Day 67: 9/19/1970 (evening) New York, NY

9/19/1970 (evening) New York, NY (cassette>reel>cdr)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Out on the Tiles, Communication Breakdown, The Girl Can't Help It, I'm Talking About You, Twenty Flight Rock, How Many More Times

The final show of the tour, lost in storage for thirty-three years before being accidentally unearthed by the taper in 2003, who thought he was offering an upgrade to the afternoon set. After a brief introduction by Scott Muni, Immigrant Song comes thundering out of the gate. The band is on fire with a "take no prisoners" attitude. The taper added a false stereo panning effect to Page's a cappella solo in Heartbreaker when transferring his cassette master to reel. Page's soloing is inspired, showcasing dynamic feats of finger acrobatics.

Plant improvises a new second verse during Dazed and Confused to address those in the crowd who are blocking everyone's view by standing on their chairs. The false stereo panning effect returns during the bow solo. Plant interrupts Page to again try to get the crowd to sit down before the police get involved. The end of the guitar solo is a cacophonous explosion. Plant again pays tribute to Jimi Hendrix, who had died the day prior, before That's the Way. Since I've Been Loving You is a dramatic wall of sound. Page's soloing is drunkenly inspired. Plant is living every word he sings, full of raw emotion. A breathtaking performance.

Jones really vamps it up during the organ solo, one of the longest and most dynamic of the tour. Thank You is utterly devastating. One of the best and heaviest thus far. The false stereo panning effect makes its return during What is and What Should Never Be. Bonzo is introduced as "the man who made Milwaukee famous" before Moby Dick, which is cut in the middle. Whole Lotta Love is preceded by an excellent jam on the riff from Jeff Beck's Rice Pudding. The Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section at the end of the theramin freakout is a chaotic explosion of energy. The riotous marathon medley includes I Believe I'll Dust My Broom, John Lee Hooker's Bottle Up and Go, another excellent Lawdy Miss Clawdy at Plant's urging, Cinnamon Girl over the For What it's Worth theme, Some Other Guy, Train Kept a Rollin' with Stroll On lyrics, I'm a King Bee, Tommy McClennan's Baby Don't You Want to Go?, Freddie King's See See Baby, Jimmy Reed's You Got Me Runnin', and Muddy Waters's Honey Bee. One of the best and most elaborate thus far.

The second and final appearance of Out on the Tiles is introduced as "written by John Bonham" by Plant. It's a shame this wasn't played more often. The coda leads directly into Communication Breakdown after a flawless transition. There are some tape distortions during Page's frenzied solo. The breakdown features an extended bass solo and the first rare appearance of Gallow's Pole. After the band leaves the stage, someone near the taper declares "I'm gonna rip Madison Square Garden apart! Everybody is!" When the band returns, they launch into a frantic medley of old rock classics including The Girl Can't Help It, I'm Talking About You, and Twenty Flight Rock.

The biggest surprise of the night is How Many More Times as the final encore. The song's first appearance since the Bath Festival. The band is absolutely on fire. Every moment is a constant explosion of power and energy. The medley includes Boogie Chillen', Chuck Berry's No Money Down, and another excellent Blueberry Hill. The crowd is driven mad by the explosive finale.

The best performance thus far. Period.

The tape is excellent. Clear, well-balanced, and atmospheric. Must hear.

Day 66: 9/19/1970 (afternoon) New York, NY

9/19/1970 (afternoon) New York, NY
Have You Ever Experienced?

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

Led Zeppelin's first appearance at Madison Square Garden begins with a simple "good afternoon" from Plant. The tape shifts between sources a bit during Heartbreaker, finally settling in and clearing up for Page's excellent a cappella solo. Page plays a variety of bluesy licks during the initial verses in Dazed and Confused. A vendor selling binoculars passes near the taper during the bow solo, which Page ends with an explosion of wah-wah.

