Led Zeppelin in Las Vegas?

[mikezep61]

...."That night we had front row tables. It was the first time any of us had seen Elvis perform. And we weren't disappointed.

"perhaps the only dissatisfied person among us that night was John Paul, but it was good natured-despair. Before entering the showroom to see Elvis, we had spent a few minutes in the International's lounge, watching Ike and Tina Turner perform. .....

"He turned to his wife Mo"........

Richard Cole - STH'92 Page 96

This is night of August 11 (as mentioned by Ms.Pamela in both I'm with the Band and Take another Piece of my Heart, further Richard Cole STH states the same...

..August 12 date is not witnessed by Ms. Pamela...They all left and all came back the next day for sure to LA (as discussed before)...

John Paul Jones did witness I&TT but Zep cannot perform concert this date...Highly likely they come in contact with Vegas on July 31...

If there was concert this date Aug. 11/12, Richard would have remembered it likewise as they attend Elvis...

It is further my opinion after reading Page 95 from STH,

"The Zeppelin Wives joined us for a few days during that tour, including some of the shows in Las Vegas and other West Coast cities"that Vegas/West Coast Cities close by remain as a unit...L.A. is not part of this...

John Paul Jones recalls staying at the Caesar's Palace as reported by the Official Site previously...

Maureen Plant definitely attended the 8/9/69 Anaheim Convention Center show since there's a backstage photo of her with Robert and a monkey:

http://www.chuckboydsrocknrollphotos.com/Led%20Zepplin/pages/PSTF-005-035-LDZN.html

For many years this photo and other photos from the 8/9/69 Anaheim show were attributed to the 8/8/69 San Bernardino show (primarily originating from the "Photographer's Led Zeppelin" book). Also, Anaheim is essentially L.A. (just ask the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, or whatever they're calling themselves this year).

Billboard article mentions Tina playing the Casino Theatre of the International Hotel in Las Vegas in August 1969:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a361/AlbumZeppelin/Ikeandtina.jpg

Tina at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in August 1969:

http://www.vegasretro.com/entertainers/9_tina_turner2.html

http://www.vegasretro.com/entertainers/9_tina_turner_3.html

http://www.vegasretro.com/entertainers/9_tina_turner.html

I would probably include 8/7/69 as another potential date for the Las Vegas show. If the band actually played Berkeley on 8/7/69, how come there are no listings for this concert in the Berkeley Barb, Berkeley Monitor, Berkeley Tribe, Good Times (SF), and several other Berkeley/SF undeground newspapers I checked out. I've never seen any evidence to suggest they played the Berkeley Community Theatre on 8/7/69.

Edited May 16, 2010 by mikezep61

[SteveAJones]

I would probably include 8/7/69 as another potential date for the Las Vegas show. If the band actually played Berkeley on 8/7/69, how come there are no listings for this concert in the Berkeley Barb, Berkeley Monitor, Berkeley Tribe, Good Times (SF), and several other Berkeley/SF undeground newspapers I checked out. I've never seen any evidence to suggest they played the Berkeley Community Theatre on 8/7/69.

Interesting point. I think we also have to consider Berkeley "unconfirmed" at this time too.

Edited May 16, 2010 by SteveAJones

[PlanetPage]

Interesting point. I think we also have to consider Berkeley "unconfirmed" at this time too.

...Pamela Debarres is witness to time line for Aug. dates...she recalls no Las Vegas Date...

The Official Site must value her opinion as she is with Page...

[PlanetPage]

...Pamela Debarres is witness to time line for Aug. dates...she recalls no Las Vegas Date...

The Official Site must value her opinion as she is with Page...

...finally, it is immoral to alter a fact in history, I sincerely hope I was not part of this moral value...

goodbye

[SteveAJones]

...finally, it is immoral to alter a fact in history, I sincerely hope I was not part of this moral value...

goodbye

Oh come on. Pamela Des Barres is human and her recollections are not all inclusive nor infallible. The sole criteria for if a Led Zeppelin concert occured at the Ice Palace in Las Vegas circa Jul/Aug '69 is not if Pamela Des Barres recalls it having happened because odds are she wasn't there if it did, and Michael Chain's recollection of having been there is not the sole criteria used to confirm it. We are seeking substantiation beyond a reasonable doubt, as you know, and nothing

has been altered or declared a historical fact. I think you are merely frustrated and that's understandable.

