Day 263: 7/3/1980 Mannheim, Germany

7/3/1980 Mannheim, Germany  Mannheim 1980

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Communication Breakdown, Rock and Roll

The second night in Mannheim begins with a brief soundcheck before the band launches into Train Kept a Rollin'. Page tears through a sticky-fingered guitar solo during Nobody's Fault But Mine. Black Dog is once again introduced as "Strangers in the Night" by Page. As the song ends, Plant announces "may we say, we had a really, uh... wunderbar time last night" before asking the crowd to "move back just a touch." In the Evening is outstanding. Page blazes through the guitar solos with incredible fluency. During a long pause following his introduction of The Rain Song, Plant tells the crowd "we just seem to have a little kind of, um... Monty Python sketch on the one side of the stage," to which Page responds "it's called amplifier brainstorms." The song itself is fantastic, one of the best in recent memory. 

Plant tells the crowd "dinosaurs are gonna motivate and go really quickly" while introducing Trampled Underfoot. Page shreds erratically through the wah-wah heavy guitar solos. The band begins to lose momentum during Achilles Last Stand. Page's fingers get stuck in the strings at times during a lackluster White Summer/Black Mountain Side. The crowd goes mad as Stairway to Heaven begins. Page delivers a somewhat uneven guitar solo. Plant pushes his voice to the limit during what will prove to be the band's final performance of Communication Breakdown. Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo. The band closes the show with a fast and loose Rock and Roll.

The tape is yet another excellent soundboard recording.

Day 258: 6/24/1980 Hannover, Germany

6/24/1980 Hannover, Germany  Live Omega

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Communication Breakdown

Train Kept a Rollin' is a chaotic explosion of energy. Page tears through the song at top speed as the band races to keep up with his ferocious attack. Plant's voice starts off a bit rough, unable to handle the strain at times during Black Dog. Page blazes through a stick-fingered guitar solo. As the song ends, Plant announces "nice echo in here... many people play here today, or is this just part of the torture?" adding off-mic "fuckin' horrible place." The band hammers through an excellent In the Evening. Bonzo plays the opening snare pattern of Moby Dick as The Rain Song comes to a close. Plant dedicates Hot Dog to "our sound crew, who come from Dallas." Page shreds wildly through a blistering guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo and Jones drop out of the mix momentarily toward the end of the song. The band pummels the crowd with an aggressive Achilles Last Stand. Plant delivers another powerful performance during a thunderous Kashmir, following a somewhat lackluster White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Page blazes through an outstanding guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. Plant hints at Money before the show-closing Communication Breakdown, which begins with a slow, choppy intro from Page.

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a distant audience source.

Day 257: 6/23/1980 Bremen, Germany

6/23/1980 Bremen, Germany  Live Omega

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Communication Breakdown

Plant barks aggressively as the band races through an explosive Train Kept a Rollin'. Bonzo forgets some of the breaks during Nobody's Fault But Mine, robbing the song of its dynamic tension. Plant's voice is a bit rough during In the Evening, he has trouble reaching some of the higher notes. The Rain Song is fantastic. As the song ends, Plant attempts to calm the rowdy crowd so Bonzo can introduce Hot Dog. Following All My Love, Plant announces "this is one we must dedicate to Phil Carson of Atlantic Records who, if he doesn't get his shit together shortly, will be... Trampled Underfoot." Bonzo mistakenly plays through the break following the guitar solo. Plant asks the crowd to stop pushing forward prior to a lackluster Since I've Been Loving You. As the song comes to a close, Bonzo can be heard shouting "be quiet, you cunt!" at the impatient crowd. The band plods through an uninspired Achilles Last Stand. Page gets a bit lost in the arrangement toward the end of the song. Plant delivers a powerful performance during Kashmir. Stairway to Heaven features an excellent guitar solo. Bonzo fumbles through the drum outburst at the end of Rock and Roll. The band closes the show with a violent Communication Breakdown. As the song ends, Plant announces "thank you, it's nice to be... back, goodnight." A rather uninspired performance overall.

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording, briefly augmented by a fairly clear audience source.

