Day 183: 1/31/1975 Detroit, MI

1/31/1975 Detroit, MI  Detroit Rock City

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, Stairway to Heaven, How Many More Times, Black Dog

Plant continues to have trouble with his voice, struggling to retain some sense of melody during the opening numbers. Page begins to warm up during the guitar solo at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "it's our great pleasure to be just about back." Page and Jones lose each other for a moment at the end of the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is introduced as "what you might call... traditional." Page's fingers fly across the fretboard during The Song Remains the Same. No Quarter is absolutely fantastic. The instrumental section is an epic journey.

Bonzo is introduced as "the man who made Led Zeppelin a legend" before Moby Dick. While introducing what will prove to be the final appearance of How Many More Times, Plant tells the crowd "we decided about a week ago that we should start doin' this again, cause we haven't done it for about six years... it's called jerkin' off." The band seems lost in the arrangement, unsure about what comes next. Unfortunately, the song is cut just before the final "gun!" Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings during the show-closing Black Dog.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy at times.

Day 182: 1/29/1975 Greensboro, NC

1/29/1975 Greensboro, NC  Footstomping Graffiti

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, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

Plant is a shadow of his former self, gasping his way through Rock and Roll, choking on every word. Before Over the Hills and Far Away, someone near the taper can be heard exclaiming "look at how low Page has his guitar!" The end of the song is punctuated by a loud firecracker explosion. Plant's injured moans add a mournful tone to The Rain Song. Before Kashmir, someone near the taper can be heard saying "I want a copy of that tape." No Quarter features an excellent, moody piano solo from Jones. Page solos wildly during the coda. Plant again mentions Page's broken finger before introducing Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "Mr. Ultraviolence" before Moby Dick. How Many More Times is sloppy and uninspired. Plant is almost inaudible by the end of Stairway to Heaven. Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings during the guitar solo at the end of Black Dog. The band closes the show with a quick and dirty Communication Breakdown. Truly a night to forget.

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

Day 181: 1/25/1975 Indianapolis, IN

1/25/1975 Indianapolis, IN  Condition Breakdown

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog

Someone near the taper can be heard saying "this is gonna be so good" just before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Plant has completely lost his voice. Unable to sing a single note, he literally growls his way through the opening numbers. A cut during The Song Remains the Same leaves us at the end of the first verse of The Rain Song. The song is plagued by feedback problems. Following Kashmir, Plant tells the crowd "we're havin' a little bit of trouble here with the monitor system... I think there's some crushed window pane stuck in the speaker." He improvises an entirely new melody during the final performance of The Wanton Song to accommodate his painfully weak voice.

Jones is introduced as "the man in constant darkness" before No Quarter. A few slight cuts detract from an otherwise fantastic instrumental section. Unfortunately, Page's guitar solo is cut near the end. Little more than the intro and outro of Moby Dick survives. How Many More Times is introduced as "a very, very, very, very old one." Unfortunately, a cut in the tape during the lead-in to the bow solo leaves us at the final "gun!", skipping the majority of the song. Page's intro to Stairway to Heaven is missing from the tape. His fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo. As the band returns to the stage, Plant tells the crowd "we're gonna try and go out with a bit of style." Page shreds through an extended guitar solo during the show-closing Black Dog.

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

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 180: 1/24/1975 Cleveland, OH

1/24/1975 Cleveland, OH  Ultraviolence

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, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

Plant continues to have trouble with his voice, croaking his way through Rock and Roll. Page blazes through the guitar solos during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "it's very nice to be back in your part of the woods again." In My Time of Dying features some excellent slide work from Page. The end of the song is punctuated by a loud firecracker blast. The Rain Song is beautiful, despite Plant's injured voice. He refers to Page as "Jimmy 'Jack Daniel's' Page" while introducing a devastatingly heavy The Wanton Song. No Quarter features a long, wandering guitar solo from Page. 

Plant mentions Page's broken finger before introducing Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "Mr. Ultraviolence" before Moby Dick. How Many More Times is excellent. Unfortunately, the finale is missing from the tape. Plant makes a brief reference to Your Time is Gonna Come before introducing Stairway to Heaven as "one of the songs that is encompassed in the spectrum of what we've managed to get together in seven years." Page delivers a fantastic, dynamic guitar solo. Unfortunately, the tape gradually slows down throughout the song. The beginning of Black Dog is met with a deafening roar from the crowd. The band closes the show with a quick and nasty Communication Breakdown, which includes a bit of lemon-squeezing from Plant during the breakdown.