[mikezep61]

Oh come on. Pamela Des Barres is human and her recollections are not all inclusive nor infallible. The sole criteria for if a Led Zeppelin concert occured at the Ice Palace in Las Vegas circa Jul/Aug '69 is not if Pamela Des Barres recalls it having happened because odds are she wasn't there if it did, and Michael Chain's recollection of having been there is not the sole criteria used to confirm it. We are seeking substantiation beyond a reasonable doubt, as you know, and nothing

has been altered or declared a historical fact. I think you are merely frustrated and that's understandable.

This is especially true when you consider some of Pamela's recollections have been proven to be incorrect. For example, in one of her books, Pamela claimed the band had played the Whisky a Go Go on April 29-30, 1969 (according to her 1969 journal entry). Jimmy was very sick at the gig and had to be carried off by a roadie. It is painfully obvious that this date is wrong. It has been widely documented that the band played the Whisky on January 2nd-5th, and Jimmy had the flu. Needless to say, her date attribution was incorrect since the Whisky gigs were played in January, not April.

Not a big deal, but everyone makes mistakes, and Pamela is no exception.

[SteveAJones]

This is especially true when you consider some of Pamela's recollections have been proven to be incorrect. For example, in one of her books, Pamela claimed the band had played the Whisky a Go Go on April 29-30, 1969 (according to her 1969 journal entry). Jimmy was very sick at the gig and had to be carried off by a roadie. It is painfully obvious that this date is wrong. It has been widely documented that the band played the Whisky on January 2nd-5th, and Jimmy had the flu. Needless to say, her date attribution was incorrect since the Whisky gigs were played in January, not April.

Not a big deal, but everyone makes mistakes, and Pamela is no exception.

Great example and for the sake of historical accuracy they opened for Alice Cooper and it was the January 2nd 1969 gig.

They played one long set but second set in evening cancelled on account of Jimmy's fever of over 104 degrees.

Edited May 16, 2010 by SteveAJones

[ZoSo925]

This topic looks exhausted, but I am not convinced and do not believe Led Zeppelin played Las Vegas.

Why so many years pass an no official word to confirm this ? I would not believe any of the desert rats that live there, have you ever seen what they look like ?

[SteveAJones]

Why so many years pass and no official word to confirm this ?

Perhaps because of the manner in which it was promoted. According to Michael Chain of Pinkiny Canandy (who opened for Led Zeppelin) this concert was promoted by Mike Tell who allegedly did everything by the seat of his pants, meaning it may have been hastily arranged with no press or promo materials.

Edited January 15, 2015 by SteveAJones

[LZ77]

this may not be new but they were to me:

http://classiclasvegas.squarespace.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2009/9/25/led-zeppelin-did-play-las-vegas-ice-palace-in-1969.html

Led Zeppelin DID play Las Vegas Ice Palace in 1969

One of our daily readers contacted me with his remembrance of Led Zeppelin playing Las Vegas, at the Ice Palace, in 1969:

In 1969, it was announced on KLUC that Led Zeppelin would be playing the Ice Palace. The Ice Palace was not THE major venue in town that would be the Convention Center. I was confused.

Led who?

I went to Wonder World and found Led Zeppelin I. I recognized Jimmy Page from the Yardbirds, but who were Robert Plant, John Bonham and John Paul Jones? What was the big deal?

I called the Ice Palace. Maybe there was more to the story. I asked if it was true that Led Zeppelin was going to play the Ice Palace.

The guy said "Yeah." I responded, I swear: "Who else is playing with them?"

He treated me like the idiot I was and hung up on me. I bought tickets anyway. Jimmy Page was great.

There is a joke about rock singers: that they sing as though they are caught in their zipper.

It's true. The worst of them is Lou Gramm from Foreigner, but only slightly behind him was Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. Plant sang as though his hair were on fire.

To front Led Zeppelin, however,that style was a necessity. He had to contend not only with Page and Jones but with drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham, who wore a dog collar for a good reason. He was an animal and had a bass drum foot that has never been equalled.

