Bonzo_fan
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Posts posted by Bonzo_fan
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43 minutes ago, BobDobbs said:
Me thinks the slop would not have been noticeable being there due to all the ambient noise and volume causing echo etc. I say I hope they release this officially some day. They could replace the RnR/SA with another, better shows version, and then splice the legato section out and replace with one from 71' but make it super obvious for shits.
The title would be Gene Therapy a Jolly Romp Through the Timbers
Exactly. LMAO...sadly, I think our best hope now is Jason having a more liberal view of what's release-worthy once he inherits the keys to the vault (assuming it would go to him after the three of them, which perhaps isn't a safe assumption?). Obviously I hope that's not anytime soon...
They should really hire an archivist/legacy manager like the Grateful Dead have done. It helps to have someone with a bit more of an "outsider"'s perspective, even if they're a diehard fan.
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1 hour ago, BobDobbs said:
Seattle is a great show but I concur with your assessment Sir. After re-listen I have a new appreciation for this gig. The only weak point is Page being a bit rusty (not bad, just misses some notes and a bit too loose) in the beginning and then he really comes alive from OTHAFA on. Page get's his fingers caught in the strings during the legato run in Heartbreaker, but otherwise the song is great. I still do not care what anyone says, Page F-ed up that legato phrase waaaay too much during shows because he always held the LP over his head when he did it. Unless you rub baby powder on the neck beforehand your hand will stick at some point while sliding it down the neck due to the weight of the guitar. It may have looked cool but damn it, it F-ed up the run! Every time I tried it my hand gets stuck around the 7th fret.
Great NQ though at this gig, no doubt about that. Pretty much everything from OTHAFA to the end are amazing! And yes, both JPJ & Bonzo are off the chart shit-hot this night. Everyone is great.
LOL, that always frustrates me too, but I'd be willing to bet that those in attendance went home talking about him playing above his head and either forgot or didn't notice the bit of slop that resulted from it. I have to remind myself of that sometimes: these bands were playing with the people in the seats in mind, and them alone...not we "armchair quarterbacks" decades later.
Yeah, I'll concede Page has some loose moments on RAR>SA, but the other three are so good and the energy is so high I'm able to not notice it when I so choose...sometimes ignorance is bliss 😂😎 I'd say 3/21 STH is one of the best of all time btw...great structure to the solo, keeps the momentum building the whole way (and it's a long one...clocks in just under 13 minutes), which didn't always happen.
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1 hour ago, 1975NQ said:
Just listened to the bass from SRTS 3/21 .. you weren't joking! That thing is a BEAST. As a drummer, which 75 shows do you think are Bonzo's best? If you already cover that in one of your podcasts, I'll bet a lot of people would tune in, drummers and non-drummers alike.
I think a lot of people like 3/27 .. maybe for similar reasons? 5/25/75 used to be my favorite Zep show and the one I listened to the most - until I got back into listening again last year. Partly for the reasons you mention, and partly because I just thought it was the best show I'd heard from them. The NQ from 3/27 has really grown on me in recent months. And this is after years and years of thinking it was the most boring thing I'd ever heard. It's not technically killer as far as Page goes, but you can get a sense of what he's after with that guitar solo. His mind is in a good place creatively, his fingers less so lol. I should give that one another listen soon.
Yeah, classical is something I have to be in the right mood for myself, for sure. No right/wrong way to approach it, just jump in!
I think using fantastical language to talk about NQ from 75 is pretty appropriate lol. They created a whole new world to jump into (both them and the audience) every night. It was def the high mark of that tour.
Off the top of my head, going chronologically: 2/3, 2/8, 2/12, 2/13, 2/28, 3/3, 3/5, 3/11, 3/12, 3/19-21. I think his playing in '75 gets a bad rap sometimes due to him being more reserved at Earls Court for whatever reason...he was pretty fiery most of the time on the North American tour.
As a matter of fact, I have an episode planned for about a month from now with two fellow drummers in the community detailing the evolution of his playing across the entirety of their live career!
