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 45: 3/21/1970 Vancouver, British Columbia

3/21/1970 Vancouver, British Columbia  (5th gen>cdr)

We're Gonna Groove, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

Plant wails like a banshee during We're Gonna Groove, pushing his voice to the limit. Bonzo attacks his drums full force. Page's fingers fly wildly across the fretboard during the solos in Heartbreaker. The North American premiere of Since I've Been Loving You is bluesy and soulful. Plant's voice is a bit rough at times. Whole Lotta Love is missing the theramin freakout. A quick and dirty Communication Breakdown includes Plant wailing a few lines from Ramble On and People during the breakdown.

The tape is an excellent radio broadcast.

*UPDATE 3/24/08*

3/21/1970 Vancouver, British Columbia  (master cassette)

We're Gonna Groove, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker

The newly-discovered audience recording of the famous Mudslide show begins with a brief band introduction. Plant asks the crowd if they feel alright before the band jumps into We're Gonna Groove. There tape is cut after the second verse as well as during the guitar solo, which leads us to Plant's wailing intro to I Can't Quit You Baby. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo. Someone near the taper shouts "turn off those bloody lights!" during a quiet passage. During the final verse, someone says "wanna get stoned?" directly into the taper's microphone. There is a slight cut during the outro.

There are some speed fluctuations during the eerie intro to Dazed and Confused. Another slight cut leaves us in the first verse. Plant chants "do what you wanna do" during the lead-in to the bow solo (which sees more speed fluctuations throughout) only to shout "why don't you sit down... let the people see!" during his call and response with Page. There is another slight cut near the end of the bow solo. During the guitar solo, there is a brief clip of an acoustic guitar recorded over the show. The song is cut during the outro. An excellent, high energy performance. Plant again asks the crowd to consider those behind them and sit down before Heartbreaker, which is preceded by a C'mon Everybody-esque intro from Page. The solos are absolutely electric. The recording ends just as the final verse begins.

The tape is muffled with a fair amount of hiss, but enjoyable as a historical document.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

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.

Day 40: 3/7/1970 Montreux, Switzerland

3/7/1970 Montreux, Switzerland  Divinity

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

We're Gonna Groove seems a bit sluggish, especially Page. He seems to be moving in slow motion during the intro to I Can't Quit You Baby. Quite the opposite can be said of Plant, who is full of energy and bravado. Page re-tunes his guitar during the third verse of Dazed and Confused. His playing is almost drunk, very bluesy. As an intro to Heartbreaker, Page leads the band in a jam on the riff from Jeff Beck's Rice Pudding. Since I've Been Loving You is like a funeral march, mournful and longing.

Jones plays a haunting organ solo before Thank You. Bonzo is an out of control locomotive during Moby Dick. Page plays a riff similar to that of Psychotic Reaction at the beginning of How Many More Times. There is a source change to the inferior soundboard tape just as the song is getting underway. The Bolero section features some excellent improvisation. The band are locked into each other during the medley, which features excellent renditions of Bottle Up and Go and Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels' Jenny Take a Ride! Plant has everyone playing his call and response game during the "got you in the sights..." section. The tape ends during the theramin freakout in Whole Lotta Love (which features Jones on organ), leaving us without the end of this great show.

The audience tape is excellent and atmospheric. Clear and well-balanced. The soundboard tape is a bit hissy and lacks the feeling of being there that the audience tape has.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 38: 2/23/1970 Helsinki, Finland

2/23/1970 Helsinki, Finland  (master>eq>1st gen>cdr)

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

Page's soloing is bluesy and soulful during I Can't Quit You Baby. Plant is in top form, shaking his mic violently as he wails. Page disappears during the second verse of Dazed and Confused, leaving Plant, Jones, and Bonzo sounding a bit lost. He returns in time for the lead-in to the bow solo. The guitar solo is a bit hurried and disjointed, Page's fingers seem to get in his way. Plant introduces White Summer/Black Mountain Side as "white cock." 

