3/24/1973 Offenburg, Germany (2nd gen>dat>cdr)Rock and Roll, Over the Hills and Far Away, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker
The tape begins just as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. There is a brief tape disturbance during Over the Hills and Far Away. Plant introduces Misty Mountain Hop as "a song about what happens when a policeman walks up to you and catches you with the wrong thing in your hand" adding "this is a felony." Page is on fire during an incredibly powerful Since I've Been Loving You.
The Song Remains the Same is excellent, Page's fingers fly across the fretboard at lightning speed. Plant's voice is strong during The Rain Song, the heavy section is fantastic. Page solos wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. The San Francisco interlude is eerily beautiful. Bonzo and Jones play a bit of Machine Gun as Page begins the bow solo. The unstoppable instrumental machinery is in full swing during the guitar solo/workout section. The band skips the Mars, the Bringer of War section, heading into the transition back to the main riff early.
Page delivers a flawless solo during Stairway to Heaven. Plant introduces Whole Lotta Love as "a song that, everywhere around the world, seems to inspire a bit of good times." The theramin freakout is preceded by a frantic funky interlude with Plant encouraging the crowd to "do the James Brown!" The Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section ends in a cacophonous explosion, much like it did in Essen two nights earlier. The riotous medley includes Boogie Chillen', Elvis Presley favorites (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care and Let's Have a Party, I Can't Quit You Baby, and The Lemon Song. The blues improvisation is once again nothing short of amazing. The band returns to the stage amidst chants of "one more time!" to close the show with Heartbreaker. Page shreds through the a cappella solo. As the band exits the stage, Plant leaves the crowd with a simple "thank you, goodnight." An outstanding finale to the absolutely mind-blowing string of German concerts. Must hear.
The tape is very clear and well-balanced with a few slight disturbances throughout.
Of course, one of Zeps truely great shows. Page in particular, is astonishing, no bum notes tonight!
ReplyDeleteDo any of the versions avoid the sound issues on dazed?
I was actually there whwn 13 years old. We taped the show on a cheap cassette recorder and kept the tape like a treasure. Got a better recording for my wedding in 1996 (it's been a long time ...).
ReplyDeleteListening to it today this show was apparently one of the best in 1973 and I can consider myself a very lucky guy.
I was there as well. Several of us (G.I.s) took the train to see the concert. City was very hospitable had a good time.
ReplyDeleteDo u still have the tape by any chance?
ReplyDelete