Day 267: 12/10/2007 London, England

12/10/2007 London, England Legendary Reunion 2007

Good Times Bad Times, Ramble On, Black Dog, In My Time of Dying, For Your Life, Trampled Underfoot, Nobody's Fault But Mine, No Quarter, Since I've Been Loving You, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, The Song Remains the Same, Misty Mountain Hop, Kashmir, Whole Lotta Love, Rock and Roll

After nearly a decade of rumors and anticipation, the day no one thought would ever come is finally here. Twenty-seven years after the group disbanded following John Bonham's untimely death, Led Zeppelin has reformed in honor of Ahmet Ertegün for their first official concert since 7/7/1980. The crowd's excitement builds to a frenzied peak as Jason Bonham, filling in for his father, cracks his sticks together four times before the thunderous opening notes of Good Times Bad Times announce the return of Led Zeppelin.

Page is a bit buried in the mix at first and Plant suffers a few spikes of feedback during the initial verses, but these issues are remedied in time for Page to shred through an excellent guitar solo. The end of the song leads directly into the opening chords of Ramble On. Jones's fingers dance across the fretboard as the band hammers through the explosive chorus. The crowd goes wild as Plant sings the first line of a bone-crushing Black Dog. There is another loud squeal of feedback following the second verse. Page blazes through the guitar solo. The intro to In My Time of Dying is met with an excited cheer from the crowd. The song is played closer in tempo to the studio version than the frenzied performances of the past. The walls of the arena quake under the power of Bonham's thunderous pounding as Page tears through an excellent guitar solo. Plant hints at Muddy Waters favorite Honey Bee during the "oh my Jesus!" section. He exclaims "it still feels pretty good up here!" during the outro.

As the song ends, Plant thanks the crowd "for thousands and thousands of emotions that we've been going through for the last six weeks together." He tells the crowd "this is a first adventure with this song in public" before the first live performance of For Your Life. The band is incredibly tight, perfectly recreating the studio version. Plant is in top form as he belts out each line with power and bravado. His mature voice is particularly well-suited for the Presence classic. Trampled Underfoot is introduced as "a kind of Led Zeppelin Terraplane Blues." Page shreds wildly through a spaced-out guitar solo toward the end of the song. The band hammers through a devastatingly heavy Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page seems to lose his place momentarily as Plant begins his harmonica solo, but still manages to deliver an excellent guitar solo shortly thereafter. The crowd erupts as Jones begins the ominous intro to No Quarter. The song is played in a scaled down arrangement with both Page and Jones delivering short dynamic solos.

Since I've Been Loving You is a mournful epic. Page is absolutely on fire as he blazes through a beautifully emotional guitar solo. Plant attempts some dramatic high notes throughout the song, with varying results. An outstanding performance. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd about the creation of the setlist, saying "there are certain songs that have to be there... and this is one of them" before the first performance of Dazed and Confused since 5/25/1975. The initial verses are incredibly heavy. The crowd erupts as Page begins the bow solo. The band is on fire as they hammer through a frantic guitar solo/workout section. Unfortunately, Page and Bonham lose track of each other during the return to the main riff, causing some confused hesitation at the beginning of the final verse. The familiar opening notes of Stairway to Heaven are met with a thunderous roar from the crowd. Page blazes through a fantastic guitar solo, possibly the closest to the studio version he's ever played. As the song ends, Plant shouts "hey Ahmet!... we did it."

Bonham hammers at his drums with incredible intensity as the band races through a brutal The Song Remains the Same. Plant tells the crowd about the Bonham family's singing talents before giving Jason a crack at the opening line of I Can't Quit You Baby prior to Misty Mountain Hop, which features Bonham on backing vocals. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "out here, there are people from fifty countries" before introducing Kashmir as "the fifty-first country." The band pummels the crowd mercilessly as they hammer through the intimidating march. Plant's aggressive howls echo through the arena and into infinity as Bonham shakes the earth with his thunderous fills toward the end of the song. An utterly devastating performance, one of the best ever. The crowd erupts as the band returns to the stage for Whole Lotta Love. Plant briefly hints at Rosco Gordon's Just a Little Bit during the theremin freakout, as well as paying homage to his famous boogie rap following the final verse. As the song ends, he thanks everyone for coming along "for the memory of Ahmet Ertegün... in the days when Atlantic Records was the most magnificent record company on the planet."

Page announces "it's really been an amazing night for all of us, thank you very much" as the band returns to the stage to close the show with an explosive Rock and Roll. He shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo. Plant leads the crowd through an endless string of "lonely"s before Bonham erupts into the song's thunderous finale. As the last notes fade into the deafening roar of the crowd, Led Zeppelin's legacy is solidified forever. The ultimate final statement. Must hear.

