Day 216: 4/9/1977 Chicago, IL

4/9/1977 Chicago, IL  Strange Tales From the Road (dadgad)

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone

The band's third night in Chicago starts off like any other night. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during The Song Remains the Same. Plant greets the crowd following Sick Again, saying "welcome to what we hope is gonna be a very good time." Page plays a large portion of the intro to Since I've Been Loving You a cappella before realizing he's jumped ahead of the setlist. He shreds erratically though the guitar solo in Nobody's Fault But Mine. The tape is cut between songs. Jones's ominous piano solo during No Quarter is met with a series of loud whistles from the crowd. A barrage of firecracker blasts signals the beginning of the instrumental section. Page solos wildly during the song's outro. 

After a long pause following a lackluster Ten Years Gone, Plant announces "whether you were aware of it or not, Jimmy has got a bout of gastroenteritis... so we're gonna take a necessary five minute break right now, so you must bear with us, cause Jimmy's very lucky to be even playin' tonight, okay?" After a cut in the tape, road manager Richard Cole announces "(Jimmy) has a bad attack of gastroenteritis, he does not want to do a half-assed show tonight... if you watch the press and the papers on monday and hang onto your ticket stubs, this show will be rescheduled and all your tickets will be re-honored!" adding "the band feel very bad about this, but please hang onto your tickets and they will all be rescheduled for the next performance, and they'll come back and replay this show again." Unfortunately, the makeup show would never take place.

The tape is distant and noisy.

Day 215: 4/7/1977 Chicago, IL

4/7/1977 Chicago, IL  Great Chicago Fire

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach during a frantic The Song Remains the Same. Page's fingers become entangled in the strings during the first guitar solo in Sick Again. The tape is cut between songs. The beginning of Jones's piano solo during No Quarter is met with a loud cheer from the crowd. Page shreds erratically through a somewhat choppy guitar solo. Unfortunately, The song is cut during the final verse. We return during the first verse of Ten Years Gone. 

Before The Battle of Evermore, Plant tells the crowd "it wasn't quite as hard as this five hundred years ago, wandering around with acoustic instruments... cause the oak tree probably didn't hold more than about two people" during a long pause while the band retunes. Going to California is introduced as "a song that reeks of California." White Summer features an eerily beautiful passage just before the Black Mountain Side section begins. The crowd erupts as Kashmir kicks in. Only the final two minutes of Achilles Last Stand survive on the tape. Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to the crowds the band played to on the 1975 North American tour "and the good times all along the way." The show-closing Rock and Roll is a cacophonous explosion of energy.

The tape is muffled and noisy.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 214: 4/6/1977 Chicago, IL

4/6/1977 Chicago, IL  The Home of the Electric Blues

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In My Time of Dying, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Trampled Underfoot

The first show of the band's four night stand at Chicago Stadium begins with a series of loud firecracker blasts as the band takes the stage. Plant is quick to respond, saying "listen, before we start, can I ask you one thing?... can you stop throwin' those firecrackers, cause we wanna give you a lotta music and we're not gonna fight with firecrackers, okay?" The Song Remains the Same is a relentless sonic assault. Plant again asks the crowd to cool it following Sick Again. Page tears through a blistering guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. In My Time of Dying is plagued by tape issues. Since I've Been Loving You is an intense emotional journey. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo, emphasizing each note as if it were his last. An outstanding performance. 

Jones is introduced as "the most debonaire member of the band" before No Quarter. He and Bonzo further develop the honky tonk interlude during the piano solo. Page delivers an excellent guitar solo. Unfortunately, a cut in the tape near the end leaves us at the return to the main theme. There is another cut during the final verse. Plant announces "at the front of the stage for the first time, John Bonham... looking very suave in a two-piece tuxedo" before The Battle of Evermore. Going to California is introduced as "a tribute to a lady who sings and drives a Mercedes and gets uptight." Unfortunately, the song is plagued by more tape issues. After singing a bit of Surrender as Page retunes before Black Country Woman, Plant jokingly refers to the Black Country as "the land where men are men and sheep are nervous," to which Page responds "better to live one day as a king than a thousand days as a peasant."

Page's guitar is painfully out of tune during White Summer/Black Mountain Side. He spends most of the song trying to compensate for the problem, but to no avail. Plant delivers a powerful performance during Kashmir. His banshee howls threaten to destroy the taper's equipment. Bonzo is introduced as "our diplomat for peace and good relations" before Over the Top. Unfortunately, the tape suffers from constant volume fluctuations throughout the drum solo. Page has trouble keeping up during Achilles Last Stand. The first few notes of Stairway to Heaven are met with a loud cheer from the crowd. Page's fingers become entangled in the strings during the guitar solo. The band closes the show with Trampled Underfoot, with Page shredding through an aggressive guitar solo.

The tape is distant and quite noisy with tape disturbances of varying severity throughout.