The taper fiddles with the microphone a bit during another beautiful That's the Way. Plant asks the crowd if they remember the band's shows at Central Park and Carnegie Hall before Bron-Yr-Aur. Page takes a laid-back approach during another great Since I've Been Loving You. The tape gets a bit warbly at the end of Thank You. Plant expresses the band's sorrow over Jimi Hendrix's death the day prior before What is and What Should Never Be.

Plant once again attempts to prevent a confrontation between the crowd and the authorities before Whole Lotta Love. Page lets the theramin go wild during the Everybody Needs Somebody to Love section. The medley includes John Lee Hooker's Bottle Up and Go, For What it's Worth, and Muddy Waters's Honey Bee after a funky interlude. The show end with Communication Breakdown, which features a brief reference to American Woman during the breakdown. As the rest of the band finishes the song, Page keeps playing and brings them back around for another funky breakdown before letting the song end. A taste of things to come later that evening.

The tape is a combination of at least two sources. The primary source is very clear with Page front and center. The filler and end of the show source is a bit hissy and distant, but still highly enjoyable.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 65: 9/9/1970 Boston, MA

9/9/1970 Boston, MA (2nd gen>cdr)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with a long-winded, rambling stage announcement about Paul McCartney and festival licenses at Boston College before J.J. Jackson introduces the band. After a long pause while Page changes guitars, they launch into Immigrant Song. Plant gets the verses mixed up during Heartbreaker, getting a bit lost in the process. Page's a cappella solo is a bit disjointed at the beginning. There seems to be some sort of illicit transaction taking place near the taper during the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. There is a brief drop-out at the beginning of the fiery guitar solo. Page's fingers fly across the fretboard with wild precision.

Page makes his guitar squeal with delight at the end of the rock section in Bring it on Home. Plant gets lost in the lyrics during That's the Way. The harmony near the end of the song is especially mournful. The final chord of Bron-Yr-Aur coincides with a speed fluctuation in the tape. Page has a bit of trouble finding the right notes during the first verse of Since I've Been Loving You. Tape disturbances mar the dramatic latter half of the song. Plant encourages the crowd to get loose "despite the herdsmen" before Jones's organ solo, which is also marred with constant tape disturbances and cut near the end.

Page's excellent solo during Thank You is interrupted by a volume shift and the erratic arrhythmic clapping of the crowd near the taper. Plant asks the crowd to be cool so as to avoid any trouble with the authorities before Whole Lotta Love. The medley includes Stop Messin' Round, Ramble On, For What it's Worth, Some Other Guy after a cut in the tape, and Muddy Waters's Honey Bee, during which Plant has the crowd making buzzing sounds. The erratic clapping returns during the explosive finale. The show ends with a quick and dirty Communication Breakdown.

The tape is fairly clear and well-balanced, if a bit distant. The tape disturbances and arrhythmic clapping can be a bit distracting.

Day 63: 9/4/1970 Los Angeles, CA

9/4/1970 Los Angeles, CA
Live on Blueberry Hill: The Complete LA Forum Tapes
(TMOQ alt. source)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Out on the Tiles, Blueberry Hill

This is the big one, the tape that started it all. The lives of Led Zeppelin fans would never be the same after this recording made its way into their collective hands. The tape begins with a brief band introduction and Plant telling the crowd "it's been a long time... but tonight we're gonna make up for it." Immigrant Song is devastating, an attack on all fronts from the first note to the last. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo in Heartbreaker, but it doesn't detract from the high energy performance. The crowd goes wild during the bow solo in Dazed and Confused. The band are locked into each other, the relentless attack is mesmerizing.

Plant opines that "18,000 pairs of hands should sound pretty good" before Bring it on Home. That's the Way is flawless, truly beautiful. Plant mentions the less than favorable reception the acoustic numbers have received in the midwest before introducing Bron-Yr-Aur. His voice is raw and powerful during Since I've Been Loving You, heightening the dramatic effect. Plant jokes that the bearded Led Zeppelin are "adverts for Gillette" before introducing Jones's organ solo. Thank You is excellent, Page's soloing soars above Bonzo's thunderous pounding. An epic drama. Bonzo displays great power and finesse during an extended Moby Dick.