I quite like 5/25 as well. If it had the Dazed from the night before, I would have no complaints! No, it's not Plant's best night of the year, but it's '75...I consider great vocals a bonus if they happen to be there 😂
You're bang on about 3/27 NQ. If you're able to listen to what Page was trying to play, I think it's one of his best-structured NQ solos in terms of the sense of plot and emotional arc...just not his absolute best execution. That lick he hits just before the motif from the studio version (and the crowd's response) gives me chills every time! Jones' solo is one of his best and most concise, and the groove between he and Bonzo is probably my fav. Plus, Plant gets quite an air raid in on the outro for good measure! 3/27 is one of his better nights of the year...
Lol, fair enough!
Exactly. I agree, it was the highlight of most '75 shows.
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4 hours ago, 1975NQ said:
Yeah, I realize my opinion on that show is unpopular (to put it mildly) in the Zep community 😂. I would never say it's a *bad* show, it just never clicked with me. It's funny you mention the vibes because to me, they sound "off" like they're too coked up or something. But from what I can tell from this forum and other corners of the internet, it's one of the most beloved shows of their career! And that was the case when I first heard it back in 88. It was highly recommended by one of my trader contacts in the bootleg community I tapped into back then. We'd send each other our lists with notes on each show and trade for blank tapes. And this guy was just raving about the show. So, I was super excited to hear it because back then '75 was my fav year for Zep, and I was on a hunt to find that magic show. But after listening to it, I was like " ... is that it?" So, I listened again. And again. And again. It just never clicked with me. (shrugs).
Plant sounds great, though. And I like hearing other people's thoughts on shows, whether it's a show I like or not. Especially from musicians - because you guys are hearing things and listening for things that I won't always catch. For instance, I've never listened closely to compare Jones' performance among all the 75 shows - at least as far as bass playing goes. So, it's cool to hear about shows through people who are listening through a different channel, especially regarding Bonzo and Jones. I'll def check out SRTS from that show and listen just for that bass!
I do get what you're saying about the epic quality, and I think that influences the opinion of a lot of listeners for 3/21. It's definitely the "biggest" show of the tour (along with 3/27 LA).
My fav Jonesy NQ solo is the one from 2/16 - at least the "groove" section. In fact, he and Bonzo sound epic (to my ears) that whole show! My fav solo piano from JPJ is from 3/20 Vancouver. I don't know if you like classical music or not, but his playing reminds me a bit of Debussy on that one. Which perfectly suits the solo, as I feel like when they get into that section of the song (queue dry ice) they're really inviting the audience into an imaginary world. Almost like a cinematic thing going on. A lot of Debussy's music has that same cinematic quality.
Lmao, fair enough 😂 Art is subjective at the end of the day...there are a few shows (Zepp and other bands) that have never clicked with me to the extent that they do for others, despite my best efforts.
I agree, it's nice to hear differing perspectives. I'm a drummer, so I love getting a guitarist's perspective -- like reading these nitpicks.
Oh, I have a big soft spot for 3/27, which is a bit less popular of an opinion to have 😅 It's the longest show of their career if you only count the music (i.e. eliminate all Plantations, gaps between songs, etc.) and has the longest average song length by quite a bit, reaching that length with just 15 songs! The other three that cross 3h 40m in total run time (incl. gaps) -- 3/21/75, 5/25/75 & 6/27/77 -- are 17, 20 and 21 songs, respectively. Not that length is directly correlated to quality, but I think it's cool to hear them stretching everything out like that on the last night. That NQ is one of my favourites.
Oh, interesting. I'd nominate 3/27's groove section as a challenger! 3/20 is an amazing NQ for sure, and finished second to 3/21 in my ranking of the '75 NQs last year: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1119254/8206579
I should explore classical more than I have, to be honest. I took a few courses on it in university and always enjoy what I hear, but sort of forget to listen to it/don't know where to start 😅 I will listen to some Debussy now 👍 Agreed on the cinematic quality of NQ, especially in March '75. I ended up using some pretty fantastical language trying to describe them on the podcast 😂
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On 2/7/2022 at 11:41 AM, 1975NQ said:
Finally ... a little solidarity!! 😛
3/21 is actually my personal favourite show of their entire career, factoring sound quality, setlist, etc. I freely admit that it's not a perfect technical performance and that the "vibes" (which are A++) and all of the other intangibles influence my opinion greatly. I think part of it is, when you listen to the whole tour chronologically, it's really rewarding to hear them finally put it all together for one that has that epic quality like an Osaka '71 or Seattle '72 (not in their league technically speaking, I know).
