Earls Court - an eye-witness account

[TheStairwayRemainsTheSame]

An journalist from an American 75' show stated when leaving it "felt like coming off a jumbo jet". I really always feel that from especially the Earls Court shows. In fact most of the shows really. But 75 and 77' had real power and energy

[chillumpuffer]

17 hours ago, Strider said:

Nothing illustrates the dreariness of Dennis Heath's England in the 1970s better than this sentence.

Nearly there man:

Dennis Healy - Labour's Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was he who Plant was referring to. 90% tax and power cuts etc etc

Edward Heath: leader of The Conservative Party. 

 

I was also from a Northern Industrial town. Baths in front of the coal fire, Outside toilets, Oil Lamps, No heating, Black and White TV, No cars. And that was in the 1980's

[JTM]

Livin' in't cardboard box in't middle 't rord, luxury...

[Strider]

On 2/28/2018 at 3:27 PM, Xolo1974 said:

Haha I was born in 74. I remember the weekly pilgrimage (every Sunday) to the phone box in the cold, grey and pissing rain to call my relatives in Portsmouth (I grew up in Liverpool). 

 

On 3/1/2018 at 2:13 AM, Victor said:

Yes! I remember the joys of the 3 day week, the power cuts, the dustbin mens strike!.......no central heating, no fridge!

 

19 hours ago, chillumpuffer said:

Nearly there man:

Dennis Healy - Labour's Chancellor of the Exchequer. It was he who Plant was referring to. 90% tax and power cuts etc etc

Edward Heath: leader of The Conservative Party. 

 

I was also from a Northern Industrial town. Baths in front of the coal fire, Outside toilets, Oil Lamps, No heating, Black and White TV, No cars. And that was in the 1980's

Hahaha, thanks for the correction, mate.

All of these first-hand horror stories illustrate a couple other points. One, it reveals why Led Zeppelin toured the UK so infrequently compared to the U.S. The unreliable power grid of the UK sometimes made it impossible for the band to find a suitable venue in certain areas to handle their power requirements.

Two, it shows why punk took root quicker in the UK than in the U.S. Sooner or later, punk rock was gonna happen.

[chillumpuffer]

52 minutes ago, Strider said:

 

 

Hahaha, thanks for the correction, mate.

All of these first-hand horror stories illustrate a couple other points. One, it reveals why Led Zeppelin toured the UK so infrequently compared to the U.S. The unreliable power grid of the UK sometimes made it impossible for the band to find a suitable venue in certain areas to handle their power requirements.

Two, it shows why punk took root quicker in the UK than in the U.S. Sooner or later, punk rock was gonna happen.

More likely the cash. The weather, how accommodating the US was at the time and the women.

I have mentioned this before but at the time Earls Court was the largest indoor arena in the UK There was Stafford Bingley Hall where I saw Yes in 77 which was a large barn, but I'm not sure when gigs were first held there. My brother saw Queen there in 77 so maybe Ledded could tell us when gigs first started there? UK wide most indoor venues were 3000 tops maybe even less. And of course this was the 70's The UK may have been the forefront of the Industrial Revolution but by the 70's we were skint.In fact there are many places today in the UK that still look like the 70's. 

[Walter]

This is all very interesting and gives a completely different perspective to these shows for me. Thanks for sharing all of peripheral information. Playing 5 nights at EC was actually kinda bigger than 6 nights at MSG or The Forum, it seems. When looking at the size of the venue, I always wondered why they were playing such a small arena - but actually they were maxed out for UK indoor venue standards at the time. Very cool. 

Any idea why they didn’t just play wembley stadium? Or any other outdoor venue? Weather concerns? 

[zeplz71]

On 2/23/2018 at 1:16 PM, Victor said:

 

I've mentioned in a few posts that I'd seen Led Zep at the final night of the Earls Court concerts, and I've had a few messages asking me to expand, to put into words what it was actually like to go and see them, I did do a write up at the time, when I was 16 so bear with me...

 

First I think I need to put a few things in perspective. Back in 1975 there was no YouTube or mp3's. If you didn't see Led Zep in concert then you had no idea what they were like. There were no TV performances, no singles, very little radio play. At that point, no live album. I was fortunate enough to have a handful of bootlegs, so I was aware of how they never played studio versions, and how tracks like Dazed & Confused or Whole Lotta Love had continued to evolve through live performances. If you were a Zep fan, apart from the albums, and bootlegs if you could get them, you collected any snippets or pics from music papers and magazines. So to go from collecting every little item you could get your hands on to the sudden possibility of a full blown concert was absolutely epic. On top of that they were bringing their US gear with them, lights, screen, effects, lasers etc. 1974 had been such a quiet year for Zep fans and suddenly 75 had exploded with Physical Graffiti and a world tour.

