Nitpicking Page 1977

[gibsonfan159]

I'm omitting the acoustic sets from any of these because 1, the set is already gigantic and it would take me forever to do the whole thing, and 2, Page's playing doesn't vary that much on them other than some improvising on Bronyaur Stomp and White Summer. And although Page is a pretty good acoustic player, that's not where he shines, so it's unfair to judge it too much. Also omitting the drum and guitar solos.

Nitpicking Page 6/21/1977 (Listen To This Eddie)

We all know this show, so let's get to it. This was one of my first downloads, so I have no idea which actual version I have. The time sigs should be pretty close though.

TSRTS- Undoubtedly the best intro of this song that I know of. Up-tempo and Bonham destroying his kit on the first few measures. First solo- Bonham matching Page's vigourous riffs. Second solo- Guitar is a little murky, but playing sounds good to me. This is "energy" defined musically. "A+".

Sick Again- Almost a mathematical fact that bad things always seem to happen when there's a chance at perfection for a song. 0:44, Page either breaks a string on the intro and swaps guitars or has a cable issue. Solo- Missed note at 2:38, almost unnoticeable. Outro solo- 5:00-5:12, good fluid run. 5:34, a little sticky. Not a great flow, but good enough. "B+".

NFBM- Pretty much flawless first half, though this is a song that's hard to screw up. Harmonica- I'm not the best judge of the instrument, but sounds like Plant knows his stuff. Solo- Pretty solid, maybe could've used a little better phrasing. "A".

OTHAFA- Minor flub at 0:21. Plant seems to have some of his high range back. Solo- 3:04-3:12, absolutely love these bends. Superb phrasing. Articulation is a little hard to make out, but sounds pretty good. Top notch solo for this. 6:05, Page plays the out of tune string repetitively as to let his tech know. This is how this solo should've been played all through 75. "A". 

SIBLY- 0:42, yes sir. 3:04, Page matching Robert's vocals here makes me realize how sound his mind was for this show. Solo- "Suck it". Hangs up a little at 4:16. Very solid and fluid, maybe just a little spastic. A very solid "A" version.

No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones- Very moody piano work that wanders on like the music to a silent film. Gets his Ray Charles going at 9:28. Boogie section- Page comes in with some steady lead work. 12:45, Bonham loses the beat for a second. 19:25, Bonham and Page having fun. Solid solo with Bonzo blasting away. Good outro. Apart from Bonham playing like a madman, there's nothing too noteable. "A".

Ten Years Gone- Good solid start. First solo- Articulate, fluid, perfect phrasing. A minor flub at 3:41. Second solo- Pretty good. 5:34, tape cut, but the alternate source sounds good. Good playing on the outro. A first nitpick, so I'll say "A".

Kashmir- 6:02, what a yell. Bonham does some cool, unorthodox fills at the end. A good version with the mellotron virtually absent. "A".

Heartbreaker- Thunderous intro. Solo- Pacing himself nicely. 4:17, I know this is supposed to be somewhat intentionally sloppy, but this was almost a trainwreck. 5:00, Page was great at this type of noodling, should've done it more. 5:57-6:07, that's what I'm talking about. Good playing at the end of the solo with a nice extended jam. It's nice to hear this played with vigor again, unlike the 75 encores where it just sounds like they were legally obligated to play it. "B+" because of the choke in the solo.

Achilles Last Stand- Very harsh guitar tone as he plays using the wah pedal. First solo- Spectacular. 4:41, minor flub. Second solo- Basically playing lead runs between the main riffs, very nice. Being the first time nitpick, I'll just rate this an "A".

Stairway To Heaven- Solid first half. Solo- Extremely energetic playing and pretty good fluidity. 8:46, this little improvised riff sounds a little off. An "A" at the least.

Whole Lotta Love (Partial)- The Alembic bass just doesn't work with this, in my opinion.

Rock And Roll- 0:46. Bonham fires the tommy gun. 1:40, the version I have has a terrible sine wave noise present. Solo- 2:10, flubbed chord. Not bad. 

