Day 39: 2/28/1970 Copenhagen, Denmark

2/28/1970 Copenhagen, Denmark  The Nobs!

Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, C'mon Everybody, Something Else, Bring it on Home, Long Tall Sally

The tape starts just as Dazed and Confused is beginning, Plant adopts a delta blues drawl during the third verse. The crowd rhythmically claps along to Page's string slapping during the bow solo. Bonzo sounds like an earthquake during the guitar solo, the return to the main descending riff is absolutely devastating. Page's intro to Heartbreaker is explosive and angry. Bonzo's thunderous pounding is unrelenting. Page shreds wildly through the guitar solo. A very heavy and powerful rendition.

The crowd's incessant rhythmic clapping between songs is overwhelming. White Summer/Black Mountain Side is repeatedly interrupted by a man in the crowd talking loudly very close to the taper. Bonzo thrashes his way through Thank You, destroying the delicate facade. The beginning of How Many More Times is a wild ruckus. Plant gets into the "oh baby, pretty baby" chant he'll later use for Black Dog during the intro to the medley. Communication Breakdown features a funky bass solo from Jones during the breakdown. Plant comes in early at the beginning of the song, repeating the first line to right himself after Bonzo crashes into action. The crowd's rhythmic clapping works to the band's advantage during Bring it on Home, Page even gets into a call and response duel with them during the guitar solo. The show ends with a raucous Long Tall Sally, with Bonzo destroying anything within reach. A riotous performance.

The tape is fairly clear, if a bit distant.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 37: 1/9/1970 London, England

1/9/1970 London England  Royal Albert Hall Multitrack

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

*-The Lost Mixes EP Vol. 7

^-Royal Albert Hall 1970 Master Edition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 18: 6/16/1969 London, England

6/16/1969 London, England The Complete BBC Radio Sessions

The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair, Communication Breakdown, Something Else, What is and What Should Never Be

The band's third BBC appearance begins with the only recording of The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair, a funky blues song with a riff similar to that of Moby Dick. There is a false start before Communication Breakdown, followed by an engineer telling Plant not to talk during the intro. The song includes "squeeze my lemon..." lyrics during the breakdown. A raucous version of Something Else features Jones on piano. The first appearance of What is and What Should Never Be finishes the set in a form very close to the version on Led Zeppelin II. After some confusion in the studio, the tape ends with a strange interview with the band conducted by Chris Grant.

The tape is an excellent broadcast master.