Day 266: 5/14/1988 New York, NY

5/14/1988 New York, NY  Reunion Collection

Kashmir, Heartbreaker/Whole Lotta Love, Misty Mountain Hop, Stairway to Heaven

Nearly three years after their haphazard appearance at Live Aid, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin have reunited once again in honor of Atlantic Records' fortieth anniversary. The crowd's excitement builds to a frenzied peak as the band, now with Jason Bonham filling in for his father, launches into a thunderous Kashmir. Unfortunately, equipment issues plague the performance from the beginning with Plant's microphone alternately dropping out and feeding back on separate occasions throughout the song. However, the band's performance is unaffected by these glitches. 

The crowd goes wild as Page plays the familiar opening riff of Heartbreaker. The band sounds confident and enthusiastic as they hammer through the initial verses. Unfortunately, Page's nerves get the best of him as he fumbles through a lackluster a cappella solo, which is immediately followed by Whole Lotta Love. The song is played in an arrangement similar to the band's performances at the Knebworth Festival nine years earlier. Plant's introduction of Bonham as the song ends is met with a loud cheer from the crowd. The band hammers through an excellent Misty Mountain Hop, with Bonham delivering a particularly inspired performance. The crowd erupts as Stairway to Heaven begins. Page blazes through a somewhat subdued guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant introduces the band one last time before telling the crowd "it's been a wonderful night... see you all again soon."

The tape is an excellent television broadcast.

Day 260: 6/29/1980 Zurich, Switzerland

6/29/1980 Zurich, Switzerland  Conquer Europe

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Heartbreaker

After the disaster in Nuremberg two days prior, the band is back with a vengeance, pummeling the crowd with the thunderous one-two punch of Train Kept a Rollin' and Nobody's Fault But Mine. Unfortunately, the momentum is interrupted when Bonzo and Jones forget the entrance of the guitar solo during the latter, causing Page's playing to suffer slightly from the confusion. Plant asks the crowd "anybody remember Montreux?" following Black Dog, joking "showin' your age, kids." The Rain Song is introduced as "a slow one that's got nothin' to do with being silly." Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo near the end of Trampled Underfoot. Since I've Been Loving You is a bit subdued, with a few short bursts of inspiration during the guitar solo.

The band hammers through an urgent Achilles Last Stand. Kashmir is a disaster. The band completely loses track of one another early in the song, resulting in several bars of absolute confusion before they finally manage to get back on track. As the song ends, Plant announces "if anybody's bootleggin' that, you'll have to scratch that number cause it wasn't completely correct." The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The band closes the show with what will prove to be the final performance of Heartbreaker. Page delivers an instrumental history lesson during the a cappella solo, blazing through brief vignettes of nearly every theme and variation that has appeared in the piece over the years. An outstanding performance. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "thank you for being great... see you again one day."

The tape is yet another excellent soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a distant audience source.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 256: 6/21/1980 Rotterdam, Holland

6/21/1980 Rotterdam, Holland  Rotterdam Revisited

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Heartbreaker

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Page tears into the opening chords of Train Kept a Rollin'. Plant barks aggressively through Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo. The band pummels the crowd with a devastatingly heavy Black Dog. Page shreds through a frenzied guitar solo near the end of In the Evening. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you most kindly," joking "the main group will be on shortly." Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting "Moby Dick!" following The Rain Song, to which Plant responds "Bonzo can't do that anymore.

Trampled Underfoot is a brutal assault. Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo. An outstanding performance, one of the best in recent memory. Since I've Been Loving You features a violently emotional guitar solo. Page achieves some particularly beautiful passages during an occasionally sticky-fingered White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Plant delivers a strong performance during Kashmir, belting out each line with power and conviction. The crowd erupts as Stairway to Heaven begins. Plant sings "I keep changin' and changin' and changin'... but I keep comin' back!" following the fifth verse. Page's fingers are a bit sticky as he blazes through an echo-heavy guitar solo. His guitar cuts out briefly during the second verse of Rock and Roll. The band closes the show with a frenzied Heartbreaker. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during the final verse. Another excellent performance.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The first, used through the first few bars of The Rain Song, is a fairly clear audience recording. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is another fantastic soundboard recording.