Final assessment- Bonham was feeling his oats (or coke) for most of this show. Page was quite impressive, playing with energy and a sound mind and I can't wait until he releases the multitrack later this year. We can dream, can't we?

[bluecongo]

Oh dear Lord not 77 too

these gonna be some loooooooooong ass posts 

BTW I love 77 

[ZepHead315]

So did you decide to skip Earls Court or are you going to come back to those shows? And are you going to be doing the non-Millard LA shows (ie. 6/22 and 6/26)? I know the sound quality on those leaves a bit to be desired, but the performances (especially 6/22) are "outta sight".

[gibsonfan159]

I wanna do the LA shows, not sure if I'll get around to others.

I'm definitely gonna get Earl's Court. I had this one already done and went ahead and posted. That first EC show is rough quality, and it sounds like Page is on fire for it, which is too bad. I owe it to myself to examine them more closely and at least see how good Page could be in 75.

3 hours ago, bluecongo said:

Oh dear Lord not 77 too

these gonna be some loooooooooong ass posts 

BTW I love 77 

Nah, I'm cutting them down to just the electric guitar songs. No acoustic sections.

Edited May 7, 2018 by gibsonfan159

[paplbojo]

NY vs LA for '77 would be cool, if you get around to NY.

[Bonzo_fan]

1 hour ago, paplbojo said:

NY vs LA for '77 would be cool, if you get around to NY.

Agreed.

[chef free]

I can't stand waiting for 6/22/77, it is one of my absolute favorite shows.

[Bonzo_fan]

5 hours ago, chef free said:

I can't stand waiting for 6/22/77, it is one of my absolute favorite shows.

Same here!

[kirchzep27]

Where the mighty arms of atlas...hold the band from the the earth...1977

 

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 6/22/1977 (Thirty Years Gone)

Some bootleg ears required as the sources for this boot alternate.

TSRTS- Frenzy of an intro. First solo- Hard to make out articulation, but sounds ok. Outro solo- 5:33, something sounds strange as he starts playing this very differently. Some parts sound really off, like at 6:00. "B".

Sick Again- Perfect intro. First solo- Some nice bends and fluidity at the beginning, but doesn't get the phrasing down at the end. Outro solo- 5:08, some turkey gobbling. 5:27, I really like this riff he throws in. 5:50, straining a little. That outro solo knocks this down to a "B".

NFBM- Horrible sine noise on the recording. Harmonica- pretty straight forward. Solo- really hard to make out, but sounds about average. "B+".

IMTOD- Good beginning. First solo- A steady flow, but he's really not doing anything special. Second solo- He gets going a little more here, but again it's barely anything other than some basic slide routines. Not even really a solo. A good ending with Page and Plant playing off each other, doing some You Shook Me and "Squeeze my lemon". 13:00, "Mr Page's trousers are falling down". The lack of a proper solo makes this "B+".

SIBLY- Good, solid intro with Page sounding very nimble, and Plant hitting that opening note perfectly. Solo- A good aggressive opening run into an elegant flow. 4:50, maybe a little spastic, not gelling with the rhythm perfectly, but still good. Excellent ending accented by Bonham. A solid version, though I was yearning to hear that solo go another four bars. "A".

No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones- Starts a unique little melody at 7:05, which transitions into the "Silent movie" phase. Some audience members seem to get bored and strike up a convo. 13:00, Page comes in with some muted riffs, then launches into a good solo. 15:00, it's fun to hear Page do these Chuck Berry style riffs. 15:35, nice bends but sounds a little off and the others seem to take off and leave him a little. 16:22, good finish to that section. 19:37-20:01, a nice series of legato sounding runs and phrasing. Again at 22:03-22:23. A good solid jam, but I don't think there's anything too great going on. This song used to be Jones' showcase on keys, but in 1977 it feels like people are going to the bathroom during his solo. A lack of a solid structure and too much aimless wandering makes it drag, though I personally love his classical inspired piano stuff. "B+".