The tape is distant and noisy.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

UPDATE: 1/22/1975 Chicago, IL

1/22/1975 Chicago, IL  (1st gen)

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, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The newly-surfaced recording begins with a few seconds of crowd noise before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Plant's voice has improved greatly since the first night, but is still a bit rough at times. Following Sick Again, he tells the crowd "this is the last night we got in Chicago, I'm gettin' over me flu, Pagey's finger is just about healin', and we're gonna have a good time tonight." Page shreds through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is excellent. The beginning of The Song Remains the Same is missing from the tape. 

Plant delivers a strong performance during a powerful rendition of The Wanton Song. As the song ends, a cut in the tape leads directly into Jones's intro to No Quarter. There is a slight cut in the tape during the piano solo. The instrumental section features a dynamic guitar solo from Page. Plant introduces Trampled Underfoot as "another one of those tracks that we hope will soon get to you through the good media of FM radio" before dedicating the song to Chuck Berry. Page blazes through the guitar solo. Bonzo is introduced as "the man with only two cavities" before Moby Dick. The majority of the drum solo is missing from the tape. 

How Many More Times is introduced as "an old one." Page solos wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo as Plant sings about his "little school girl", ending with "she's gone!" The final verse is a riotous explosion of energy. As the song ends, Plant jokes "I think we should rehearse that, maybe put it on an album." There is a slight cut accompanied by a brief volume shift during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven, just before Bonzo enters. Page breaks a string during the guitar solo, causing him to improvise an alternate arrangement. The pyrotechnics at the beginning of Black Dog are met with a loud cheer from the crowd. The band closes the show with a blistering Communication Breakdown, which includes lyrics from Kisses Sweeter than Wine during the funky breakdown. A surprisingly strong performance for the band's final night in Chicago.

The tape is clear and enjoyable, if a bit distant, hissy, and lacking in bottom end.

Day 179: 1/21/1975 Chicago, IL

1/21/1975 Chicago, IL  Film Noir Vol. 1

No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Black Dog

The footage begins with a close-up of Plant as he introduces No Quarter. The stage is enveloped by a thick cloud of fog as the song begins. A cut during the first verse leads directly into Trampled Underfoot. Plant has regained some of the strength in his voice. Page shreds through an erratic guitar solo. As the song ends, another cut leads us to Plant's introduction of Moby Dick, "featuring the bowler-hatted gentleman behind me." Following short fragments of the drum solo and Page's bow solo, we're left at the beginning of Whole Lotta Love. Page and Plant's rock star posturing is mesmerizing. Large flash pot explosions behind Bonzo's drum riser signal the beginning of Black Dog. Unfortunately, the recording ends during the third verse.

Roughly fifteen minutes in length, the excellent color footage is shot from very close to the stage and is the only document of the second night in Chicago to surface thus far. A highly enjoyable viewing experience, if only there were more.

Click here for a video sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 179: 1/20/1975 Chicago, IL

1/20/1975 Chicago, IL  Sweet Home Chicago

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, When the Levee Breaks, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins as someone onstage announces "ladies and gentlemen, the American return of Led Zeppelin!" Plant has the flu and it shows, his voice is reduced to an injured monotone. Page blazes through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. The second and final appearance of When the Levee Breaks shows marked improvement on the performance in Brussels a week earlier. Plant makes mention of Page's broken finger following In My Time of Dying, joking "it must be for our sins."

Bonzo and Jones deliver a solid performance of The Wanton Song, despite their bandmates' hindrances. Trampled Underfoot is introduced as "a song for a guy who works at a gas station." Page shreds through an erratic guitar solo. Moby Dick is followed by the first appearance of How Many More Times since 1/22/1973, which includes the Dazed and Confused bow solo dropped in the middle. As the song ends, Plant announces "that was for the old folks!" The Out on the Tiles intro to Black Dog is devastatingly heavy. The band closes the show with a high-energy Communication Breakdown. Bonzo and Jones stop playing for a moment during the guitar solo, leaving Page to shred furiously a cappella. 

The tape is distant and noisy.