Day 253: 6/17/1980 Dortmund, Germany

6/17/1980 Dortmund, Germany (1st gen cassette>dat)

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love/Heartbreaker

Ten months after their triumphant homecoming, the band returns to Germany to begin a short tour of Europe in preparation for a prospective 1980 North American tour. The setlist has seen another major overhaul to cut the fat and condense the show into a dynamic two hour affair. This new, modern Led Zeppelin show begins with an old favorite, Train Kept a Rollin', taking the opening slot for the first time since 8/31/1969. Page tears through an explosive wah-wah workout during the guitar solo. The band gets a bit lost at times during the new arrangement of Nobody's Fault But Mine, which drops the usual guitar/vocal intro, launching straight into the first verse. Bonzo can be heard shouting "intermission!" as Page greets the crowd before introducing Black Dog as "schwarzhund." Plant's voice is rough, but strong as he attacks each verse with raw aggression.

In the Evening is preceded by a short droning into, dropping the bow solo completely. Page's playing is choppy and abrasive, a far cry from his former fluency. The Rain Song is introduced as "a song about love affairs that go adrift." Bonzo can be heard shouting "interval!" at the end of Hot Dog, which is followed by the first performance of All My Love. Page shreds wildly through a sharp, angular guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Plant sings "take me to the bridge!" as Page begins the guitar solo during Since I've Been Loving You. Achilles Last Stand is played at a more relaxed pace than usual, closer to the studio version than the frantic explosions of the past. Bonzo can once again be heard begging for an interval as the song comes to a close. Page blazes through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. The band closes the show with a strange hybrid of Whole Lotta Love and Heartbreaker, with the latter dropped in the middle of the former. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "goodnight, dinosaurs rule!"

The tape is a bare bones soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a poor audience source.

Day 251: 8/4/1979 Knebworth, 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 performance, please see 8/4/1979 Knebworth, England (part one).

Day 239: 6/21/1977 Los Angeles, CA

6/21/1977 Los Angeles, CA  Mike the Mike

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, 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, Heartbreaker, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

The first show of the band's six night stand at The Forum begins with a brief soundcheck as the crowd's excitement builds to a frenzied peak. Following a shaky performance two nights earlier, Bonzo is back with a vengeance, thrashing at his drums in a frantic explosion of energy as The Song Remains the Same crashes into motion. The intense sonic assault doesn't let up as the band launches into a ferocious Sick Again. Page's guitar cuts out briefly during the intro, causing a moment of confused hesitation at the beginning of the first verse. He shreds wildly through the guitar solos as Bonzo continues to pummel the crowd with his thunderous attack. A brutal performance, one of the best thus far. Nobody's Fault But Mine is devastatingly heavy. Plant exclaims "oh Jimmy, excuse me!" as Page begins a blistering guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "it is indeed a great pleasure to be back in California... it's very hard to see the sun in a basement in New York." 

Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. Since I've Been Loving You is an intense emotional drama. Plant is in top form, belting out each line with power and conviction. As the song ends, he announces "we'd like to welcome back to the world John Bonham, who had a terrible fit of food poisoning," joking "he ate far too many rhinestones." No Quarter is an epic journey. A series of haunting theramin howls introduce Jones's ominous piano solo, which includes hints of Your Time is Gonna Come. Page and Bonzo join in for an outstanding blues improvisation. The band is absolutely on fire during the fantastic guitar solo section, slowly building tension until everything erupts in an explosive climax, crashing down on the crowd in thunderous waves. Page shreds wildly during the song's violent outro. An utterly devastating performance, one of the best ever. 

Page blazes through the guitar solos during an excellent Ten Years Gone. Someone near the taper can be heard shouting "bring on Neil Young!" as the band prepares for the acoustic set. Going to California is beautiful. Plant hints at Gallows Pole before Black Country Woman. Page's fingers dance across the fretboard during White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Kashmir is incredibly powerful. Jones's droning keyboard symphony washes over the crowd as the band defiantly marches into battle. A crushing performance. There is a long pause before Over the Top, during which Plant pokes fun at Bonzo as he tries to fix a problem with his drum kit. The crowd goes wild as Page begins Heartbreaker. His fingers tear across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes during the blistering guitar solo. 