Ten Years Gone- Sound quality is pure crap here, though the guitar comes through ok. Minor flub at 2:29. First solo- pretty solid, flub at 4:52. Second solo- Starts a little sloppy, but he pulls it together at the end. Outro- Flub at 8:12. Hang up at 8:38. Finally comes alive at 10:20. Hard to judge with the bad source, "B+".

Kashmir- Finally a better source. Bonham's fills are massive. The mellotron is coming through just enough to make this sound truly epic. Plant's yell at 4:09 almost sounds fake it's so good. A very good version. "A+".

OTHAFA- Page remembers that he forgot one. Flubs the intro a bit. Solo- 3:19-3:37, excellent playing. 4:53, nailing those bends. 5:00, sounds like he does the pick tap thing he did in 73. I missed this before. 5:43, the best I've ever heard him come out of the solo, putting emphasis on the last note as to say "And that's how it's done." An absolute shame he flubbed the intro and the quality isn't better. Still gotta be an "A+" for the solo alone.

Achilles- Frantic tempo, I don't know how these guys keep up with it. 3:08, I think they almost pull a Tempe here as someone gets off track. Luckily they straighten out next measure and Page launches into an incredible solo. 6:23, awesome run. Second solo- very cool sounding with the delay effect. 8:11, wonderful yell by Plant. 8:40, Jesus, what an ending. Flub or not, I'm giving this an "A+".

Stairway To Heaven- Minor flub at 1:49. 2:12, Jones doesn't come out of this right. 4:37, "Bonnng". Solo- Pretty straight forward until 7:15, which is played very elegantly. 8:43, that piano key slide got me rigid. Great solo. "B+" considering the flubs.

WLL- Partial.

Rock And Roll- Still lots of energy left. Solo- Sounds amazing, but is completely drowned out by the bass/bass drum. Bonzo finishes up like an elephant falling down some stairs. "A".

Final assessment- I think the previous night was a more solid performance overall although this one had some standouts. SIBLY, OTHAFA solo, Kashmir, Achilles, and a very good Stairway solo are the highlights. I almost don't want a soundboard for this in fear of it revealing more flubs.

[Bonzo_fan]

3 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 6/22/1977 (Thirty Years Gone)

Some bootleg ears required as the sources for this boot alternate.

TSRTS- Frenzy of an intro. First solo- Hard to make out articulation, but sounds ok. Outro solo- 5:33, something sounds strange as he starts playing this very differently. Some parts sound really off, like at 6:00. "B".

Sick Again- Perfect intro. First solo- Some nice bends and fluidity at the beginning, but doesn't get the phrasing down at the end. Outro solo- 5:08, some turkey gobbling. 5:27, I really like this riff he throws in. 5:50, straining a little. That outro solo knocks this down to a "B".

NFBM- Horrible sine noise on the recording. Harmonica- pretty straight forward. Solo- really hard to make out, but sounds about average. "B+".

IMTOD- Good beginning. First solo- A steady flow, but he's really not doing anything special. Second solo- He gets going a little more here, but again it's barely anything other than some basic slide routines. Not even really a solo. A good ending with Page and Plant playing off each other, doing some You Shook Me and "Squeeze my lemon". 13:00, "Mr Page's trousers are falling down". The lack of a proper solo makes this "B+".

SIBLY- Good, solid intro with Page sounding very nimble, and Plant hitting that opening note perfectly. Solo- A good aggressive opening run into an elegant flow. 4:50, maybe a little spastic, not gelling with the rhythm perfectly, but still good. Excellent ending accented by Bonham. A solid version, though I was yearning to hear that solo go another four bars. "A".

No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones- Starts a unique little melody at 7:05, which transitions into the "Silent movie" phase. Some audience members seem to get bored and strike up a convo. 13:00, Page comes in with some muted riffs, then launches into a good solo. 15:00, it's fun to hear Page do these Chuck Berry style riffs. 15:35, nice bends but sounds a little off and the others seem to take off and leave him a little. 16:22, good finish to that section. 19:37-20:01, a nice series of legato sounding runs and phrasing. Again at 22:03-22:23. A good solid jam, but I don't think there's anything too great going on. This song used to be Jones' showcase on keys, but in 1977 it feels like people are going to the bathroom during his solo. A lack of a solid structure and too much aimless wandering makes it drag, though I personally love his classical inspired piano stuff. "B+".