On the technical side, I personally feel that 3/21/75 is Jones' best show of their career. Of course he was the most consistent member by far, but I do find that his creativity is really off the charts in March '75. The setlist allows him to "show off" a lot, and the recordings make it so easy to hear all of his brilliance. I think 3/21 is the best of the bunch for him; my favourite piano solo of his in NQ — and crazy playing throughout the jam — and some mind-blowing bass playing throughout...check TSRTS! My copy of 4/27/69 is titled The Jimi Page Experience; you could call 3/21/75 The John Paul Jones Experience...
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On 1/30/2022 at 3:23 PM, 1975NQ said:
After doing a deep dive into this tour recently, I def agree with this. The run they had from Seattle through Pittsburgh is just crazy good.
Yup...TSRTS is great, but imagine if the tapes had started rolling 10 day earlier 😩 Glad to hear you're on a nice Zepp binge after such a long time away! You started your break when I was born 🤣
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Update: I will be doing the same thing for the '77 NQ's this year... 🤭 Expect it mid-July or so...
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On 10/30/2021 at 8:37 PM, Supros and Telecasters said:
Fan of Bonzo fan and also green sparkly-things. This Vancouver rendition feels just about perfect - weather-worn but not for the worse.
Just a lovely performance - and a great show.
I agree -- the 'weather-worn' feel suits "The Rain Song." 3/19 is a great show indeed.
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On 10/29/2021 at 8:50 PM, LedZeppfan1977 said:
Well if you can get to Hyde park in England you can see the Eagles minus the late great Glen Frey and Robert Plant and Allison will join them!!!
Yes, I saw the announcement of that! Not sure if I'll make it over there for it, but I have seen Plant -- 6/15/18 at Budweiser Stage in Toronto.
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On 10/27/2021 at 9:47 AM, LedZeppfan1977 said:
Yes, only time. We had tickets for Buffalo but Roberts son passed days before. Long lines to return tickets. Some said I traveled to DC for nothing until that tragedy deprived many Zep fans the chance to ever see them. I still have my ticket.
Do you remember a member here “The Ocean”? He was a regular here and was at all the Landover shows. It’s not you is it? Haven’t heard from him in ages
That's a shame the Buffalo show didn't happen -- and of course a bigger tragedy as far as why it didn't. That would've been a huge show...I've seen the Stones and U2 at the Ralph. I actually like it better for concerts than Bills games LOL.
I do remember The Ocean, and no, I'm not him...I was born in '95! Wish I could've seen Zepp!
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On 10/24/2021 at 7:14 AM, LedZeppfan1977 said:
I was at the May 30, 1977 Landover show. Glad to know its rated the best in Landover. At the old Capital Centre. If you had not been distracted might you have rated it higher? Due to your poor dog's end? At least in this life, his soul is still hanging around you.
Oh, very nice! Was that the only time you saw them? Yeah, it's definitely the best of the four in my opinion. May 28 is pretty good too, but the 25 & 26 are quite bland at best. Yes, I probably would have rated it a tad higher if not for the situation with my dog -- I enjoyed it more on the anniversary this year! Yes, she's still with me in spirit ☺️ We also got another of the same breed (Samoyed) about a year ago now, so that helps...
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On 10/14/2021 at 7:31 PM, Strider said:
I need to reacquaint myself with the 1971 Winter UK tour of November-December. I have the earlier UK/Euro, U.S. and Japanese tours of 1971 firmly in mind, but the last tour of 1971 is a bit hazy.
I'm in the same boat. I think the only one I've heard is 11/16 Ipswich 🤔
On 10/14/2021 at 7:41 PM, Walter said:Honestly I’ve never heard a show from that tour. Maybe a 50th anniversary tour of the tour is in order? I haven’t been listening to much live Zep lately…
I'll be doing that as well -- and covering it on my podcast to report my findings! 🧐
Speaking of which, this seems as relevant a place as any to drop this...