The tape is a phenomenal audience recording, fit for official release.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

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 252: 8/11/1979 Knebworth, England

8/11/1979 Knebworth, England

Welcome to the 1979 Knebworth Festival

The Song Remains the Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Sick Again, Achilles Last Stand, In the Evening, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

A week after night one of the 1979 Knebworth Festival, the band returns for what will prove to be their final performance in England. The nerves of the first show have subsided and the band launches into The Song Remains the Same with power and gusto. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during a frantic Celebration Day. The massive crowd sings along with every word during a bone-crushing Black Dog. Plant has some trouble with his microphone during the initial verses of Over the Hills and Far Away, which causes a series of loud popping noises. Page's fingers get caught in the strings of his guitar during the song's outro.

Since I've Been Loving You is simply outstanding. Page blazes through a fantastic guitar solo with incredible fluency and precision. An unbelievably powerful performance, one of the best in recent memory. Jones briefly hints at Your Time is Gonna Come near the end of an excellent piano solo during the band's final performance of No Quarter. Page tears through an amazing guitar solo, shredding wildly during the song's explosive outro. In mentioning the new album, Plant tells the crowd "it's called In Through the Out Door, which is... one of those methods of entry that proves to be harder than one would originally expect." Hot Dog is dedicated to "the texas road crew and all the people to be found in the sleazy hangouts around there." Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting "New York City!" as Page begins The Rain Song. Bonzo pummels the crowd with his thunderous fills near the end of Kashmir. Page stumbles through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot.

Achilles Last Stand is a bit dull and uninspired, despite Bonzo's efforts to inject some energy into the performance. Page gets lost near the end of the song. Plant delivers an incredibly powerful performance during In the Evening. As the song ends, someone in the crowd can be heard shouting "happy birthday Robert Plant!", to which Plant responds "not yet, one week." The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page flubs the guitar solo during Whole Lotta Love. The biggest surprise of the night is the inclusion of the Boogie Chillen' section for the first time since 7/29/1973. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo. Plant shreds his voice as the band hammers through a blistering Communication Breakdown. An explosive finale to a somewhat uneven performance. As the band leaves the stage for the last time, Plant announces "thank you very much indeed... we'll see ya soon, very soon."

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording, with Page a bit buried in the mix at times. Unfortunately, there is a somewhat distracting high pitch buzz throughout the second half of the show.

Day 251: 8/4/1979 Knebworth, England

8/4/1979 Knebworth, England  

Welcome to the 1979 Knebworth Festival

The Song Remains the Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Sick Again, Achilles Last Stand, In the Evening, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker

Following a four year absence, Led Zeppelin make their triumphant return to England with two of the biggest shows of their career. However, despite two successful warm-up gigs in Denmark two weeks earlier, the band is still nervous to be performing for their home crowd after such a long break. The apprehension is evident as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. Page has lost the fluency of his Denmark performances, causing him to stumble a bit during the sticky-fingered guitar solos and Plant's voice is a little rusty at times. On the other hand, Bonzo is a thunderous explosion of energy, his powerful hammering is the backbone of the band. Following a high-speed Celebration Day, Plant greets the massive crowd, joking "I told Pagey that one or two people would be here, but he said he doubted it very much." Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during the guitar solo in Black Dog. Plant unleashes some spine-chilling shrieks during the initial verses. The band hammers through an abrasive Misty Mountain Hop. 

Since I've Been Loving You is absolutely fantastic. Page leads the band on an intense emotional journey, tearing each note of the guitar solo from the depths of his soul. A phenomenal performance, one of the best in recent memory. Jones is introduced as "the man from Casablanca" before No Quarter. Page is on fire as he blazes through an excellent guitar solo, shredding furiously during the blistering outro jam. An outstanding performance. Plant shouts "come on, let's hoedown!" at the beginning of Hot Dog. The Rain Song is beautiful. The crowd erupts as a powerful Kashmir launches into motion. Plant's howls echo over the field and into infinity as the band thunders through the intimidating march. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo during an incredibly aggressive Trampled Underfoot. The band hammers through a brutal Sick Again, introduced as a song that "relates the experience of the lobby and going down to get some cigarettes at ten thirty, rather than bein' in bed." Page tears through a frenzied guitar solo near the end of the song. Afterward, Plant jokes "so we got the cigarettes and carried straight on up to bed." 

Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums during an explosive Achilles Last Stand. Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to the crowd, thanking them for coming "on a blind date." Page blazes through a blistering guitar solo. The crowd sings the final line along with Plant. The first encore is preceded by ten solid minutes of cheering. As the band returns to the stage following a riotous Rock and Roll, Plant leads the crowd in a sing-along of You'll Never Walk Alone. The new arrangement of Whole Lotta Love is devastatingly heavy. As the song ends, Plant announces "thanks for eleven years." The band returns to the stage one more time to close the show with the first appearance of Heartbreaker since 6/21/1977. Page shreds wildly though the guitar solos. The crowd is left begging for more as the band leaves the stage for the final time.

The tape is a fantastic soundboard recording, augmented briefly by an audience source.