Shouts of "hey asshole, play some music!" and "we've had the guitar lessons!" can be heard coming from the crowd during a particularly lengthy experimental guitar solo. The band hammers through a violently aggressive Achilles Last Stand at a frantic pace. Plant tells the crowd "it's sort of a high point of the whole tour to be back here" before Stairway to Heaven. Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach as Page shreds through an explosive guitar solo. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during the final verse. Whole Lotta Love is preceded by a heavy a cappella intro from Page with hints of Communication Breakdown thrown in. The band closes the show with a riotous Rock and Roll. As the song ends, Plant announces "it's like a good woman, goodnight!" An unbelievable performance, one of the best ever. Must hear.

The legendary Listen to This Eddie tape is yet another phenomenal Mike Millard recording, briefly augmented by an inferior audience source during Ten Years Gone.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 236: 6/13/1977 New York, NY

6/13/1977 New York, NY  (1st gen)

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, 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, Heartbreaker, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog

The band's fifth night at Madison Square Garden begins with a barrage of firecracker blasts before The Song Remains the Same explodes out of the gate. Bonzo's thunderous pounding sounds like a violent earthquake as the band hammers through a brutally heavy Sick Again. Nobody's Fault But Mine is interrupted by a series of minor tape disturbances throughout. Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as "one that we're attempting for the second time for the benefit of a man who usually sits in the second row... a Ritchie Blackmore look-alike, wherever he's gone." Plant attempts to sing the chorus in its original melody, but doesn't quite make it. Page shreds through a wildly dissonant guitar solo.

Plant introduces Since I've Been Loving You as "a central London blues." Page's fingers tear across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes during the guitar solo. Jones's somber piano solo gives way to an excellent upbeat boogie as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. The instrumental section reaches its peak with an outstanding guitar solo from Page, his masterful fingerwork leading the way as the band embarks on an epic musical journey. Jones hints at Chim Chim Cher-ee as the piece comes to a close. A fantastic performance. Ten Years Gone is simply amazing. Page blazes through the guitar solos with amazing fluency and precision. An incredibly powerful performance, one of the best thus far. Bonzo is introduced as "a rhinestone cowgirl" as he comes to the front of the stage before an excellent The Battle of Evermore. The crowd erupts in a thunderous stampede as a beautiful Going to California comes to a close. 

Plant hints at The Lemon Song before dedicating Black Country Woman to The Jive Five. There is a slight cut in the tape near the beginning of Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. White Summer/Black Mountain Side is preceded by a long pause due to Page dropping his guitar and knocking it out of tune. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during a riotous Heartbreaker. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the middle of Page's blistering guitar solos. Achilles Last Stand is a thunderous explosion. Bonzo thrashes frantically at anything within reach as Page shreds erratically. An utterly devastating performance. Bonzo enters early during Stairway to Heaven, forcing Plant to skip a verse to catch up. The band closes the show with a crushing rendition of Black Dog, its first appearance since 5/25/1975. An unbelievably brutal performance, definitely the heaviest of the New York run. Must hear.

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

Day 235: 6/11/1977 New York, NY

6/11/1977 New York, NY  (two source aud mix)

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, Heartbreaker

*- soundboard: (master cassette>dat)

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before the band launches into The Song Remains the Same. Plant's voice starts off a bit rough, taking a few songs to really warm up. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the guitar solos in Sick Again. As the song ends, someone near the taper can be heard saying "my ears are hurtin'." After greeting the crowd, Plant apologizes for the delay, joking "welcome to the midnight movie." In My Time of Dying features the usual You Shook Me tease toward the end of the song. Page's soloing is elegantly restrained during a somber Since I've Been Loving You. 

No Quarter is simply amazing. Jones's elaborate piano solo makes way for a fantastically epic instrumental section. The band moves as one as they expertly traverse the vast musical terrain, lead by the urgent cadences of Page's volatile guitar solo. An outstanding performance. Ten Years Gone is introduced as "a song about a love that could have been good, but went by the wayside." Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the guitar solos. Going to California in absolutely beautiful, one of the best thus far. Unfortunately, the song is periodically disrupted by two people talking loudly near the taper. Plant skips some lyrics during Black Country Woman, ruining the end of the song. Page's fingers dance across the fretboard during an excellent White Summer/Black Mountain Side.

There is a slight cut in the tape during a source change near the end of Kashmir. Over the Top is incomplete as well. The crowd erupts as Achilles Last Stand explodes into motion. The band hammers through the song at a frantic pace. The walls of the arena quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous pounding. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during the initial verses of Heartbreaker. Unfortunately, the recording ends during Page's a cappella solo.