I had the pleasure of being joined by @ledzepfilm on my show this week to discuss Japan '71 for the 50th anniversary: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1119254/9385762
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On 9/1/2021 at 12:23 AM, Strider said:
It's the 50th anniversary of William losing his wallet.
August 31, 1971 Orlando has always been one of my favourite shows. Jimmy is so frisky at this show. If only the soundboard didn't cut out just before "Celebration Day" begins.
I hope William was reunited with his wallet. Has anyone ever tracked him down?
One of my favourites as well and yes, Jimmy is particularly active between songs at this show. As far as William Combus is concerned, I have no idea 🤣
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On 8/29/2021 at 8:34 AM, JohnOsbourne said:
I think it's safe to assume they have them, so yes, eventually. I'd much rather have the 2nd Long Beach show before either of the remaining Forum nights.
Precisely. I'd also be curious to see how a 3/12 matrix would turn out.
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On 7/14/2021 at 8:49 PM, gibsonfan159 said:
Nitpicking Page 3/5/1975 Dallas, TX (Grame Remaster)
Rock And Roll- Plant not sounding too awfully bad. Decent verses. Solo- sloppy playing overall but the phrasing is good. 2:24, some sloppy chords to end the solo. Fairly average for the opener, nothing impressive. "B".
Sick Again- Good intro and verses, Rob sounds warmed up already. First solo- some looseness but pretty solid overall. Second half verses sound good. Outro solo- nimble fingers throughout. Not bad. "A".
OTHAFA- Solid intro from Pagey. Plant sounding strong on the opening chorus. Solo- the low octave noodling is phrased nicely. 4:19, straining a bit. Not exactly shred mode, but Page dabbles and experiments with some effective phrasing. A surprisingly solid version overall. "A".
IMTOD- Fairly good start and verses. First solo- pretty loose but the flow is good. Sounds like a drunk Duane Allman. Second solo- 6:34, much better feel on this one as he gets in the zone. The energy picks up nicely for the last bit. "A-"
TSRTS- Decent intro. 1:27, chord flub. First solo- lacking some technical precision but fairly good. Second solo- 4:27, slightly choppy chording. Not bad. Plant slurring some notes on the return. "B+".
Rain Song- 0:56, slight vocal squeak. Solid verses. Nice instrumental balance on the recording. 3:14, Jones sounding a little odd with the bass pedals. Rock section- not bad. Page's outro is good and Plant gets a decent scream in to end it. A very relaxed version. "B+".
Kashmir- Solid start. 1:20. very slight flub. Mostly solid throughout. 8:07-8:10, Jimmy a little loose here on the outro. Decent performance but this recording lacks some punch. "A-".
No Quarter- The usual solid start. Jones- an intriguing start to his routine with some elegantly played piano phrases. 6:47-8:00, Jones in the zone for some of the best phrases I've heard by him. 11:40, amazing groove here with Bonzo. Solo- Page playing patiently to start. 15:25, phrasing is pretty loose and choppy. 15:55, better. 17:40, playing with more passion and fluidity. 19:46, very nice wah enhanced bends. A mediocre start improves greatly and saves us from disappointment from Page. The return is good and Jim does well with the outro licks. Minus the first half of Page's solo (which is really only sporadic phrasing), this one is really up there. A top five Jones routine. "A".
Trampled Underfoot- Very up tempo and Robert has some trouble keeping up in places. Jones has a short but good routine. Solo- Page enters sounding just a bit sticky but his phrasing is nice. 3:57, sloppy run. Really not too bad, but some stickiness keeps this around a "B+".
Dazed- The usual start. First workout- Page's fingers sounding stiff. The Woodstock intro reveals a string to be out of tune but it's still a nice rendition. 7:25, Plant squeak. The bow section pushes ten minutes. Second workout- 20:19, something happens as Page drops out and Jones picks up on bass to fill the void. 21:07, Page still struggling. 22:00, inarticulate. 25:24, sloppy. 26:05, Jim pushing it here but not impressing. Mars- Page struggling a bit with the chords. At last we hit the climax and Jimbo even flubs a few chords here. The outro jam flows a bit better. Not a good one. "C+".