Day 135: 1/22/1973 Southampton, England

1/22/1973 Southampton, England (multitrack recording)

Rock and Roll, Over the Hills and Far Away, Black Dog, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, Dancing Days, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker, Thank You, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Plant bids the crowd "good evening" after Over the Hills and Far Away, adding "we're gonna have a good one tonight." Black Dog is utterly devastating. Page blazes through the guitar solo. Since I've Been Loving You is a bit shaky at times, but Page still manages to pull off some beautiful, bluesy passages. Plant introduces Dancing Days as "a song about school days and little boys who never grow up." As the song ends, someone in the crowd shouts "Whole Lotta Love!" to which Plant immediately responds "wrong!"

The Song Remains the Same is somewhat sloppy, Page's fingers get stuck in the strings quite a bit. The Rain Song is beautiful. Page plays a bit of Tarantella Napoletana as Plant jokes with the crowd before dedicating Dazed and Confused to the manager of the Gaumont Theatre, the venue at which the band had played the night before. The lead-in to the bow solo features an excellent frantic jam with Page soloing wildly as Bonzo and Jones hold down the funky rhythm. The band continues to experiment with the structure of the San Francisco interlude. Page shreds through the first guitar solo. His call and response with Plant is preceded by a great mellow, ethereal interlude. The Mars, the Bringer of War section is devastatingly heavy.

Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven. As the song ends, Bonzo can be heard shouting "wunderbar!" As shouted requests pour in from the crowd, Plant introduces Whole Lotta Love as "something that might entice the nine-tenths male audience in this hall tonight to get up and be very groovy" before dedicating the song to Alan Whitehead, a gentleman whose name was found to be scrawled on the walls of the hall's bathroom. Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach during a frenzied Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section. The riotous medley includes Boogie Chillen', an excellent rendition of Elvis Presley's (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care, an amazingly heavy rendition of Let's Have a Party, I Can't Quit You Baby, which features a fantastic blues improvisation, and Goin' Down Slow after a cut in the tape. Definitely a major highlight of the show.

Amidst a flurry of requests from the crowd (someone can be heard shouting for Beck's Bolero), Plant dedicates Heartbreaker to the band's publicist BP Fallon. Jones's bass cuts out within the first few bars, returning after the first verse, only to drop off once again soon after. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the a cappella solo. Bonzo provides a quaint bit of rhythmic accompaniment during The 59th Street Bridge Song interlude. Jones returns with a vengeance during the guitar solo section. Thank You is preceded by a sweeping orchestral Mellotron solo from Jones. Page's guitar solo is somewhat subdued, but Bonzo and Jones more than make up for it with their accompaniment.

The biggest surprise of the night is the first full performance of How Many More Times since 9/19/1970, which Plant introduces as "one of our early tunes... god knows if we can remember it." The band is a bit rusty after not playing the song in over two years, but they make up for a lack of precision with power and enthusiasm. Plant sings the entire "when I was a young man, I couldn't resist..." interlude for the first time since 1/12/1969 as Page leads the band in an excellent stop-start jam on a heavy riff. The band skips the "Rosie" section, instead going directly into The Hunter. However, Plant urges Page to backtrack during the "got you in the sights..." section, resulting in some confusion and a repeat of The Hunter. After Plant fails to hit the final "gun!", Page jumps directly into Communication Breakdown. He absolutely shreds through the guitar solo. Plant exclaims "I wonder what James Brown said!" as the band gets into a brief funky breakdown. An explosive conclusion to a somewhat uneven performance. As the band leaves the stage, Plant says "and it's a thoroughly knackered goodnight."

The tape is an absolutely amazing mixdown of the multitrack masters. Simply outstanding.

Day 67: 9/19/1970 (evening) New York, NY

9/19/1970 (evening) New York, NY (cassette>reel>cdr)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Out on the Tiles, Communication Breakdown, The Girl Can't Help It, I'm Talking About You, Twenty Flight Rock, How Many More Times

The final show of the tour, lost in storage for thirty-three years before being accidentally unearthed by the taper in 2003, who thought he was offering an upgrade to the afternoon set. After a brief introduction by Scott Muni, Immigrant Song comes thundering out of the gate. The band is on fire with a "take no prisoners" attitude. The taper added a false stereo panning effect to Page's a cappella solo in Heartbreaker when transferring his cassette master to reel. Page's soloing is inspired, showcasing dynamic feats of finger acrobatics.

