Day 19: 6/20/1969 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England

6/20/1969 Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England (master>cassette>cassette)

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, White Sumer/Black Mountain Side, You Shook Me, Pat's Delight, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown

The tape begins with Plant encouraging the crowd to "let it all out, enjoy yourselves." He let's out an extra long wail during the intro to I Can't Quit You Baby. After Dazed and Confused, Plant introduces someone on stage "all the way from New Zealand", but it's difficult to make it out. Plant asks the crowd for a harmonica following White Summer/Black Mountain Side, explaining that the temperature has caused his to go out of tune. 

Jones, Plant, and Bonzo play a strange little tongue-in-cheek instrumental interlude before You Shook Me. The end of You Shook Me includes Plant's "squeeze my lemon..." lyrics. The bow solo in How Many More Times is mostly a string slapping jam, which leads into an extended funky improvisation. Plant hints at the medleys to come in the "got you in the sights..." section, his voice breaking in the final "gun!" Plant tells the crowd it's the best night they've had in England before a crushing version of Communication Breakdown, which includes It's Your Thing during the breakdown.

A muffled, overloaded, rather hissy tape of an enjoyable performance.

Day 17: 5/28/1969 Boston, MA

5/28/1969 Boston, MA Masters of Excess

As Long as I Have You, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, Pat's Delight, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown

As Long as I Have You starts with a wah-wah heavy intro. I Can't Quit You Baby is followed by Dazed and Confused. Jones bends the notes of the intro for a jazzy effect. Plant sings a bit of Move on Down the Line during the bow solo. The tape is cut between songs, presumably losing some of Plant's banter with the audience.

The tone of Page's slide intro to You Shook Me is a bit peculiar, but he quickly regains it's familiar grittiness. The audience talks through most of Pat's Delight, occasionally offering whistles and polite applause. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is haunting and powerful, with Plant giving his all. How Many More Times is a bit sloppy and disjointed. A very loose For Your Love shows up during the first guitar solo. Page experiments with a variety of sounds during an unusual bow solo. Communication Breakdown starts with a bluesy improvisation by Plant, Jones, and Bonzo while Page changes a broken string.

The tape is muddy with very distracting stereo panning/tape warble during As Long as I Have You.

Day 16: 4/27/1969 San Francisco, CA

4/27/1969 San Francisco, CA Collage

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, As Long as I Have You, You Shook Me, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown, Killing Floor, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Sitting and Thinking, Pat's Delight, Dazed and Confused

The tape starts with Plant mentioning that this is the band's last night in San Francisco. The beginning of Train Kept a Rollin' is met with shouts of "yeah! yeah!" from one excited audience member. Plant adlibs new lyrics about San Francisco during I Can't Quit You Baby. As the song ends, there is a pause while Bonzo repairs his snare drum, during which someone in the crowd requests You Shook Me. What follows is an As Long as I Have You of epic proportions. The first version of this song I ever heard and still my personal favourite, it has definitely developed into a major centerpiece of the live show. A perfect venue to showcase the improvisational abilities of each member of the band. Plant's voice is a bit rough around the edges during You Shook Me, but his harmonica solo is bluesy and dynamic.

How Many More Times is one of my personal favourite performances. The atmosphere is loose and lends itself to some excellent and very interesting improvisation. There is an amazing funky groove immediately following the bow solo. The "got you in the sights..." section includes an excellent heavy jam, complete with some strange lyrics from Plant (apparently trying to get around singing the final "gun!"). The first set ends with a mid-show encore of Communication Breakdown as requested by someone in the crowd.

The second set starts with a loose and funky Killing Floor, including new lyrics from Plant, whose voice seems to get rougher as time goes by. A somewhat subdued Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is followed by White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Sitting and Thinking is played as a loose blues improvisation. Someone in the crowd shouts for Pat's Delight before Plant introduces Bonzo. The drum solo itself is rather dull. The show ends with a somewhat sluggish Dazed and Confused. Despite the subdued second set, this is definitely a must hear. No collection is complete without this show.

