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.