Day 254: 6/18/1980 Cologne, Germany

6/18/1980 Cologne, Germany Live Omega

Train Kept a Rollin', Nobody's Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In the Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot, Since I've Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Stairway to Heaven, Rock and Roll, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with a brief soundcheck as Plant greets the crowd with a gravelly "good evenin'!" Train Kept a Rollin' is a chaotic explosion of energy. Page's fingers are like razor blades as he slashes and shreds through the guitar solo. Black Dog is once again introduced as "schwarzhund" by a suddenly talkative Page. The band gets a bit lost at times during Trampled Underfoot, unsure of the changes. Page shreds wildly through an erratic guitar solo. Since I've Been Loving You is a mess. Page's playing is sloppy and out of tune throughout. The crowd can be heard chanting "Rock and Roll!" as the song comes to a close. The band hammers through an urgent Kashmir. Bonzo pummels the crowd with his thunderous fills. As the song ends, Plant jokes "there's quite a lot to be said for dinosaurs." The band races through a riotous Rock and Roll before closing the show with a violently aggressive Communication Breakdown, played at lightning speed. An explosive finale to a somewhat lackluster performance.

The tape is a matrix of another bare bones soundboard recording and a noisy audience source.

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 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 212: 5/25/1975 London, England (part two)

Since Blogger has seen fit to impose a limit of twenty labels per post and Led Zeppelin saw fit to occasionally perform more than twenty songs in one evening, I've been forced to carry those extra songs over to this supplemental post. For the full review of this outstanding performance, please see 5/25/1975 London, England (part one).

Day 204: 3/21/1975 Seattle, WA

3/21/1975 Seattle, WA  Definitely Seattle

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Since I've Been Loving You, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown, Heartbreaker

The tape begins with a stage announcement asking the crowd not to light any matches during the show or the house lights will be brought up, ruining the light show. The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Following Sick Again, Plant announces "well, we went across the border, it was alright, but it's much better back here." Page blazes through an excellent guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "there's one demand that I'd like to make apart from that you enjoy what we're doin', and that is that you don't sway around too much at the front because somebody might get hurt." In My Time of Dying is an intense sonic assault. Jones's fingers dance across the fretboard as Page tears through the frantic guitar solos during The Song Remains the Same. The Rain Song is excellent. 

Page plays a bit of White Summer as Plant dedicates a powerful Kashmir to "everybody who we met in Seattle this time who's been a groove and a gas." No Quarter is introduced as "a journey with more somber intonations." Jones delivers a highly dramatic piano solo which includes hints of Georgia on My Mind. The instrumental section features an epic guitar solo from Page. Jones's playing becomes a bit erratic toward the end. Page solos wildly during the outro. An outstanding performance, one of the best thus far. As the song ends, Plant announces "there's one song that we've done twice in... I suppose since we got ripped off for all that bread in New York ages ago, and because we really dig playin' here, for no other reason we're gonna do it again now" before the second rare appearance of Since I've Been Loving You in 1975. Page blazes through a blistering guitar solo. A fantastic performance. Trampled Underfoot features an aggressive guitar solo from Page. Plant repeatedly exclaims "see saw, knock on my door, gonna swing!" As the song ends, he says "with just a little bit of Gallows Pole thrown in." 

Following a marathon Moby Dick, Plant tells the crowd "there's a little bit of a discrepancy about a guitar and a man who's being held by the police and all sorts of things, quite a story going on behind the scenes" before dedicating Dazed and Confused to "the innocent party" and "the difference and the balances between law and order." Page shreds wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo. The Woodstock interlude has been transformed into an amazingly haunting rendition of For What it's Worth. The instrumental machinery is in full swing during the frenzied guitar solo/workout section. Page is absolutely on fire, soloing furiously as Bonzo and Jones hammer along at a frantic pace. The epic journey reaches its peak during the wildly cacophonous outro jam. An utterly devastating performance, one of the best thus far. And at forty minutes in length, one of the longest as well.

Page hints at Louie Louie as Plant offers the crowd a history lesson on famous Seattle musicians before dedicating Stairway to Heaven to "the amount of work that Jimi Hendrix gave... and the amount of inspiration that he gave everybody in the business." Page slowly builds tension before erupting in a furious cascade of notes during the dynamic guitar solo. The final verse is explosive. Whole Lotta Love includes another excellent rendition of The Crunge prior to the funky theramin freakout, which is punctuated by a devastatingly heavy finale. Plant's banshee wails threaten to destroy the taper's equipment during a blistering Black Dog. There are a few slight cuts during the latter half of the song. A quick and dirty Communication Breakdown is linked nonstop with Heartbreaker. Page blazes through the guitar solos. As the band leaves the stage, Plant announces "thank you very much, we've had a great time... you've been fantastic... Seattle, goodnight!" A truly amazing marathon performance. Must hear.