The first source is fairly clear, if a bit noisy in the high end. The second source is distant, muffled, and boomy. The soundboard tape is excellent, if a bit hissy.

Day 234: 6/10/1977 New York, NY

6/10/1977 New York, NY  Rock 'n Roll Circus

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, 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, Heartbreaker, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

The tape begins with a barrage of firecracker blasts as the band takes the stage. The Song Remains the Same is a riotous explosion of energy. A loud air horn siren signals the beginning of an incredibly heavy Sick Again. The walls of the arena quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous pounding as Page shreds wildly through the guitar solos. As the song ends, Plant greets the crowd, extending "a special good evening to our friends from Wales." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. Plant introduces "a song that might come as a surprise for the people in the second row who've been here a couple of nights" before the first appearance of Over the Hills and Far Away since 5/25/1975.

There is a slight cut in the tape during Jones's piano solo in No Quarter, just before Page and Bonzo join in for an upbeat rock 'n roll jam. Page delivers a fantastic guitar solo during the epic instrumental section. Plant jokingly refers to Jones as "the young lady in the group" before The Battle of Evermore. Going to California is introduced as "a song about what happens when you get over the misty mountain." Unfortunately, the delicate atmosphere is interrupted by the restless rumblings of a rowdy crowd. The beginning of Black Country Woman is missing from the tape. Page hints at Dancing Days briefly during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. Plant barks aggressively during a thunderous Kashmir. Bonzo is introduced as "a man who'd spit in your eye before he'd say hello" before Over the Top.

The biggest surprise of the night is the first appearance of Heartbreaker since 5/25/1975. Page shreds erratically as Bonzo hammers at his drums with incredible intensity during the guitar solo section. The experimental guitar solo before Achilles Last Stand continues to expand in both length and complexity with Page creating vast sonic landscapes of electronic noise. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic cacophony, Page is out of tune for most of the song. The crowd erupts as Stairway to Heaven begins. Plant tells the crowd "tonight's about good vibes" as the band returns to the stage. The explosive introduction of Rock and Roll threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. Unfortunately, the recording ends during Page's guitar solo.

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

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

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 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 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.

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.

Day 193: 2/16/1975 St. Louis, MO

2/16/1975 St. Louis, MO  Bertha Blues

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 show gets off to a somewhat shaky start. Page seems a bit lost at times during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant apologizes for having to postpone the earlier date, saying "I'm sorry about the last time, but I was on me back in Chicago." In My Time of Dying is excellent. Plant exclaims "happy sunday!" while calling to Jesus. As the song ends, he tells the crowd "it's no good shoutin' for a drumstick, we got hours to do yet." Page's fingers race across the fretboard during a frantic The Song Remains the Same. Kashmir is incredibly powerful.

No Quarter is strong, despite Page's uneven guitar solo. Bonzo is in good form during the instrumental section. As the song ends, Plant announces "it's startin' to cook now!" Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "a track that came together in the first ten minutes of our rather immaculate conception." Page hints at Train Ket a Rollin' during the lead-in to the bow solo. His fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo/workout section, regaining fluency following the call and response with Plant. The song reaches its apex during the hypnotic outro jam.

Before Stairway to Heaven, Plant tells the crowd that the song was conceived "in a moment of true clear light." Page blazes through a fantastic guitar solo. Plant exclaims "Joe Crowley needs love!" during the second verse of Whole Lotta Love. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the guitar solo in Black Dog. As the band returns to the stage, Plant announces "John Bonham, the heavy metal kid, takes to the drums." Heartbreaker includes an impromptu rendition of Jimmy Reed's Shame, Shame, Shame following the a cappella solo. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "thank you very much indeed, we've had a wonderful night."

The tape is a superb soundboard recording.

Day 192: 2/14/1975 Uniondale, NY

2/14/1975 Uniondale, NY (1st gen>cdr)

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, Since I've Been Loving You, 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 final night in New York begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll explodes out of the gate. Plant sings about "the New York queens" during Sick Again. The thunderous rhythm section pummels the crowd as Page blazes through the guitar solos. The combined onslaught threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "today is one of the last of the pagan traditions that is carried on into the twentieth century, it's the day for... sewing wild seeds" before dedicating the show to Saint Valentine himself.