The tape is an excellent soundboard recording with a slightly muffled audience recording filling the gaps.

Day 15: 4/26/1969 San Francisco, CA

4/26/1969 San Francisco, CA  (1st gen>vhs>dat>cdr>remaster)

Communication Breakdown, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, How Many More Times, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Killing Floor, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Pat's Delight, As Long as I Have You, Whole Lotta Love

A quick and nasty Communication Breakdown starts the show. The band is full of energy. Plant's screams are unwieldy during I Can't Quit You Baby. Dazed and Confused is a sonic attack and features the first appearance of Page's theramin. Plant's squeals are echoed by the audience during the outro of You Shook Me. The first set ends with an epic How Many More Times, which includes a funky Roll Over Beethoven during the bow solo. An excellent performance of White Summer/Black Mountain Side starts off the second set. Plant includes a quick reference to That's All Right during Killing Floor. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is followed by a thunderous Pat's Delight, which is unfortunately cut in the middle. As Long as I Have You is a wild cacophony, one of the best ever. The tape ends with the first appearance of Whole Lotta Love, although there are no lyrics during the chorus yet. The middle section includes a guitar workout rather than the familiar theramin freakout. Definitely a must hear.

The tape is very clear, if a bit distorted at times.

Day 14: 4/24/1969 San Francisco, CA

4/24/1969 San Francisco, CA  Dancing Avocado Supreme

As Long as I Have You, Killing Floor, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Pat's Delight

The tape starts with a couple minutes of the band tuning up. Jones and Page stop playing after Jones's equipment malfunctions in the middle of As Long as I Have You, leaving Plant and Bonzo to improvise before Page comes back for a duel with Bonzo. This all makes for a very hectic, disjointed rendition. 

Jones's improvisation is on display during Killing Floor. Plant comments on the continuing equipment problems before White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Plant improvises new lyrics in Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. The recording ends after an energetic performance of Pat's Delight, which features Bonzo's new gong.

The tape is an excellent audience recording captured with two mics placed right on the stage. Every instrument is clear and balanced with Plant a bit behind the rest of the band.

Day 10: 2/14/1969 Miami, FL

2/14/1969 Miami, FL Yellow Zeppelin

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Killing Floor, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, How Many More Times, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, As Long as I Have You, You Shook Me, Pat's Delight

The energy is very high during Train Kept a Rollin', Plant especially seems to be very into it. Page is in good form during I Can't Quit You Baby, repeating licks until they sound just how he wants them to. Plant introduces Dazed and Confused as "a thing off the album, that's currently doing pretty well, apparently." Plant sings a line from Sugartime just as Page is finishing the bow solo.

Page is again repeating licks ad nauseam during Killing Floor to hypnotizing effect. Plant sings a bit of Walter Davis's I Think You Need a Shot, ending with the line "I want you to roll over baby, see what it's like on the other side." The band breaks into a funky jam just before the final guitar solo. Plant's voice is on the brink of breaking from the strain during Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. Page duels with both Plant and Bonzo in the middle of How Many More Times before a funky Roll Over Beethoven jam. Unfortunately, there is a cut in the tape during the bow solo, leaving us without the end of the song.

There is chatter coming from the audience during White Summer/Black Mountain Side. A high energy version of As Long as I Have You starts with an erratic guitar intro. Plant is screaming wildly, improvising lyrics about "Detroit city." Another duel has Plant squealing before Bonzo and Jones join in for a full band battle. Plant loses himself in the outro and has to stop to regain his composure before finishing the song. Plant is shredding his voice during You Shook Me, almost losing it completely by the end of the song. Bonzo is introduced as "a friend of Che Guevara" before Pat's Delight finishes the recording.

The tape is somewhat noisy with Page and Plant in front and Bonzo being buried under Page's guitar. Despite this, it is an enjoyable listen.