Day 250: 7/24/1979 Copenhagen, Denmark

7/24/1979 Copenhagen, Denmark  (master>cd)

The Song Remains the Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Sick Again, Achilles Last Stand, In the Evening, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love

Following a successful premiere the night before, the band returns for their second and final warm-up gig before returning to England to headline the Knebworth Festival. The energy is high as the band hammers through the opening numbers. Page shreds frantically through the guitar solo during Celebration Day. Plant announces "very nice to have the lights back with us tonight" before Black Dog. Nobody's Fault But Mine features a blistering guitar solo from Page. The band races through a fast-paced Misty Mountain Hop. No Quarter is short and dynamic. Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo. The crowd's rhythmic clapping returns during the intro to Ten Years Gone. Page plays with incredible fluency during the guitar solos. The Rain Song is beautiful.

There is a slight cut during the transition from White Summer/Black Mountain Side to Kashmir. Plant delivers a powerful performance during the latter. The band hammers through an aggressive Trampled Underfoot, which is followed by the return of Sick Again. Plant introduces a frantic Achilles Last Stand as the best track on Presence. The walls of the theater quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous pounding as Page tears through the frenzied guitar solos. A brutally heavy performance. In the Evening is explosive, a major highlight of the new setlist. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven, one of the best in recent memory. The band closes the show with a radical new arrangement of Whole Lotta Love. Another excellent performance. Must hear.

The tape is very clear and well-balanced, if a bit fuzzy around the edges.

Day 249: 7/23/1979 Copenhagen, Denmark

7/23/1979 Copenhagen, Denmark  Copenhagen Warm-Ups

The Song Remains the Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Achilles Last Stand, In the Evening, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll

Two years after tragedy brought the 1977 North American tour to an abrupt end, the band has risen from the ashes to prepare for the biggest shows of their career with two warm-up gigs in Denmark. The setlist has undergone a few changes to make room for a couple new songs from the band's yet to be released final studio album In Through the Out Door, along with some old favorites. As the band takes the stage, Plant complains about the lights, telling the crowd "we must apologize... the lights keep going down, so we're gonna play with like half a light show, okay?" After a long pause, the show finally gets underway with the familiar opening chords of The Song Remains the Same. The band is full of energy as they hammer through the song with incredible intensity. Plant is still getting a feel for his mature voice, missing a few notes that used to come more easily. As the song ends, Page launches into the first appearance of Celebration Day since 7/29/1973.

Plant tells the crowd "it's been eight years since we were here last time, so there's not too much talkin' to do... quite a bit of playing" before introducing a bone-crushing Black Dog. Page is on fire, shredding wildly during the guitar solo. Plant walks away from the microphone to retrieve his harmonica before introducing Nobody's Fault But Mine, telling the crowd "this is from Blind Willie Johnson." Over the Hills and Far Away is immediately followed by a high-speed Misty Mountain Hop, its first appearance since the end of the 1973 North American tour. Page seems a bit lost during the guitar solo. Since I've Been Loving You is played in a jazzy new arrangement. Page blazes through a fantastic extended guitar solo. Plant's voice is still a bit rusty, he has trouble reaching some of the higher notes. No Quarter has been stripped down to basics, replacing the overindulgent marathons of the past with a much more efficient arrangement. The crowd begins clapping rhythmically during any lull in Jones's piano solo. Page tears through the guitar solo with amazing fluency and precision. 

Plant mentions the new album before the first premiere of the night, Hot Dog. Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting a mispronounced "D'yer Mak'er!", to which Plant responds "never 'eard of it" before introducing a beautiful rendition of The Rain Song, performed for the first time since the final night at Earls Court. Kashmir is preceded by an abbreviated White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Plant hints at Back Door Man before a thunderous Achilles Last Stand, played at a more relaxed tempo than usual. The second premiere of the night comes with the first performance of In the Evening, which is preceded by a short bows solo from Page. Plant delivers a powerful performance, belting out each line with bravado. The crowd erupts as Page begins Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage following a raucous Rock and Roll, Plant announces "thank you very much, it was... okay, goodnight." An excellent first outing for a new, more professional Led Zeppelin. Must hear.

The tape is absolutely fantastic, one of the best audience recordings ever made.

Click here for sound samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 177: 7/29/1973 New York, NY

7/29/1973 New York, NY  The Garden Tapes Vol. 3

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean, Thank You

The third and final night at Madison Square Garden used to create the 1976 concert film The Song Remains the Same and the live album of the same name. The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll explodes out of the gate. Plant's voice starts off a bit rough, taking a few songs to warm up. Following Black Dog, he tells the crowd "this year in America, we decided to work extra hard, so we did two tours... and this is the last night of the last tour" adding "tonight we're gonna do our very best." 

Page shreds through an excellent guitar solo as Jones explores a funky groove during Over the Hills and Far Away. As the song ends, Plant jokes "really, you could call this gig a fitness test... just to see if we can really still do it." Bonzo hammers at his drums with incredible intensity during Misty Mountain Hop. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful. Page blazes through the guitar solos during The Song Remains the Same. Plant introduces Dazed and Confused as "one of the songs from Zeppelin's embryo." The San Francisco interlude is fantastic. The guitar solo/workout section is somewhat erratic. Page solos wildly during the outro. 