Prior to Over the Hills and Far Away, Plant announces "we intend to take a knife and cut right through the glorious ice cream of Led Zeppelin and give you a little bit of vanilla, a little bit of chocolate, a little bit of color, a little bit of everything." He mentions Swan Song for the first time before In My Time of Dying, which includes some great slide work from Page. Plant tells the crowd "there's a lot of numbers that we haven't done for such a long time that we've nearly forgot them, but there's a few people that we see here night after night... and so, for those people, we're gonna play you somethin' and who knows what it's gonna sound like!" before the first appearance of Since I've Been Loving You since 7/29/1973. The band seems a bit hesitant at first, warming up as the song progresses. Page is especially subdued, unsure if his injured finger can take the strain. As the song ends, Plant announces "despite our depleted physical forms, we intend to shake this building," adding "and as you're fully aware, we can't shake this building by ourselves."

The Song Remains the Same is somewhat disjointed with both Page and Plant getting a bit lost early in the song. Kashmir is introduced as "one that the regulars who come here every night know quite well." Plant delivers a strong performance, having regained control of his voice. As the song ends, Page makes a brief reference to Train Kept a Rollin'. No Quarter is fantastically epic. The climax of the instrumental section is explosively chaotic. An excellent performance. Page is on fire during Trampled Underfoot, soloing wildly at every opportunity with Bonzo close behind. A blistering performance, the best thus far. A large portion of Moby Dick is missing from the tape.

Plant dedicates Dazed and Confused to "all the people who've been good to us in New York." Page solos wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo, getting the band into a frantic jam prior to the hauntingly beautiful San Francisco interlude. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the tape during the heavy section, leaving us near the beginning of the bow solo. Page is absolutely on fire during the guitar solo/workout section. His fingers fly across the fretboard as Bonzo and Jones race along at top speed. As the song ends, Plant hints at Tangerine before admitting he's forgotten the words. Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "a song that supersedes our wildest dreams." There is a cut in the tape just as Page begins an excellent guitar solo. The theramin freakout during Whole Lotta Love is surrounded by a funky jam. As the band returns to the stage, Plant tells the crowd "we'd like to thank you for New York being New York." Heartbreaker is preceded by a heavy jam with references to Ricky Nelson's If You Can't Rock Me. The a cappella solo is followed by an impromptu rendition of Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues. Page shreds through the fast guitar solo. Bonzo gets lost during the final verse, resulting in a unique stop-start arrangement. An incredibly loose performance.

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

Day 190: 2/12/1975 New York, NY

2/12/1975 New York, NY  Four Blocks in the Snow

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, Black Dog, Heartbreaker

The band's third and final night at Madison Square Garden begins with a brief soundcheck, even Plant attempts to warm up his sore voice. Page blazes through the guitar solo near the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we came four blocks in the snow to get here," adding "isn't it good though, it snows?... doesn't it change the vibe of the city?... I think it's great." In My Time of Dying is excellent. The band is on fire during The Song Remains the Same. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solos with amazing precision as Bonzo and Jones race along at top speed. The Rain Song is absolutely fantastic, one of the best in recent memory.

Kashmir sounds like an army marching into battle. A mesmerizing performance, the best thus far. No Quarter is introduced as featuring "the impeccably clean fingernails of John Paul Jones... the man who made Monty Python's Flying Circus a flop in New York." Page delivers a dramatically erratic guitar solo. Jones somehow ends up in a different key at the end of the instrumental section. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "I told you we intend to have a good time." Page shreds frantically through the guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Before Moby Dick, Plant announces "ladies and gentlemen, at this point in the evening we wanna feature one of the finest percussionists that Led Zeppelin's ever had... the bowler-hatted wonder... the man who made constipation passé, John Bonham!"

Dazed and Confused is introduced as "the immaculate conception." Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the lead-in to the bow solo. The San Francisco interlude is brilliant. After blazing through an explosive entrance to the guitar solo/workout section, Page breaks a string, leaving Plant to improvise a brief vocal solo. The instrumental machinery is in full-swing, led by Page's wild soloing. He even gets into the riff from Walter's Walk for the first time since 1/7/1973. The Mars, the Bringer of War section is followed by an amazing stop-start jam. The epic journey reaches its climax with the phenomenal outro jam. A truly mind-blowing performance, one of the best thus far.