The second appearance of Since I've Been Loving You is introduced as a minor key blues featuring Jones on Hammond organ. This rendition is much closer to the version on Led Zeppelin III than the previous performance. A very short organ intro by Jones precedes the second appearance of Thank You, which features a soulful guitar solo from Page. There is a strange tape disturbance at the beginning of Moby Dick, it sounds like someone recorded over a few seconds of the tape with a man speaking in a foreign language. Page is still in his own world of chaotic inspiration at the beginning of How Many More Times, always slightly ahead or behind the rest of the band. The ever-extending medley includes frantic renditions of Boogie Chillen, Move on Down the Line, and a surprise Be-Bop-A-Lula, among others. The announcer has the entire crowd chanting "come back!" before the band returns to close the show with Whole Lotta Love.

The tape is a bit muffled, but fairly clear with Page in front and Plant buried under the rest of the band.

Day 37: 1/9/1970 London, England

1/9/1970 London England  Royal Albert Hall Multitrack

We're Gonna Groove, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times*, Bring it on Home, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, C'mon Everybody, Something Else, Long Tall Sally^

*-The Lost Mixes EP Vol. 7

^-Royal Albert Hall 1970 Master Edition

The famous Royal Albert Hall show begins with a brief introduction of the band before they launch into We're Gonna Groove followed by I Can't Quit You Baby, both of which saw official release (misattributed and in altered form) on Coda. Page is in excellent form. The bow solo in Dazed and Confused is eerie and dynamic. He shreds through an excellent extended guitar solo. Bonzo and Jones are like an out of control locomotive. Plant is locked onto Page, echoing his licks at every turn until the thunderous finale. An epic indeed.

Heartbreaker is unfortunately cut short just as the guitar solo is beginning. Page delivers another impressive White Summer/Black Mountain Side, followed by an excellent What is and What Should Never Be. Plant is enthusiastically engaging the crowd at the beginning of How Many More Times, trying to make the vibes reach all the way to the back of the room. The extended Bolero section includes wild soloing from Page as well as an impromptu jam, complete with lyrics. Plant is full of bravado as he declares himself during The Hunter section. The medley includes a great Bottle Up and Go jam as well as an excellent fast-paced That's All Right. Plant quips "I couldn't make it that time" after his voice breaks during the final "gun!"

The first appearance of Bring it on Home has all the power and intensity of the album version and then some. Whole Lotta Love is ferocious, the crowd can't get enough. A quick and dirty Communication Breakdown is followed by quicker and dirtier renditions of C'mon Everybody and Something Else. Bonzo attacks the latter at full force. The show ends with an explosive Long Tall Sally medley including Move on Down the Line and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On.

The tape is a copy of Kevin Shirley's multitrack working mix that was being prepared for Led Zeppelin DVD. The two supplementary sources are of lesser quality, but they are more complete in the songs they are used for. The film on Led Zeppelin DVD is simply amazing. To be able to see the band interacting with one another on stage at one of their peaks. And with a superb 5.1 surround sound mix. Must see.

Day 36: 1/8/1970 Bristol, England

1/8/1970 Bristol, England  The Bristol Stomp

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, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins during the first appearance of We're Gonna Groove, but you wouldn't know it by listening. The tape is very muffled and noisy, making it difficult to tell what's going on. The sound clears up a bit as I Can't Quit You Baby gets underway. There are some tape dropouts during the guitar solo in another epic Dazed and Confused, but nothing too distracting.

The crowd goes wild when Plant introduces Heartbreaker. The band is in full swing, playing every note with intensity. White Summer/Black Mountain Side is followed by the first appearance of Since I've Been Loving You, nine months before the release of Led Zeppelin III (although Plant says it will be out in three). The arrangement is much looser than the album version, with Plant singing alternate lyrics, but the dynamic tension remains intact. The first appearance of Thank You is preceded by an organ solo from Jones and features an excellent guitar solo by Page.

Only the first two minutes of Moby Dick survive before the tape cuts to Plant's introduction of How Many More Times. Page is introduced as "Jimmy 'Hoochie Coochie' Page." He solos frantically during the Bolero section. The crowd goes wild as Plant squeezes his lemon during the medley. The first appearance of Whole Lotta Love since Led Zeppelin II was released (now with the theramin freakout intact) is met with a loud cheer from the crowd. Plant has them echoing his wails of "woman!" repeatedly. In a twist on their former show opener, Communication Breakdown closes the show and features a bit of Good Times Bad Times during the breakdown. Welcome to 1970.