The tape is a combination of two sources. The first, used through the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven, is very clear and well-balanced. The second, used for the remainder of the show, is a bit noisy and overloaded.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 191: 2/13/1975 Uniondale, NY

2/13/1975 Uniondale, NY  Fighting Back at the Coliseum

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with the usual announcement of "the American return of Led Zeppelin." The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Page shreds through the guitar solos during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "tonight we are feeling good," and it shows. Page solos wildly as Bonzo and Jones hold down a funky groove during Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is outstanding. There is a slight cut near the beginning of The Song Remains the Same. There are some minor speed fluctuations during an otherwise excellent performance of The Rain Song. 

No Quarter is absolutely fantastic. Jones's dramatic piano solo is followed by a flawlessly epic guitar solo from Page. An amazing performance, one of the best thus far. Before Dazed and Confused, Plant tells the crowd "we got together a long time ago in a little tiny room, couldn't afford a big room... and one of the first things that we did made up our mind to stick together... and this was it." The San Francisco interlude is hauntingly beautiful, one of the best iterations of the piece thus far. The band is absolutely on fire during the marathon guitar solo/workout section, led by Page's maniacal, lightning-fast soloing. He once again includes the riff from Walter's Walk briefly before a slight cut in the tape. The Mars, The Bringer of War section is utterly devastating. The forty-one minute epic reaches its climax with the blistering outro jam. A stellar performance, quite possibly the best thus far. Undoubtedly the longest and most complex.

Whole Lotta Love is played nearly complete for the first time this tour. The frenzied theramin freakout is linked nonstop with the Out on the Tiles intro to Black Dog. Page shreds erratically through the guitar solo. As the band returns to the stage, Plant introduces "a good friend of ours, Mr. Ron Wood!" joking "we're going to have a happening." He hints at Roll Over Beethoven before introducing Communication Breakdown as "an old Led Faces number." Page and Wood trade licks during a fantastic funky breakdown leading up to the frenzied finale. A phenomenal performance. Must hear.

The tape is an excellent audience recording, very clear and well-balanced, augmented by an inferior recording, which is a bit muffled and noisy.

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 184: 2/3/1975 New York, NY

2/3/1975 New York, NY  (1st gen>cdr)

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with a lot of whooping and hollering from the tapers before someone onstage announces "the American return of Led Zeppelin." One of the tapers can be heard saying "fuck the sodas man, light up the jay" as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The first verse is met with shouts of "louder!" and "his voice sounds like shit!" as they struggle to find their matches. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the guitar solo at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant asks the crowd "what ever happened to nice warm weather? it's so cold!" adding "nevermind, I think we can overcome that tonight."

Over the Hills and Far Away is devastatingly heavy. Page shreds wildly through an erratic guitar solo. Plant's voice is still rough, but slowly improving. One of the tapers can be heard saying "double neck guitar, man... that's a fine-lookin' piece of machinery" as Plant is introducing The Song Remains the Same. Page blazes through the guitar solos as Bonzo hammers at his drums with incredible intensity. Plant's injured voice lends a beautifully mournful tone to a fantastic performance of The Rain Song.

Following Kashmir, Plant tells the crowd "that was a little piece called Kashmir" joking "it costs about twenty dollars a kilo." No Quarter is introduced as "a nice wintery number." Plant describes Trampled Underfoot as having "vague sexual connotations, in that it's linked with an automobile" adding "it's an old pink truck." Before Moby Dick, Bonzo is introduced as "the man that made Led Zeppelin a myth... or a farce." One of the tapers can be heard saying "Bonham's really freakin' out, man" during the marathon drum solo.