Plant sang for his life.

A moment happened during that first Led Zeppelin concert which, had I not been there, I would nothave believed.

Page was playing, as was his wont, extremely loud. Bonham could play soft, he just never did.

The band was playing "Dazed and Confused" which was, at that point, from their one and only album.

Plant's microphone failed. Nothing else, just Plant's microphone.

Plant did not miss a beat, neither did the mighty Led Zeppelin. Page sang, without the aid of amplification, over the cacophony of his band mates.

The Ice Palace was an acoustic nightmare. It was never intended to be used for a concert venue. I worked dozens of shows there as a stage hand and I could not be heard from the stage to the back of the rink, screaming with my hands cupped to my mouth.

But on that night in 1969, there was Robert Plant, without a microphone, belting out "Dazed and Confused" over the absolute onslaught of the world's loudest band.

I was standing near the back of the rink and I could hear every word, every syllable.

In my experience, no human I have seen has ever matched Plant's vocal power.

Thanks to Michael for sharing the story with us.

Do you have a story? Were you there that night in 1969? Send us an email and tell us your story!

If you have pictures, send us an email!

Help us help LedZeppelin.com find out more about this legendary concert.

[LZ77]

and this references the cancelled 1970 gig:

http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/jun08/articles/ledzeppelin.htm

Many in the pro audio industry know Phil Dudderidge as the founder of sound desk-maker Soundcraft and current CEO of Focusrite. But he had, as they say in Hollywood, a back-story.

In 1970, Dudderidge was a 21-year-old roadie/sound mixer with three years experience lugging gear and managing microphones for bands like Fairport Convention, the Incredible String Band and Soft Machine. Given the rudimentary PA equipment most of the artists at the time had, Dudderidge says his primary qualification for the gigs was having a valid driver's license and owning a van. "None of these bands had much in the way of PA systems," he recalls, "Just something to amplify vocals, even in venues as large as the Albert Hall."

Dudderidge met Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin's manager at the time, through Charlie Watkins, owner of WEM, the leading UK PA provider in those days. He had barely heard of the band, but nonetheless volunteered to become their soundman. From March to May, 1970, Dudderidge was part of the tour that would come to set the standard for modern rock tour sound.

PM: When you joined the tour, already in progress, what was the PA system like?

PD: "When I arrived, mid-tour, at Montreaux to join the Led Zeppelin crew, I found a fairly standard rig for that level of band, similar to those owned by The Who and Pink Floyd, which I had seen at various gigs. The speakers were mostly 4 x 12-inch columns (10 per side), plus two stacks of two 2 x 15s with a small horn on top per side, all driven by 12 100W power amps. And just two WEM five-channel Audiomaster mixers [interesting history here: www.wemwatkins.co.uk/history.htm] providing 10 channels. I'd never had my hands on such a big rig! Mics were the usual assortment of Shure Unidynes and Unisphere's, the forerunners of the SM57 and SM58."

PM: How were the 10 channels allocated?

PD: "1. Robert Plant's vocal. 2. Jimmy's vocal (he rarely approached it, but it usefully covered his guitar stack; when he soloed, I could push the level up).

3. John Paul Jones' vocal.

4. Leslie top.

5. Leslie bottom.

Channels 6 to 10 on the drums: bass drum, snare/hi-hat, top toms, floor toms and an overhead, as I recall. No DI or mics on the Acoustic bass amp speakers; there were two and bass got into everything anyway."

PM: Where was the FOH position?

PD: "There was none! We had no snake, so I mixed from behind the stage-right PA stack and had to go into the audience to hear what it sounded like. Also, no stage monitors; I simply turned the inside 4 x 12 column on each side towards the stage."

PM: On-the-job training?

PD: "I had constant instruction from Robert between songs: 'More presence, more treble.' There was no more to give; both were maxed on his channel. The Audiomaster offered three fixed bands of EQ and a rotary fader. Next to the jack inputs were trim controls. I used to have Robert's fader at max and would ride the trim because his mic level distorted the input stage of the mixer. The band were so loud on stage. Jimmy used two 100W Marshall stacks with Hiwatt heads. John Paul had his two Acoustic 361 bass amps and two big Leslies for the Hammond. And John Bonham was the loudest drummer to ever live!"