Day 213: 4/3/1977 Oklahoma City, OK

4/3/1977 Oklahoma City, OK  (master>cdr)

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, In My Time of Dying, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Trampled Underfoot

The first recording of the 1977 North American tour and the band's second proper show in nearly two years begins with a brief soundcheck before the first appearance of The Song Remains the Same as the opening number. Plant's entrance is met with a loud cheer from the crowd. The band plays a few bars of The Rover as an introduction to Sick Again. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the guitar solos. As the song ends, shouts of "sit down!" can be heard coming from the crowd, to which someone near the taper responds "hey, let's break out the pea shooter."

Plant greets the crowd, saying "I think we'll just keep playin'" before the first appearance of Nobody's Fault But Mine. In My Time of Dying is a bit disjointed at times. Jones is introduced as "the coy gentleman in the group" before No Quarter. Page and Bonzo join in for an upbeat vamp halfway through the piano solo. There is a slight cut in the tape just before the instrumental section begins. Jones delivers a final dramatic crescendo as the piece comes to a close. Plant announces "before we decided to come stick our necks on the line, we did a bit of rehearsin'... and we thought rather than keep everything totally electric, we'd sort of vary it a little bit" before introducing the first appearance of Ten Years Gone.

Bonzo joins the band at the front of the stage for the first appearance of The Battle of Evermore, which features Jones singing the Sandy Denny part. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is preceded by an abbreviated rendition of Black Country woman, making its first appearance since 6/19/1972. As the song ends, someone near the taper can be heard saying "I think it's time!... Dazed and Confused." Page's first recorded performance of White Summer/Black Mountainside since 4/28/1970 is linked nonstop with Kashmir in a dramatic reveal. Bonzo's drum solo has been renamed Over the Top and now features an instrumental Out on the Tiles introduction.

The first appearance of Achilles Last Stand is preceded by an experimental guitar solo, which replaces Dazed and Confused as the venue for Page's bow solo. The effect is so convincing that even Bonzo loses track and launches into the frantic rhythm of the former guitar solo/workout section before remembering what year it is. The band is obviously still getting a feel for the new song, frequently losing each other in the arrangement. However, the problems don't effect their enthusiasm as they hammer through at a frenzied pace. Page's fingers become entangled in the strings during the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven. The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page shreds erratically through a choppy guitar solo during the show-closing Trampled Underfoot. A somewhat rusty welcome to 1977.

The tape is rather distant and muffled with a series of disturbing tape noises throughout.

Day 212: 5/25/1975 London, England

5/25/1975 London, England  When We Were Kings

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Communication Breakdown

The band's fifth and final night at Earls Court begins with Alan 'Fluff' Freeman announcing "we are here tonight because you and I have great taste" before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page blazes through the second guitar solo in Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant announces "good evening and welcome to the last concert in England for a considerable time." Page shreds frantically through an excellent guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is introduced as "an old work chant." Page solos wildly as Bonzo and Jones pummel the crowd. An incredibly powerful performance, one of the best thus far. 

Bonzo is on fire during The Song Remains the Same, thrashing at his drums with wild abandon as Page's fingers race across the fretboard. The Rain Song is absolutely fantastic, one of the best in recent memory. Jones's somber piano solo during No Quarter features hints of Concierto de Aranjuez. The instrumental section is an epic journey. The band receives a thunderous ovation as the piece comes to a close. The climax is reached during the blistering outro. An outstanding performance. Page plays a bit of Tea For One as Plant introduces Tangerine. Going to California is delicately beautiful. Jones's mandolin work is fantastic. Plant makes a few references to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, asking the crowd "what is a shrubbery amongst friends?" before an excellent That's the Way. 

The band gets into a bit of Robert Johnson's If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day before Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. Plant gives the crowd a brief history of Johnson's life before introducing Trampled Underfoot. Page shreds erratically through an aggressive guitar solo. Bonzo is introduced as "our blood brother" before a particularly thunderous Moby Dick. Plant says a few kind words about Peter Grant before introducing Dazed and Confused as "the essence of the early Zeppelin." The San Francisco interlude is hauntingly mournful. Plant's ghostly howls echo through the arena. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through the frantic guitar solo/workout section. Plant can be heard exclaiming "amen!" off-mic during the call and response section. Page solos wildly during the outro jam. A somewhat uneven final performance of the band's signature song.

Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to his daughter Carmen, saying "this is a song to a little girl who sits there, probably wondering what it's all about." Page delivers an excellent guitar solo despite breaking a string near the end. Plant sings the final line in complete silence. As the band returns to the stage, Plant says "is this our swan song, I wonder?" Page hints at Ozone Baby following an excellent funky jam during Whole Lotta Love. Plant unleashes a series of blood-curdling screeches during the violent theramin freakout. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the extended guitar solo in Black Dog. As the song ends, Plant announces "good citizens of Great Britain, it's been five glorious days... thank you very much for bein' a great audience, and if you see Denis Healey, tell him we've gone." 

