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 248: 7/24/1977 Oakland, CA

7/24/1977 Oakland, CA  A Fighting Finish

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

Another beautiful summer afternoon greets the band as they return for their second show at Oakland Coliseum. Page and Plant are still a bit rusty as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. There is a slight cut during the initial verses. The band completely loses track of one another at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant thanks Bill Graham, saying "I think he built the place especially for rock concerts." Page shreds through a blistering guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. The tape is cut between songs, missing the first few notes of the intro to Over the Hills and Far Away. Since I've Been Loving You is violently emotional. There is a slight cut in the middle of Jones's piano solo during No Quarter. The band skips the upbeat interlude, instead heading directly into Page's erratic guitar solo. Things become a bit disjointed during the outro. Ten Years Gone is introduced as "a song about the first love, the one that you left behind that you can never quite reach back to." 

Black Country Woman is preceded by a fantastic impromptu rendition of Mystery Train. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp features a short bass solo before the guitar breakdown. The band hammers through an aggressive Trampled Underfoot, which Plant introduces as a song that "refers to the careful looking after of an automobile." Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo. Kashmir is a bit dull and uninspired, despite Plant's enthusiastic delivery. The beginning of Page's experimental guitar solo is missing from the tape, picking up just before the bow section. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic explosion of energy. Bonzo misses his cue for the big fill near the end of the song, causing a moment of confused hesitation. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage following a quick and nasty Rock and Roll, Plant announces "thanks a lot folks, see ya again!" Unfortunately, the rest of the tour would be cancelled when Plant's son Karac died suddenly two days later, making this the band's final performance in America. The end of an era.

The tape is fairly clear and well-balanced, if a bit noisy and overloaded at times. It seems to run a bit fast as well.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 247: 7/23/1977 Oakland, CA

7/23/1977 Oakland, CA  It's Been Great

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

What will prove to be the penultimate performance of the 1977 North American tour begins with someone near the taper shouting "this is gonna be great!" as the band takes the stage. Plant greets the crowd, saying "good afternoon... good morning!" before The Song Remains the Same launches into motion. Memories of the disaster in Tempe three nights earlier are still fresh as Page shreds erratically through the guitar solos. Plant's voice is still a bit rough, he has trouble hitting some of the higher notes near the end of Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page's fingers are a bit sticky during the guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "if we seem to be just a little bit sluggish now... we're just starting to liven up, cause we've only been awake about forty-five minutes," joking "so this is what they call daylight." Since I've Been Loving You is introduced as "a blues for a summer day." 

There is a cut in the tape near the beginning of Jones's piano solo during No Quarter. Page is absent for most of the honky tonk breakdown, leaving Jones to vamp alone. His fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through a disjointed guitar solo. Ten Years Gone is a mess. Page completely destroys the first guitar solo. Plant mentions the band's days at the Winterland while introducing the acoustic set. The beginning of The Battle of Evermore is met with a barrage of firecracker blasts. Going to California is mournfully beautiful. The sound of a passing helicopter introduces White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach as the band hammers through a frantic Achilles Last Stand, a devastating performance. Page blazes through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. As the band returns to the stage, Plant asks the crowd where they're going after the show, joking "can we come?" Rock and Roll is quick and dirty. The band closes the show with a bone-crushing Black Dog. As the song ends, Plant announces "good afternoon, it's been great... it's worth seeing the daylight after all."

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

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 245: 7/17/1977 Seattle, WA

7/17/1977 Seattle, WA Dragon Remastered

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

Following a three week hiatus, the band returns to the states to begin the ill-fated third leg of the 1977 North American tour. The break has left everyone a bit rusty and it shows as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. The spark of energy present in some of the earlier performances has died down and the result is a band that sounds tired, despite Bonzo's efforts to inject some excitement into the proceedings. Plant's vocal troubles have returned and Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings of his guitar at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant mentions "Jimmy's got a touch of sleepin' sickness" before telling the crowd "what we're gonna try and do is play, and play, and play... nonstop."

Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as a song "about some part of the holy land." Page gets lost during a disastrous, out of tune guitar solo. Jones wanders off track during the transition back to the main theme. Page stumbles during the intro to Since I've Been Loving You. Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums as the song reaches its frenzied peak. Jones's piano solo develops into a laid-back boogie shuffle as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. Page shreds wildly through an erratic guitar solo. The band fumbles through a lackluster Ten Years Gone. Plant completely loses control of his voice near the end of The Battle of Evermore. He can be heard coughing off-mic as the song comes to a close.

Going to California is dedicated to "anybody who's come from Alaska." As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "I think it's about the lousiest thing that you can possibly do, to throw firecrackers." Page once again breaks a string during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, leaving Jones to improvise a short bass solo, which transforms into a tongue-in-cheek rendition of It's All Right With Me as Plant and Bonzo join in. Kashmir is dull and uninspired. Equipment troubles force Page to abandon the electronic noise section during the experimental guitar solo. The band is all over the place during a disjointed Achilles Last Stand. Page blazes through an epic guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. The band closes the show with a quick and dirty Rock and Roll.

The tape is a bare bones soundboard recording.

Day 244: 6/27/1977 Los Angeles, CA

6/27/1977 Los Angeles, CA  Deep Striker

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

The band returns for their sixth and final night at The Forum and it's obvious that the frenzy of the first few LA shows is wearing thin. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings during The Song Remains the Same and Plant's voice takes a few songs to really warm up. The band flirts with disaster during an incredibly loose Sick Again, constantly on the edge of falling apart. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we're gonna do our best to play... until we fall over." Page adds a beautiful prologue to the beginning of Over the Hills and Far Away. He shreds erratically through an extended guitar solo. Plant introduces Since I've Been Loving You, which is dedicated to J.J. Jackson, as "a song about a little bit of distress in a relationship."

Jones is introduced as "the man who went to sleep last night with... some strawberry tart in the pocket of his jeans" before No Quarter. The instrumental section begins with an ominous electric piano interlude, punctuated by a shrieking chorus of theramin squeals. Jones's piano solo develops into an excellent blues improvisation as Page and Bonzo join in. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through a long, wandering guitar solo. Jones erupts in a furious cascade of notes as the piece nears its conclusion. Page stumbles through a lackluster Ten Years Gone, unable to find his footing during the guitar solos. The Battle of Evermore is introduced as "a song that's very reminiscent of somewhere we're gonna be in about twenty-four hours time." Plant dedicates Going to California to "every Californian Badge Holder we've ever had." The band gets into a brief rendition of Muddy Waters's I Can't Be Satisfied prior to Black Country Woman. Page breaks a string in the middle of Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, which features an abbreviated acoustic performance of Dancing Days during the guitar breakdown. 

The crowd erupts as Kashmir launches into motion. The band hammers through an erratic Trampled Underfoot. Page embarks on another endless experimental guitar solo following Over the Top, obsessively repeating the theme from America during the electronic noise section. The band is incredibly loose during Achilles Last Stand, almost to a fault. Bonzo's performance is particularly unpredictable. There is a cleverly disguised cut in the middle of the song. Plant announces "it's been great, six days, six concerts in LA... it's been a mind-bender" before Stairway to Heaven. Page fumbles through a choppy, disjointed guitar solo. Plant takes time to thank a number of people, including "the Badge Holders of California" before a violently aggressive Whole Lotta Love. The band closes the show with a riotous Rock and Roll. An explosive finale to the band's final performance in the city that has become their second home.

The tape is the tenth and final Mike Millard recording. Very clear and well-balanced, if a bit hissy during the quieter moments.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 243: 6/26/1977 Los Angeles, CA

6/26/1977 Los Angeles, CA  Take the High Road

The Song Remains the Same*, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, That's All Right, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, It'll Be Me

*- It'll Be Me (TDOLZ)

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck, followed by an excited holler from the taper as Page launches into The Song Remains the Same. Plant barks aggressively as the band hammers through a brutal Sick Again. Page shreds through a blistering guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. As the song ends, Plant asks the crowd if they're familiar with Badge Holders, explaining "to be a Badge Holder is to be someone's loved one and to hold a badge." Over the Hills and Far Away is dedicated to Richard Cole, "who hasn't got a Badge Holder." Page tears through a wild, spaced-out guitar solo as Bonzo and Jones explore a funky groove. Since I've Been Loving You is an intense emotional journey, introduced as "a blues for Badge Holders." 