PM: When LZ came to the States for the first time, did the WEM PA come too?

PD: "Coming to America for the first time was an eye-opener. Peter Grant had asked me whether the WEM system would be big enough for US venues and I replied that I had no idea. Thankfully, at the first venue, the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, I arrived to find a huge rig supplied by Kelly Deyong Sound System, a local company. This was based on the Altec 'Voice of the Theatre' bass bins with compression driver horns, something I had never seen. Modern touring systems had yet to be invented. Back then, tour sound was regional rather than national, so we used vastly different systems from one night to the next. The three of us crew members would drive from city to city in a rental truck carrying the amps, guitars, drums, Hammond and Leslie, and the WEM PA, which was used for stage monitors."

PM: Aside from the technical aspects, what else do you remember about that US tour?

PD: "To sense the vibe watch Almost Famous, a movie that really captured the sense of touring the States in the early '70s. Consider that we stayed in Holiday Inns — except in LA, where we stayed at the Chateau Marmont when we played the Forum and the Continental Hyatt House (the Riot House) — and other motels and average hotels, but only when we had time. Usually, we had to set off after the show for the next city. Anything up to 600 miles. Anything further and we would fly by scheduled service, sending all the gear 'excess baggage'. Picture backing the Hertz truck up to the plane and tagging every piece as it was loaded!

It typically took three separate flights to get all the gear there. I recall the trip from Memphis to Phoenix. I took the first flight, and picked up the rental truck and the first batch of gear. One of the other guys came with the second batch. The last few items (including the Audiomasters) came unaccompanied. I had to return to the airport to pick this up as show time approached. Having set everything else up with my colleagues Sandy and Henry, I had to get these last items. On the way back from the airport to the venue, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, I hit a huge traffic jam — the audience trying to get to the venue. My only recourse was to drive the wrong way down the streets into the venue, headlights and hazards blazing, for maybe a mile. Thankfully, nobody challenged me. And those days we had no laminates or other ID — just my UK driver's license.

We had a couple of incidents on the road that were life threatening: crossing the Rockies from Portland to Denver in a blizzard on a two-lane highway, and spinning the truck 360 degrees and continuing without stopping. We so nearly went over the edge...

The final show was scheduled to be Las Vegas, the International Hotel (now the Convention Center Hilton). We drove all night from Phoenix after the show, taking the shortest route (highway). After trying to break the engine's speed governor by down-shifting at full speed, downhill, Sandy found he had destroyed the brakes and the steering had almost no movement. The engine had been lifted off its mountings and moved back in the engine bay — unbelievable, but true. We were speeding down this mountain pass, past a weigh station and finally coming to rest by friction with the roadside before the downhill continued. This at about 6.00am.

Having noticed a fleet of U-Haul trucks at a gas station some miles earlier, we were able to summon a replacement truck, roundly blaming U-Haul and Ford for the incident ('brake failure'). Finally arriving at Las Vegas, we were told that the gig had been cancelled due to ill health (John Bonham was in bad shape in Phoenix, having to be supported on his drum stool by Sandy for much of the gig). So, a big anticlimax for us, but we were at least able to go to bed for two days and nights!

I volunteered to drive the truck back to LA, where we spent a couple of days before flying home. This was the first time I had been on my own time for a month and it was liberating. The desert road (Route 15) gave me time to take stock. I was so exhausted by the experience, I made it known that I would not carry on with the band. I had completed the tour, which had become a challenge against physical and mental exhaustion, and that was enough. Although at the time it just seemed like very hard work, with hindsight, working with Led Zeppelin was a huge privilege."

Edited January 15, 2015 by LZ77

[ZoSo925]

Perhaps because of the manner in which it was promoted. According to Michael Chain of Pinkiny Canandy (who opened for Led Zeppelin) this concert was promoted by Mike Tell who allegedly did everything by the seat of his pants, meaning it may have been hastily arranged with no press or promo materials.

I did not see the post where it was confirmed with JPJ. It seemed like a great fokelore story, and there few review sites that don't recgonize Vegas at all on any of their lists. That complex area was really popular and old part of Vegas in the 70's. Plant did mention seeing The King in '71 or '72. I'm wondering if he got years mixed up or traveled to Vegas multiple times to see Elvis.

