zeptangerine Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 I just about choked on my coffee when I read this. Back in the 80s, I frequently went to this dumpy little Wheaton Youth Center to see knock-off 60s bands. I wouldn't go near the place today, but could it be true that THE Led Zeppelin played to a house of 55 fans on Jan. 20th 1969? If you were there, let this guy know! Washington Post: Led Zeppelin Played Where? ps- This website mentions that Zep DID play at this youth center on 1-20-69. It's a complete list of shows with songs played at each show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators sam_webmaster Posted January 22, 2009 Administrators Share Posted January 22, 2009 Yes, they did play there: http://ledzeppelin.com/show/january-20-1969 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanadu Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Yes, they did play there: http://ledzeppelin.com/show/january-20-1969 Wow! Is there a specific reason why they and the audience kept quiet about it afterwards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZepFanatic Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Supposedly they also played the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton, NH, in 1969, about 20 min from where I'm from...crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZepFanatic Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 Yes they did! http://ledzeppelin.com/show/august-27-1969 I bet my Dad wishes he had gone! (He was 16 in 1969 and living 20 min from Hampton!...he's a huge Zep fan!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Could it be true that THE Led Zeppelin played to a house of 55 fans on Jan. 20th 1969? Yes. In my previous research I found it was an unadvertised gig played for $250.00 (Source: 'Washington Post' May 25, 2003 --"Stairway to Concert Heaven" DVDs, CDs put metal band on the stage and in your face (album review)) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadiepearl Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 That is wild! I never heard about that! I grew up in Maryland and was only 9 when this took place. I did have 2 older brothers, but I don't think they had come of Zep age, yet, either. Wow! Wish I was there and old enough to remember. I live in a fairly small town in CA now and remember in the early 80's seeing U2 and NXS play at what now is a retirement community center. Also saw Guns and Roses at a small club here right after Appetite for Destruction first came out, so I know from experience that these happenings do occur. Only wish I could have seen that one!!! I remember, in my teens, hearing about Led Zeppelin playing at the Capitol Center in DC and my dad said no, I had spent enough of his money on concerts that year. Oooooooohhh, what a waste! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadiepearl Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Wow! Is there a specific reason why they and the audience kept quiet about it afterwards? I would imagine it was because Zep was new at the time to those in the states and, hey, there where only 55 people there. How much of an uproar could 55 kids in Wheaton, MD. make? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanadu Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I would imagine it was because Zep was new at the time to those in the states and, hey, there where only 55 people there. How much of an uproar could 55 kids in Wheaton, MD. make? Oh, I thought they just played there for fun and maybe without a permission. Still it appears a bit peculiar to me, that the audience hasn't blabbed more about their experience in all these years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I remember, in my teens, hearing about Led Zeppelin playing at the Capitol Center in DC and my dad said no, I had spent enough of his money on concerts that year. May 25, 26, 28 & 30 1977. The band stayed at The Plaza hotel in NYC, flying back and forth from Newark International to Baltimore Washington International on Starship. Guests from the Russian Embassy met them backstage prior to the fourth night. I don't believe there was any official distribution of rock records in the communist USSR back then so what a thrill it must have been for them to meet the band, see the concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanadu Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 May 25, 26, 28 & 30 1977. The band stayed at The Plaza hotel in NYC, flying back and forth from Newark International to Baltimore Washington International on Starship. Guests from the Russian Embassy met them backstage prior to the fourth night. I don't believe there was any official distribution of rock records in the communist USSR back then so what a thrill it must have been for them to meet the band, see the concert. I think the Communist Party elite did pretty much whatever they fancied, while the people were deprived of many things more important than rock'n roll (Plus rock'n roll, of course). I'm not impressed at all about LZ agreeing to chit-chat with the embassy, if that story is true. Although I must admit that in the 70's it wasn't widely known what was going on in the USSR. Many people read Marx and Lenin and thought it was cool, and perhaps most of them had no idea what the actual communist reality was at the moment and what it had been before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZepFanatic Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I think the Communist Party elite did pretty much whatever they fancied, while the people were deprived of many things more important than rock'n roll (Plus rock'n roll, of course). I'm not impressed at all about LZ agreeing to chit-chat with the embassy, if that story is true. Although I must admit that in the 70's it wasn't widely known what was going on in the USSR. Many people read Marx and Lenin and thought it was cool, and perhaps most of them had no idea what the actual communist reality was at the moment and what it had been before. Absolutely true...I'm glad Zeppelin was never a political band, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zanadu Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Absolutely true...I'm glad Zeppelin was never a political band, though! The occasion may have been part of the official politics, of course. Kind of wining and dining to leniate the cold war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeptangerine Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Yes. In my previous research I found it was an unadvertised gig played for $250.00 (Source: 'Washington Post' May 25, 2003 --"Stairway to Concert Heaven" DVDs, CDs put metal band on the stage and in your face (album review)) $250! That was probably the Center's entire budget for 1969! Only Peter Grant could make that gig happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelectro Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Not all that surprising considering most of the 69 tour venues were somewhat small. In every pic I've seen of that tour Bonzo doesn't even have his drums miked and the the crowds look to be in the several hundreds range. There's a great pic in the new Guitar World of Zep on a small stage somewhere in 69, you can see from the stage behind the band to the back of the hall and the people are about 40-50 bodies deep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 There's a great pic in the new Guitar World of Zep on a small stage somewhere in 69, you can see from the stage behind the band to the back of the hall and the people are about 40-50 bodies deep. If it's the one I'm thinking of (with JJ Jackson, the black radio personality and former MTV VJ in the front row) it was undoubtedly taken at one of the Boston Tea Party gigs in January 1969 which he is known to have attended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelectro Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 If it's the one I'm thinking of (with JJ Jackson, the black radio personality and former MTV VJ in the front row) it was undoubtedly taken at one of the Boston Tea Party gigs in January 1969 which he is known to have attended. I think that's it. I remember seeing a black guy up front, he's standing right in front of Jimmy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I think that's it. I remember seeing a black guy up front, he's standing right in front of Jimmy. Yes, that's JJ Jackson, and from his description of the concert (many years later) it may well have been THE night of the magic "four-hour marathon show" recalled by the band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danelectro Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 I looked again and there is definitely a dark complected man standing in front of Jimmy. If it's a young JJ I can't tell, been a while since the glory days of MTV, can't say for that I'd be able to pick him out of crowd without comparing a picture. But I don't doubt he was there, from what I remember he was the serious one concerning music. At any rate I was more of a Nina Blackwood fan, though looking back she looks pretty scary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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