Jones's piano solo develops into an excellent blues shuffle as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. The band is absolutely on fire as Page blazes through a fantastically epic guitar solo. He shreds wildly through the song's explosive outro. An amazing performance. The band gets into an excellent impromptu rendition of That's All Right prior to Black Country Woman. Page wanders through a seemingly endless, twenty-two minute White Summer/Black Mountain Side, the longest ever. Plant delivers a strong performance during a thunderous Kashmir, belting out each line with power and bravado. Only the intro and outro of Over the Top survive on the tape, cutting out the majority of the drum solo. Page's experimental guitar solo is unbearably long, stretching well beyond twenty minutes in length. 

The band pummels the crowd during a frantic Achilles Last Stand. Bonzo thrashes at his drums with incredible intensity as Page shreds wildly through the guitar solos. The combined sonic assault threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. An utterly devastating performance. Stairway to Heaven features an outstanding guitar solo from Page. His fingers race across the fretboard in an endless cascade of notes as the band slowly builds to an explosive climax. A fantastic performance, one of the best in recent memory. Plant tells the crowd "we're gonna try something off the new album that's coming out in about, um... in a period of time," adding "yes, we're actually gonna record again" before the band closes the show with a riotous rendition of Jerry Lee Lewis's It'll Be Me. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you LA, twenty-five past midnight, goodnight!"

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

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 242: 6/25/1977 Los Angeles, CA

6/25/1977 Los Angeles, CA  Mike the Mike

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

The band returns for their fourth night at The Forum and it's evident that some of the initial frenzy has worn off as the show gets underway. Page's playing is very loose during The Song Remains the Same, almost to a fault at times. Plant once again mentions the Badge Holders before Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page shreds wildly through an excellent guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we intend to try and put as much gusto as possible into a saturday night for ya." The band's final performance of In My Time of Dying features a short impromptu rendition of Rip it Up during Plant's "oh my Jesus" break. Page is on fire during a powerful Since I've Been Loving You, his fingers tear across the fretboard in a furious cascade of notes during the guitar solo. No Quarter features an excellent blues improvisation during Jones's piano solo. Page blazes through an epic guitar solo. 

A woman near the taper can be heard shouting "and did you know that it is against the law to rock and roll in the United States of America?" as The Battle of Evermore comes to a close. Plant introduces Going to California as "the search for the Badge Holder." The walls of the arena quake under the power of Bonzo's thunderous fills near the end of Kashmir. The band hammers through an aggressive Trampled Underfoot, which is dedicated to Robert Johnson. Page shreds through a somewhat erratic guitar solo. Bonzo is introduced as "the mainstay of the whole driving force behind sleeping with Led Zeppelin" before a marathon Over the Top. The band pummels the crowd with a frantic Achilles Last Stand. Plant hints at Communication Breakdown before Stairway to Heaven, which features an amazing guitar solo from Page. As the band returns to the stage, Plant announces "Led Zeppelin salutes a permanent Badge Holder" after greeting groupie Lori Maddox. Whole Lotta Love is preceded by a funky intro. The band closes the show with an explosive Communication Breakdown, its first and only appearance in 1977.

The tape is yet another excellent Mike Millard recording. Very clear and well-balanced, if a bit hissy at times.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 241: 6/23/1977 Los Angeles, CA

6/23/1977 Los Angeles, CA  Zeppelin Digital Vol. 3

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

The legendary For Badge Holders Only show begins with a brief soundcheck before the band launches into The Song Remains the Same. Page seems to be having trouble with his equipment, causing him to fumble through the guitar solos. The band stops playing as the song ends, leaving Plant to welcome the crowd to "three hours of lunacy" before dedicating Sick Again to John Reid. Nobody's Fault But Mine features an excellent guitar solo. Plant dedicates Over the Hills and Far Away to "perhaps the biggest dreamer in the world... a star quality Badge Holder too, Mr. John Bindon." Since I've Been Loving You is dramatic and powerful.

