seems to get better every night. After the band leaves the stage, there is an amusing stage announcement informing "William Combus, your wallet's up here..."

The tape is an excellent soundboard recording with a fairly clear audience recording filling the gaps. The sound is full and clear, an excellent recording of an amazing performance. Must hear.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 75: 8/23/1971 Fort Worth, TX

8/23/1971 Fort Worth, TX  Hot August Night

Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins during the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. Someone in the crowd shouts "Do it! Do it!" before Stairway to Heaven. Page's fingers are a bit sticky at times during the solo. Plant complains about his weakening voice before Celebration Day, saying "by the end of the gig, I won't be able to say a word." Jones's mandolin playing is beautiful during That's the Way. Plant dedicates What is and What Should Never Be to "the donkey."

Moby Dick cuts off around fifteen minutes in. The medley during Whole Lotta Love includes John Lee Hooker's Bottle Up and Go, Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues, and You Shook Me. But the real standout is Page's excellent guitar work, some of the best blues soloing we've heard in awhile. After a cut in the tape, there are a few moments of the taper walking backstage before another cut leaves us at the beginning of Communication Breakdown. Unfortunately, the tapes ends about forty seconds into the song.

The tape is an excellent audience recording taken from very close to the stage. Read the taper's account of the show here.

There are about six minutes of silent 16mm color footage from the show in Houston, TX on 8/26/1971 available on Hercules's Film Noir Vol. 1.  The footage is quite enjoyable to watch, but since there is no audio from this show (the audio on Film Noir Vol. 1 being from another show), I didn't think it necessary to make a separate post.

Day 74: 8/22/1971 Los Angeles, CA

8/22/1971 Los Angeles, CA  (2nd gen)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Thank You

The band starts the show with a brief instrumental jam before Immigrant Song. Page shreds through the solos in Heartbreaker. Plant continues to try new lyrics during Black Dog. Page solos wildly throughout an excellent guitar solo/workout section in Dazed and Confused. Plant gets a bit lost during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven. The band is still working out the kinks in Celebration Day, Plant starts singing the final verse as Page begins the guitar solo.

The medley during Whole Lotta Love includes a heavy jam followed by Elvis Presley's My Baby Left Me, an extended A Mess of Blues, and a complete rendition of You Shook Me, its first appearance since 10/12/1969. Plant sings some lyrics from The Lemon Song during an uptempo jam after the guitar solo in Communication Breakdown. Someone near the taper shouts "one more time!" and "get back here right now!" before the band returns to the stage to close the show with another excellent Thank You. Someone near the taper guesses they'll play Your Time is Gonna Come as Jones starts the organ solo. Another amazing performance from the band's home away from home.

The tape is fairly clear. Page occasionally gets buried under Bonzo and Jones.

Click here for a video sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

There are about six minutes of great 8mm color footage from the show, available on Hercules's Film Noir Vol. 1. It shows clips of the band playing Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Stairway to Heaven, That's the Way, What is and What Should Never Be, and Whole Lotta Love with synced audio. Celebration's Early Visions features the same footage in superior picture quality, but is without synced audio.

Click here for a video sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 73: 8/21/1971 Los Angeles, CA

8/21/1971 Los Angeles, CA  Firecrackers Explosions

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What is and What Should Never Be, Whole Lotta Love, Weekend, Rock and Roll, Communication Breakdown, Thank You

Bonzo dominates the soundscape as screeching feedback punctuates Page's guitar solo in Immigrant Song. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful, Plant's howls are spine-chilling. He freely improvises new lyrics during Black Dog. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "one from about thirty-six months ago." Bonzo and Jones are like an out of control locomotive during the guitar solo. Bonzo plays the drum pattern from The Crunge during the guitar workout. Page solos wildly throughout. An excellent performance. Plant flubs the lyrics a bit during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven. 

After a source change, Plant dedicates Celebration Day to "the bootleggers from last night, they didn't do a very good job of it." He pushes his voice to the limit, screeching and howling the lyrics. A firecracker blast is followed by shouts of "you sit your ass down!" and "get it on!" from near the taper before That's the Way. The initial verses of Whole Lotta Love are punctuated by firecracker blasts. The riotous marathon medley begins with a funky rhythm exercise before Plant starts his boogie, which he's done "many, many, many times before." Another rhythm battle between Page and Bonzo is followed by I'm Movin' On, Elvis Presley favorites That's All Right, A Mess of Blues, and I Got a Lot O' Living to Do, as well as Muddy Waters's Honey Bee. 

The band returns to the stage for another rousing rendition of Eddie Cochran's Weekend. Bonzo's bass drum is like a cannon during Rock and Roll, which is still without a title. Plant puts everything he has into his repeated screams of "time!" during the finale. Communication Breakdown features more blood-curdling screams from Plant during the breakdown. Jones plays a brief organ solo before the band closes the show with the best rendition of Thank You thus far. A fitting finale to an amazing performance. Must Hear.