Plant improvises a new second verse during Dazed and Confused to address those in the crowd who are blocking everyone's view by standing on their chairs. The false stereo panning effect returns during the bow solo. Plant interrupts Page to again try to get the crowd to sit down before the police get involved. The end of the guitar solo is a cacophonous explosion. Plant again pays tribute to Jimi Hendrix, who had died the day prior, before That's the Way. Since I've Been Loving You is a dramatic wall of sound. Page's soloing is drunkenly inspired. Plant is living every word he sings, full of raw emotion. A breathtaking performance.

Jones really vamps it up during the organ solo, one of the longest and most dynamic of the tour. Thank You is utterly devastating. One of the best and heaviest thus far. The false stereo panning effect makes its return during What is and What Should Never Be. Bonzo is introduced as "the man who made Milwaukee famous" before Moby Dick, which is cut in the middle. Whole Lotta Love is preceded by an excellent jam on the riff from Jeff Beck's Rice Pudding. The Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section at the end of the theramin freakout is a chaotic explosion of energy. The riotous marathon medley includes I Believe I'll Dust My Broom, John Lee Hooker's Bottle Up and Go, another excellent Lawdy Miss Clawdy at Plant's urging, Cinnamon Girl over the For What it's Worth theme, Some Other Guy, Train Kept a Rollin' with Stroll On lyrics, I'm a King Bee, Tommy McClennan's Baby Don't You Want to Go?, Freddie King's See See Baby, Jimmy Reed's You Got Me Runnin', and Muddy Waters's Honey Bee. One of the best and most elaborate thus far.

The second and final appearance of Out on the Tiles is introduced as "written by John Bonham" by Plant. It's a shame this wasn't played more often. The coda leads directly into Communication Breakdown after a flawless transition. There are some tape distortions during Page's frenzied solo. The breakdown features an extended bass solo and the first rare appearance of Gallow's Pole. After the band leaves the stage, someone near the taper declares "I'm gonna rip Madison Square Garden apart! Everybody is!" When the band returns, they launch into a frantic medley of old rock classics including The Girl Can't Help It, I'm Talking About You, and Twenty Flight Rock.

The biggest surprise of the night is How Many More Times as the final encore. The song's first appearance since the Bath Festival. The band is absolutely on fire. Every moment is a constant explosion of power and energy. The medley includes Boogie Chillen', Chuck Berry's No Money Down, and another excellent Blueberry Hill. The crowd is driven mad by the explosive finale.

The best performance thus far. Period.

The tape is excellent. Clear, well-balanced, and atmospheric. Must hear.

Day 55: 6/28/1970 Shepton Mallet, England

6/28/1970 Shepton Mallet, England (? gen)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, That's the Way, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Long Tall Sally

The band's legendary performance at the Bath Festival begins with a brief soundcheck before launching into the first appearance of Immigrant Song. Still in its early stages (Plant sings different lyrics with a slightly different melody and structure), the overall pounding intensity remains intact. Page shreds through the solos in Heartbreaker, Plant's voice echoing over the thunderous attack. Dazed and Confused is an epic workout. Bring it on Home features some excellent harmonica work from Plant. Since I've Been Loving You is epic, Page's playing is soulful and Plant's wails are spine-chilling.

After a source change, singing birds can be heard as Page tunes his guitar. The original source returns for an excellent dynamic performance of Thank You. Page's frenzied soloing soars above Bonzo's thunderous pounding. The definition of light and shade. Our first glimpse of the acoustic side of Led Zeppelin comes in the form of an early version of That's the Way, introduced here as "Boy Next Door". Page's tone is dirty and raw during a ferocious What is and What Should Never Be. Bonzo's drums sound like relentless machine gun fire during a frenzied Moby Dick.

Plant tells everyone in the crowd to smile before the band launches into an explosive How Many More Times. Plant sings a few lines of Down By the River during the Bolero section. His voice echoes out over the crowd as he starts his boogie intro. The band joins in for slow and heavy renditions of Muddy Waters's Honey Bee and Long Distance Call. The pace picks up for Boogie Chillen' and Sweet Home Chicago. After Plant's lemon squeezing, he gets the band into excellent renditions of Elvis Presley's I Need Your Love Tonight and That's All Right. Page is in top form, playing anything Plant can throw at him. The return to the main riff is crushing, the finale a devastating explosion of energy. It's amazing the crowd survived.

