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 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 246: 7/20/1977 Tempe, AZ

7/20/1977 Tempe, AZ  (master>cassette>dat)

The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Kashmir, Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven

The tape begins with a barrage of firecracker blasts as the band prepares for the acoustic set. Plant is still having trouble with his voice, completely losing control toward the end of The Battle of Evermore. The taper can be heard fiddling with his microphone throughout Going to California. Plant's weak voice forces him to alter the song's melody to compensate. Page wanders aimlessly through an uninspired guitar breakdown during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. The band plods through a lackluster Trampled Underfoot. Someone near the taper can be heard shouting "The Lemon Song!" as the piece comes to a close.

Page abandons White Summer tonight, playing only a few bars of Black Mountain Side before jumping directly into Kashmir without the rest of the band. Unfortunately, a cut in the tape near the end of the song leaves us at the beginning of the bow section during the experimental guitar solo. Achilles Last Stand is a disaster. Page constantly gets lost in the arrangement, resulting in a chaotic cacophony of mistakes as the band struggles to get back on track. The studio recording of All Right Now can be heard bleeding through the tape as the song ends. The distracting effect continues through the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "thank you very much, you've been too kind... really."

The tape is quite muffled and distant.

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.

Month Eleven: November 2008

Here's the schedule for November for anyone following along. Only 31 shows to go...

Let's rock.

Monday 11/3
1977.06.22 Inglewood California

Tuesday 11/4
1977.06.23 Inglewood California

Wednesday 11/5
1977.06.25 Inglewood California

Thursday 11/6
1977.06.26 Inglewood California

Friday 11/7
1977.06.27 Inglewood California

Monday 11/10
1977.07.17 Seattle, Washington

Tuesday 11/11
1977.07.20 Tempe, Arizona

Wednesday 11/12
1977.07.23 Oakland, California

Thursday 11/13
1977.07.24 Oakland, California

Friday 11/14
1979.07.23 Copenhagen Denmark

Monday 11/17
1979.07.24 Copenhagen Denmark

Tuesday 11/18
1979.08.04 Stevenage, U.K.

Wednesday 11/19
1979.08.11 Stevenage, U.K.

Thursday 11/20
1980.06.17 Dortmund, Germany

Friday 11/21
1980.06.18 Cologne, Germany

Monday 11/24
1980.06.20 Brussels, Belgium

Tuesday 11/25
1980.06.21 Rotterdam, Netherlands

Wednesday 11/26
1980.06.23 Bremen, Germany

Thursday 11/27
1980.06.24 Hannover, Germany

Friday 11/28
1980.06.26 Vienna, Austria
1980.06.27 Nuremburg, Germany

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.