Edited May 29, 2015 by ZoSo925

[SteveAJones]

I did not see the post where it was confirmed with JPJ.

JPJ's written confirmation was received privately via the webmaster.

[ZoSo925]

That's what I ment, I saw the Admins post.

[sam_webmaster]

Another tidbit... There's an article I recall reading by Rodney Bingenheimer,  written around August 1969. I'll have to dig it up again, but just going on memory... He briefly reviews the Anaheim concert (August 9th), mentions that he gave Jimmy that long fringe vest JP wore at the show. Also says he arranged for LZ to see Elvis' concert in Las Vegas and that they were going back to Vegas again the following week.

[Strider]

On 1/15/2015 at 8:21 AM, LZ77 said:

and this references the cancelled 1970 gig:

 

http://www.performing-musician.com/pm/jun08/articles/ledzeppelin.htm

 

Many in the pro audio industry know Phil Dudderidge as the founder of sound desk-maker Soundcraft and current CEO of Focusrite. But he had, as they say in Hollywood, a back-story.

 

In 1970, Dudderidge was a 21-year-old roadie/sound mixer with three years experience lugging gear and managing microphones for bands like Fairport Convention, the Incredible String Band and Soft Machine. Given the rudimentary PA equipment most of the artists at the time had, Dudderidge says his primary qualification for the gigs was having a valid driver's license and owning a van. "None of these bands had much in the way of PA systems," he recalls, "Just something to amplify vocals, even in venues as large as the Albert Hall."

 

Dudderidge met Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin's manager at the time, through Charlie Watkins, owner of WEM, the leading UK PA provider in those days. He had barely heard of the band, but nonetheless volunteered to become their soundman. From March to May, 1970, Dudderidge was part of the tour that would come to set the standard for modern rock tour sound.

 

PM: When you joined the tour, already in progress, what was the PA system like?

 

PD: "When I arrived, mid-tour, at Montreaux to join the Led Zeppelin crew, I found a fairly standard rig for that level of band, similar to those owned by The Who and Pink Floyd, which I had seen at various gigs. The speakers were mostly 4 x 12-inch columns (10 per side), plus two stacks of two 2 x 15s with a small horn on top per side, all driven by 12 100W power amps. And just two WEM five-channel Audiomaster mixers [interesting history here: www.wemwatkins.co.uk/history.htm] providing 10 channels. I'd never had my hands on such a big rig! Mics were the usual assortment of Shure Unidynes and Unisphere's, the forerunners of the SM57 and SM58."

 

PM: How were the 10 channels allocated?

 

PD: "1. Robert Plant's vocal. 2. Jimmy's vocal (he rarely approached it, but it usefully covered his guitar stack; when he soloed, I could push the level up).

3. John Paul Jones' vocal.

4. Leslie top.

5. Leslie bottom.

Channels 6 to 10 on the drums: bass drum, snare/hi-hat, top toms, floor toms and an overhead, as I recall. No DI or mics on the Acoustic bass amp speakers; there were two and bass got into everything anyway."

 

PM: Where was the FOH position?

 

PD: "There was none! We had no snake, so I mixed from behind the stage-right PA stack and had to go into the audience to hear what it sounded like. Also, no stage monitors; I simply turned the inside 4 x 12 column on each side towards the stage."

 

PM: On-the-job training?

 

PD: "I had constant instruction from Robert between songs: 'More presence, more treble.' There was no more to give; both were maxed on his channel. The Audiomaster offered three fixed bands of EQ and a rotary fader. Next to the jack inputs were trim controls. I used to have Robert's fader at max and would ride the trim because his mic level distorted the input stage of the mixer. The band were so loud on stage. Jimmy used two 100W Marshall stacks with Hiwatt heads. John Paul had his two Acoustic 361 bass amps and two big Leslies for the Hammond. And John Bonham was the loudest drummer to ever live!"

 

PM: When LZ came to the States for the first time, did the WEM PA come too?