Stairway to Heaven features an excellent guitar solo from Page. The end of the song is met with a tidal wave of deafening cheers from the crowd. Page's fingers fly across the fretboard during the a cappella solo in Heartbreaker. Bonzo and Jones lock into a high-speed funky rhythm as Page works his theramin wizardry during Whole Lotta Love. The Boogie Chillen' section features a fantastic guitar solo from Page. Bonzo plays a thunderous four-minute mini drum solo during the finale. Before The Ocean, Plant tells the crowd "tomorrow night I'll be lyin' on the grass in the middle of nowhere." Following an upbeat organ solo from Jones, the band closes the show with an outstanding performance of Thank You. A fitting finale to the 1973 North American tour.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The soundboard tape is excellent. The audience tape is distant and cacophonous.

For a fascinating breakdown and analysis of how The Song Remains the Same was created, visit Eddie Edwards's The Garden Tapes.

Day 176: 7/28/1973 New York, NY

7/28/1973 New York, NY The Garden Tapes Vol. 2

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean

The second of three nights at Madison Square Garden used to create the 1976 concert film The Song Remains the Same and the live album of the same name. The show gets off to a somewhat sluggish start. Plant's voice is tired and weak, cracking and breaking frequently. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo in Black Dog. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we had a really good one last night... what we intend to do is try and get it better every night." The instrumental section during No Quarter is a haunting death march, featuring an excellent guitar solo from Page. The Rain Song is beautiful.

Before Dazed and Confused, Plant tells the crowd "amongst the mêlée in 1968, we managed to meet in a tiny room, not half the size of this stage, and we all looked each other in the face and we all reckoned we'd got something to do that we hadn't quite done properly before." Page's fingers get stuck in the strings constantly as he solos wildly through the erratic guitar solo/workout section. The theramin freakout during Whole Lotta Love is preceded by a fantastic funky jam. Page blazes through the guitar solo during the Boogie Chillen' section. Before the band closes the show with The Ocean, Bonzo counts in "hoochie coo, one, two, three, four, hoochie coo!"

The tape is an excellent soundboard recording augmented by a distant, noisy audience recording.

For a fascinating breakdown and analysis of how The Song Remains the Same was created, visit Eddie Edwards's The Garden Tapes.

Day 174: 7/24/1973 Pittsburgh, PA

7/24/1973 Pittsburgh, PA  (3rd gen)

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick*, Heartbreaker*, Whole Lotta Love*, The Ocean*

*- Pittsburgh Steelers

The tape begins with a series of stage announcements asking the crowd to be cool and sit down. Plant's voice starts off a bit rough, taking a few songs to warm up. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo in Black Dog. As the song ends, Plant asks the crowd "do you remember the last time we came here?... it was obviously in the days when women wore brassieres, because we scored a few." Page hints as the opening of Midnight Rambler before Misty Mountain Hop. Plant moans "don't send me to Heartbreak Hotel" near the end of Since I've Been Loving You.

There is a brief cut in the tape at the beginning of Jones's piano solo during No Quarter. A series of firecracker blasts interrupt the beginning of The Rain Song. As the song ends, Plant announces "John Paul Jones was responsible for the orchestra... and Mellotron was responsible for the fact that it didn't sound so good." Before Dazed and Confused, he tells the crowd "last time we did this next song in Pittsburgh, I remember I scored about five pairs of ladies underwear... fortunately now they've worn out, so I gotta get some new ones." Following an excellent San Francisco interlude, there is a brief cut at the beginning of the bow solo. Before Stairway to Heaven, Plant tells the crowd "sometimes this next piece invokes a sort of a mass feeling that is really, it's better than the best woman in the world... and sometimes there's too many firecrackers." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo.

Before introducing Moby Dick, Plant makes an announcement asking an audience member named Tammy Davis to meet her boyfriend at the side of the stage. There is a significant decline in sound quality before the tape cuts off about ten minutes into the drum solo. Plant tells the crowd "once again I must apologize for the fact that there's no video screens, but somebody's head will roll... I promise" before introducing Heartbreaker as "the final blast-off." The band is absolutely on fire during the fast guitar solo section. The raucous Boogie Chillen' section during Whole Lotta Love features an excellent guitar solo from Page. Plant trades lyrics with the crowd during the "way down inside..." section. The band closes the show with an explosive The Ocean. Plant sings "Carmen's only four years old" during the first verse.

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

Day 173: 7/23/1973 Baltimore, MD

7/23/1973 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Jack

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean

Plant is in top form as Rock and Roll gets underway, reaching notes that would have been unthinkable two weeks earlier. Page pauses briefly during the intro to Over the Hills and Far Away to tune his guitar. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful. The instrumental section during No Quarter is an epic journey. Plant sings "please sit down" during the first verse of The Rain Song. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the tape soon after which leaves us near the beginning of the heavy section. As the song ends, Plant tells the rowdy crowd "really, I think you gotta be a little bit quieter, because there are a few people who are tryin' to listen to the subtle musical changes."