Page tears through the guitar solo during Black Dog. Plant hints at You Shook Me before the show-closing Heartbreaker. The walls of the arena quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous fills during the initial verses. The a cappella solo is followed by an impromptu rendition of That's All Right. Page shreds through the frenzied guitar solo section. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "ladies and gentlemen of New York, you're too much... and we ain't so bad ourselves." An unbelievable performance. Must hear.

The tape is an outstanding matrix of audience and soundboard recordings, fit for an official release.

Day 189: 2/10/1975 Landover, MD

2/10/1975 Landover, MD  (master>dat)

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, Black Dog, Heartbreaker

As the tape begins, someone near the taper can be heard saying "they're gonna cut out a lot of the old songs." Plant's voice starts out a bit rough, but it doesn't hurt his enthusiasm. Page shreds through an aggressive guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. Plant asks the crowd if they've heard any of the new songs on the radio before an explosive In My Time of Dying. There are a few brief tape disturbances during The Song Remains the Same. Before Kashmir, Plant tells the crowd "this features the magical mystical fingers of John Paul Jones," joking "it coulda been Liberace." There is a brief cut at the very beginning of the song.

No Quarter features another excellent, dynamic guitar solo from Page. Unfortunately, there are some tape issues near the end of the instrumental section. Trampled Underfoot  is a bit disjointed at times. Before Moby Dick, Plant announces "ladies and gentlemen... direct from Monty Python's Flying Circus... our percussionist... not Karen Carpenter, but John Bonham!" When asked what he thinks of the show so far, one of the taper's friends comments "it's good... it's a little long," to which the taper responds "couldn't be long enough, man."

The crowd erupts as Plant announces the band's intention to "take things right back to the beginning" prior to Dazed and Confused. Plant's ethereal howls echo through the arena during the haunting San Francisco interlude. There is a slight cut during the string-slapping section of the bow solo. Page's fingers race across the fretboard at lightning speed during the frantic guitar solo/workout section. The ever-expanding outro is an epic drama. Black Dog is devastatingly heavy. There is a slight cut during the final verse. The crowd goes wild as the band returns to the stage to close the show with Heartbreaker. The guitar solo section is a frenzied explosion of energy. Unfortunately, the tape speeds up during the final verse.

The tape is a bit noisy and lacking in bottom end.

Two minutes of 8mm color footage from the show is available on Hercules's Film Noir Vol. 1 (although not listed on the menu). The footage, which features several clips of Heartbreaker, is shot from close to the stage, but is a bit blurry and quite fragmentary. The footage ends with the studio version of Trampled Underfoot over a series of handmade credits.

Click here for a video sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 188: 2/8/1975 Philadelphia, PA

2/8/1975 Philadelphia, PA  (1st gen>cdr)

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, Black Dog, Heartbreaker

A cut in the tape during the first verse of Rock and Roll leaves us near the beginning of the guitar solo as the tapers fumbles with his equipment. In My Time of Dying is incredibly powerful. Plant's voice is finally showing signs of improvement. The crowd erupts as Page blazes through The Song Remains the Same, prompting Plant to exclaim "take it easy!" Following The Rain Song, he asks the rowdy crowd "can we advocate that people please stay in the seats?" No Quarter is fantastic. The instrumental section is an epic journey. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. 

Before Moby Dick, Plant announces "we come to the point in the show where we bring you sheer musicianship, sheer craftsmanship... from the man with only two cavities... Mr. Ultraviolence... John Bonham!" Someone near the taper can be heard discussing a missing friend during the initial verse of Dazed and Confused. The band is out of control during the guitar solo/workout section. Page's fingers race across the fretboard in a violent cascade of notes. The return of the main riff is utterly devastating. Page solos wildly during the thunderous, pulsating outro. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we really enjoyed that, we're glad you were here as well." Stairway to Heaven features another outstanding guitar solo from Page. The band closes the show with an explosive Heartbreaker. An excellent performance, the band finally seems to be warming up.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant.

Thirteen minutes of 8mm color footage is available on Hercules's Film Noir Vol. 1. The film, shot from the floor section of the arena, includes the majority of Rock and Roll, Sick Again, and Over the Hills and Far Away, as well as several clips of In My Time of Dying. The picture is a bit blurry and washed-out at times, but is quite enjoyable.

Click here for a video sample courtesy of Black Beauty.