NEWSFLASHBACK: The Advertiser Feb 20 1972

[SteveAJones]

'Led Zeppelin Is Shattering Rock Experience' by Richard Mitchell

taken from The Advertiser, 21 February 1972, p. 24.

The Led Zeppelin concert at Memorial Drive on Saturday was a shattering experience of some of the world's heaviest, wildest rock.

The controlled violence with which the UK group produced many of its sounds, hurled out of two giant banks of speakers at the 8000-strong crowd, has never been seen here.

From the start, all eyes were on brilliant lead guitarist Jimmy Page. He used six and twelve-string acoustic guitars with the ease that many had flocked to see. His electric guitar work was extraordinary. At one stage, using a bow, he smashed out a string of piercing notes only to end with a run of delicate sitar-sounding music. Thunderous applause followed all his work.

Drummer John Bonham's steady beat that at times sounded like a hammer striking steel included many feats that other drummers would find impossible. A magnificent solo in which he used his fists as well as sticks topped his performance.

Singer Robin Plant [sic] overcame an "Australian bug" in his throat and broke into his own in "Black Dog", "Stairway To The Stars" [sic] and "Let's Have A Party". At times he merged screaming enjoyed notes with Page's guitar work.

The other big rock show in town, Creedence Clearwater Revival played more to the audience and enjoyed better involvement, but Zeppelin came back for an encore. The most successful twin rock shows to appear here on the weekend, they were sponsored in Adelaide by station 5AD and Channel Seven.