Page is out of control during Dazed and Confused, soloing wildly and freely changing the song's structure on the fly. The frantic lead-in to the bow solo is immediately followed by the call and response with Plant, integrated with more furious soloing before finally coming back around to the haunting San Francisco interlude. The pace doesn't let up following the bow solo as Page shreds uncontrollably through the guitar solo/workout section, creating a completely new arrangement as he goes. An incredible, highly improvisational performance. Before Stairway to Heaven, Plant tells the crowd "this a song we've played to a lot of audiences... sorta sit down and you can feel throughout the building an amazing feeling which out forefathers a long, long, long time ago knew very well." Page blazes through the guitar solo. Plant pushes his voice to the limit, belting out the final verse in its original melody.

Someone near the taper can be heard shouting "go Jimmy!" as Page begins the fantastic a cappella solo during Heartbreaker. His fingers race across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes during the explosive guitar solo section. Plant makes a brief reference to Gallows Pole in his boogie rap during Whole Lotta Love. The Boogie Chillen' section features an excellent guitar solo from Page. The band plays a tongue-in-cheek I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside interlude before closing the show with The Ocean. As the band leaves the stage, Plant tells the crowd "we must love you and leave you, goodnight!"

The tape is distant, hissy, and quite noisy.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 172: 7/21/1973 Providence, RI

7/21/1973 Providence, RI LZ Rhoder

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page and Jones lose track of each other during the guitar solo. Plant is in good voice, belting out each line of Black Dog with power and bravado. As the song ends, he greets the crowd, saying "I was gonna say it's nice to be back, but I don't think we've been here before... I could be wrong." Page blazes through the the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. He cuts the final verse short, leaving Plant to moan "oh, you really oughta know" during the outro. As the song ends, Plant goes on a long tirade insisting that the crowd be cool and move back or the show cannot continue.

Since I've Been Loving You is incredibly powerful. Page's fingers race across the fretboard in a furious barrage of notes during the intro. The band plays as one entity, rising and falling in unison with every ebb and flow. A fantastic performance, one of the best in recent memory. Before No Quarter, Plant tells the crowd he didn't want to offend anyone with his earlier rant, saying "just to prove it, here's something that we really like to play and we're gonna play really fantastically." The instrumental section is simply outstanding, Jones's haunting melodies slowly build tension until Page's wildly passionate guitar solo explodes across the soundscape. The song has quickly become a major highlight of the show.

Plant finds something on the stage while introducing The Song Remains the Same, joking "I think I'll have to give this to one of the security men." A cut in the tape leaves us near the end of the song. There is another brief cut during the second verse of The Rain Song. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "something that's as old as the hills." The frenzied lead-in to the bow solo gives way to an elegantly heavy San Francisco interlude. Page is absolutely on fire during the guitar solo/workout section, racing frantically through a violent cascade of notes as Bonzo and Jones follow close behind. Unfortunately, the tape is cut just before the call and response with Plant, leaving us at the explosive return to the main riff. Page solos wildly over Bonzo's syncopated heartbeat rhythm during the outro. Another devastating performance.

Stairway to Heaven features an excellent, dynamic guitar solo from Page. Plant belts out the final verse with incredible intensity. Moby Dick is introduced as "somethin' to get off on." The pattern of excellence continues with a blistering Heartbreaker. Page, Jones, and Bonzo get into a high-speed funky jam following the initial verses of Whole Lotta Love. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the tape during the theramin freakout which leaves us near the end of the Boogie Chillen' section. The band closes the show with a terrific The Ocean, one of the best thus far. A truly incredible performance. Must hear.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy on the high end.

Day 170: 7/18/1973 Vancouver, British Columbia

7/18/1973 Vancouver, British Columbia  No Firecrackers

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven

Plant's voice starts out a bit rough, taking a few songs to really warm up. Jones's fingers fly across the fretboard during a frantic Celebration Day. As the song ends, the tape fades to a cut just as the Bring it on Home intro to Black Dog begins. We return during Plant's call and response with the crowd. Page blazes through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. Before Misty Mountain Hop, Plant tells the crowd "we really must try and maintain some seriousness about this, although we always try and give out a vibe where everybody's smilin'... we should play our balls off if you promise no firecrackers." Since I've Been Loving You is absolutely fantastic. One of the best performances in recent memory.

The band is on fire during another outstanding No Quarter. The Song Remains the Same and The Rain Song are missing from the tape. Page solos wildly through the lead-in to the bow solo during Dazed and Confused. There is a cut in the tape during the call and response with Bonzo and Jones, which leaves us at the beginning of the bow solo. The frenzied guitar solo/workout section is interrupted by a commotion in the crowd, prompting Plant to repeatedly call out "take it easy!" The outro is a wild race to the finish. An excellent performance. As the song ends, one of the tapers can be heard commenting on Page's performance in particular, saying "he's really playing quite well this evening."

Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "somethin' a little easier, cooler." There is a slight cut during the initial verses. Page delivers another excellent guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant says "thank you and goodnight" as the band unexpectedly leaves the stage. Soon after, someone onstage announces "ladies and gentlemen, Led Zeppelin has left the building... we're trying to get Robert Plant to a hospital, will you please very orderly try and cool it with the traffic while we're trying to get the limos through the traffic, we have to get Robert to a hospital in the next few minutes" adding "thank you very much, they said to thank you, you've been an unbelievable audience." Someone near the taper can be heard shouting "what's this bullshit?!" just before the recording ends.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit hissy.

Day 169: 7/17/1973 Seattle, WA

7/17/1973 Seattle, WA  Seattle Matrix

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean

The tape begins with a stage announcement asking the crowd to stop setting off fireworks and promising a three hour show if everyone stays cool, which receives a thunderous cheer. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo at the end of Celebration Day. Following Black Dog, Plant greets the crowd, saying "it's more than a pleasure to be back again, really." Misty Mountain Hop is dedicated to "the guys who drove the buses" full of fans from Vancouver to the first show in Seattle the year before. Since I've Been Loving You is highly dramatic and powerful.

The instrumental section during No Quarter is an epic journey. A truly amazing performance, one of the best thus far. The Rain Song is absolutely fantastic. Bonzo hammers wildly at his drums during the initial verses of Dazed and Confused. Page shreds through the frantic lead-in to the bow solo. The San Francisco interlude is devastatingly heavy. Bonzo and Jones are locked into each other as Page's sticky fingers fly across the fretboard during the erratic guitar solo/workout section. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "that was somethin' that contains so many different constructions and time signatures and things, every night it gets really far out, I wish I could sit and listen to it like you folks" before introducing Stairway to Heaven as "something entirely different." Page delivers an excellent, dynamic guitar solo.

Moby Dick is introduced as "something with equally as much energy and power... and vibration." Page, Jones, and Bonzo are on fire during the frenzied fast guitar solo section in Heartbreaker. The theramin freakout during Whole Lotta Love is followed by an excellent funky jam. The Boogie Chillen' section features a blistering guitar solo from Page. The band returns to the stage to close the show with an explosive The Ocean. An outstanding performance. Must hear.

The tape is a combination of three sources. The soundboard/audience matrix, used through Stairway to Heaven, is very clear and well-balanced, if a bit hissy during the quieter moments. The second audience tape, used for the remainder of the show, is a bit distant.

Day 168: 7/15/1973 Buffalo, NY

7/15/1973 Buffalo, NY  Slowing Down in Buffalo

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean

The relentless touring schedule continues to take its toll on Plant's fragile voice. He struggles to maintain control as Rock and Roll gets underway. As Black Dog ends, Plant apologizes to the crowd for the delay, explaining that Page's guitar "has had a bit of an accident, but we got it fixed now." Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as "a song about the journey that we're all on." The intro is interrupted by a loud firecracker blast, prompting Plant to respond "that's one guy who's not on the same journey." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo.

No Quarter is fantastic, despite Page's occasionally sticky fingers. The Rain Song is absolutely beautiful. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "one of the old ones." Page hints at The Rover during a frantic call and response with Bonzo and Jones prior to the haunting San Francisco interlude. The transition to the bow solo is highly dramatic. A loud firecracker blast interrupts the eery soundscape. Page is on fire during the guitar solo/workout section. As the song ends, Bonzo can be heard shouting "well done Jim!" before Plant announces "I dunno who the sadist was who lit off the bomb, but he really is a jerk-off." 

Bonzo is introduced as "the all-time percussionist of rock and roll" before Moby Dick. Page shreds wildly through the solos during Heartbreaker. Bonzo and Jones explore an infectious funky groove during the theramin freakout in Whole Lotta Love. Page joins in for a frantic race to the finish. Plant makes a brief reference to Gallows Pole during his boogie rap. Before the show-closing The Ocean, Plant announces "this requires the vocal talents of John Bonham."

The tape is a combination of two sources. The soundboard tape, used through Stairway to Heaven, is clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy at times. The audience tape is distant and muffled with mild tape disturbances throughout.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 166: 7/12/1973 Detroit, MI

7/12/1973 Detroit, MI  (master>vhs>dat>cdr)

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, The Ocean

The tape begins during the final minute of Rock and Roll. Plant's voice starts out a bit rough, taking a few songs to warm up. Following a request that the crowd stop throwing firecrackers, Plant dedicates Misty Mountain Hop to "the loss of brain cells."  Since I've Been Loving You is elegantly restrained. The instrumental section during No Quarter is fantastic. Unfortunately, there are a few brief dropouts near the end of Page's guitar solo. The taper can be heard fiddling with his equipment during the first verse of The Rain Song. 