Plant exclaims "this is somethin' we never do!" as the band returns to the stage once again, joking "any requests?" Page blazes through the fast guitar solo during Heartbreaker. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during the final verse. The band closes the show with an explosive Communication Breakdown. Plant does his best Jamaican accent during a fantastic funky breakdown. As the band leaves the stage for the final time, he announces "thank you very much for showin' us that England is still alive and well." A fantastic finale to 1975. Must hear.

The tape is an excellent soundboard recording, augmented by a fairly clear audience source.

Day 212: 5/25/1975 London, England (part two)

Since Blogger has seen fit to impose a limit of twenty labels per post and Led Zeppelin saw fit to occasionally perform more than twenty songs in one evening, I've been forced to carry those extra songs over to this supplemental post. For the full review of this outstanding performance, please see 5/25/1975 London, England (part one).

Day 211: 5/24/1975 London, England

5/24/1975 London, England  To Be a Rock and Not to Roll

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The tape begins with Nicky Horne announcing "for the next three hours, your mother wouldn't like it" as the band takes the stage. Things get off to a somewhat sluggish start, Bonzo sounds tired as he fumbles through the drum outburst at the end of Rock and Roll. Page's fingers get caught in the strings during the second guitar solo in Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant jokingly hints at Living Loving Maid during his usual "six and a half years" spiel. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through an erratic guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. 

In My Time of Dying is introduced as "a song that came from the deep south of America." The PA problems persist, causing Page's guitar to cut out briefly during the initial verses. Plant references Hey Joe, exclaiming "so I gave her the gun, and I shot her!" as Page launches into the first guitar solo. The band's timing gets a bit sloppy as the song progresses. Plant tells the crowd "it really is a treat to be playing in England again" before dedicating No Quarter to "anybody who's got any hope that everything can be okay in our wonderful country again." The instrumental section is transformed into a somewhat disjointed free-form improvisation featuring an excellent laid-back guitar solo from Page. Tangerine is introduced as "a song of love in its most innocent stages." That's the Way is beautiful. Page shreds wildly as Bonzo pummels the crowd during an erratic Trampled Underfoot. 

Plant sings a few lines of Rip it Up before announcing "tonight, there's a lad watching his dad who is a remarkable drummer... he's a better drummer than eighty percent of rock group drummers today and he's eight years old, so... Jason Bonham, this is your dad!" prior to Moby Dick. The penultimate performance of Dazed and Confused is introduced as "a song that came at the very beginning of our time." Page solos wildly through the lead-in to the bow solo. The mournful Woodstock interlude is fantastic. Page erupts in a furious cascade of notes during the guitar solo/workout section, his fingers tear across the fretboard at lightning speed. The outro jam is extended beyond all limits. Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "a song which typifies the mood of hope, which in our brighter moments surrounds us." Page delivers a truly amazing guitar solo, building tension with each note as the epic drama unfolds. An unbelievable performance, one of the best thus far.

As the band returns to the stage, Bonzo announces "I'd like to say at this point that I think football is a load of bollocks!" to which Plant responds "I'd like to say that soccer is a wonderful sport, the best sport," adding "and that's got nothin' to do with Bonzo's sentiments." Whole Lotta Love features an excellent theramin freakout, which includes bits of Sex Machine and Turn on Your Love Light. A strong finish to a rather uneven performance.

The tape is a fantastic soundboard recording, augmented by a very good audience recording.

Day 210: 5/23/1975 London, England

5/23/1975 London, England

Demand Unprecedented in the History of Rock Music

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The band's third night at Earls Court begins with an enthusiastic introduction by David 'Kid' Jensen before Rock and Roll explodes out of the gate. Bonzo is like a thunderous stampede, hammering at his drums with incredible intensity. Page tears through the guitar solos during an aggressive Sick Again. In My Time of Dying is a wild cacophony. The band gets a bit lost in the melee at times. Plant hints at You Shook Me near the end of the song. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during The Song Remains the Same. Plant tells the crowd "my left arm is swollen beyond all proportion because I just had it chipped for cholera and smallpox and everything else that we might catch while we go hunting in the jungle for new words and new songs for a new album" following The Rain Song.

Jones is introduced as "Jonesy the maestro" before No Quarter. The electric piano intro is nearly inaudible due to PA problems, recovering before the first verse. Jones's ominous piano solo is followed by a long, wandering guitar solo from Page. Plant hints as When the Levee Breaks while introducing Tangerine as "a song of simple love, first love." That's the Way is beautiful. As the song ends, Bonzo announces "Robert Plant on vocals!" Plant tells the crowd "I think this evening is beginning to feel... silly!" before an explosive Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "a friend, a truly great percussionist, a man with a big heart" before Moby Dick.