As usual, Whole Lotta Love is an explosion of atomic energy. The raucous medley includes Jimmy Rogers's That's Alright, I'm Movin' On, Elmore James's Shake Your Money Maker, a frenzied Some Other Guy, and an excellent rendition of Buddy Holly's Think it Over. It ends with the best slow blues rendition of Honey Bee/The Lemon Song thus far, which includes the great Plant adlib "I don't care how hard you squeeze it mama, just take your teeth out before you get into bed." A firecracker blast punctuates the finale. As the band leaves the stage, the announcer enthusiastically asks the crowd "did you dig it?!"

One of, if not the best version of Communication Breakdown features an extended medley during the breakdown. Good Times Bad Times is followed by a funky bass solo. Another excellent rendition of For What it's Worth is followed by Plant singing the first verse of I Saw Her Standing There over the For What it's Worth theme before the band joins in for an explosive chorus. The most haunting, melancholic rendition of the early Beatles classic I've ever heard. As the band leaves the stage, the announcer tries to calm the frenzied crowd, telling then the band "can't do it all night." They'll surely try though. The band returns to the stage for the first rare appearance of Out on the Tiles. It's amazing this song never became a regular part of the setlist. The show ends with another excellent rendition of Blueberry Hill, with Plant doing his best Fats Domino impression.

As the band leaves the stage for the last time, Plant bids the crowd "goodnight and thanks for everything!" So ends one of the most important concerts in Led Zeppelin history. Absolutely amazing.

One of Led Zeppelin's most well-documented shows, the tape is an excellent audience recording, fit for official release. It doesn't get much better than this. Must Hear.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 61: 9/2/1970 Oakland, CA

9/2/1970 Oakland, CA  (master cassette>reel>dat)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown, Train Kept a Rollin', Blueberry Hill, Long Tall Sally

Plant's voice is powerful during Immigrant Song. Page displays some virtuoso fingerwork during the solos in Heartbreaker, hitting each note with precision. The bow solo during Dazed and Confused is haunting. Plant tells the crowd the next song "needs you more than it needs us" before Bring it on Home. He manages to get the crowd to quiet down for a beautiful That's the Way. Bron-Yr-Aur is dedicated to the wild ones in the crowd. 

Since I've Been Loving You is a bit more subdued than usual, but Plant still manages a few moments of inspiration. Plant recounts a story about the unruly American woman in the crowd at an Elvis concert before Thank You. Bonzo's thunderous pounding during Moby Dick gets the crowd on their feet, with many shouting their approval toward the end of the song. One particularly enthusiastic fan repeatedly yells "c'mon motherfucker!" quite loudly as Bonzo plays the drums with his hands. 

The band's energy picks up during Whole Lotta Love. The riotous medley includes Carl Perkins's Boppin' the Blues, an excellent Lawdy Miss Clawdy, For What it's Worth (making its first appearance with lyrics), Muddy Waters favorites Honey Bee and Long Distance Call, I'm Movin' On, Fortune Teller, and That's All Right. Communication Breakdown once again features Good Times Bad Times during an especially funky breakdown. After Plant bids the crowd goodnight, the band returns to the stage for the first appearance of Train Kept a Rollin' in over a year, followed by the first appearance of Blueberry Hill (one of my favorite Led Zeppelin covers). The show ends with an incredibly fast, riotous Long Tall Sally, which includes Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey. A taste of things to come.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, if a bit distant. Highly enjoyable.

Day 60: 8/31/1970 Milwaukee, WI

8/31/1970 Milwaukee, WI  (master>dat)

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You

The band is on fire. Page absolutely shreds through the solos in Heartbreaker. Plant hits an impossibly high note during the final verse at the end of the line "go away heartbreaker!" Page plays a funky stop-start riff during the guitar solo section in Dazed and Confused. Plant improvises new lyrics during the final verse. After Bring it on Home, Plant jokes that the way things are going, the new album could be out within anywhere between three weeks and ten years. The recording ends with another dramatic Since I've Been Loving You in which Page delivers a particularly inspired performance.