 

PD: "Coming to America for the first time was an eye-opener. Peter Grant had asked me whether the WEM system would be big enough for US venues and I replied that I had no idea. Thankfully, at the first venue, the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, I arrived to find a huge rig supplied by Kelly Deyong Sound System, a local company. This was based on the Altec 'Voice of the Theatre' bass bins with compression driver horns, something I had never seen. Modern touring systems had yet to be invented. Back then, tour sound was regional rather than national, so we used vastly different systems from one night to the next. The three of us crew members would drive from city to city in a rental truck carrying the amps, guitars, drums, Hammond and Leslie, and the WEM PA, which was used for stage monitors."

 

PM: Aside from the technical aspects, what else do you remember about that US tour?

 

PD: "To sense the vibe watch Almost Famous, a movie that really captured the sense of touring the States in the early '70s. Consider that we stayed in Holiday Inns — except in LA, where we stayed at the Chateau Marmont when we played the Forum and the Continental Hyatt House (the Riot House) — and other motels and average hotels, but only when we had time. Usually, we had to set off after the show for the next city. Anything up to 600 miles. Anything further and we would fly by scheduled service, sending all the gear 'excess baggage'. Picture backing the Hertz truck up to the plane and tagging every piece as it was loaded!

 

It typically took three separate flights to get all the gear there. I recall the trip from Memphis to Phoenix. I took the first flight, and picked up the rental truck and the first batch of gear. One of the other guys came with the second batch. The last few items (including the Audiomasters) came unaccompanied. I had to return to the airport to pick this up as show time approached. Having set everything else up with my colleagues Sandy and Henry, I had to get these last items. On the way back from the airport to the venue, the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, I hit a huge traffic jam — the audience trying to get to the venue. My only recourse was to drive the wrong way down the streets into the venue, headlights and hazards blazing, for maybe a mile. Thankfully, nobody challenged me. And those days we had no laminates or other ID — just my UK driver's license.

 

We had a couple of incidents on the road that were life threatening: crossing the Rockies from Portland to Denver in a blizzard on a two-lane highway, and spinning the truck 360 degrees and continuing without stopping. We so nearly went over the edge...

 

The final show was scheduled to be Las Vegas, the International Hotel (now the Convention Center Hilton). We drove all night from Phoenix after the show, taking the shortest route (highway). After trying to break the engine's speed governor by down-shifting at full speed, downhill, Sandy found he had destroyed the brakes and the steering had almost no movement. The engine had been lifted off its mountings and moved back in the engine bay — unbelievable, but true. We were speeding down this mountain pass, past a weigh station and finally coming to rest by friction with the roadside before the downhill continued. This at about 6.00am.

 

Having noticed a fleet of U-Haul trucks at a gas station some miles earlier, we were able to summon a replacement truck, roundly blaming U-Haul and Ford for the incident ('brake failure'). Finally arriving at Las Vegas, we were told that the gig had been cancelled due to ill health (John Bonham was in bad shape in Phoenix, having to be supported on his drum stool by Sandy for much of the gig). So, a big anticlimax for us, but we were at least able to go to bed for two days and nights!

 

I volunteered to drive the truck back to LA, where we spent a couple of days before flying home. This was the first time I had been on my own time for a month and it was liberating. The desert road (Route 15) gave me time to take stock. I was so exhausted by the experience, I made it known that I would not carry on with the band. I had completed the tour, which had become a challenge against physical and mental exhaustion, and that was enough. Although at the time it just seemed like very hard work, with hindsight, working with Led Zeppelin was a huge privilege."

What a great read that was! Thanks LZ77 for posting. This is the kind of reporting that is much needed regarding the history of Led Zeppelin...not groupies and mud sharks.

Too often, books about Led Zeppelin reduce everything into 'Led Zeppelin arrived and, poof!, stadium rock was born'. They ignore the hard work and technical matters that went into transforming rock tours from a haphazard series of regional dates with inconsistent PAs into a supersonic national campaign organized like a military assault.

The venues, the promoters, the sound systems...everything was so different back then. More of that information needs to be shared. The gear that the Beatles used when they played Shea Stadium in 1965 was comical by Led Zeppelin standards. Just as Led Zeppelin's PA setup at Tampa 1973 would look antiquated to a kid today used to the modern sound systems of U2 or Metallica.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Strider

[Jimmywalnutz]

I enjoyed this thread. I love the whole investigative feel and the need for proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Although fickle nothing beats human intel for reliable information.