Ten Years Gone- Sound quality is pure crap here, though the guitar comes through ok. Minor flub at 2:29. First solo- pretty solid, flub at 4:52. Second solo- Starts a little sloppy, but he pulls it together at the end. Outro- Flub at 8:12. Hang up at 8:38. Finally comes alive at 10:20. Hard to judge with the bad source, "B+".

Kashmir- Finally a better source. Bonham's fills are massive. The mellotron is coming through just enough to make this sound truly epic. Plant's yell at 4:09 almost sounds fake it's so good. A very good version. "A+".

OTHAFA- Page remembers that he forgot one. Flubs the intro a bit. Solo- 3:19-3:37, excellent playing. 4:53, nailing those bends. 5:00, sounds like he does the pick tap thing he did in 73. I missed this before. 5:43, the best I've ever heard him come out of the solo, putting emphasis on the last note as to say "And that's how it's done." An absolute shame he flubbed the intro and the quality isn't better. Still gotta be an "A+" for the solo alone.

Achilles- Frantic tempo, I don't know how these guys keep up with it. 3:08, I think they almost pull a Tempe here as someone gets off track. Luckily they straighten out next measure and Page launches into an incredible solo. 6:23, awesome run. Second solo- very cool sounding with the delay effect. 8:11, wonderful yell by Plant. 8:40, Jesus, what an ending. Flub or not, I'm giving this an "A+".

Stairway To Heaven- Minor flub at 1:49. 2:12, Jones doesn't come out of this right. 4:37, "Bonnng". Solo- Pretty straight forward until 7:15, which is played very elegantly. 8:43, that piano key slide got me rigid. Great solo. "B+" considering the flubs.

WLL- Partial.

Rock And Roll- Still lots of energy left. Solo- Sounds amazing, but is completely drowned out by the bass/bass drum. Bonzo finishes up like an elephant falling down some stairs. "A".

Final assessment- I think the previous night was a more solid performance overall although this one had some standouts. SIBLY, OTHAFA solo, Kashmir, Achilles, and a very good Stairway solo are the highlights. I almost don't want a soundboard for this in fear of it revealing more flubs.

Too bad you didn't have Scorpio's Second Night At The Forum to work with, as I believe it is the best sounding release of this show.  In fact, I'm pretty sure Thirty Years Gone actually has "Ten Years Gone" from 6/25...

With respect to Achilles (my all-time favourite version), that "Tempe" moment before Page's solo is actually Page breaking a string.  They get back on track quickly because he grabbed his Deluxe Les Paul and finished the song with it.  You can see this in the fan footage of it--he has the red LP later in the song.

[gibsonfan159]

4 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

Too bad you didn't have Scorpio's Second Night At The Forum to work with, as I believe it is the best sounding release of this show.  In fact, I'm pretty sure Thirty Years Gone actually has "Ten Years Gone" from 6/25...

 

Wuut? I'll have to look into this. Thanks.

[Bonzo_fan]

28 minutes ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Wuut? I'll have to look into this. Thanks.

Nevermind, just checked and Thirty Years Gone does have the proper TYG.  I'd share Second Night At The Forum with you, but I don't know how!  I got it from Black Beauty and put it straight in my iTunes.  Every song on it is available on Black Beauty, except BB is still not fully up-and-running 😕

[paplbojo]

FWIW I think the Tampa show that was cut very short has the best opening ever, it's my favorite TSRTS at least. It's off the charts energetic, esp bc of the atmosphere the tape imparts, and JPJ can be heard well. Page throws in some amazing licks. Plant and Bonzo both having a blast too. 