The tape is clear and well-balanced, quite enjoyable. If only we had the rest of this energetic, playful performance.

Day 59: 8/21/1970 Tulsa, OK

8/21/1970 Tulsa, OK  Turn the Lights Off!

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

Plant tells the crowd to "be prepared to take off your ties" before Immigrant Song. Page stops playing during the a cappella solo in Heartbreaker and demands that the house lights be turned off. Plant echoes his demand and asks the crowd to cooperate and sit down or the show will not continue. The crowd cheers as the light go down and Page continues with an excellent second half of the solo. Dazed and Confused is amazing. Page adds new sections and riffs throughout the marathon guitar solo section, even including some licks from White Summer during the outro. One of, if not the best performance thus far. A true epic.

Page, Plant, and Bonzo get into an intimate interplay with each other in the middle of Bring it on Home. Plant teases those sitting in the balcony, asking if they've got their popcorn and telling them if they're falling asleep, That's the Way will help them along. The taper fiddles with the microphone during the song, disturbing the delicate atmosphere. Jones plays some beautiful licks on the mandolin. Plant tries to keep the crowd calm as Page plays the intro to another moody, dynamic Since I've Been Loving You. Bonzo's performance is especially powerful. The song seems to get better and better with each performance.

The middle of Thank You is explosive, Page's frenzied soloing soars over Bonzo's thunderous pounding. Plant sounds mournful during the final verse as Page's ethereal licks accent Jones's organ outro. A beautiful performance. Plant once again showcases his encyclopedic knowledge of old rock and blues classics during Whole Lotta Love. The medley includes an excellent rendition of Matchbox, Jimmy Rogers's That's Alright, and a slow blues version of Heartbeat. Plant has the crowd screaming "P.A. is crap!" in response to the feedback on his microphone before the band launches into frenzied renditions of Elvis Presley's My Baby Left Me and That's All Right. He warns the crowd to be cool before Communication Breakdown. Page accents the end of the song with a series of theramin bursts. An absolutely amazing performance from beginning to end. Definitely a must hear.

The tape is a great audience recording, clear and well-balanced. Amazing.

Side note: I designed the artwork for this a decade ago when this version surfaced (as Sharky Goes West) and forgot about it, only to find someone had uploaded it to Zeppelin Art after all this time. Cheers to whoever held onto it for all these years.

Day 58: 8/17/1970 Hampton, VA

8/17/1970 Hampton, VA  Live in Hampton 1970

Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Dazed and Confused, Bring it on Home, That's the Way, Bron-Yr-Aur, Since I've Been Loving You, Thank You, What is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with the taper asking his friends for the time as the band does a brief soundcheck before launching into Immigrant Song, which is almost a carbon copy of the version on Led Zeppelin III. Page's soloing is rather subdued during Dazed and Confused, preferring long sustained notes and simple patterns over the usual acrobatics. There are some tape disturbances that effect the stereo separation during Bring it on Home.

The acoustic set is expanding as the first appearance of Bron-Yr-Aur replaces White Summer/Black Mountain Side as Page's solo showcase. More tape issues all but destroy Page's delicate intro to Since I've Been Loving You. Jones's ever-expanding organ solo is no longer a mere intro to Thank You, but is quickly becoming its own complex entity. The unfortunate tape disturbances continue throughout Thank You, particularly during the guitar solo. The tape is cut during the medley in Whole Lotta Love as the band is playing a slow blues "feel so good" jam. The band is quite subdued, a far cry from the usual boogie explosion. The sound deteriorates considerably as they return for Communication Breakdown, which again features Good Times Bad Times following the bass solo.

The recording is a bit distant and muffled with many tape issues throughout the show.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.