Page solos wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. The band is on fire during the frantic guitar solo/workout section. There is a cut in the tape during Page's call and response with Plant. Page's fingers dance across the fretboard during the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven. Plant introduces Moby Dick as "a number that receives great popularity and ovations almost everywhere cause it's sheer... intense... beauty." Unfortunately, the majority of the drum solo is missing from the tape, leaving us with only the intro/outro and a few fragments in between. As Bonzo is taking his final solo break at the end of the song, the taper can be heard saying "this is boring" before commenting to one of his friends "look, the guitarist and bass player look bored to death." 

Plant can be heard whistling along as Page hints at The 59th Street Bridge Song at the end of the a cappella solo during Heartbreaker. Page absolutely shreds through the fast guitar solo. Bonzo and Jones hold down a frantic stop-start rhythm as Page's theramin squeals in ecstasy during Whole Lotta Love. Plant's boogie rap gives way to another excellent rendition of Don Nix's Going Down. Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums as Page blazes through the guitar solo during the Boogie Chillen' section. As the band returns to the stage, Bonzo announces "as you know, I've never sung a note... but on this track, I'm allowed to shout!" before counting in to the show-closing The Ocean. The obnoxious taper can be heard providing off-key backing vocals throughout the song.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit muffled and noisy in the high end, with Page slightly buried in the mix at times.

Day 165: 7/10/1973 Milwaukee, WI

7/10/1973 Milwaukee, WI (master cassette>dat4>cdr4)

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick

The band is taking no prisoners as they tear through the furious one-two punch of Rock and Roll and Celebration Day. Plant is in good form, belting out each line with incredible power and intensity. Page blazes through the guitar solo during Black Dog. As the song ends, Plant asks the crowd "when did we come here last, 1969 was it? (it was actually 8/31/1970)... remember that festival where it rained all day?" Misty Mountain Hop is introduced as "a song that doesn't involve firecrackers... except for those that you put into cigarette papers."

John Paul Jones is introduced as "the magician of the keyboards" prior to No Quarter. His Mellotron is slightly out of tune during The Rain Song. There is a brief cut in the tape before the first verse. Dazed and Confused is introduced as "one that was written probably before some of you kids started school." Page solos wildly as Bonzo and Jones hold down a funky rhythm prior to a mournful San Francisco interlude. Unfortunately, the recording ends about ten minutes into Moby Dick.

The tape is distant, hissy, noisy, and increasingly muffled following the aforementioned cut during The Rain Song.

Day 164: 7/9/1973 St. Paul, MN

7/9/1973 St. Paul, MN (master>dat>cdr - speed corrected)

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

Plant's almost monotone delivery of Rock and Roll is a sign of things to come as his injured voice continues to cause him trouble. Page hints at the opening riff of Dancing Days as Over the Hills and Far Away comes to a close. Bonzo hammers at his drums with incredible intensity during Misty Mountain Hop. Plant has regained control of his voice by Since I've Been Loving You. A few loud firecracker blasts early in the song interrupt an otherwise excellent performance.

No Quarter is introduced as "another thing about the journey that lasts a lifetime." The instrumental section is transformed into an avant garde free-form improvisation. Page plays a bit of the Laurel and Hardy theme song as Plant announces "John Bonham comes to you by courtesy of the makers of Quaaludes" following The Rain Song. The band is absolutely on fire during an outstanding Dazed and Confused. A truly amazing performance from start to finish, one of the best in recent memory. There is a slight cut in the tape during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven.

Before Moby Dick, Plant announces "yes ladies and gentlemen, tonight... for your entertainment... king of the Quaaludes, John Bonham!" As the song ends, a cut in the tape leaves us at the beginning of the second verse of Heartbreaker. Page shreds through the fast guitar solo as Bonzo and Jones lay down a frantic stop-start rhythm. The band closes the show with a high-energy Communication Breakdown.

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

Day 163: 7/7/1973 Chicago, IL

7/7/1973 Chicago, IL  In the Windy City II

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

Plant's voice is still a bit rough as Rock and Roll gets moving. The tape is cut during the third verse of Celebration Day due to the taper accidentally pushing the pause button on his recorder. Fortunately, he realizes his mistake fairly quickly and we return as Plant greets the crowd following the absent Black Dog. Plant asks if anyone was at last night's show, saying "it was a little bit too vicious, as Lou Reed would say." Page blazes through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful, despite Plant's injured voice.

Following No Quarter, Plant announces "we'd like to make it familiar to the press, we read a review of last night's concert and after six years, they still think that John Bonham plays the organ." There are some distracting tape issues near the end of The Song Remains the Same. Page is on fire during the guitar solo/workout section in Dazed and Confused, his fingers flying across the fretboard as Bonzo and Jones explore a heavy groove. Bonzo explodes like a barrage of cannon fire during the crushing return to the main riff. Page solos wildly over Plant's chants of "take it easy" during the outro. There is a slight cut during the middle section of Stairway to Heaven. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "at this point, I'd like to give you a little round of applause."