And coolest of all JPJ  set the record straight. I had often wondered if any of the surviving Zep member ever read the content here. Apparently so.

I was also amazed by the anecdote about Plant just turning it up when his mic failed. I've been told by some guys who saw Zep in 69-70 that his voice was superhuman. I never had an issue with his changing voice I always like on the post 71 tapes when he catches some of that old power. I would have loved to see him live in 69-70.

On some of the early tapes it was clear that for all his power, Plant was a pretty meek front man for all the raw power. Even though later in 69 he had some swagger.

I can't imagine anyone being as strong as Dickinson was on the Number of The Beast tour. But evidently Plant clearly was. I would love a really good complete SBD from 69.

good stuff. 

[mikezep61]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2010 at 9:19 PM, mikezep61 said:

I would probably include 8/7/69 as another potential date for the Las Vegas show. If the band actually played Berkeley on 8/7/69, how come there are no listings for this concert in the Berkeley Barb, Berkeley Monitor, Berkeley Tribe, Good Times (SF), and several other Berkeley/SF undeground newspapers I checked out. I've never seen any evidence to suggest they played the Berkeley Community Theatre on 8/7/69.

AUGUST 7, 1969 - Las Vegas Ice Palace it is!!!!!!!!

After years and years of digging and searching many newspapers, periodicals, websites, anecdotes, etc., I'm happy to announce that we finally have some concrete evidence to support that Led Zeppelin played the Las Vegas Ice Palace on August 7, 1969.  This tiny article was in the August 7, 1969 edition of the Las Vegas Sun:

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by mikezep61

[sam_webmaster]

Nice!

[IpMan]

2 hours ago, mikezep61 said:

 

The problem with this is the copy would have been in by 11pm on the 6th for it to make it into the paper on the 7th. This only addresses that the concert was scheduled which was confirmed. However, if the concert was cancelled to to Bonzo's health, it would be better to pull the microfiche files for the 8th or 9th from this paper for confirmation of one or the other. Has anyone done this?

[mikezep61]

Of course - I looked for the few weeks before and after the show too.  This article is the sole reference to this gig in the Las Vegas Sun.  It beats having nothing, or still thinking the show was August 11th.

[SteveAJones]

6 hours ago, mikezep61 said:

 

 

[SteveAJones]

On 5/15/2010 at 11:26 PM, sam_webmaster said:

An additional tidbit that may help track down the specific date..... I asked JPJ about the show (which he does remember clearly) and he recalled that while in Vegas for this gig, he attended an Ike & Tina Turner concert. If the I&TT date can be tracked down, it could help pinpoint the specific Zep date. Also the band attended an Elvis show.

I did look into this...based on tour itineraries it seems he may have actually seen I&TT at the Seattle Pop Festival (July 25-27, 1969) which is about ten days prior to Led Zeppelin's Las Vegas concert on August 7, 1969. Of course, it could be a Las Vegas date for I&TT is missing from this list:

http://www.tina-turner.nl/tina-ike-tours.php

[mikezep61]

2 hours ago, SteveAJones said:

I did look into this...based on tour itineraries it seems he may have actually seen I&TT at the Seattle Pop Festival (July 25-27, 1969) which is about ten days prior to Led Zeppelin's Las Vegas concert on August 7, 1969. Of course, it could be a Las Vegas date for I&TT is missing from this list:

http://www.tina-turner.nl/tina-ike-tours.php

From July 31st, 1969 through August 28, 1969, Elvis performed 57 shows at the International Hotel in 29 consecutive days (one show on July 31st and two shows per day from August 1st through August 28th.  Elvis performed in the 2,200-capacity room while Tina and Ike played the 500-capacity Casino Theatre.

On page 107 of Richard Cole's "Stairway to Heaven" book he described seeing Elvis and Ike and Tina Turner at the International Hotel:

"The Zeppelin wives joined us for a few days during that tour, including some of the shows in Las Vegas and other West Coast cities... On this particular tour, I figured that by pulling a few strings, I could get us some front row seats to Elvis Presley's show at the International Hotel... That night, we had front row tables. It was the first time any of us had seen Elvis perform.  And we weren't disappointed."