The tape is muffled, noisy, and distant with some hiss. Luckily, the next night will provide quite a different listening experience.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 35: 11/7/1969 San Francisco, CA

11/7/1969 San Francisco, CA  (master>cassette)

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times

Page's soloing sounds like razor blades during Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown and I Can't Quit You Baby. He plays the opening chords of Joe Cocker's With a Little Help from My Friends during the latter. Plant tries to get the crowd under control before introducing Heartbreaker, to which someone near the taper responds "listen to this." The band gets a bit lost during Dazed and Confused when Page starts playing a third verse instead of the lead-in to the bow solo, but they recover quickly with an improvised transition. There are a few strange tape speed-ups/cuts during Page's solos and toward the end of the song.

There are more recording issues during White Summer/Black Mountain Side, most noticeable is a huge volume shift about two minutes in. Page plays a really nice sitar-like interlude near the middle of the song. Page goes wild during the final chorus of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, chopping the riff to pieces. Moby Dick is cut in a few places. How Many More Times includes a strange avant-garde intro during which Page plays a bit of Count Five's Psychotic Reaction. The remainder of the tape is plagued by constant speed fluctuations until it ends during The Hunter section.

The tape is muddy and distorted with Bonzo and Plant buried under Page and Jones. It's also riddled with speed fluctuations throughout the show.

Day 34: 11/6/1969 San Francisco, CA

11/6/1969 San Francisco, CA  Final Winterland: The 1st Night

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, C'mon Everybody, Something Else

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown is played at breakneck speed with an excellent funky groove during the breakdown. Every band member is in good form, I Can't Quit You Baby is pure electricity. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo in Heartbreaker, but it doesn't detract from the energy of the performance at all. Bonzo is assaulting his drums during an amazing Dazed and Confused. Page leads the band through an excellent fingerpicking interlude during the ever-extending guitar solo. 

White Summer/Black Mountain Side is followed by a cut in the tape and the final minute and a half of What is and What Should Never Be. The crowd cheers and claps along with Bonzo during a thunderous Moby Dick. Page improvises a new riff at the beginning of How Many More Times before Plant's band introductions. He continues to improvise licks through the Bolero section, including a bit of Over Under Sideways Down. The medley includes an aggressive Boogie Chillen. Plant has the crowd repeating every line of the drawn out "got you in the sights..." section. His voice breaks down again during the final "gun!" The show ends with high-energy, in your face renditions of C'mon Everybody and Something Else.

The tape is clear and enjoyable with a bit of hiss at times.

Day 33: 11/5/1969 Kansas City, KS

11/5/1969 Kansas City, KS  (master>cassette>cassette)

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, How Many More Times

Something's wrong. It's apparent from the moment the tape begins that something isn't quite right. At first it seems to be attributable to the recording quality, perhaps it's that the tape is running a bit slow. But as Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown gets underway, the true culprit is revealed. What happened to Bonzo? His playing is erratic at best, sometimes he seems to disappear completely. By I Can't Quit You Baby it's obvious that Bonzo's odd performance is most likely due to an overzealous consumption of alcohol. He's sloppy, he shouts during the quiet passage in Page's guitar solo, and he fails to play anything during the finale, leaving a very awkward pause in place of his usual thundering showmanship.

Even Page's solos during Heartbreaker sound drunk. After a strange bow solo during Dazed and Confused, Bonzo forgets his cue to come in, leaving Jones and Page to play alone until he remembers. There are no band introductions at the beginning of How Many More Times. Bonzo is still all over the place, barely able to hold the beat. He bangs his gong relentlessly. The Hunter section is a complete mess, though somewhat interesting in its state of disarray. The "got you in the sights..." section is plagued by feedback and Plant's voice failing during the final "gun!" The end of the song falls apart completely. Mercifully, the tape ends there. A true disaster, the low point of '69. Credit must go to Page, Plant, and Jones for keeping it together through the whole show.

The tape is muffled and a bit distorted, but I wouldn't recommend listening to it anyway.

Day 32: 11/2/1969 Toronto, Ontario

11/2/1969 Toronto, Ontario Beast of Toronto

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Moby Dick

The tape begins with Plant telling the crowd "it's great to be back in Toronto." It's obvious from the first few bars of Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown that something special is going on. Plant is over the top, shouting repeatedly as the breakdown begins. Page, Jones, and Bonzo couldn't be tighter as Plant sings about his bluebird. His wailing intro to I Can't Quit You Baby sounds effortlessly powerful. Jones's wandering bassline is the perfect groundwork for Page's wild soloing.