[johnlennon696]

5 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

Nevermind, just checked and Thirty Years Gone does have the proper TYG.  I'd share Second Night At The Forum with you, but I don't know how!  I got it from Black Beauty and put it straight in my iTunes.  Every song on it is available on Black Beauty, except BB is still not fully up-and-running 😕

Does Scorpio use the fan made (weedwacker) 4 source mix, as that's the best release for the second night AFAIK.

[Bonzo_fan]

6 hours ago, johnlennon696 said:

Does Scorpio use the fan made (weedwacker) 4 source mix, as that's the best release for the second night AFAIK.

I think so 🤔

[Daeron]

I'm curious to know what letter grade you'd give each of these two shows overall.. 

I know there's people out there who say that if we had a better quality recording of 6/22 it'd be the best of the run. But after reading your song by song take I'm not so sure anymore. 

That version of Achilles is brutal though.. in the best way possible. Even with the guitar swap. 

[gibsonfan159]

50 minutes ago, Daeron said:

I'm curious to know what letter grade you'd give each of these two shows overall.. 

. 

I'd have to wait til I get all of them so I can compare them fairly. I've listened to these shows a hundred times, but it really is different when examining them closely. The first show is certainly more energetic and Page is playing with passion, but the second is more steady paced with highs and lows. My personal favorite was always Badgeholders Annual Meeting, so I'm interested in seeing if I ruin my own opinion of it.

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 6/23/1977 (For Badgeholders Only)

Pretty good audience source, maybe a little distant.

TSRTS- This one seems a little more relaxed, especially through the first verses. First solo- Not bad, articulation isn't the best, but still very adequate. Outro solo- Sounds a little sticky, especially around 6:25 and 6:38, but the murky sound hides a lot. "B+".

Sick Again- Absolutely perfect intro with some of the best drum fills I've heard for it. First solo- Nimble fingers at 2:40. Cool, weird phrase at 2:53. Nails the ending. One of the best I've heard. Outro solo- 5:15, maybe a flub but not sure. Very spastic phrasing, but it always is. 5:47-5:49, any guitarists know what he's doing here? I've never heard it before whatever it is. I think this one could've been a little faster, but it stomps along just fine. The solid performance and uniqueness of it makes it an "A+". C'mon soundboard Gods, smile upon us.

NFBM- 1:36, wrong note somewhere. 1:52, another wrong note that makes that phrase sound very sinister, and Plant sings "Oh no". Harmonica- Pretty basic, not great. Solo- Page comes roaring in with excellent phrasing and fluid picking. Very nice. 6:10, Jones drops out for a second and if he'd stayed out for those last two bars I think it would've sounded hella cool for an ending. Despite the flubs, a solid "A".

OTHAFA- Decent intro. 1:48, a common chord flub for Page. Solo- 2:56-3:04, plays some very mean sounding low notes. This builds nicely.  4:09, some bad articulation though it almost sounds intentional. Great phrasing throughout. 5:02, Jones flub (for shame, Jonesy). Another great solo and a fairly solid version. "A".

SIBLY- Nimble fingers, great phrasing on the intro. Plant hanging onto the opening note for eternity. 2:37, my version almost sounds like a splice from a different night here. Maybe the source switched? Solo- Page jumps back to 71 with serious intensity. Well done. 7:53, Bonham goes all Moby Dick with the ending. Gotta be "A+".

No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones- Starts off with a menacing keyboard phrase, then off to the races with an exciting piano routine. 11:47, massive fills like this are why Bonzo is simply the best. Blues jam- The guitar tone is very shrill here and his playing isn't that smooth. Guitar feeds back like crazy throughout. Does anyone know if he switched guitars here or something? Not bad, but not great. Guitar solo- Finally back to a good tone and better phrasing. 18:30-19:16, damn fine phrasing with Bonzo matching it. 21:22, a little loose through here, but some good riffing. 24:40, Jimmy Van Halen. Really good solo. Outro- Stunning wah soloing. 29:24, love when Plant does these banshee screams. Still an "A+" despite the mediocre blues jam.