After the one-two punch of Whole Lotta Love and Communication Breakdown, the band returns to the stage one last time to satisfy the crowd's demands for more. Long Tall Sally frames a raucous medley including Johnny B. Goode, That's All Right, and other classics from the annals of rock history. A riotous end to one of the most legendary Led Zeppelin concerts ever recorded. Definitely a must hear.

The tape is a mix of at least two sources, both similar in quality. Noisy and distorted, but fairly clear. The sound deteriorates considerably during the encores.

Day 53: 4/17/1970 Memphis, TN

4/17/1970 Memphis, TN  (2nd gen>cdr)

We're Gonna Groove, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Bring it on Home, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

The tape begins with a brief introduction by the taper stating the date and location of the show to follow. There is a stage announcement about an autographed Led Zeppelin album being given away by a local radio personality before the band is introduced. They do a brief soundcheck, after which Plant quips "thank you, goodnight" before properly greeting the crowd. We're Gonna Groove includes the same funky jam during the guitar solo as heard nine days earlier in Raleigh. The tape is cut between songs.

The atmosphere is very subdued during Dazed and Confused. Since I've Been Loving You is moody and dynamic, especially Plant's performance. An excellent rendition. The sound quality deteriorates a bit at the beginning of Thank You. Plant changes a line to "I think you better shut your mouth" during the final verse. The first few moments of What is and What Should Never Be are missing from the tape.

How Many More Times begins with a funky jam. Plant's introduction of Page is punctuated by a theramin burst. The apparently tense atmosphere in the crowd causes Plant to attempt to diffuse the situation by telling the police to put their hands together. Page improvises angrily as Plant tries in vain to get the house light turned off. The marathon medley features an excellent rendition of Memphis, Tennessee. Plant recites the first verse of Ramble On over the For What it's Worth theme before the band joins in for the chorus. A short version of Tobacco Road is cut in the middle. The tempo slows down for the Muddy Waters favorites Honey Bee and Long Distance Call. 

Plant pauses during the "got you in the sights..." section to address the crowd in regards to the police presence. Unfortunately, his comments are cut slightly before he makes mention of saving Peter Grant and asks that the crowd not stand on the chairs. After mentioning a hockey player he had seen on television, the band jumps into a raucous rendition of That's All Right. Plant stops the show again to beg the crowd to get off of the chairs and rails before the police arrest Grant. He is obviously feeling helpless as the police continue to hassle the band over the unruly crowd. The song ends in an explosion of echo-heavy wails. One of the best performances thus far, despite the trouble with the authorities.

As the band returns to the stage for Whole Lotta Love, Plant attempts to get the crowd under control, saying "when everything happens, don't stand up for god's sake." The recording ends with the taper describing the show as "the greatest concert I've ever heard."

The tape is a bit muffled and hissy with Bonzo buried in the mix, but the performance more than makes up for the less than perfect sound quality. A must hear for How Many More Times alone.

Day 51: 4/9/1970 Tampa, FL

4/9/1970 Tampa, FL  (master>dat>cdr)

Bring it on Home, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

The tape begins in the middle of a duel between Page and Bonzo during Bring it on Home. Plant attempts to read some rather odd stage announcements before introducing a frenzied White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Page is on fire, his playing is wild and lightning-fast. Since I've Been Loving You is haunting and powerful, one of the best thus far. Page's solo during Thank You is excellent, adding an epic quality to the performance. Another one of the best.

A cut in the tape leaves us in the final chorus of What is and What Should Never Be. Bonzo is explosive during Moby Dick. How Many More Times starts off with an extended funky jam. The riotous medley includes excellent renditions of Elvis Presley's A Mess of Blues and Gene Vincent's My Baby Don't 'Low. There is a slight tape disturbance during the latter. The show ends with an excellent Whole Lotta Love, which includes the first appearance of what Luis Rey calls the Everybody Needs Somebody to Love reference at the end of the theramin freakout.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, a great document of an excellent performance.