Day 8: 2/1/1969 New York, NY

2/1/1969 New York, NY  (master>dat>cdr)

White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Pat's Delight, How Many More Times, Communication Breakdown

The show starts with Plant apologizing for the delay. He explains that someone forgot to bring Jones's bass to the venue, so Page kills time with an impromptu version of White Summer/Black Mountain Side. Once Jones has his bass back, the band can properly start the set with Train Kept a Rollin'. Squawks of feedback interrupt Plant's intro to I Can't Quit You Baby. 

Plant's apology for the short set prompts someone near the taper (or the taper himself) to quip "to hell with the Butterfly!", referring to Iron Butterfly, for whom Zeppelin was the opening act. A short but powerful drum solo is met with cheers from the crowd. How Many More Times is unfortunately cut just as the first guitar solo is beginning on my copy of the show (I seem to have acquired a bum file somewhere along the line), but the band merged Dazed and Confused into the middle section, creating a wild hybrid. The set ends with multiple requests for You Shook Me from the audience before a hurried version of Communication Breakdown.

The tape is muddy and distorted with moderate hiss. A step down from the previous night's tape.

Day 8: 1/31/1969 New York, NY

1/31/1969 New York, NY  East/West

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Pat's Delight, How Many More Times, You Shook Me

A quick, efficient set tonight. Get in, get off, get out. Page is in good form, playing an extended solo in I Can't Quit You Baby. Plant's voice is strong, he seems to be holding back during the first few songs, but he loosens up as the set goes on. A rather subdued drum solo in Pat's Delight is followed by a short How Many More Times, similar to the version from the first album. Plant has a dialogue with the crowd during the "got you in the sights..." section. Someone in the audience requests You Shook Me and the band complies. 

The first night in New York may not be the most exciting set the band ever played, but the crowd is left cheering for more. The tape is similar to others from early '69, fairly clear with some distortion. The drums are slightly muddy.

Day 7: 1/26/1969 Boston, MA

1/26/1969 Boston, MA  Tight But Loose

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, Killing Floor, Dazed and Confused, You Shook Me, Communication Breakdown, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Pat's Delight, How Many More Times

There is an amazing wah-wah intro before Train Kept a Rollin'. The entire song is an explosion of energy. Page's guitar sounds like razor blades during I Can't Quit You Baby. Killing Floor starts with a great fast-paced Hendrix-inspired intro. Page throws a siren lick into the middle of an extended, dynamic guitar solo. "I got my needle in ya baby!.." follows lyrics from The Lemon Song. The whole thing moves at a frenzied pace to the final beat. Jones and Bonzo turn the intro of Dazed and Confused into a funky rhythm exercise. Plant hints at Shapes of Things during the extended bow solo. The return to the main riff after the guitar solo is devastating. 

The introduction of You Shook Me is met with a loud cheer from the crowd. Plant's harmonica solo is gritty and soulful, followed by a surprise organ solo by Jones. Possibly the best version of You Shook Me ever. Communication Breakdown starts off with an excellent bluesy jam. Bonzo attacks his cymbals throughout the song. Page's fingerwork in White Summer/Black Mountain Side is astounding. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is a haunting assault. Plant interrupts a wild intro to Pat's Delight to introduce Bonzo. The solo is a blitzkrieg of drums and the crowd loves it. Unfortunately, the tape cuts off near the end of an amazing performance of How Many More Times, which includes a bowed rendition of For Your Love following Plant's "when I was a young man, I couldn't resist..." interlude. Luis Rey was not far off when he called this their "best-ever concert." Four hours or forty minutes, this is a turning point for Led Zeppelin. This is the foundation on which everything to come will be built. Definitely a must hear!

The tape is very clear with Page in front and Bonzo and Plant in the back. The drums sound a bit thin at times, but overall, a great recording of an amazing performance.