"Perhaps the only dissatisfied person among us that night was John Paul, but it was good-natured despair.  Before entering the showroom to see Elvis, we had spent a few minutes in the International's lounge, watching Ike and Tina Turner perform.  And as Tina sang 'River Deep, Mountain High' and 'Come Together', sensually and seductively teasing the audience with dozens of bumps and grinds, John Paul fell in love.  He turned to his wife.  'Mo', he said, 'what would I have to buy you so I could sleep with Tina Turner?  I've always wanted to screw her.  Please, Mo.  Name your price!  Anything!'  Mo decided that it was a deal she wasn't interested in making."

A backstage photo of Maureen Plant with Robert (and a monkey - insert jokes here _____) from the Anaheim, August 9, 1969 concert corroborates Cole's assertion that the band wives were on the tour at that point.

It's also worth noting that by extending the curfew from 10 p.m. to midnight, Zeppelin could have checked out the King's show at 8:15 p.m. on August 7th and then perform their own show afterward if they wanted to, especially since the International Hotel and Ice Palace were just one mile apart.

Here's a photo from August 1969 which shows Elvis and Ike & Tina Turner on the International Hotel marquee:

 

Edited January 16, 2017 by mikezep61

[PlanetPage]

Mikezep61, Passion for Led Zeppelin is Timeless, Thank you for such wonderful news, it is truly an honour to be among such passionate fans here ......

I just reviewed the Thread, I noticed that Las Vegas Sun was searched (I usually asked for at least week before and after the Aug. 11 date), but unfortunately, only the cancellation of August 10th, was reported at the Convention Centre  - don't know how this article would have been missed at the UNLV...(i even recall, that Mike Tell and his Team personally at one time searched the archives, the archivists informed me, but they could not find anything)

- at last, I shall convey that my last message from the Veteran Journalist Laura Deni/Las Vegas Billboard stated that She has spoken to Mike Tell, and he has indicated to her that he did not promote LZ concert in Vegas, and that she cannot help me further in this regard....she also stated that embellishment was common in those days for young promoters, including Mike Tell, and that the about 4 promoters in Las Vegas in total would compete with each other but now are warm community - they were all aware of this news of Mike Tell/LZ Concert Promoter (none of them had news of LZ being present for short concert otherwise promoted by some source)

She further stated that if Mike Tell had promoted this concert, it would have been published (Front Page likely) in the Las Vegas Israelite,  further, from my messages to Mike Tell, and His Promoter Brother Jay Tell (their email address publicly available at that time) never were returned, and at last Jay Tell, the Editor of Las Vegas Free Press (I posted this article) did not publish any promotion of LZ by the Tell Brothers  - There is no Book that has come out as it was once indicated....

I have always believed ONLY The Legendary Richard Cole during the passionate (disillusional at times) Search, as he recalled from Memory but always correct, that LZ were in Las Vegas for Concert - Having said this, I wonder if Concerts West promoted this concert, or connection with Elvis Promoter?  It cannot be Mike Tell - His entire family is in publication in Las Vegas and none of the publications - No News of LZ being at Ice Palace - Had they promoted this concert, they would have published the news, in Las Vegas Free Press, or Las Vegas Israelite, or Las Vegas Weekly -

I cannot recall the exact details, but there was dispute in publication of Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Free Press - (Jay Tell became publisher of Las Vegas Free Press)

Laua Deni has indicated that she has met Peter Grant Several times, and interviewed him, but unfortunately, no way to access any of those interviews- I do not have any contact for her as of now nor she was helpful in this regard during the search;

Rodney B. did give interview in Guitarworld '86 where he indicated that he arranged for LZ to see Elvis.....

- I also remember that Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull was indicated via his Concert Official Site, that the Legendary Musician was in Las Vegas August 11,1969 in the audience to see Elvis with LZ... ..cannot confirm defintely, but I did receive a word from their Site that Legendary Ian Anderson was in Las Vegas August 11, 1969 but they don't know about LZ...

Sam thank you for such wonderful Forum, indebted to you for bringing us together in Honour of "LZ".....

 

apologies for typos this late...