Stairway- Verses sounding excellent. Solo- good start but a strange phrase at 6:45. 8:00-8:40, fantastic set of alternating phrases. Jim pulls together quite well for the remainder of the solo. Plant struggles on the climax. Not perfect but anything would sound good after that Dazed. "B+".
WLL- Some twangy chords to get started. The Crunge- a serious attempt at the song this time around. 1:08, Page not quite nailing the chords or timing. The theremin freakout is pretty run of the mill. "B+".
Black Dog- Verses sounding good. Solo- some choppy phrasing to start but not bad. 4:20, fingers stuck in strings. 4:55, sloppy. The remainder is played embarassingly as Page's fingers stop working. "B".
Final Assessment- A solid overall performance is marred by some low points. Plant is mostly good except for the Stairway finale. Page isn't perfect but is fairly coherent and controlled for 1975. He seems to have issues with his guitars throughout. Highlight is a solid No Quarter, with an impressive piano section from Jones. Dazed should be avoided.I would only add that Jones has some particularly fantastic bass playing, especially on OTHAFA -- that return!
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On 5/31/2021 at 8:30 PM, Xolo1974 said:
Some people like’em....some people hate’em. Me - I like them, except for ‘77. The Millard recordings are just unbeatable.
We’re all huge fans/collectors/obsessives. Is there a point at which we’ll feel satisfied with what we have, or will we keep wanting more? I kid myself, and think that I’ll be happy when and if the following come out (in no particular order);
1. Blueberry Hill.
2. Rest of 29/9/71.
3. 1970 - New York second show; and:4. 24/7/79 Copenhagen.
What are yours?
Cheers
Blueberry Hill wouldn't be near the top of my list, simply because the sound quality we have is pretty great. I would rather get one of the missing shows like Seattle or the Honolulu evening show than Blueberry Hill for sure. The 9/19/70 evening show is probably the best show of their career, so of course it would be extremely high on my list, but I'm not sure how hopeful we should be that many/any 1970 soundboards exist.
Would love the rest of 9/29 -- and 9/28 -- or anything else from Japan '71...or any of the missing clubs shows...or anything from '71, probably their best year.
Copenhagen '79 would not be high on my list at all -- both audience recordings are pretty darn good and I think both shows are overrated.
As @JohnOsbourne says, 3/12/75 Long Beach is high on my list, as are the remaining missing '75 shows -- particularly 1/11 Rotterdam. A Providence (or Baltimore) '73 SBD would be high on my list as well, as would 6/22/77 or 6/26/77.
Excluding shows with no recording as of yet, which are obviously desirable no matter what year they're from IMO, I think the ultimate soundboard holy grail is 6/19/72 Seattle. To me, it has the largest disparity between sound and performance quality -- it's arguably second only to 9/19/70 E as far as their greatest shows, and its sound quality is pretty poor. You can get through it with seasoned bootleg ears for sure, but it's the show in most dire need of an upgrade IMO, not to mention the cuts -- particularly during the longest string of encores they ever did.
As far as your original question though, with the number of "holy grails" still out there and the speed at which they seem to be released, I doubt we will ever be satisfied. -
1 hour ago, Strider said:
It is the 50th anniversary of one of Led Zeppelin's 10 greatest concerts…May 3, 1971 at the K.B. Hallen in Copenhagen, Netherlands. It is an absolutely essential bootleg to have. We know it was not multitracked but if Jimmy has the soundboard squirreled away somewhere, he needs to nut up and release the damn thing already. It needs to be heard by the masses in better quality than exists on the audience tape that has been circulating for some time.
The only Led Zeppelin concert where they played six of the eight songs from Led Zeppelin IV, which would not be released until another seven months after this show: "Black Dog", "Stairway to Heaven", "Going to California", "Four Sticks" (first and only performance ever captured on tape!), "Misty Mountain Hop" (first performance ever and the band bollocks it up a little), "Rock and Roll". Plus another rarity…a full stand-alone version of "Gallows Pole".
Scorching versions of "Immigrant Song", "Heartbreaker", "Since I've Been Loving You", with Robert Plant in full air-raid siren power and the band still a well-oiled machine at this point in their touring career. Black Sabbath and Deep Purple couldn't match this in their dreams.