Day 5: 1/12/1969 San Francisco, CA

1/12/1969 San Francisco, CA A Blast From the Past

As Long as I Have You, I Can't Quit You Baby, Dazed and Confused, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Communication Breakdown, You Shook Me, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Train Kept a Rollin', Pat's Delight, How Many More Times, Killing Floor

Plant improvises wildly during As Long as I Have You. The tape is cut between songs, losing most of Plant's dialogue with the audience. His voice sounds a bit rough, causing him to experiment with ways to get around some of the higher notes during the first couple songs. Page's bow solo during Dazed and Confused draws cheers and whistles from the crowd. The band gives a strong performance of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, with Plant giving a powerful and emotional delivery.

Plant improvises new lyrics in a quick run-through of Communication Breakdown, followed by a laid back version of You Shook Me. The short solo in Pat's Delight is met with loud cheers and shouts from the audience. How Many More Times includes full "when I was a young man, I couldn't resist..." lyrics, as heard on the first album. Plant gets into a squealing duel with the crowd during the "got you in the sights..." section. Another quick, short performance of Killing Floor finishes the set, now with The Lemon Song lyrics.

A good performance hindered by the poor quality of the tape. Distant, hissy, and overloaded in the low-end, with Page and Plant more easily discernible than Jones and Bonzo.

Click Here for audio samples courtesy of Black Beauty.

Day 3: 1/10/1969 San Francisco, CA

1/10/1969 San Francisco, CA  East/West

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, As Long as I Have You, Dazed and Confused, How Many More Times, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Killing Floor, You Shook Me, Pat's Delight, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, Communication Breakdown, For Your Love

The crowd is really into it tonight, yelping and squealing along with Plant during I Can't Quit You Baby. Plant's vocal riffs are excellent. As Long as I Have You has a great wah-wah intro by Page. He also introduces a new haunting riff during the Fresh Garbage section. The bow solo in Dazed and Confused is met with cheers and applause. Plant's introduction of the band at the beginning of How Many More Times prompts a shout of "who are you?" from an audience member after Plant fails to introduce himself, instead simply saying "and I do the singing." Page's masterful fingerwork is on display during the solo, including a duel with Plant that pushes the singer into the highest reaches of his range just before a cut in the tape. The Hunter section includes lyrics to The Riddle Song, followed by an almost tribal-sounding chant during the "got you in the sights..." section. 

Page loses himself a couple times during White Summer/Black Mountain Side, playing a bit slower and more cautiously than usual as a result. Plant's improvisation in Killing Floor livens up what starts off as a somewhat subdued rendition, eventually adopting a delta blues drawl. The end of You Shook Me has Plant hitting notes only dogs can hear. Page starts the show in good form, losing steam in the second half of the set, but Plant steps up and becomes the star of the show.

The tape is a bit muffled with some hiss, but clear enough to be enjoyable. Page and Plant are up front with the drums less discernible than on previous recordings. The sound degrades during Pat's Delight, becoming more distorted and muffled with a lot of boomy low-end for the remainder of the show, clearing up a bit for For Your Love.

Day 1: 12/30/1968 Spokane, WA

12/30/1968 Spokane, WA  Zeppelin Digital Vol. 5

Train Kept a Rollin', I Can't Quit You Baby, As Long as I Have You, Dazed and Confused, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, How Many More Times, Pat's Delight

I Can't Quit You Baby seems a bit rushed. Bonzo is on fire during As Long as I Have You. His drumming is very aggressive, especially during the Fresh Garbage section. Plant hits an amazingly high note on the final "long". Bonzo continues attacking the drums during Dazed and Confused, the last verse is played at breakneck speed. Another fierce attack on the drums in How Many More Times. Plant is hitting the highest notes Page can throw at him. The intro to Pat's Delight is lightning-fast and has a great funky groove, the solo itself is an attack on all fronts. Plant and Bonzo are the standouts of this show.

The tape is a bit overloaded with some hiss, but is surprisingly clear and enjoyable. I've had this show for nearly ten years, but never really gave it a good listen. This is an under-appreciated gem.