Ten Years Gone- Solid beginning. First solo- Pretty darn good. Second solo- Also good. Outro solos- 6:39, awesome double stop bends (pedal steel bends), very Keith Richards like solo. Page's excellent lead work on this one makes me wanna give it an "A+". This blows the studio version away.

Kashmir- Something happens on my version at 2:14, a tape cut maybe, but the band seems to get off track a little as well. It gets back on and sounds good. Certainly not as atmospheric as the previous night, but pretty good. "B+".

Trampled Underfoot- The source sounds worse for this. 0:48, Page gets abducted. Solo- Opens up with some blistering runs. Steadies out some with a fairly good flow. After the versions I heard from 75, this is a good, solid solo. 5:58, good wah pedal runs. A rollicking version, "B+".

Achilles Last Stand- Beautiful intro without the harshness. First solo- Good fluidity. 3:57, loses the phrasing a little. A little repetitive but a good finish. 6:23, small flub. Second solo- 7:50, the delay effect doesn't work so good here. Not a bad version, but Page seemed to struggle a little to keep up with the pace and the solos were just adequate. "B+".

Stairway To Heaven- 1:24, the way Plant sings "Stairway" here is magnificent. 5:23, Plant is a little flat on this. Solo- 6:02, is Bonham intentionally trying to throw everyone off? 6:34-6:43, stairway to phrasing heaven. Holy shit that was good. 7:19, Bonham's refrains here are too good, with Jones accenting perfectly. 8:47-9:04, you couldn't do that any better. Honestly, some of the articulation wasn't necessarilly 73 level Page, but it doesn't matter- the phrasing and passion of the band make this an unbelievably good listen. "A+".

WLL- Partial

Rock And Roll- Very energetic and downright raunchy with a good solo. "A".

Final assessment- A very above average show, even for the LA run. Highlights are Sick Again, OTHAFA, SIBLY, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, and Stairway- with one of the best solos ever. Bonzo seems to have calmed down a little compared to the first two, but still does some awesome stuff here. This one is in desperate need of a soundboard release. 

Edited May 12, 2018 by gibsonfan159

[ZepHead315]

35 minutes ago, gibsonfan159 said:

2:37, my version almost sounds like a splice from a different night here. Maybe the source switched?

Yes. The Millard tape for this show suffers from a bunch of technical issues. In fact, most versions of this show use three sources because Millard's recording doesn't start until just before SIBLY (apparently he forgot to press record). The technical issues caused a bunch of tiny drop outs and cuts on his tape, which is why it splices to an alternate source. With regard to TSRTS, if memory serves, Page's guitar strap came undone towards the end of the song, which may account for the somewhat sloppy ending. This is also why the band briefly pauses before Sick Again.

[Daeron]

Does Jones use bass pedals during the sections (piano solo/blues jam/etc.) of No Quarter when he's on the grand piano? 

That might sound like a silly question but I'm not a musician and I don't have the greatest of bootleg ears 😅

[gibsonfan159]

1 hour ago, Daeron said:

Does Jones use bass pedals during the sections (piano solo/blues jam/etc.) of No Quarter when he's on the grand piano? 

That might sound like a silly question but I'm not a musician and I don't have the greatest of bootleg ears 😅

Yep, foot pedals. Which sound alright on audience recordings but can deafen you on the soundboards.

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 6/25/1977 (Badgeholder's Annual Meeting)

A day off to rest and back at it. Very good sound.

TSRTS- 1:13-1:19, he seems to forget the chords here. 1:39, something sounds weird here. Almost like he's switched to a minor key. 2:28, flub. 2:41, a little sloppy. First solo- Maybe he's got a string out of tune? Sounds extremely wonky. 3:44, not good. Plant sounds worse here as well. Outro solo- Fingers barely hitting the strings. Aaand we're back to mid 1975 with Page chugging whiskey. "C+".

Sick Again- Perfect intro although Bonham doesn't really deliver with the fills. Plant has warmed up some. 2:02, Page does some excellent bends here. First solo- Not bad at all, with a cool ending. 4:24, another good bend. Outro solo- Some serious phrasing issues, but he holds it together somehow. This one drags a little and it honestly sounds like Page is barely hanging on, but it's still a solid version nonetheless. "B+".