I have two different cd releases of this show…"Stick Out!" is my favourite and the one I play the most. A Desert Island Disc, for sure.
A Top 10 show indeed and one I look forward to listening to each May 3 -- along with another time or two throughout the year! I just finished Stairway, and I have to say, it might just be my favourite version. Besides nailing all of the high notes in the final verse, that howl Plant lets out just before Bonham enters is one of my favourite moments of his ever. Page never "comes up for air" once during his solo, either.
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10 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:
Nitpicking Page 9/27/1971 Shiei Taikukan Hall, Hiroshima (Love And Peace- EVSD)
Third show in Japan. A good audience source spliced by inferior sources.
Immigrant Song- A little slower but heavier tempo. Plant not sounding as strong as the previous shows and singing with less enthusiasm. Solo- starting with the usual pulloffs then getting an excellent flow going. 2:55, some off notes. 3:00-3:09, Page repeats an odd sounding phrase. 3:28, the ascending phrase to signal the end. Not the best solo. Lacking the punch of the previous shows. "B".
Heartbreaker- 0:36, Plant hesitating on some lyrics. Decent verses. Solo- pulloff section sounds good. 2:40-3:04, some fluid phrasing on the low volume section. The smear section is done nicely and not too sloppy. Bouree played well. 4:22, a little out of tune now. Page's guitar starts cutting out as the tempo picks up and it's apparent he's having trouble at 4:47. 5:40, bends sounding very off. 5:49, slight flub. 6:44, more unusual phrasing. "C+" considering the issues, and definitely compared to the first two shows.
SIBLY- 0:15, very slight flub. Very good intro. 1:22, Jim still having issues. 1:57, guitar out of tune. 3:10, excellent trill phrasing. Solo- Page makes up for the lackluster performance so far with an absolutely blazing series of runs and fluid phrasing. Plant returns with a very good scream and sounds more alive on the second half. Some technical issues aside it's a good performance. "A-".
Black Dog- 0:38, Rob's mic cutting out. Decent verses. Solo- 4:32, unique phrasing. Not a bad solo but awkwardly played. There has to be some underlying issue with his guitar as he's changed his playing up dramatically so far. "B+".
Dazed- Bonham getting some fills and rolls in on the intro. First workout- very rhythmic routine, Bow section is seven minutes. Second workout- 14:08, Page comes alive for a monstrous run. 15:12, 15:40, a speedy descending run but not the most articulate. The return ascending run sounds great. 16:40, stretching the strings to the max. 17:19, some odd sounding chords. 17:44-17:55, another familiar sounding riff. 18:37, Page flips the mood and switches to some major scales. Page keeps a steady flow going. Mars- decent. The climax and return sounds good. Page gets some excellent wah licks in before finishing. A very dynamic performance with some surprises thrown in. "A+".
Stairway- Excellent start. 3:11, a little rough on the transition. 6:58, nice fill from Bonham leading into the solo. Solo- Page hammers out some passionate chords before launching into spectacular leads. 7:49, unique phrasing. 8:13-8:20, Page playing very loosely but putting in maximum effort. 8:27, unique phrase. 9:02, almost played the ending phrase early. Far from the most articulate solo but it's redeemed ten-fold by the emotion and feel he's putting into it. Plant returns with a heavy delay on his vocals but the climax sounds good. Oh boy, how do you rate something so unrefined yet so explosive and passionately played? I'd dare call this the most energetic STH solo I've heard. I'll go with "A-". Had there been more fluid phrasing this would easily be top tier.
Celebration Day- Some choppy chords to start. Good verses with the usual energy. First solo- played well. 2:12, Jones switches up the bass line a bit. Outro solo- starts with some good noodling, returns to the main riff, and back to some fluid leads reminiscent of TSRTS outro solo. "A".
That's The Way- No flaws and played wonderfully. A very enjoyable version. "A".
GTC- Nice interplay between Jones and Page all the way through. Plant seems a little subdued overall but still delivers perfectly. Excellent version. "A".
Tangerine- Just barely a step up from the first performance and still very unconfident. "B+".
WIAWSNB- 0:51, loose playing by Page. Decent verses but Plant sounds hesitant at times. Solo- Page seems to barely hang on for this one. The Japanese crowd always starts clapping for this one. Very rough. "B".