How Many More Times has been dropped from the setlist to make way for the return of Dazed and Confused, which makes its first appearance since 7/29/1973, eighteen months earlier on this very stage. Page isn't quite up to speed yet, his fingers get stuck in the strings during the lead-in to the bow solo. The band seems a bit lost toward the end of the San Francisco interlude. Plant repeatedly moans "her face is cracked from smilin'" as Page begins the bow solo. Things get a bit disjointed during the abbreviated guitar solo/workout section, no one seems to remember the arrangement. The return to the main riff is a disaster. An uneven first attempt. 

Page blazes through the guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. Black Dog is excellent, Page's fingers race across the fretboard during the guitar solo. The show-closing Communication Breakdown is preceded by an impromptu funky jam, including lyrics from I Wish You Would. As the band leaves the stage, Plant tells the crowd "we'd lke to give you a big round of applause, you've been grand." Overall, a strong performance with a few weak spots.

The tape is clear and well-balanced. However, the tapers' running commentary can be a bit distracting at times.

Day 182: 1/29/1975 Greensboro, NC

1/29/1975 Greensboro, NC  Footstomping Graffiti

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

Plant is a shadow of his former self, gasping his way through Rock and Roll, choking on every word. Before Over the Hills and Far Away, someone near the taper can be heard exclaiming "look at how low Page has his guitar!" The end of the song is punctuated by a loud firecracker explosion. Plant's injured moans add a mournful tone to The Rain Song. Before Kashmir, someone near the taper can be heard saying "I want a copy of that tape." No Quarter features an excellent, moody piano solo from Jones. Page solos wildly during the coda. Plant again mentions Page's broken finger before introducing Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "Mr. Ultraviolence" before Moby Dick. How Many More Times is sloppy and uninspired. Plant is almost inaudible by the end of Stairway to Heaven. Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings during the guitar solo at the end of Black Dog. The band closes the show with a quick and dirty Communication Breakdown. Truly a night to forget.

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

Day 180: 1/24/1975 Cleveland, OH

1/24/1975 Cleveland, OH  Ultraviolence

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

Plant continues to have trouble with his voice, croaking his way through Rock and Roll. Page blazes through the guitar solos during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "it's very nice to be back in your part of the woods again." In My Time of Dying features some excellent slide work from Page. The end of the song is punctuated by a loud firecracker blast. The Rain Song is beautiful, despite Plant's injured voice. He refers to Page as "Jimmy 'Jack Daniel's' Page" while introducing a devastatingly heavy The Wanton Song. No Quarter features a long, wandering guitar solo from Page. 

Plant mentions Page's broken finger before introducing Trampled Underfoot. Bonzo is introduced as "Mr. Ultraviolence" before Moby Dick. How Many More Times is excellent. Unfortunately, the finale is missing from the tape. Plant makes a brief reference to Your Time is Gonna Come before introducing Stairway to Heaven as "one of the songs that is encompassed in the spectrum of what we've managed to get together in seven years." Page delivers a fantastic, dynamic guitar solo. Unfortunately, the tape gradually slows down throughout the song. The beginning of Black Dog is met with a deafening roar from the crowd. The band closes the show with a quick and nasty Communication Breakdown, which includes a bit of lemon-squeezing from Plant during the breakdown.

The tape is distant and noisy.

Click here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

UPDATE: 1/22/1975 Chicago, IL

1/22/1975 Chicago, IL  (1st gen)

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The newly-surfaced recording begins with a few seconds of crowd noise before Rock and Roll crashes into motion. Plant's voice has improved greatly since the first night, but is still a bit rough at times. Following Sick Again, he tells the crowd "this is the last night we got in Chicago, I'm gettin' over me flu, Pagey's finger is just about healin', and we're gonna have a good time tonight." Page shreds through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. In My Time of Dying is excellent. The beginning of The Song Remains the Same is missing from the tape. 

Plant delivers a strong performance during a powerful rendition of The Wanton Song. As the song ends, a cut in the tape leads directly into Jones's intro to No Quarter. There is a slight cut in the tape during the piano solo. The instrumental section features a dynamic guitar solo from Page. Plant introduces Trampled Underfoot as "another one of those tracks that we hope will soon get to you through the good media of FM radio" before dedicating the song to Chuck Berry. Page blazes through the guitar solo. Bonzo is introduced as "the man with only two cavities" before Moby Dick. The majority of the drum solo is missing from the tape. 