Plant unleashes a spine-chilling scream at the beginning of the third verse of Dazed and Confused. The bow solo is preceded by a hauntingly heavy San Francisco interlude. Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo/workout section. The band nearly falls apart during the return to the main riff. The thunderous finale is punctuated by another blood-curdling scream from Plant. Stairway to Heaven is dedicated to journalist Chris Schaar Murray, who had recently described the band as "like a vibrator, it can get you off something ridiculous, but it can't kiss you goodnight." Page delivers an excellent guitar solo. The band closes the show with a devastatingly heavy Black Dog.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant and noisy.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 209: 5/18/1975 London, England

5/18/1975 London, England

Demand Unprecedented in the History of Rock Music

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

As the show begins, it's obvious that the band has loosened up. tearing ferociously through the opening numbers. Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as "the ultimate dream." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo as Bonzo and Jones hammer out a funky groove. In My Time of Dying is incredibly powerful. Bonzo is on fire during The Song Remains the Same. Page's guitar cuts out briefly during the second guitar solo. The Rain Song is absolutely beautiful. As the song ends, Plant introduces Jones as "the only man who wears onions on his shoulders that I've ever met in my life."

Kashmir features an incredible performance from Plant. No Quarter is outstanding. Jones's dramatic piano solo gives way to an epic instrumental section featuring a fantastic guitar solo from Page. The band receives a long ovation as the piece comes to a close. A truly amazing performance, one of the best thus far. Going to California is introduced as "a song about the permanent constant search for any man with a vivid imagination for a Guinnevere." Before Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Plant tells the crowd "I'm gonna sack whichever road manager has burnt the lyrics to the next song." As the song ends, he exclaims "we are The Knights Who Say Ni!" Peter Grant is introduced as "the man who made it all possible" before Trampled Underfoot. Page delivers an aggressive guitar solo.

Plant introduces Bonzo as "a man with no taste, no manners, no friends... my very best friend, the man who always kicks me when I'm down, ladies and gentlemen, John Bonham!" before Moby Dick. The Woodstock interlude during Dazed and Confused is hauntingly beautiful. Plant's ethereal howls echo through the arena as the bow solo begins. Page's fingers get a bit sticky as he shreds through the frantic guitar solo/workout section. The return to the main riff is devastatingly heavy with Bonzo thrashing wildly at anything within reach. The hypnotic outro jam is a cacophonous explosion of energy. As the song ends, someone near the taper can be heard saying "is that the end?"

Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "a song that came to us in a moment of great peace and tranquility." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo. Plant delivers the final line in absolute silence. The band plods their way through the show-closing Black Dog. As they leave the stage, Plant announces "we'd like to that the road crew, Showco... and Denis Healey for being such a perv, goodnight."

The tape is a combination of three sources, all clear and enjoyable.

Day 208: 5/17/1975 London, England

5/17/1975 London, England

Demand Unprecedented in the History of Rock Music

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying. The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The first show of the band's legendary five-night stand at Earls Court begins with a brief introduction by DJ Bob Harris welcoming them back to Britain before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The equipment issues are evident from the start with Page's guitar cutting in and out during the initial verses. He blazes through the second guitar solo in Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant comments "you wouldn't believe that after all the trouble and messin' about to try and get this unearthly monster with us, the first thing that gets blown, right?" He introduces In My Time of Dying as "an old chain gang thing" before dedicating the song to Chancellor of the Exchequer Denis Healey. An incredibly powerful performance, Page solos wildly as Bonzo's thunderous pounding echoes throughout the cavernous arena.

The Song Remains the Same is a riotous explosion of energy. As Kashmir comes to a close, someone near the taper can be heard saying "that's what I've been waiting for." Jones is introduced as "master of keyboards" before No Quarter. The instrumental section has returned to its original heavy rhythm, abandoning the free-form jazz workouts of the west coast shows two months prior. The coda features some excellent soloing from Page. Tangerine is introduced as "a song of first love." Its first appearance since 6/27/1972, the song is performed in a new electric arrangement. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "that's the first time that there's ever been such a thing as four-part harmony on stage with Led Zeppelin." 

The first appearance of the acoustic set since the end of the 1972 North American tour begins with Going to California. That's the Way is delicately beautiful. Plant explains to the crowd that he's forgotten the words to some of the older songs, so he's brought along lyric sheets to help him remember before Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. Page shreds through the guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "a man of character, of good karma... Mr. Vibes extraordinaire" before Moby Dick. Plant introduces Dazed and Confused as "the first thing that we ever played together," adding "and at the end of the first attempt at playing it, we realized that despite efforts by the Melody Maker to break us up, we should carry on forever." While not as ambitious and over the top as the west coast marathons, the band delivers a high-energy performance during the guitar solo/workout section. The frenzied outro jam is punctuated by a thunderous finale. Stairway to Heaven features an epic guitar solo. The band closes the show with a devastatingly heavy Black Dog.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant and cacophonous due to the acoustics of the arena.