No Quarter is introduced as "a song about one of those journeys that sometimes can bring surprises that you don't expect to encounter." The instrumental section is introduced by an extended electric piano interlude followed by a series of ghostly theramin howls. Jones's fingers dance across the keys during a fantastic piano solo, which develops into an outstanding blues improvisation as Page and Bonzo join in. The band moves as one as they embark on an epic journey, led by the urgent cadences of Page's blistering guitar solo. The frenzy reaches its peak during the violently explosive finale. A phenomenal performance, the best ever. The band is in high spirits, joking around with each other as Plant attempts to introduce an excellent Ten Years Gone, called "Ten Years Bonham" tonight. Page blazes through the guitar solos. Plant announces "tonight's word in the concert is 'badge'," adding "if you are a Badge Holder of a rock star, you are somebody to be reckoned with" before The Battle of Evermore. Going to California is introduced as "a song that refers to the constant search for the Badge Holder." Plant hints at D'yer Mak'er before Black Country Woman. 

The band gets completely lost after Jones misses a change during Kashmir, taking an eternity to get back on track. Plant is the only one who seems to know what he's doing. The band hammers through an impromptu Trampled Underfoot following a shouted request from Bonzo. Page disappears momentarily during the initial verses. The biggest surprise of the night is the unannounced appearance of Keith Moon, running onstage during Over the Top, shouting "the best rock and roll drummer in the world living today, Mr. John Bonham!" and "hey John, whip Buddy Rich's ass!... show those jazz motherfuckers!" He later attacks Bonzo's drum kit during the tympani section, violently thrashing at anything within reach. As the song ends, Plant introduces the two drummers as "the dynamic loonies!" Moon announces "I'm looking forward to coming back here with my backing group later on in the year" before leaving the stage. 

Page plays a bit of God Save the Queen before The Star-Spangled Banner during the experimental guitar solo. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic explosion of energy. Page shreds through the guitar solos as Bonzo pummels the crowd with his thunderous pounding. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you very much, I hope we're not keepin' you up." Stairway to Heaven features a fantastically epic guitar solo. Keith Moon returns to the stage, ranting and raving about rock and roll before Whole Lotta Love. The band plus Moon close the show with a quick and dirty Rock and Roll. Plant announces "LA, it's been very funny, goodnight" as they leave the stage. A fitting end to this wild party.

The tape is a combination of at least two sources. The first, used through Over the Hills and Far Away, is very clear and well-balanced. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is another excellent Mike Millard recording.

Day 240: 6/22/1977 Los Angeles, CA

6/22/1977 Los Angeles, CA  Thirty Years Gone

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

The band's second night in LA and the frenzy has not let up. Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums as Page shreds erratically through a frantic The Song Remains the Same. The combined sonic assault threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. Plant barks aggressively as the band pummels the crowd with another brutal Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant exclaims "give it a rest!" in response to a series of firecracker blasts, insisting "leave it out, we don't want that!" The band hammers through a bone-crushing In My Time of Dying, even getting into an impromptu lemon-squeezing interlude following the You Shook Me tease. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "I lay awake til dawn this mornin', thinkin' about lemons... and the lack of squeezers."

Since I've Been Loving You is incredibly raw and powerful. No Quarter is an epic journey. Jones's piano solo gives way to an excellent blues rock jam before Page embarks on a long, wandering guitar solo. He shreds wildly during the song's outro. An otherwise beautiful Going to California is interrupted by someone near the taper shouting "fuck all you pigs!" very close to the microphone. Page breaks a string during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, leaving Jones to improvise a short bass solo. The song's momentum is disrupted briefly as Page pauses to tune the guitar upon his return. The crowd erupts as the band launches into a devastating Kashmir. Plant's aggressive howls echo through the arena as the band hammers through the thunderous march. 