 

In those days you couldn't get tickets online, you either had to queue up at the venue box office or send your money off by post. I lived in Northern England about 250 miles from London so my only option was sending off the money for a ticket. On reading that all tickets had sold out within hours I realised there wasn't much hope. Even when an extra two concerts were added, my envelope returned without any tickets. The next option was to buy all the music papers that week and see in the classified ads if anyone had spares for sale. There were quite a few. So off  I trudged to the nearest public phone (hey this was an industrial town in northern England mid 70's...home phones were luxuries!). I rang every single ad, without any success. The very last person I phoned had just sold his, but he said a friend of his might have a couple of spares, I'd have to ring back tomorrow. Fortunately the next day I found that they were going spare. The tickets face value was £2 but these were going for £10 - (a fortune for a 16 year old at the time). I had to get a bus for a couple of hours to Manchester, then a taxi to the guys place to get the tickets. One for me and one for my sis. People I knew thought I was crazy!

 

After months of growing anticipation the day finally arrives. Its a 250 mile journey by bus to London going early morning and arriving in London around midday. It really feels like a pilgrimage. We can see a few London sites, see the concert and sleep in the railway station before going home the next day. We last until 2pm and decide to head to Earls Court and see whats going on. People have already started turning up, and with the increasing crowds we are finally allowed in at around 6pm with 2 hours to wait. Our seats are about half way down the side, fairly high up. So its a good view of the whole stage and the screen above the lights. Seeing John Bonhams drum kit stood centre stage with its triple linked rings symbol on the bass drum suddenly makes you realise what you are about to see. Just that alone feels like seeing a famous landmark or icon that you've only ever seen in pictures. The time passes as more people arrive. The crowd gets louder and more excited. Although the start is scheduled for 8 we all expect the usual delays. At 7.45 a smartly dressed person comes up to the microphone..

 ‘Could you be coming in off the corridors as the show will be starting a few minutes earlier!’

Its like a disaster movie in reverse, everyone comes rushing in screaming and shouting heading for their seats. The tension and atmosphere of anticipation is amazing.

The lights dim and people scream, cheer and whistle, a figure walks on stage in a single light, it is UK DJ Alan Freeman..

‘We’re hear tonight because we share the same taste!’ …another cheer…

‘Ladies & Gentlemen…..LED ZEPPELIN!’…..the audience erupts.

Then darkness, a drum is hit, a bass note twangs. My heart is loud!  Then in the darkness drums...John Bonham beats out the opening of ‘Rock & Roll’…the lights go up in a blaze with the opening chords...most of the audience look as if they are propelled from their seats . Robert Plant bare chested with his golden mane and Jimmy Page in his shiny black dragon suit gliding and strutting about the stage. John Bonham hits his drums so hard that the reverberation through the stage is picked up through the mics. I’ve never heard any band with a drum sound like this. The drum ending of Rock & Roll gives everyone a glimpse of what is to come later and the final notes became the opening to ‘Sick Again’.

‘Good Evening!’ shouts Plant, ‘Good evening!’ roars the crowd.

Plant chats between most of the tracks. He explains how all songs start 'Over the hills and far away'. His vocals are not the high pitched Houses of the Holy version, they are roared out much lower and actually works better

Then ‘In my time of Dying’, with skullcrushing power! The ending is a showcase for Robert Plant as he wails through ‘Don’t you make my dying!!’, louder and louder.

‘Tangerine’ – Plant explains is a song of first love and the chorus is sung by all four of them.

‘Kashmir’! four mirror balls above the stage bathe the audience in multi coloured lights. (In those days you could still smoke in public places and most of the audience do, so the light effects work so much better.) Plant stands in classic pose centre stage. A powerful rendition. Without much pause straight into ‘The Song Remains the Same’ and then the ‘Rain Song’.

Then comes what Plant calls ‘The human part of the show’, three chairs are arranged on the stage. Jimmy with acoustic guitar and JPJ with mandolin. Plant chats about Welsh mountains, honey and lemon drinks, and how loose John Bonham is! They play  ‘Going to California’, ‘That’s the Way’ and ‘Bron-y-aur Stomp’ with the audience joining in that classic handclap. You can see they are all enjoying this.

Darkness, then dry ice bathed in blue and green light provides the atmospheric setting for ‘No Quarter’ unlike the version on TSRTS this one really is JPJ’s solo spot. He sits at a grand piano and plays classical pieces some with a synth? in the background, then just piano that becomes jazzier and funkier till Page and Bonham join in, then  a return to classical piano. Most people have no idea JPJ can play like this and are completely blown away.

If they aren’t completely blown away then they certainly are when ‘Trample Underfoot’ starts.

That is followed by…’Yes! John Bonham…Moby Dick!’

The next half hour is incredible. It’s like watching an automaton, at times you’d think that if this was on film you’d suspect they had speeded parts up. John Bonham is an incredibly visual drummer, he can play fast, complex drum parts but his arms are still raised above his head each time to get full power on the downstrike. The 'hands only' part is equally amazing as he smashes at the cymbals and back elbows the gong. The sounds he gets from the kettle drums reverberate around the hall before the final drums and sticks climax that leaves everybody with mouths wide open.

‘Take a bow John!’ shouts Plant…he stand s and bows and a roar goes up.

‘Take a bow John!’ shouts Plant…he stands again and another roar goes up.