As Plant repeatedly calls out Bonzo's name after Moby Dick, someone near the taper answers with shouts of "who?" and "once more" following each iteration. Page shreds through the fast guitar solo during Heartbreaker as Bonzo and Jones hold down a funky rhythm. Unfortunately, there are major tape issues during the initial verses of Whole Lotta Love. The riotous Boogie Chillen' section features an excellent guitar solo from Page. The taper and his friends provide some amusing commentary before the band returns to the stage to close the show with a fantastic Communication Breakdown.

The tape is clear, but suffers from minor tape issues throughout.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 162: 7/6/1973 Chicago, IL

7/6/1973 Chicago, IL  Second City Showdown

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

The first show after a month long hiatus and the band starts off a bit rusty. Plant has lost his voice completely, squawking and squelching his way through Rock and Roll. The crowd is a bit rowdy tonight with fights breaking out in front of the stage, which Plant comments on following Over the Hills and Far Away. His injured voice lends a mournful tone to an elegantly restrained Since I've Been Loving You. A beautiful performance. A cut in the tape at the transition into The Rain Song leaves us at the beginning of the first verse.

Before Dazed and Confused, Plant tells the crowd "I never seen so many fights at one concert." There are a number of brief dropouts in the right channel during the lead-in to the bow solo. The guitar solo/workout section is a bit of a disjointed mess. Despite some good sticky-fingered soloing from Page, the band never really locks into one another. Page skips the Mars, the Bringer of War section, heading directly into the return to the main riff as Bonzo and Jones try to catch up. As the song ends, Plant once again expresses his frustration with the continuing outbreak of fights in the crowd. Page's guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven starts out promising, but loses momentum near the end.

Bonzo is introduced as "the pacifist of our outfit" before Moby Dick. There is a cut in the tape about ten minutes into the drum solo. Before Heartbreaker, Plant tells the crowd "I've never seen so much leeriness and violence, so cool it, cool it for goodness sake!" The haphazard interaction between Page, Jones, and Bonzo during the theramin freakout in Whole Lotta Love gives the impression that they can neither see nor hear one another at all. Plant completely shreds what little is left of his voice during the final "love!" Against all logic, the band returns to the stage to close the show with Communication Breakdown. Surely a night to forget.

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording.

Day 161: 6/3/1973 Los Angeles, CA

6/3/1973 Los Angeles, CA Wipe With a Rolling Stone

Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, The Ocean, Communication Breakdown, Thank You

The last night of the first leg of the tour begins with the sound of rhythmic stomping, the crowd eagerly anticipating the start of the show. Following a brief soundcheck, the arena explodes with excitement as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The walls quake under the power of Bonzo's bass drum as Page's guitar solo slashes and shreds through the cacophonous roar like a razor blade. The rhythm section is unstoppable during a brutal Celebration Day, hammering forward, full steam ahead as Plant's vocals echo out over the crowd.

A cut in the tape just after the third verse of Black Dog leaves us at the end of the guitar solo in Over the Hills and Far Away. Bonzo hammers wildly at his drums during Misty Mountain Hop. Despite a few tape disturbances early in the song, Since I've Been Loving You is amazingly powerful. One of the best performances in recent memory. Plant introduces No Quarter as "a track off the new album, which features the dynamite piano playing of John Paul Jones." Unfortunately, following a cut during the first verse, the tape is marred with constant speed fluctuations. The Song Remains the Same is dedicated to "the toilet paper that people buy in this part of the world called the Rolling Stone." Page absolutely shreds through the guitar solos. Fortunately, the speed fluctuations subside by the end of The Rain Song.

The lead-in to the bow solo during Dazed and Confused is excellent. Unfortunately, the San Francisco interlude is cut short by a series of major tape disturbances which thankfully disappear a few minutes into the bow solo. The band is on fire during the absolutely amazing guitar solo/workout section. A phenomenal performance. As the song ends, Plant again makes mention of Page's sprained finger, telling the crowd that he's been soaking it in a bucket of cold water since the original date was cancelled a few days prior. Stairway to Heaven features a fantastic guitar solo from Page. The final verse is incredibly powerful.

Moby Dick is introduced as "a real high-energy trip." There is a cut in the tape about halfway through the epic drum solo. Plant dedicates Heartbreaker to Slade. The theramin freakout during Whole Lotta Love is transformed into a frantic stop-start battle between Page and the rest of the band. Plant's boogie rap gives way to an excellent rendition of Don Nix's Going Down, followed by I'm a Man and The Hunter. Page blazes through the guitar solo during the riotous Boogie Chillen' section. The Ocean is excellent. Page shreds through the guitar solo during a blistering Communication Breakdown. The band closes the show with a fantastic performance of Thank You, one of the best thus far. A fitting send-off to the first leg of the tour. Must hear.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy on the high end. Unfortunately, the aforementioned tape issues, along with the frequent shifting from stereo to mono throughout the first part of the show detract from an otherwise amazing performance.