Bonzo is introduced as "the more peace-loving, placid member of the band" before Over the Top. The first mention of the mysterious Badge Holders comes as Plant calls Bonzo "a friend of a diamond-studded Badge Holder" as the drum solo comes to a close. The biggest surprise of the night is the inclusion of Over the Hills and Far Away so late in the set. Plant has returned to the more manageable post-1972 melody for the chorus. Page blazes through a spaced-out guitar solo. Achilles Last Stand is a frantic explosion of energy. Bonzo pummels his drums with incredible power and intensity as Page tears through the guitar solos. Stairway to Heaven features an outstanding guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant announces "that's about three hours and ten minutes, love ya, goodnight!" The band closes the show with a wildly cacophonous Rock and Roll. Another devastating performance at The Forum.

The tape is a combination of five sources. The first, used through Since I've Been Loving You, is noisy and overloaded. The second, inexplicably used only for the final note of Since I've Been Loving You and the initial verses of No Quarter, is very clear and well-balanced. The third, used for the remainder of No Quarter, is fairly clear, but extremely hissy. The fourth, used for Ten Years Gone (available here for the first time), is very muffled and distorted. The fifth, used for the remainder of the show, is fairly clear and well-balanced, if a bit distant and noisy in the high end.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 238: 6/19/1977 San Diego, CA

6/19/1977 San Diego, CA  Jimmypy

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

The show gets off to an uneven start with a sluggish The Song Remains the Same. Bonzo struggles to keep the beat as Page tries in vain to speed things up. By the beginning of Sick Again, it's obvious Bonzo's having an off night. Completely missing his cues during the intro, he crawls through the rest of the song at a snail's pace. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "we're not gonna do too much spieling, cause I heard the live album, so we'll just play a lotta music instead." Bonzo continues to struggle during Nobody's Fault But Mine. Page shreds through a sticky-fingered guitar solo. Plant exclaims "oh my Audrey!" near the end of In My Time of Dying. As the song ends, he mentions that Jones is having trouble with his back, joking "it's about time that somebody noted it down in the press that John Paul Jones doesn't just play backgammon." 

Page is on fire during Since I've Been Loving You, which features mournful organ accompaniment from Jones. Unfortunately, Bonzo's erratic drumming frequently disrupts the somber mood, preventing the piece from ever really coming together. Jones's piano solo develops into an excellent hard rock jam as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. Page's guitar solo gets off to an excellent start, but is quickly derailed by Bonzo's disjointed overplaying. Plant introduces the acoustic set as "our version of a sort of a Californian Crosby, Stills, Nash and Bonham" before The Battle of Evermore. He forgets some lyrics during an otherwise beautiful Going to California.

Page and Plant get into a fantastic impromptu rendition of Mystery Train before Black Country Woman. Bonzo is absent for the remainder of the acoustic set. Page plays a bit of Dancing Days during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. Plant is in top form during Kashmir, belting out each line with power and bravado. Bonzo is constantly on the brink of falling apart while still managing to deliver some very lively passages at times. The crowd erupts as the band launches into Achilles Last Stand. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage, Plant tells the crowd "it's good to be back San Diego, it really is good to be back, goodnight."

The tape is another excellent Mike Millard recording.

Day 237: 6/14/1977 New York, NY

6/14/1977 New York, NY  (unknown gen)

The Song Remains the Same, Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over the Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Over the Top

The sixth night at The Garden and the band's final New York performance in its original form begins with a fiercely energetic The Song Remains the Same. Plant's aggressive snarl dominates a ferocious Sick Again. As the song ends, he apologizes for the delay, saying "there was a real reason for it, I'd got no clothes to wear," which is met with shouts of "bullshit!" from the crowd. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through an erratic guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. Plant again tries to sing the chorus of Over the Hills and Far Away in its original melody, but falls short. Page is all over the place during the guitar solo. Plant introduces Since I've Been Loving You as "a song about the doubts of love," adding "and if there's anybody wandering around this auditorium tonight who's in doubt... don't be." Page has reverted to the sharp, angular soloing style characteristic of the 1975 North American tour. 