Plant jokes with the crowd about the band's intention to play as much of "Led Zeppelin Four" as possible. The intro to Heartbreaker sends a chill down the spine. An excellent a cappella solo has Page breaking the Led Zeppelin II mold and improvising some licks that are pure electricity, causing Plant to declare "amen!" at the conclusion. Dazed and Confused is a dynamic journey, the guitar solo stretches beyond all limits. Plant improvises new lyrics during the final verse. There is a cut in the tape just before Plant introduces another excellent White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is back and more powerful than ever. Plant delivers an especially heartfelt performance, including references to Ramble On as Page plays some interesting staccato passages. The tape ends with Moby Dick, which is unfortunately missing a chunk in the middle.

The tape is fairly clear with Bonzo sounding a bit flat.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 31: 10/30/1969 Buffalo, NY

10/30/1969 Buffalo, NY  (?)

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times

Plant improvises new lyrics during I Can't Quit You Baby in response to someone causing trouble in the audience, challenging them to a confrontation on stage. Judging by Plant's comments after the song, someone had thrown a glass or bottle at the stage. Page shreds through a quick solo in Heartbreaker. Dazed and Confused is becoming a true epic, growing longer and more complex every night. Page's playing is particularly elegant during White Summer/Black Mountain Side. A somewhat sloppy What is and What Should Never Be is followed by the return of the drum solo, making its first appearance as Moby Dick. The tape ends with How Many More Times which is unfortunately cut during the Bolero section.

The tape is a bit muddy, due mostly to some particularly boomy bass frequencies from Jones.

Day 30: 10/12/1969 London, England

10/12/1969 London, England  (master>cassette>dat>cdr)

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, You Shook Me, What is and What Should Never Be, Dazed and Confused, How Many More Times

Plant is in good form, belting some particularly high wails during Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown. He stutters and moans the lyrics during I Can't Quit You Baby, performing some impressive vocal acrobatics. The tape is cut between songs, but Plant's dialogue with the crowd seems to be intact. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the solos in Heartbreaker.

Bonzo goes wild during You Shook Me, unfortunately the tape is cut from the second verse to the finale. What is and What Should Never Be is excellent, the perfect balance of calm and storm. Plant screeches and squeals the second verse of Dazed and Confused. Bonzo attacks his drums full force during the guitar solo. The opening verses of How Many More Times are over the top, the whole band pushing it to the limit. There is a very eerie jam before the Bolero section, which features some Over Under Sideways Down licks. The medley includes a disjointed Boogie Chillen, unfortunately the rest of the song is chopped to bits, leaving us with an abrupt end to a great show.

The tape is fairly clear with Bonzo and Jones a bit muddy and in the back.

Day 29: 10/10/1969 Paris, France

10/10/1969 Paris, France L'Olympia

Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, You Shook Me, How Many More Times

The newly-surfaced french radio show, rebroadcast last month for the first time since its November 1969 premiere, begins with a brief stage announcement before Bonzo counts off to the first appearance of the Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown opener. Plant is in exceptional voice, faithfully recreating every high note. He shakes the mic violently during the intro to I Can't Quit You Baby. The modern french radio announcer makes his first intrusive appearance during Page's excellent solo.

Bonzo comments "they don't even know what it is!" as Plant introduces the first appearance of Heartbreaker to the crowd. The performance is very similar to the version on Led Zeppelin II. There is a strange echo effect added to Page's a cappella guitar solo. Whether this effect was added live by the sound engineer or later by the radio station is unclear. The same echo effect is used sporadically throughout Dazed and Confused, leaving us with an army of Bonzos. The DJ returns at the beginning of an especially eerie bow solo. Page is introduced as "The Wanking Dog" by Bonzo and Plant before White Summer/Black Mountain Side. The DJ once again intrudes during a quiet passage. Plant adlibs new lyrics during You Shook Me. Jones and Bonzo are like a well-oiled machine.