Day 207: 3/27/1975 Los Angeles, CA

3/27/1975 Los Angeles, CA  (master>dat)

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Times of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The band's third and final night at The Forum begins with an introduction by Deep Throat star Linda Lovelace. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the guitar solo near the end of Sick Again. Following Over the Hills and Far Away, Plant tells the crowd "it's with a bit of sorrow that we've gotta leave California, even the Continental Riot House wasn't that bad in the end." In My Time of Dying includes hints of You Shook Me near the end. There is a cut in the tape just before the second verse of The Rain Song. 

Kashmir is incredibly powerful. As the song ends, Plant announces "we're changin' the program, hang on" before the third and final appearance of Since I've Been Loving You in 1975. A bit looser than a week earlier in Seattle, the band nonetheless delivers a highly dramatic performance. One wonders why the song was not played more often this tour, perhaps Plant's voice simply couldn't handle the strain. He introduces Jones as "a man with a lot of balls," adding "in fact, three" before No Quarter. The piano solo is introduced by a series of ghostly howls from the theramin. The instrumental section is fantastic. Page delivers an excellent, dynamic guitar solo. Unfortunately there is a cut in the tape just as the piece is coming to a close. The tension reaches its peak during the violently explosive finale. A truly amazing performance, one of the best thus far. As the song ends, Plant announces "John Paul Jones, grand piano and Heineken beer!"

Plant dedicates Trampled Underfoot to "a 1950 Buick Rocket 88 that I rented the other day." Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo. Plant includes a few lines of Gallows Pole following the final verse. A very aggressive performance, one of the best thus far. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "a thing from the very, very beginning... when we were babies in the game." The Woodstock interlude includes lyrics from Love's Old Man. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through the guitar solo/workout section. There is a slight cut before the call and response section and another following Mars, the Bringer of War, just as the band is getting into a funky jam. Bonzo forces Page into the return to the main riff, lest he solo on forever. The outro is an epic journey in and of itself. An unbelievable forty-four minute marathon. The longest ever.

Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the extended guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven. As the band returns to the stage, Plant announces "we'd like to thank California for bein' such good hosts to us while we been here... and if anybody can hear us in England, we're comin' back baby!" Whole Lotta Love features a frantic Licking Stick-Licking Stick interlude prior to the theramin freakout. Bonzo and Jones get into a funky stop-start groove as Plant battles the theramin. Page solos until his fingers are about to fall off during the show-closing Black Dog. A fitting end to the haphazard 1975 North American tour.

The tape is another fantastic Mike Millard recording.

Day 206: 3/25/1975 Los Angeles, CA

3/25/1975 Los Angeles, CA  Deep Throat II

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The tape begins during the band's stage introduction. Plant's voice starts off a bit rough, the end of tour partying has begun to catch up with him. Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is a bit sloppy. Page's fingers become entangled in the strings during The Song Remains the Same. Jones's Mellotron goes out of tune during The Rain Song. No Quarter is introduced as "a piece which consists of a great deal of improvisation." Jones's piano solo is excellent. The instrumental section features a laid-back guitar solo from Page. Plant dedicated Trampled Underfoot to "all the good ladies of America who've helped us get rid of the blues from time to time on the road." Page's erratic guitar solo slashes through the frantic rhythm like a jagged razor blade. 

Bonzo is introduced as "the man who broke every window in room 1019 last night, the man who set fire to his own bed, the amazing man with only two cavities, Mr. Quaalude, John Bonham!" before Moby Dick. Plant introduced Dazed and Confused as "a song that came to us about four hours after we got together... as soon as we'd rolled our first joint, this was it." Page solos wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo. After an ominously beautiful a cappella intro, the Woodstock interlude is transformed into a hauntingly mournful rendition of Spanish Harlem. Plant's ethereal howls echo through the arena as the piece comes to a close. Page erupts in a violent torrent of notes during the guitar solo/workout section. The climax is reached during the blistering outro jam. An outstanding performance.

Stairway to Heaven is dedicated to "the sweeter, more gentle moments in life." Page delivers a fantastic guitar solo, one of the best in recent memory. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during the final verse. Whole Lotta Love features and excellent heavy jam following a brief Licking Stick-Licking Stick interlude. Plant forgets the lyrics during the second verse of Black Dog, causing a moment of confused hesitation before the band gets back on track. As they leave the stage, he announces "people of The Forum, thank you very much... it is the summer of all our smiles, goodnight."

The tape is another excellent Mike Millard recording.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 205: 3/24/1975 Los Angeles, CA

3/24/1975 Los Angeles, CA  Deep Throat I

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Heartbreaker

The tape begins with a brief introduction by J.J. Jackson, which is met with a barrage of firecracker blasts from the crowd. Page gets ahead of the band near the end of Sick Again. Plant tells the crowd "these are the last three gigs of our American tour, so we intend them to be somewhat of a very high point for us" before Over the Hills and Far Away. Page blazes through the guitar solo. Bonzo is a thunderous explosion of energy during The Song Remains the Same. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the guitar solos.