Jones is introduced as "one of the greatest yachtsmen on Central Park" before No Quarter. Page and Jones get into a spirited interplay prior to an epic guitar solo section. There is a cut in the tape during the final verse. Page nearly destroys the guitar solos during Ten Years Gone. Plant hints at Gallows Pole before The Battle of Evermore. Going to California is introduced as "a song about the desire to find what you want and sometimes almost giving up." Page hints at Pinball Wizard at the beginning of Black Country Woman, which is dedicated to Ral Donner. Plant delivers a powerful performance during Kashmir. Unfortunately, the recording ends just over three minutes into Over the Top.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant and noisy. Unfortunately, it runs slightly fast.

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

6/13/1977 New York, NY  (1st gen)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*- soundboard: (master cassette>dat)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 233: 6/8/1977 New York, NY

6/8/1977 New York, NY  (source 1 unknown gen)

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

*- Second Night in the Garden

Bonzo hammers at his drums with incredible intensity during the opening numbers. The crowd erupts as Sick Again comes to a close. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. Jones delivers a dramatic piano solo during No Quarter, which develops into an upbeat honky tonk jam as Page and Bonzo join in. The guitar solo section is an epic journey with Bonzo leading the way. The band receives a rapturous ovation as the piece comes to a close. Plant urges Jones to "leave the Heineken alone" while waiting for him to retrieve the triple neck before an excellent Ten Years Gone. He hints at Gallows Pole before introducing Going to California as "a pictorial sketch of a conflict between a man and himself." There is a cut in the tape near the end of White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Plant delivers a strong performance during Kashmir. Bonzo thrashes wildly at anything within reach during a frantic Achilles Last Stand. Plant barks aggressively during the show-closing Rock and Roll.

The tape is distant, muffled, and noisy.

Day 232: 6/7/1977 New York, NY

6/7/1977 New York, NY  Back to the Garden

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

The first show of the band's six night residency at Madison Square Garden begins with a frantic The Song Remains the Same. The taper seems to be having a bit of trouble with his equipment, losing the right channel momentarily. Plant repeatedly exclaims "oh Jimmy!" as Page launches into a blistering sticky-fingered guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "it's really great to be back, cause we never really knew whether we would ever make it back, y'know?... and I guess now that we have, we better do it good, right?" He insists that the crowd cool it with the firecrackers before dedicating In My Time of Dying to Queen Elizabeth II, in honor of her Silver Jubilee. The band hammers through a devastatingly heavy performance as Plant barks aggressively.

Since I've Been Loving You is an epic drama. Page is absolutely on fire, his fingers tear across the fretboard as he leads the crowd on an emotional journey. Plant is in top form, belting out each line with power and conviction. A fantastic performance, one of the best in recent memory. Someone near the taper can be heard saying "look here, on the roof!... they got a fuckin' Laserium!" as Jones begins his piano solo during No Quarter. There is a slight cut in the tape shortly thereafter. Page and Bonzo join in for another frenzied rendition of Nut Rocker. Page shreds wildly through an excellent guitar solo as Bonzo relentlessly hammers at his drums. Plant introduces Ten Years Gone as "a song about loves lost, but never gone." The crowd cheers loudly as the band begins a beautiful Going to California. The delicate atmosphere is interrupted by a barrage of firecracker blasts following the first verse.

Page and Plant get into a tongue-in-cheek rendition of Rawhide before Black Country Woman. Unfortunately, the latter is cut after just over a minute. The crowd erupts as Kashmir bursts out of White Summer/Black Mountain Side. The band completely loses track of one another during the latter half of the song. There are a couple briefly disturbing speed fluctuations near the beginning of an explosive Achilles Last Stand. Plant dedicates Stairway to Heaven to "the fact that good vibes are alive and well in New York." Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo. Plant exclaims "now let's go back to 1969!" before Whole Lotta Love. The band closes the show with a riotous Rock and Roll, getting caught up in the frenzy and losing track of one another during the guitar solo.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit noisy in the high end. The encore is quite muffled and distant.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.