The recording ends with an excellent How Many More Times. Page solos wildly during an extended Bolero section, including some Over Under Sideways Down licks. Plant tells someone in the crowd to shut up during the "got you in the sights..." section, just before another interruption by the DJ. Plant makes mention of a girl who's been with Aynsley Dunbar during his intro to the medley, drawing laughter from the crowd. The medley includes John Lee Hooker's Boogie Chillen, now with lyrics from Plant. The atmosphere on stage is very playful as Plant reaches the final "gun!" The finale is devastatingly heavy with Plant grunting seductively as the band explodes around him.

The tape is an excellent brand-new radio broadcast. Definitely a must hear.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 28: 8/31/1969 Dallas, TX

8/31/1969 Dallas, TX The Only Way to Fly

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown

I Can't Quit You Baby is elegantly heavy, Page plays with incredible finesse. Bonzo's fills sound like a machine gun, his right foot is especially quick. Page's equipment picks up a walkie-talkie frequency during the bow solo in Dazed and Confused, making for a strange break in atmosphere. The guitar solo is flawless and inspired. Bonzo plays a funky rhythm including a cowbell in the middle of the extended solo. The return to the main descending riff is devastating.

Bonzo goes wild throughout You Shook Me. Page has some equipment problems at the beginning of How Many More Times. Bonzo wails on the cowbell during Plant's band introductions. Plant makes references to Suzie Q while Page hints at Train Kept a Rollin' during an extended jam before the Bolero section. Page and Jones play the Whole Lotta Love riff during the "Rosie" section. The medley features a great Eyesight to the Blind boogie. Bonzo plays a wild mini solo during the epic finale. The set ends with an energetic Communication Breakdown. An excellent performance.

The tape is an excellent atmospheric soundboard recording. A must hear.

The video, available on Celebration's Early Visions, includes bits of Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, and How Many More Times. The film is dark and a bit blurry, but is nonetheless an interesting early visual document of the band in a true live setting.

Click here for audio samples and a video sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 27: 8/18/1969 (evening) Toronto, Ontario

8/18/1969 (evening) Toronto, Ontario (master>dat)

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, You Shook Me, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown

Page and Plant go wild during an excellent I Can't Quit You Baby. Plant mentions the band getting hassled in San Antonio, Texas. Whistles from the crowd echo Page's string slaps during an epic bow solo in Dazed and Confused. Bonzo is an explosion during the guitar solo. An awe-inspiring 11-minute White Summer/Black Mountain Side is followed by a very heavy You Shook Me. Bonzo mounts an all-out assault, his drums sound like cannon fire. Plant exclaims "oh fuck!" after failing to hit a high note during the extended outro, full of adlibs and soloing.

Plant loses himself in laughter during the band introductions at the beginning of How Many More Times. He introduces Page on "as many chicks as he can find." Bonzo grabs the mic to introduce Plant as "straight from the labour club." Page throws some Over Under Sideways Down licks into the guitar solo. The medley includes bits of Salty Dog and Walter Davis's I Think You Need a Shot during an excellent boogie. Plant relays a strange comedic story about being tied up and grifted during the "got you in the sights..." section. Bonzo delivers a short drum solo during the finale. Several shouted requests are granted with a riotous Communication Breakdown, which features a brief rendition of Lee Dorsey's Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (From Now On) following Jones's bass solo. An excellent performance, must hear.

The tape is clear and enjoyable with some distortion from Jones's bass.

Day 26: 8/18/1969 (afternoon) Toronto, Ontario

8/18/1969 (afternoon) Toronto, Ontario  Absolutely Gems

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, How Many More Times

There are some tape disturbances at the beginning of Train Kept a Rollin', as well as some volume fluctuations during I Can't Quit You Baby. The taper seems to be having a lot of trouble with their equipment. Page's soloing in I Can't Quit You Baby is bluesy and soulful. Plant tells the crowd Bonzo "has to make all the noise, all the time, every time."

An excellent Dazed and Confused is unfortunately marred with tape noise after the bow solo. The sound improves somewhat during Plant's extended harmonica solo in an excellent You Shook Me. He teases the crowd with his moans during the outro. How Many More Times begins with some very playful band introductions from Plant. He instructs the crowd to clap "a little bit louder for Jimi Hendrix" before the first verse. Page shreds his way through the solo after a wild slide intro.

The tape is hissy and distorted with a lot of tape disturbances and volume fluctuations throughout. A great performance, unfortunately hindered by bad sound quality.