Plant forgets a few lyrics during a somewhat lackluster Kashmir. Jones is repeatedly introduced as "keyboard man extraordinaire" before No Quarter. The somber piano solo features hints of Concierto de Aranjuez. The instrumental section is excellent, despite Page's uneven guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "behind us we see there's  little bit of basic carpentry being carried on," joking "it's an arts and crafts center, this stage tonight." Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. As the song ends, Plant announces "ladies and gentlemen, at the front of the stage right now, Elvis Presley's right hand man Bill Miller!"

Dazed and Confused is introduced as "the first thing that we had a go at... apart from the secretary." Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the slightly disjointed guitar solo/workout section. A rather uninspired performance. Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to "all our English friends who've arrived at the Continental Riot House." Page hints at The Rover prior to Whole Lotta Love, which features the most complete performance of The Crunge ever caught on tape. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "ladies and gentlemen... children of the sun... goodnight." A rather uneven performance for the first night at The Forum.

The tape is another excellent Mike Millard recording augmented by a slightly inferior source.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 204: 3/21/1975 Seattle, WA

3/21/1975 Seattle, WA  Definitely Seattle

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Since I've Been Loving You, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown, Heartbreaker

The tape begins with a stage announcement asking the crowd not to light any matches during the show or the house lights will be brought up, ruining the light show. The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Following Sick Again, Plant announces "well, we went across the border, it was alright, but it's much better back here." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "there's one demand that I'd like to make apart from that you enjoy what we're doin', and that is that you don't sway around too much at the front because somebody might get hurt." In My Time of Dying is an intense sonic assault. Jones's fingers dance across the fretboard as Page tears through the frantic guitar solos during The Song Remains the Same. The Rain Song is excellent. 

Page plays a bit of White Summer as Plant dedicates a powerful Kashmir to "everybody who we met in Seattle this time who's been a groove and a gas." No Quarter is introduced as "a journey with more somber intonations." Jones delivers a highly dramatic piano solo which includes hints of Georgia on My Mind. The instrumental section features an epic guitar solo from Page. Jones's playing becomes a bit erratic toward the end. Page solos wildly during the outro. An outstanding performance, one of the best thus far. As the song ends, Plant announces "there's one song that we've done twice in... I suppose since we got ripped off for all that bread in New York ages ago, and because we really dig playin' here, for no other reason we're gonna do it again now" before the second rare appearance of Since I've Been Loving You in 1975. Page blazes through a blistering guitar solo. A fantastic performance. Trampled Underfoot features an aggressive guitar solo from Page. Plant repeatedly exclaims "see saw, knock on my door, gonna swing!" As the song ends, he says "with just a little bit of Gallows Pole thrown in." 

Following a marathon Moby Dick, Plant tells the crowd "there's a little bit of a discrepancy about a guitar and a man who's being held by the police and all sorts of things, quite a story going on behind the scenes" before dedicating Dazed and Confused to "the innocent party" and "the difference and the balances between law and order." Page shreds wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo. The Woodstock interlude has been transformed into an amazingly haunting rendition of For What it's Worth. The instrumental machinery is in full swing during the frenzied guitar solo/workout section. Page is absolutely on fire, soloing furiously as Bonzo and Jones hammer along at a frantic pace. The epic journey reaches its peak during the wildly cacophonous outro jam. An utterly devastating performance, one of the best thus far. And at forty minutes in length, one of the longest as well.

Page hints at Louie Louie as Plant offers the crowd a history lesson on famous Seattle musicians before dedicating Stairway to Heaven to "the amount of work that Jimi Hendrix gave... and the amount of inspiration that he gave everybody in the business." Page slowly builds tension before erupting in a furious cascade of notes during the dynamic guitar solo. The final verse is explosive. Whole Lotta Love includes another excellent rendition of The Crunge prior to the funky theramin freakout, which is punctuated by a devastatingly heavy finale. Plant's banshee wails threaten to destroy the taper's equipment during a blistering Black Dog. There are a few slight cuts during the latter half of the song. A quick and dirty Communication Breakdown is linked nonstop with Heartbreaker. Page blazes through the guitar solos. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "thank you very much, we've had a great time... you've been fantastic... Seattle, goodnight!" A truly amazing marathon performance. Must hear.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The first, used through the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven, is very clear and well-balanced. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is a bit noisy and overloaded.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 203: 3/20/1975 Vancouver, British Columbia

3/20/1975 Vancouver, British Columbia  (master>dat combo)

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter*, Trampled Underfoot*, Moby Dick*, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker

*- These three songs are actually from the audience recording of 3/19/1975. There is a 1st gen>dat version of the inferior source in circulation which includes the real versions of these songs, but it is not currently in our collection.