The tape is fairly clear with the drums front and center. An excellent recording for Bonzo lovers, every nuance of his power and finesse is captured.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 72: 8/7/1971 Montreux, Switzerland

8/7/1971 Montreux, Switzerland  Going to Montreux

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Going to California, That's the Way, Celebration Day, What is and What Should Never Be, Whole Lotta Love, Weekend

Bonzo can be heard counting "three, four!" before the band launches into Immigrant Song. Plant mentions how nice it is to be back in Switzerland working with Claude Nobs before Since I've Been Loving You. Plant is in good form during Black Dog. The end of an eerie bow solo in Dazed and Confused is punctuated by Bonzo's crashing gong and Plant's ethereal wails. Page's improvisation gets the band a bit lost during the guitar workout. He shreds through the guitar solo, the return to the main riff is explosive.

There are tape issues throughout Stairway to Heaven, the worst during the guitar solo. Plant welcomes "everyone who's come from Milan" before That's the Way. Plant makes a comment about capitalist bootleggers before the first complete performance of Celebration Day. The band misses the cue for the first chorus, throwing Plant off track for a moment. Page botches the beginning of the slide solo in What is and What Should Never Be, briefly confusing Bonzo and Jones. 

Whole Lotta Love is preceded by a heavy jam. Plant gets into a call and response screaming match with the audience during the theramin freakout. The medley includes That's All Right, Ramble On, B.B. King's Gambler's Blues, I'm a Man, Muddy Waters's Honey Bee, as well as an excellent lengthy blues improvisation. The band returns to the stage to close the show with the first rare rendition on Eddie Cochran's Weekend. 

The tape is a bit distant and muffled with a few tape issues in the middle.

Day 72: 7/5/1971 Milan, Italy

7/5/1971 Milan, Italy (master>cassette>cassette)

Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused

Led Zeppelin's ill-fated first and only concert in Italy. The tape begins with Since I've Been Loving You already in progress. Plant drowns the band out at times with his primal screams. The sonic assault continues through Black Dog. The raw power in his voice is amazing. As the second verse of Dazed and Confused is beginning, the band seems to stop playing as someone in the crowd shouts "bastardi!" The verse continues after a cut in the tape, but it's obvious something is wrong. There are a few dropouts at the end of the bow solo. Unfortunately, the recording ends during the guitar workout. Soon after, chaos would erupt as the police began throwing tear gas into the crowd, causing the show to be cut short. The band found themselves running for their lives while a riot raged around them.

The tape is noisy, overloaded, and a bit muffled at times. Interesting for its historical significance.

Day 71: 5/3/1971 Copenhagen, Denmark

5/3/1971 Copenhagen, Denmark  Previews & Novelties

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Dazed and Confused, Black Dog, Stairway to Heaven, Going to California, That's the Way, What is and What Should Never Be, Four Sticks, Gallows Pole, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Misty Mountain Hop, Rock and Roll

Plant's frenzied wails battle feedback from his microphone during Immigrant Song. Page shreds through the a cappella solo in Heartbreaker. Just after the song ends, Plant sees a guard causing trouble with the crowd and shouts "Whoa! Stop! Stop!" before threatening to end the show if the trouble persists. He then asks that the crowd sit down before Since I've Been Loving You. The infamous Danish rhythmic clapping returns as Jones begins the intro to Dazed and Confused. Page performs some incredible finger acrobatics during the guitar solo. Bonzo and Jones are like a driving locomotive behind Page's ever-evolving guitar workouts. There is a slight cut just before the return to the main riff.

As Plant is introducing Stairway to Heaven, he quips "it goes on for some time, then it gets nice." He lets out an elegant howl just before the "bustle in your hedgerow..." section. That's the Way begins with a brief improvisation from Page. Plant announces that the band is going to try something they've never tried before, warning they may have to stop and try again if it falls apart. Instead they opt to play What is and What Should Never Be before attempting the first and only performance of Four Sticks (still without a title at this point). The rhythm is set in motion by Page with Bonzo and Jones joining in before the main riff begins. Once they settle into the groove, Plant's wails faithfully recreate the version on the fourth album.

After a surprisingly clean ending for a first attempt, Page begins playing the opening chords of Gallows Pole. The rest of the band joins in for the first complete performance of the song in a heavy electric arrangement. Before Whole Lotta Love, Plant announces "this number features Richard Cole on tablas, conga drums, and meditation." The medley includes John Lee Hooker's Bottle Up and Go, Elvis Presley favorites That's All Right and A Mess of Blues, and an excellent rendition of Muddy Waters's Honey Bee. 

Communication Breakdown features a bass solo followed by the first reference to Celebration Day during the breakdown. As the band returns to the stage, Plant introduces "another new thing from the next album" before the first appearance of Misty Mountain Hop. Plant gets a bit lost at times, but the band quickly recovers. The show ends with Rock and Roll, introduced as "it's been a long time." Plant sounds exactly like he does on the fourth album. Amazing.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, with the drums sounding a bit distant. Definitely a must hear for the amazingly rare setlist.