‘Take a bow John!’ shouts Plant…he waves Plant away and downs a pint of beer, another roar goes up!.

The lights go out and the slow unmistakable bass of ‘Dazed and Confused’ starts, Page joins in with a wailing guitar. A purple flare explodes at the back of the stage and Plant roars…’Bin Dazed and Confused for so long its not true!’ This is a track that has grown and grown over the years. A cheer of delight from the audience as Page picks up his violin bow. Purple and Grey smoke begins to rise out of the stage around him. Three green laser beams stream across the hall from the back converging in the smoke on the stage. The guitar begins to shriek loudly! In fact it gets painful its so high pitched and loud! Page stands with bow pointing upwards, the bow crashes down, an iron chord splits the air, the magician points his bow at a corner of the hall from where the chord returns as a single equally loud echo, then over and over he thrashes the guitar. The guitar squeals and moans and the audience sits there mesmerised. 

What can follow that…..’Stairway to Heaven’. Page with his classic double neck, and Plant with his hair bathed in a corona of golden light. Cheers erupt as the first few notes are played, more cheers as …’Theres a lady who sure all that glitters is gold….’

…then as Plant sings  the final line, white lights focus on a huge revolving mirror ball that immerses the audience in a sea of  light.

The show is over but the audience cheer, stamp, scream for a full ten minutes before they come out for the encore…’Whole lotta Love’. Page takes off his guitar to play the theremin for the abstract middle section and Plant joins in with roars and wails.  Multi coloured flares explode above the stage and they tear into Black Dog for a final blistering finish.

Then they are gone, the house lights come up and nobody moves, more cheers and stamping. Slowly a few people begin to file out, but then have to come running back in as the lights go down again…

‘We never do this!’ shouts Plant, as Page starts Heartbreaker, I can hear shouts of ‘Oh yeaaaaah!!!!‘ and ‘fuuuuuckin’ heeell!!!! in the seats near me as Page goes into a frenzy. They finish that and straight into ‘Communication Breakdown’ and the final finish. Its now after 11.45, everyone leaves dazed but not confused.

Luv this! Thanks

 

 

[Slowfoot]

On 3/2/2018 at 5:25 PM, Walter said:

This is all very interesting and gives a completely different perspective to these shows for me. Thanks for sharing all of peripheral information. Playing 5 nights at EC was actually kinda bigger than 6 nights at MSG or The Forum, it seems. When looking at the size of the venue, I always wondered why they were playing such a small arena - but actually they were maxed out for UK indoor venue standards at the time. Very cool. 

Any idea why they didn’t just play wembley stadium? Or any other outdoor venue? Weather concerns? 

Football- last game at Wembley was 25 May England v Scotland international. Also stadium concerts on grass pitches hadn't taken off in the UK at that time. Only 1 gig at Wembley Stadium in 1974 CSNY and 1 in 1975 (June) Elton John/Beach Boys/Eagles.

The Who put the boot in tour of 1976 had them play single gigs at 3 Football grounds after the football season ended: Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic in London and The Vetch Field, Swansea, Wales. It's the first stadium mini tour I can remember.

[Walter]

16 minutes ago, Slowfoot said:

Football- last game at Wembley was 25 May England v Scotland international. Also stadium concerts on grass pitches hadn't taken off in the UK at that time. Only 1 gig at Wembley Stadium in 1974 CSNY and 1 in 1975 (June) Elton John/Beach Boys/Eagles.

The Who put the boot in tour of 1976 had them play single gigs at 3 Football grounds after the football season ended: Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic in London and The Vetch Field, Swansea, Wales. It's the first stadium mini tour I can remember.

Thank you for the added information and time frame. 

[Strider]

On 11/27/2021 at 6:24 AM, Slowfoot said:

Football- last game at Wembley was 25 May England v Scotland international. Also stadium concerts on grass pitches hadn't taken off in the UK at that time. Only 1 gig at Wembley Stadium in 1974 CSNY and 1 in 1975 (June) Elton John/Beach Boys/Eagles.

The Who put the boot in tour of 1976 had them play single gigs at 3 Football grounds after the football season ended: Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, The Valley, home of Charlton Athletic in London and The Vetch Field, Swansea, Wales. It's the first stadium mini tour I can remember.

Yes, The Who's Charlton gig is legendary.

[Walesdad]

3 hours ago, Strider said:

Yes, The Who's Charlton gig is legendary.

So was the Vetch Field, Swansea show, at least in my house. The Who, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Little Feat, The Outlaws, Streetwalkers and Widowmaker all for £4.00 ! Happy days.

[andyk17]

On 11/29/2021 at 10:15 PM, Walesdad said:

So was the Vetch Field, Swansea show, at least in my house. The Who, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Little Feat, The Outlaws, Streetwalkers and Widowmaker all for £4.00 ! Happy days.

Great lineup, caught it at Charlton (also saw the 1974 gig there). Also lucky to have seen Zep four times including twice at Earls Court and the second Knebworth date. Pity they didn't play bigger stadiums in the UK, but Earls Court was fairly big.