The tape begins with someone onstage announcing "ladies and gentlemen, the Canadian return of Led Zeppelin." Page blazes through the guitar solos during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "amidst the positive smells that are rising toward the stage, we're gonna try and maintain some coherence ourselves while you get stoned as stoned as stoned as stoned can be." Page solos wildly as Bonzo and Jones hold down a funky groove during Over the Hills and Far Away. Shouts of "how's Jimmy's finger?" and "how's your finger, Page?" can be heard coming from the crowd s the song ends.

Plant is in top form, belting out each line with power and intensity during In My Time of Dying. As the song ends, he comments "I don't know which is the biggest attraction, the stage or the amateur wrestling in the audience" before expressing the band's sympathy to PA operator Benji LeFevre who has "contracted a social disease." Page's fingers fly across the fretboard during a frantic The Song Remains the Same. Plant mentions the band's last visit to Vancouver, saying "something strange happened to me that evening, I found the light show to be amazing and I wondered what the name of the group was" before dedicating Kashmir to "that state of mind." 

Dazed and Confused is dedicated to "chaos everywhere." There is a slight cut during the intro. The Woodstock interlude begins with a long, bluesy guitar workout from Page. A hauntingly beautiful rendition, one of the best thus far. Someone near the taper can be heard saying "dude, it's amazing" during the bow solo. The band is absolutely on fire during the blistering guitar solo/workout section. The hypnotic outro jam is punctuated by an explosive finale. A devastating marathon performance. The taper can be heard tapping the microphone and clearing his throat as Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to Jack Daniel's, "starring down 'n out Jimmy Page." The guitar solo is outstanding. 

Plant tells the crowd "this is how we intend to be remembered in Vancouver" before Whole Lotta Love. The Crunge is replaced with a frantic rendition of Licking Stick-Licking Stick, which includes hints of Ozone Baby. Plant unleashes a series of spine-chilling screeches during the theramin freakout. Page jumps directly into Heartbreaker following Bonzo's machine gun finale, skipping Black Dog. He shreds wildly during the riotous guitar solo section, following an extended a cappella solo. An amazing performance. As Luis Rey points out, Page is taking control as the tour comes to a close.

The tape is a combination of two fairly clear audience recordings, one slightly better than the other.

Day 202: 3/19/1975 Vancouver, British Columbia

3/19/1975 Vancouver, British Columbia  Snow Jobs

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. In My Time of Dying features some excellent slide work from Page. Plant exclaims "lick your pussy, yeah!" during the "oh Georgina!" section. The Rain Song is beautiful. Plant introduces Kashmir as "a song that talks about the wasted, wasted, wasted lands," adding "it's not California." No Quarter is absolutely fantastic. A series of echo-heavy theramin howls introduce Jones's outstanding piano solo. Page solos wildly as Bonzo and Jones explore an upbeat jazzy rhythm during the epic instrumental section. A phenomenal performance, one of the best and most complex thus far.

Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo during an aggressive Trampled Underfoot. Plant tells the crowd "a very serious part of the night has now arrived... where I nip off to the dressin' room to get a blow job" before introducing Moby Dick as "an experience you will never forget." He dedicates Dazed and Confused to Peter Grant, joking "he's the man who gives us the blow job in the dressing room." The ever-expanding Woodstock interlude now begins with a hauntingly beautiful a cappella guitar introduction. The bow solo is followed by an unusual quiet interlude, complete with ethereal howls from Plant. Page is absolutely on fire during the marathon guitar solo/workout section, shredding furiously as Bonzo and Jones race along at top speed. An unbelievably epic performance, clocking in at over thirty-seven minutes.

Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "one of the high spots amidst the haste." Plant introduces "Jimmy 'Jack Daniel's' Page" as the band returns to the stage. Whole Lotta Love features another excellent rendition of The Crunge prior to the funky theramin freakout. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "Vancouver, British Columbia... people of the realm, goodnight." Must hear.

The tape is another fantastic soundboard recording.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 201: 3/17/1975 Seattle, WA

3/17/1975 Seattle, WA  Blow-Jobs

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog

The tape begins just before the second verse of Rock and Roll. Page blazes through the guitar solos during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant announces "for once in our career we started early, cause we didn't want to keep you waitin'." Over the Hills and Far Away features a blistering guitar solo from Page, one of the best in recent memory. In My Time of Dying is explosive. Plant sings "Seattle, won't you listen" during a frantic The Song Remains the Same. His voice is incredibly strong during Kashmir, having finally settled into his new range.