NFBM- 0:34, Bonzo false start. 0:56, Page struggling some. Harmonica- Basic stuff. Solo- Pretty solid, though you can tell he's not where he was the first three shows. Very lackluster version, but no real flubs. "B+".

IMTOD- Excellent sound on this, with Page's guitar tone sounding like a Lamborghini. First solo- He's dragging a little, but manages to put down a solid solo. Second solo- A little more fire here. Pretty good. 8:04, Plant goes astray and the band attempts to follow. The only thing this version is missing is more giant drum fills, which didn't really show up until the end. Otherwise, a very solid "A".

SIBLY- Very good intro with the old, slower tempo. Solo- 4:07-4:30, Page takes off and leaves the earth. 5:00, that ending note on that run is incredibly spooky. 5:02, those little "take off" staccatto notes sound amazing. Phrasing masterpiece. 5:47, Page's power chords here sound heavy as hell. Beautiful ending.The version from 6/23 is good, but I think this one tops it considering the absolutely perfect solo. "A++".

No Quarter- Spooky intro. Page's guitar sound is almost soundboard quality. Nitpicking Jones- A fairly entertaining piano routine, nothing special. Blues jam- Page comes in awkwardly, then takes off on some muscular runs. Not having a proper bass sound really hurts this. 15:11. Page plays a really good arpeggio here right before going into the solo. Shame he didn't keep it going. Solo- Starts off pretty standard. 16:18 starts an excellent run. 17:50, Jones hammers the hell outta that piano note. 18:38, a little sloppy. 19:36-20:16, very nice. The solo gets better the longer it goes, then winds down nicely. 23:40, very cool riff he's playing with. Good playing on the outro. A mediocre first half, but the solo makes up for it. "A".

Ten Years Gone- Nice, delicate intro. First solo- Phrasing isn't spot on but he's playing pretty good. 3:52, flub. 5:15, nice emotion from Robert. Second solo- Phrasing is off, not too bad. Outro- 6:50-7:17, much better playing from Page. 7:45, the guitar delay section sounds great. Plant and Bonham are excellent on this one, though Page could've been better on the lead work. Still a solid "A".

Kashmir- The drums have a perfect "Levee" echo to them. 4:18, mellotron knocked out of tune. 6:30, Bonham's fills on the outro are simply devastating. Monstrous version with the mellotron low in the mix and Bonham going nuts at the end. It's hard to tell if this trumps the 6/22 version without a better source for it, but it's close. "A+".

Trampled Underfoot- A slower tempo, more akin to the album version. Bonham doing very nice drum work, moving this along like a freight train. Solo- Page comes in with a wicked tone and phrase. Excellent solo that's paced perfectly, with no straining. I'm impressed. I've certainly got a lot of nitpicking to go, but this is the heaviest version I've heard so far. Top notch "A".

Achilles Last Stand- Good intro. 2:19, awesome little drum fill. First solo- Good start. 4:14, just a hint of straining. Not quite as smooth as other versions. 4:52 and 4:58, some hesitant drumbeats. Second solo- The delay effect doesn't come through well, but still good. Plant gets a cool vocal effect on the final outro note, but Page's ending is a little more awkward. Though it didn't gel as well as other versions, it's still a solid "A" with no major flubs.

Stairway To Heaven- 0:23, heart attack. Beautiful work by Jones on the intro. 5:04, cool drum fill. Solo- Excellent start. 8:41, that's a 1973 level run if I've ever heard one. 9:02, if that's Plant's tambourine then that's amazing. 9:06, Jones nails that piano line better than the last show. 9:36, Bonzo creates a unique rhtym here. This solo is something else. It may not have the overall energy the last show had, but it's played more fluidly and all the little parts fit together better. And it's got the weird dude at the end shouting "I love you". A++

WLL- Partial

Communication Breakdown- Plant hinted around at this earlier. Good energy with Plant not sounding half bad, though he's got a heavy delay effect on his mic and phase shifter later. Solo- Page leaves the earth. Couldn't be done any better. Devastating and punk sounding, maybe the best post-72 version I've heard. "A+".

