Day 133: 1/15/1973 Stoke, England

1/15/1973 Stoke, England Dedicated to Rizzlers

Rock and Roll, Over the Hills and Far Away, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, Dancing Days, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love

Plant continues to grow more comfortable with his new vocal dynamics with every show. He introduces Misty Mountain Hop as "a song about what happens if you walk through the park and there's a load of hairies sittin' in a circle" before adding "dedicated to rizzlers." The band is extremely tight and professional tonight. Bonzo continues to assert himself as an outstanding performer. Since I've Been Loving You starts out beautifully calm and restrained, slowly building toward the powerful climax. An excellent performance.

Page plays a bit of That's the Way during the instrumental breakdown in Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. Bonzo is absolutely on fire during The Song Remains the Same. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the tape just before the transition to The Rain Song. Bonzo transforms the lead-in to the bow solo during Dazed and Confused into a frantic shuffle. The San Francisco interlude is like a thunderous earthquake. Page shreds through the guitar solos with amazing precision. As the song ends, Plant comments "well that wasn't a bad twenty minutes, was it?"

Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "something that came in a moment of clear white light." There is a cut in the tape during the final line. Page plays a bit of Voodoo Child (Slight Return) during a funky jam prior to the theramin freakout. There are some tape disturbances during the Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section. The medley includes Boogie Chillen', an excellent rendition of Elvis Presley's (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care, and Let's Have a Party, omitting the usual blues numbers.

The tape is an excellent soundboard recording with some hiss during the quieter moments.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.