WLL- A little warm-up improv before they get started. The band launches into a nice blues jam before reaching the theremin section. 5:30, Page comes out of the freak out section with some blazing leads and nails down a perfect solo. Boogie Chillen- good verses. Solo- the usual good phrasing. 10:51, the band hitting on all cylinders. Nine Times Out Of Ten- a little loose but good. Be Bop A Lula- sounds a little odd within a heavy rock format, Page gets some good phrasing down on the solo. The return sounds good. Not the most impressive medley, but not bad. "A-".
Communication Breakdown- Opens with an improvised rhythmic jam. Plant disappears on the chorus. 2:25, Plant scolds the crowd for climbing on the stage. 3:22, launching into the solo like they never stopped. 5:20, back to a rhythmic jam. 6:20, Page launches another fluid solo before jumping to the ending. "B+".
Final Assessment- Although vastly considered the worst of the run, it's still not a bad showing. A slow warm up and equipment problems plague the first half. Neither Page or Plant seem to be performing as confidently as before. Dazed is a highlight and Stairway is very close to being phenomenal. Overall a major step down from the first two shows in Japan.Agreed. Dazed is definitely a highlight -- better than both Tokyo versions, but not as good as either Osaka version.
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1 hour ago, paul carruthers said:
Love that "Walk Don't Run" intro!
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You left out the best '73 version IMO: July 21 in Providence!
July 17 Seattle and July 20 Boston are excellent as well.
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8 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:
Nitpicking Page 9/24/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Source Mix)
Immigrant Song- Opening vocals sounding powerful. Verses all played well. Solo- Page's phrasing builds tension and suspense as he plays fluidly throughout. 3:30. Excellent ascending power chords to end. "A+".
Heartbreaker- Fast tempo with tremendous energy. 0:50, Bonzo throwing in extra fills. Solo- pulloff and smear sections sound fantastic with explosive energy, though he skips the rockabilly phrasing. Bouree and 59th Street are played perfectly. The fast section features fluid playing and nice phrasing all the way through, not a bad note to be heard. 6:22, Plant returns with a vicious scream and the song ends with precision. Amazing performance. "A++".
SIBLY- Solid intro. Verses sound good. 3:10, a little half-hearted delivery from Rob. Solo- Page keeps a steady flow going with almost no pauses, filling in all spaces with notes. Very good. Plant returns with a dramatic vocal. He gets a little drowned out in the mix on the ending verses. 6:39, an agonizing scream filled with emotion. Good ending. "A".
Black Dog- Again, very fast paced. 1:48, sort of a flubbed yell from Plant, but it worked. Plant's pre-solo scream is a little better. Solo- solid playing and phrasing throughout with Page shredding some trills at the end. "A".
Dazed- 1:40, some extra accentuations from Bonham. Good beginning. First workout- Jones and Bonham match Page's intensity as Plant adds some vocal improv. Bow solo is roughly five minutes. Second workout- Page's guitar cuts out momentarily on the start. 12:28, finally coming alive for a fluid run of leads. 13:40, ascending phrase played at blinding speed. 14:14, getting a little loose here. 15:24, Honky Tonk Woman riff. Excellent phrasing throughout as Plant duels vocally. 17:55, throwing in more country sounding riffs. Mars section sounds good and the climax is nailed down. Plant sings the last verses off the beat a little but it doesn't detract from the flow much. Outro played well as Page shreds with the wah pedal. A step up from the previous night performance wise but some technical issues and looseness keep it at "A-".
Stairway- Jones' organ accenting this perfectly. 0:37, Page changing up this phrase a little. 1:31, again. Not sure if he's just trying something new or getting confused. Verses sound good. Solo- Good flow and steady, slightly erratic phrasing. 7:05, a unique modal sounding phrase they may not have been intentional. Page again jumps to the ending phrase out of nowhere, showing how raw his phrasing still is for this. 8:36, some off notes on this chord. "A-".
Celebration Day- Blistering tempo. Verses sound good although the recording gets overly bass heavy and muddy. First solo- good. Outro Solo- 3:27, some nice unusual sounding pulloffs. 4:15, interesting rhythmic playing through here as Page plays this outro on the twelve string, making for some unique phrasing. "A".