How Many More Times is introduced as "an old one." Page solos wildly during the lead-in to the bow solo as Plant sings about his "little school girl", ending with "she's gone!" The final verse is a riotous explosion of energy. As the song ends, Plant jokes "I think we should rehearse that, maybe put it on an album." There is a slight cut accompanied by a brief volume shift during the initial verses of Stairway to Heaven, just before Bonzo enters. Page breaks a string during the guitar solo, causing him to improvise an alternate arrangement. The pyrotechnics at the beginning of Black Dog are met with a loud cheer from the crowd. The band closes the show with a blistering Communication Breakdown, which includes lyrics from Kisses Sweeter than Wine during the funky breakdown. A surprisingly strong performance for the band's final night in Chicago.

The tape is clear and enjoyable, if a bit distant, hissy, and lacking in bottom end.

Day 179: 1/20/1975 Chicago, IL

1/20/1975 Chicago, IL  Sweet Home Chicago

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, When the Levee Breaks, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, How Many More Times, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins as someone onstage announces "ladies and gentlemen, the American return of Led Zeppelin!" Plant has the flu and it shows, his voice is reduced to an injured monotone. Page blazes through the guitar solo during Over the Hills and Far Away. The second and final appearance of When the Levee Breaks shows marked improvement on the performance in Brussels a week earlier. Plant makes mention of Page's broken finger following In My Time of Dying, joking "it must be for our sins."

Bonzo and Jones deliver a solid performance of The Wanton Song, despite their bandmates' hindrances. Trampled Underfoot is introduced as "a song for a guy who works at a gas station." Page shreds through an erratic guitar solo. Moby Dick is followed by the first appearance of How Many More Times since 1/22/1973, which includes the Dazed and Confused bow solo dropped in the middle. As the song ends, Plant announces "that was for the old folks!" The Out on the Tiles intro to Black Dog is devastatingly heavy. The band closes the show with a high-energy Communication Breakdown. Bonzo and Jones stop playing for a moment during the guitar solo, leaving Page to shred furiously a cappella. 

The tape is distant and noisy.

Day 178: 1/12/1975 Brussels, Belgium

1/12/1975 Brussels, Belgium  (2nd gen>dat>cdr)

Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, When the Levee Breaks, The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song, Kashmir, The Wanton Song, No Quarter, Trampled Underfoot, In My Time of Dying, Stairway to Heaven, Black Dog, Communication Breakdown

The first recording from 1975 and the band's second show in nearly eighteen months. The crowd erupts as Rock and Roll crashes into motion. The finale is immediately followed by the explosive opening chords of the first appearance of Sick Again. Following Over the Hills and Far Away, Plant tells the crowd "among the new numbers are some old numbers we never really attempted before... this is one we really always enjoyed and finally got 'round to playing" before the first rare appearance of When the Levee Breaks. Bonzo's thunderous intro echoes through the arena. Plant's initial harmonica outburst threatens to destroy the taper's equipment. Page's slide work seems slightly out of tune throughout, a somewhat shaky first attempt.

Page has recently broken one of the fingers on his left hand, forcing him to adopt a three-fingered playing style with varying results, as heard during a lackluster The Song Remains the Same. The Rain Song is followed by the first appearance of Kashmir. After a cut in the tape, Plant introduces the first rare appearance of The Wanton Song as "another song of lust." Page butchers the guitar solo. The crowd begins to clap rhythmically during the final verse of an uneven No Quarter. The band hammers through the first appearance of Trampled Underfoot.

The new songs are met with approval from the excited crowd. Despite a few missteps, the band tears through the first appearance of In My Time of Dying. Stairway to Heaven is introduced as "a permanent favorite." Plant shreds his voice during the final verse. Whole Lotta Love has been reduced to a minute-long intro to Black Dog. Plant forgets the lyrics to the latter. Page's fingers become entangled in the strings during the guitar solo. The band closes the show with a terribly sloppy Communication Breakdown. A lackluster welcome to 1975.

The tape is distant and quite noisy.

Day 166: 7/12/1973 Detroit, MI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 163: 7/7/1973 Chicago, IL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here for an audio sample courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 162: 7/6/1973 Chicago, IL

7/6/1973 Chicago, IL  Second City Showdown

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

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

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

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

The tape is another excellent soundboard recording.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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