5/13/1973 Mobile, AL Bertha RemasterRock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick
The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. Plant greets the crowd with a mispronounced "alaikum salaam" before introducing Misty Mountain Hop. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "that was somethin' off the third album which we always will play as long as we're in existence." No Quarter is absolutely fantastic. Before The Song Remains the Same, Plant comments "it seems so early really to do a concert, y'know... we only got outta bed about two-thirty... I just finished me bacon and egg and here we are!" The Rain Song is beautiful.
The guitar solo/workout section during Dazed and Confused is flawlessly epic. Page solos wildly during the outro. An amazing performance. Plant shouts the final verse of Stairway to Heaven. As the song ends, he announces "we've been together now over five years and we've come to America a total of ten times... and the English tax people are quite pleased about this, cause they're rippin' us off terrible... we decided to live somewhere between America and England... and it's pretty wet, but we're gonna have to do it." Before Moby Dick, Bonzo is introduced as "one of our favorite members of the group, a rather fat, chubby, happy fellow... full of shit and speed... I'm not talkin' about the drag queen from New Orleans, I'm talkin' about John Henry Bonham!" Unfortunately, the tape is cut just as the song ends, leaving us without the rest of this excellent performance. Must hear.
The tape is a stunning soundboard recording.
The Bertha Remaster had a name it was called "Empress" (Don't You Come Around Here Anymore) Reason I named it that is b/c EVSD named their bootleg "Alabama Getaway". The "Bertha" would not have been possible without the Zep Digital source. Still contains my all time fave version of "Dazed" (from 73). Its indeed an honor that you picked the "Bertha" edition of this concert....lord knows there are many versions!
ReplyDeleteAs a curiosity, what's with the Bertha remaster..... I heard they go through some sort of machine so, how is a Bertha remaster created??
ReplyDeleteBertha is a Digital Audio Workstation, that's all I know
ReplyDelete