No Quarter features an excellent piano solo from Jones. The instrumental section is transformed into an upbeat free-form jazz improvisation. Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Plant sings a bit of Max Bygraves's You're a Pink Toothbrush before introducing Dazed and Confused. The hauntingly heavy Woodstock interlude continues to grow in complexity. Page is absolutely on fire during the guitar solo/workout section. His fingers tear across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes as Bonzo and Jones race to keep up. The frenzy reaches its peak during the explosive outro jam, punctuated by a thunderous finale. A devastatingly heavy performance.

Stairway to Heaven features an amazing guitar solo. As the band returns to the stage, Plant hints at Louie Louie before dedicating Whole Lotta Love to "Seattle and The Pretty Things." The theramin freakout is preceded by an excellent rendition of The Crunge, the best and most complete thus far. Plant again throws in a bit of Licking Stick-Licking Stick during the funky breakdown. The band closes the show with a riotous Black Dog. An excellent performance.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The first, used through In My Time of Dying, is a bit distant and muffled. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy on the high end.

Day 200: 3/14/1975 San Diego, CA

3/14/1975 San Diego, CA  Conspiracy Theory

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Heartbreaker

Bonzo fires off a series of machine gun snare blasts as Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. The song's outro includes a brief reference to White Summer. Plant's voice is surprisingly strong during a blistering In My Time of Dying, one of the best thus far. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "this has the makings of bein' a very good, hot concert... the two constituents that make things a real trip are you and us, so this is our turn to give you a good buzz." 

Jones's Mellotron begins to act up toward the end of The Rain Song. No Quarter is introduced as a song "for the Conquistadors." The instrumental section is an epic marathon. The guitar solo gets off to an uneven start, but the band finishes strong with Bonzo in particular delivering a standout performance. Page's fingers become entangled in the strings during the guitar solo in Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "one of the finest trombone players that America's ever known" as Page fiddles with some White Summer licks before Moby Dick.

Plant tells the crowd "the whole impetuous [sic] of the group was formed around the fact that we could pull off a tune like the one we're gonna give you now" prior to Dazed and Confused. The Woodstock interlude is hauntingly beautiful. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the erratic guitar solo/workout section. The climax is reached during the frantic outro jam. Stairway to Heaven features excellent interplay between Page and Bonzo during the guitar solo. Plant, Bonzo, and Jones improvise a brief funky interlude during the guitar solo section in Heartbreaker when Page disappears momentarily. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "it's been a fantastic evening, even the security have enjoyed it!" A somewhat uneven performance with a few moments of inspiration.

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording.

40 Years Gone

Forty years ago today at a small club in Denmark, four young men from England stepped onto a stage together for the first time. Unbeknownst to them, this event would set off a chain reaction which would change the face of rock music forever and make them one of the most influential bands in history. Today we look back on the concert that started it all.

Click here for more photos from this historic occasion.

Day 199: 3/12/1975 Long Beach, CA

3/12/1975 Long Beach, CA  Standing in the Shadow

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Heartbreaker

The band's second night in Long Beach begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll explodes into motion. Page blazes through the guitar solos during a blistering Sick Again. He hints at White Summer briefly at the beginning of Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is devastatingly heavy. Page's guitar cuts out at the beginning of The Song Remains the Same, causing the band to stop playing and start over after a short pause. Bonzo hammers at his drums with incredible intensity as Page's fingers tear across the fretboard at lightning speed. A fantastically epic Kashmir is dedicated to "anybody who got divorced today." The walls of the arena quake under the power of the band's thunderous attack. An excellent performance, one of the best thus far.

No Quarter is preceded by a haunting electric piano introduction. Page solos wildly as Bonzo and Jones explore an upbeat jazzy rhythm during the outstanding instrumental section. A truly amazing performance. Unfortunately, the song is cut during the final verse. Page shreds frantically through the guitar solo during a frenzied Trampled Underfoot. Plant introduces Dazed and Confused as "the first climax that we reached together" before dedicating the song to an absent Roy Harper. The Woodstock interlude is brutally heavy. The band is absolutely on fire during the guitar solo/workout section. Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach as Page erupts in a furious cascade of notes. The relentless sonic assault threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. The frenzy reaches its peak with the explosive outro jam. A phenomenal performance, one of the best thus far.

Before Stairway to Heaven, Plant tells the crowd "the vibes are really good tonight, they're better than last night... too many reds," adding "by the time we get to The Forum, we should be sky high!" Page delivers a fantastic guitar solo, one of the best in recent memory. As the band returns to the stage, Plant leads the crowd in a Happy Birthday sing-along in honor of their attorney Steve Weiss. The funky theramin freakout during Whole Lotta Love features an excellent rendition of Licking Stick-Licking Stick in addition to the usual The Crunge interlude. Plant is in top form during a riotous Black Dog. Heartbreaker features an outstanding I'm a Man blues interlude between the guitar solos. A truly amazing performance. Must hear.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The first, used through the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven, is a bit noisy and overloaded. The Second, used for the remainder of the show, is another excellent Mike Millard recording.