Final Assessment- Takes a few numbers to get warmed up, but then they deliver just fine. Page and Bonham are noticeably more relaxed than the previous nights, but still do amazing things. Highlights are IMTOD, a superb SIBLY, No Quarter, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, a perfect Stairway and Communication Breakdown.

[paplbojo]

Man this makes me want a 77 LA live album so bad. It'd be the best album of all time! Please just let there be boards. 

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 6/26/1977 (That's Alright Mama).

Some bootleg ears required. Murky sound with Bonham's snare sounding like a metronome playing on a smartphone. I'm using the DADGAD version.

TSRTS- Partial

Sick Again- Intro is hard to make out, but sounds pretty good. First solo- Page has nimble fingers here and nails it. Outro solo- Shred mode initiated. Not bad. "A". 

NFBM- Solid intro. Harmonica- Pretty good. Solo- Sounds excellent, Page playing with fire. Solid "A".

OTHAFA- Decent, speedy intro. Plant hitting in the high range a little. Solo- 3:28-3:36, amazing phrase. Articulation is hard to make out, but the phrasing is really 1973 sounding. Solid, "A".

SIBLY- Good intro. Solo- Very good, but it just doesn't hold up to the earlier performances. Overall a little more subdued and Plant sounds less enthusiastic, but still good. "A".

No Quarter- Nitpicking Jones- A lively piano routine with some good parts, like at 8:10 and 9:48. One of the better ones I've heard. Blues jam- Feedback galore, but Page puts down some solid playing. I'm assuming he was using some kind of treble booster just for this solo which was too hot for the amps. Very good playing with Jones ending it nicely. Solo- Page comes in with a very dreamy sequence. Playing is average and a little spastic until 19:47, where he takes off on a very fluid run. 20:49, excellent series of pull-offs. 23:07, badass riff that sounds like "Yallah" from Unledded. 24:30, cool riff. Excellent solo with great phrasing. Good outro. Only complaint- Bonham wasn't active enough. "A".

Ten Years Gone- 2:44, minor flub going into that. First solo- Maybe a little lazy sounding, but not bad. Second solo- More lively and nicely done. Outro solo- Excellent string bending. To me, this one drags a bit, but I'm sure others like the slower tempo. A solid version and I believe a better source would really make it pop. "A".

Kashmir- A solid version, however Bonham is keeping time and that's it. Even the big fills toward the end sound half assed. No flubs, so it's an "A".

Achilles Last Stand- Solid intro. First solo- Page playing fluidly with good phrasing. Second solo- Sound quality is hard to judge, but sounds good. Another slightly awkward ending from Page. "A".

Stairway To Heaven- Good first half, though Plant isn't too enthusiastic. Solo- Page comes out with energy. He's certainly playing with fluidity, but the phrasing is really straightforward with nothing that makes a big impression. 7:13, good run. 7:45, I can't listen to this "Softer" section without thinking of "All along the watchtower". Hard to judge with the quality, but 9:15 doesn't seem to work well. 9:33, this stop and go part sounds rushed, with much less response from the audience. 10:10, excellent bends.10:27, this wind down sounds great. It's a strange solo, with Page obviously firing on all cylinders, but there's an element of magic missing. Still, a solid "A" version.

It'll Be Me- Reminds me a little of the Eddie Cochran covers they used to do. 2:56, Bonham gets the beat mixed up and quickly corrects it. Solo- Good, raunchy solo. "A".

Final assessment- Obviously this is the most overall solid show so far, but there seems to be something missing to me. Maybe the murky sound quality is playing tricks on my ears, but it's like there's a level of energy missing. Like they just showed up to get the job done instead of "wowing" the audience. Maybe it's a solid show because nobody took any chances to create something spectacular? Really hard to judge this one without a better source. There are no highlights because the whole damn show is above average and could easily be released as an official live show with almost no editing.