Day 49: 4/5/1970 Baltimore, MD

4/5/1970 Baltimore, MD  Sorry 'Bout the Delay

We're Gonna Groove, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Bring it on Home, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, What is and What Should Never Be, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

Plant misses the final verse in We're Gonna Groove, causing some confusion which results in a disjointed ending. Plant apologizes for the sound as they're working with a new PA system. He makes mention of the problem again during the first verses of Dazed and Confused before the PA briefly fails completely, much to the amusement of those near the taper. Bring it on Home is cut just as the rock section is getting underway.* An abbreviated White Summer/Black Mountain Side is followed by another cut in the tape, which leads directly into What is and What Should Never Be. 

There are a few dropouts/cuts during Thank You. Moby Dick is cut about seven minutes in, losing a large chunk of the solo and leaving us in the middle of the finale.* How Many More Times begins with a drum intro to a funky jam. Bonzo thrashes his way through the first verse. Plant once again struggles to maintain a cool atmosphere over the crowd. The medley includes a riotous That's All Right as well as a bit of Muddy Waters's Honey Bee. The return to the main riff is devastating with Bonzo destroying everything within reach. Plant tells the crowd to "be careful of those policemen on the way out" as they leave the stage. 

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant, with some hiss and scattered dropouts throughout.

*- a more complete alternate source exists, but is not currently in our collection.

Day 48: 3/29/1970 Houston, TX

3/29/1970 Houston, TX  Texas Two Steps

White Summer/Black Mountain Side, How Many More Times

Only a short fragment of the show, the tape begins as Plant is introducing White Summer/Black Mountain Side. The sound is similar to that of the previous night's tape, but a bit clearer and with less hiss. How Many More Times begins with a For What it's Worth jam while Plant introduces the band. The crowd is once again introduced as the fifth member. There are some tape disturbances as well as a cut during the medley, which includes the return of the For What it's Worth theme. The tape ends quite abruptly as the band is jamming on a bluesy riff.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 47: 3/27/1970 Los Angeles, CA

3/27/1970 Los Angeles, CA  The Four Survivors

We're Gonna Groove, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Bring it on Home, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with Plant telling the crowd that the band intends to get them looser than cod liver oil. There are some tape disturbances during We're Gonna Groove, but nothing compared to the previous tape. Tonight brings a change in the setlist as the end of the song leads right into Dazed and Confused without pause, dropping I Can't Quit You Baby. There is a good amount of crowd noise near the taper during the bow solo. Plant requests that the people standing in the aisles sit down so those around them can see before Heartbreaker, which includes an echo-heavy intro from Page.

Bring it on Home features some great blues picking from Page during the slow intro. At the end of another excellent White Summer/Black Mountain Side, the taper says "I'm really stoned" directly into the microphone, then asks his nearby friend Cathy is she's stoned too, to which she replies "oh god" between giggles. The tape is a bit warbly during Thank You and Jones's preceding organ solo. Plant assures the crowd that all of their requests will be answered before What is and What Should Never Be. Bonzo is like a well-oiled machine during Moby Dick. 

Plant introduces the band as "the four survivors of the Graf Zeppelin" at the beginning of How Many More Times. He goes on to introduce the crowd as the fifth member of the band. The raucous medley includes I'm a Man as well as Plant's attempts to get the house lights turned off and keep the crowd from getting out of control/attacked by the police. He tells the crowd to clap for themselves before the band launches into a frenzied Whole Lotta Love. The show ends with Plant declaring "together we stand!" during Communication Breakdown, but the tape continues with a stage announcement about an upcoming Jimi Hendrix show, as well as comments about the show from the taper and his friends.

The tape is a combination of two sources. Both are fairly clear but hissy and a bit distant with occasional tape disturbances. Overall, a very enjoyable show which gives the complete experience of being there. A must hear.

Day 46: 3/25/1970 Denver, CO

3/25/1970 Denver, CO  (master>cassette)

We're Gonna Groove, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

Page solos frantically during I Can't Quit You Baby. Plant mentions between songs that the band played their first American show in Denver eighteen months prior, almost to the day. Dazed and Confused is an explosion of energy. The band is definitely in full swing, especially Page, who shreds his way through the frenzied solos during Heartbreaker. There's a slight dropout near the end of Since I've Been Loving You.

There's some strange bleedthrough in the left channel during Thank You and more noticeably at the beginning of Moby Dick. It's as if you can hear what the band is about to play before they play it. The effect is especially distracting during How Many More Times, it's as if two shows are playing over top of one another, creating a muddy cacophony. The medley features a new heavy arrangement of Boogie Chillen. Plant belts out a series of echo-heavy primal screams during the finale.