That's The Way- Excellent instrumentation from all members. Solid throughout. "A".
GTC- Plant remarks on the intro that America is where you can go to buy "Beads, bells, guns, and bombs." Intro sets the mood nicely. 5:26, Plant being playful with the vocals. Very good. "A".
Tangerine- First performance. 1:20, either a tape cut or a timing flub from Page. Plant opens with the chorus. 2:29, bad chording. Sounded very loose and unrehearsed. "B".
WIAWSNB- Solid verses. Solo- 2:14, nice unique phrase. Played perfectly. "A".
WLL- An extend false intro jam before they kick it off. First verses sound good. Freak out section, solid. Solo- perfect. Boogie Chillen- starts off unusually and Plant switches up the lyrics. Page gets an excellent solo in. Rave On- takes a second for the band to follow Plant's lead. Played loosely. Page follows with some improvised riffing and Plant cues Your Time Is Gonna Come. Page shreds some nice leads as Jones and Bonham fall into a makeshift rhythm, but it's obvious this one caught them off guard. I'm A Man- very short. The Hunter- good groove on this. 17:44, Page launches into a descending/ascending run ala Heartbreaker solo that sounds quite inarticulate. Hello Mary Lou- finally one they all know by heart. Sounds fantastic. Pretty Woman (not that one)- excellent groove on this as Page nails the melody and leads. An extended blues boogie jam follows. Plant cues up HMMT and the others transition nicely. Page gets some good lead runs in as they try to decide when to end it. 27:20, Plant challenges the crowd's vocal response with a more difficult, impressive phrase. The song comes to a close in good fashion. This medley certainly lacked the seamless flow of the previous night's, but it's undoubtedly more interesting. But I'm not rating on how interesting the setlist is and there were some loose spots here and there as they tested the limits with an unfamiliar routine. "A-".
Organ solo/Thank You- 1:12, Jones nailing the soap opera ending theme. Nothing too noteworthy as Jones noodles about. Thank You comes in nicely but the recording gets a little muffled. Verses sound great. Solo- attempting to timestamp the highlights would be moot because the whole thing is played and phrased flawlessly. One of Page's best, but he usually excels on this solo. Solid ending. "A+".
Communication Breakdown- Good start and verses. Solo- 2:53, some shred licks. Good phrasing throughout. 4:17, Plant and his schoolgirl topics. The outro seems to go on an extra few measures. Good energy on this for the close. "A".
Final Assessment- A much more consistent show overall than the previous night as the nerves seemed to have calmed and the band seemed more focused, but even with that said, the previous show was still remarkable. Also more daring than the previous night with some unique medley choices. Plant seemed desperate to get a rendition of Friends going, singing the lyrics a couple times, but Page didn't bite. Highlights are aplenty as this show is very tight throughout, save for an awkward version of Tangerine. Page's phrasing on the Thank You solo is next level. Bonham seemed to be a bit more reserved after the first few numbers, Plant sounding great throughout. A very strong showing from the group.Agreed, especially with respect to the WLL medley -- some very interesting selections, but a bit of an awkward flow compared to the others on the tour.
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1 hour ago, Autumn Moon said:
Yes, I thought as much, sorry for the 79 joke.
Lol, it's all good...I got a kick out of it!
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19 hours ago, Autumn Moon said:
Haha, July 23 or July 24?
Neither! 😖 May 3, 1971!
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48 minutes ago, ZepHead315 said:
Only point of disagreement I have is Stairway. Granted, I'm not a guitar player and haven't gone through that solo with a fine toothed comb, but I always LOVED this version and it's easily one of my favorites ever. Actually getting to hear the intro without the crowd cheering, Plant singing the verses with emotion, the solo before it got bogged down in repetitive phrases, and, of course, Plant nailing the climax. Doesn't get much better for me!
Copenhagen 😉
Ranking The 1973 North American Shows
in Led Zeppelin Live
Posted
Agreed. I actually think the 29th Dazed is very close to the 27th...was surprised to arrive at that conclusion, but I did after my anniversary listens this past July.