The tape is distant, muffled, distorted, and plagued by volume fluctuations. This, along with the aforementioned tape anomaly during the latter half of the show makes for one of the worst listening experiences thus far. Not recommended.

Day 44: 3/12/1970 Düsseldorf, Germany

3/12/1970 Düsseldorf, Germany Düsseldorf 1970

Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker. White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

The show opens with a surprise Communication Breakdown. After a loose and fiery I Can't Quit You Baby, Plant tells the crowd that he wants them to move around like they do in America. The band is constantly on the edge of falling apart during the guitar solo in Dazed and Confused, Page is in a world of his own. White Summer/Black Mountain Side is excellent.

Since I've Been Loving You is plodding and lackluster. Jones's organ is the highlight of Thank You, even overshadowing Page's guitar solo. Plant pleads with the crowd to sit down before introducing a thunderous Moby Dick, but is cut short by a cut in the tape. How Many More Times features an excellent jam prior to the band introductions. There is a cut in the tape before the first verse, leading us directly into the Bolero section. Plant teases the crowd with a sexually charged intro to the medley. Whole Lotta Love features a duel between Page's theramin and Jones's organ during the freakout. A lackluster performance with a few moments of inspiration.

The tape fluctuates between fairly clear and muddy.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 43: 3/11/1970 Hamburg, Germany

3/11/1970 Hamburg, Germany  Lili Marleen

We're Gonna Groove, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

The tape begins with a brief introduction of the band and a simple "bon soir" from Plant. He sings the "one of these days..." verse twice during We're Gonna Groove. Page, Jones, and Bonzo play a tongue-in-cheek interlude after I Can't Quit You Baby while Plant tries in vain to get the house lights turned off. A group of people near the taper giggle uncontrollably every time Plant opens his mouth, even during the first verses of Dazed and Confused. Page makes his guitar squeal in pain and ecstasy during the epic journey of a solo.

There is a slight cut at the beginning of the guitar solo in Heartbreaker. One of the gigglers near the taper mimics Page's playing during White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Since I've Been Loving You is powerful. The gigglers sing along with Plant during Thank You. The medley during How Many More Times is very mellow, thanks mostly to Plant's extended blues mumblings, and includes Muddy Waters's Long Distance Call.  The recording ends just after Plant's final "love!" in Whole Lotta Love.

The tape is a bit distant and distorted due to Jones's bass.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 42: 3/10/1970 Hamburg, Germany

3/10/1970 Hamburg, Germany  Lili Marleen

We're Gonna Groove, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love

Bonzo unleashes a barrage of machine gun fire at the end of I Can't Quit You Baby. Page makes the theramin chirp just before the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. There is a slight cut/tape disturbance during the frantic guitar solo. Page plays a muted intro to Heartbreaker ends. Page retunes his guitar just as Bonzo enters during White Summer/Black Mountain Side. There's another odd cut just as Thank You is ending which leaves us at the beginning of What is and What Should Never Be. 

Moby Dick is as thunderous as ever, especially the finale. Page, Jones, and Bonzo get into a jazz improvisation at the beginning of How Many More Times. Plant has some trouble introducing the band, eventually managing to present "Johnny John Paul Jones, Jumping John Bonham, Jiving Jimmy Page, and Rocking Robert Plant." The crowd is amused by Plant's whispered boogie talk at the beginning of an excellent medley, including a very traditional run-through of Travelling Riverside Blues. The show ends with a wild Whole Lotta Love.

The tape is a bit distant, but clear.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 41: 3/9/1970 Vienna, Austria

3/9/1970 Vienna, Austria  Vienna 1970

We're Gonna Groove, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times

Bonzo plods his way through I Can't Quit You Baby. Plant sounds almost bored as he introduces Dazed and Confused. Page has some problems with his equipment during the bow solo, even stopping at one point to offer the crowd an explanation. The guitar solo section is a wild cacophony. Heartbreaker is again preceded by a jam on the riff from Jeff Beck's Rice Pudding. Jones's organ is explosive during Since I've Been Loving You. Thank You is quite epic. The tape ends with a very laid back How Many More Times which picks up during the medley. A fairly low-key performance.

The tape is distant and a bit distorted at times.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.