Sorry, meant to quote this post. Are there any more photos from the Marquee gig?

Sam, are there any more pics from the Marquee gig?

Never saw this pic posted here, with Rory Gallagher

So this is where Bonzo's drum set auction comes into play. This is a wonderful thing but... I would think the members of Led Zeppelin would easily be able to make this funding goal??

This is exactly the type kit he was playing in the early months of Zep. See the spurs, they're identical to that pic from the Marquee.

This is what I'm after. This must be the kit that was used for the first few weeks of the first US tour. I'm trying to find out who claimed this was used for recording the 4th LP. We went off on a tangent about whether or not this was used to record the first LP. I think it was not. I think it was most likely the Slingerland kit seen in all known pics from the beginning of the bands existence.

Not to me. The hoops in the Marquee pics are definitely Slingerland round over style, not Ludwig. Also the lugs in the B and W Marquee picture are clearly more rounded, Slingerland. Those are definitely not Ludwig lugs. The color pic shows the bass drum spurs which are much different than the Luddy's , there are two larger spurs... the Ludwig has 4 smaller spurs. The color pic also looks like green sparkle which would be consistent with other descriptions of the Slingerland kit. Again, I wish there was just one clear pic of Bonham's drums from this time.

Yes, Slingerland. I did come across that color pic yesterday night in my online search. That's the only pic I've ever seen from the fall 68 UK shows. More of a case for the Slingerland kit being the one used for Zep 1 although there is a chance he had the Ludwig BDP kit at the same time. I think he got that Ludwig BDP kit when he arrived for the tour of the US in Dec 68. I'm really puzzled by the claim that he used this kit on Zep 4. Who said that??

I thought the same. That's why I wonder if that Slingerland kit seen on the very first dates in Europe wasn't a rental but actually owned by him. Wonder if this kit will get auctioned soon? I would be all over it too , if I were a rich man....yaha deedle deedle

Maybe but the 13 tom would look smaller on a 24. That's most likely the kit in the pics with Plant that will be auctioned, which looks to me like a 22.

I'd love to see those pics from the Whisky! It appears that he has a Slingerland snare in this picture from the Whisky. Are there any pics that you know of from any of their UK shows between Oct and Dec 68? I have never seen one.

Yes, he played a Ludwig green sparkle sparkle kit before Zep, but he is clearly playing Slingerland drums in Sept of 68, weeks before their recording sessions for Zep 1, in Oct. There are only a handful of photos of this BDP kit, a couple shown above by Sam. By the time they played Boston in Jan of 69 he was using the maple Thermogloss kit Carmine Appice hooked him up with from Ludwig. There are no photos of Zep playing dates in the UK from fall of 69, that I know of and no mention of the BDP specifically being played in Olympic studios in Oct of 69. Who knows, maybe he used his old Ludwig green sparkle kit from the mid 60's on the first album?

There are two audience sources. I actually prefer the first one issued on TDOLZ way back to the later issue from Empress Valley.

I used to think the same but now I doubt he used this kit for Zep 1 as there is no proof he owned this kit before going to the US in Dec. He was using a Slingerland kit on the first shows they did in Scandinavia and there are no photos of him playing, that I've ever found, of them playing in the UK in fall/ winter of 68. If anyone can point me to a pic of the band in performance in the UK during the fall of 69, please do. It would make sense that the Slingerland kit was used for Zep 1. I seem to recall reading he got this kit for the US tour and it was a rental (?), but then why would he have kept it once he got the maple finish kit in mid - January of 69? Who knows?!

https://www.rosswoodhall.com/john-bonhams-led-zeppelin-drum-kit/2017/07/24/ Anyone here know about this supposed auction of one of Bonzo's kits to raise $ for a statue of him to be placed in Redditch? The notes on this photo page say this kit was used to record When The Levee Breaks. (???) That seems like a specious claim. Common knowledge is that a new drum kit, or newly delivered kit was opened up at Headley Grange and they were set up in the entry way to the house. Page specifically mentions this in It Might Get Loud. However, Andy Johns claims that he and Bonzo moved the drumkit from one room to the hallway while the rest of the guys took a break during recording at HG. He says nothing about a new kit so the stories differ a bit there and Bonzo already had green sparkle kits by summer of '70. So, whether or not it was a newly delivered kit, it would've most likely been a larger green sparkle kit... not this smaller kit that was most likely used only for the first few weeks of the first US tour. There is a slight chance that Bonzo may have used this black pearl kit for some studio work but that seems impossible to know, unless there is a confirmed statement from the band or Andy Johns etal. Not that all of this would make much of a difference, they are still apparently Bonzo's drums and Plant seems to be part of this event. I wonder who owned the kit. Plant?? Jason?

WTLB was my top pick too. I've used Kashmir, Custard Pie , Wanton Song. I've also used Bonzos solo ending of Dazed and Confused from TSRTS. That one startles people and makes cats scurry.

eBay auction would probably fetch a good proper value. If he's not already a seller though it could be daunting getting through all the initial account set up crap. An auction site might be easier but the commission may be more. I'd love to bid on it but it would probably exceed my budget!

Absolutely , Strider ... the vinyl has depth, space, clarity , excellent high low free balance. One of the best boots I ever bought , back in 1981 like you. I nearly wore the LPs out. I've heard TDOLZ, Empress Valley, a master>dat transfer, and the vinyl still beats them all to my ears.

Possibly. I wonder if the audience made for a less memorable gig. The audience / band vibe seems a little off to me. Also, I'm sure there were less nerves around playing in front of a smaller foreign audience than making a UK comeback in front of the proverbial "ocean" at Knebworth, so they were tighter and more focused. It's pretty incredible considering they hadn't played a gig in 2 years. I would die happy if they released a full concert made up of the best songs from these shows.

I had a feeling you would say Copenhagen 7/24!!! I knew it. All in all , an excellent choice IMO for all the stated reasons.

So, what's your pick? You attended some of the most legendary shows , many of which are contenders for best bootleg for sure , in this forum. 🤔🤗

I agree with Zep head315's assessment above. I never care for "best ever" statements. Nothing is absolute. Maybe a better title for this post would have been Best Unreleased Multi- Track Recorded Show?? To me , a bootleg is an audience or SBD recording that was never meant for official release. There are so many other performances that as a whole have much more atmosphere , vibe, synchrony between the band, etc, that have been stated in comments above . To me Southampton is a fairly good show, recorded in excellent , although fluctuating quality. There are numerous level shifts, and Bonzos drums sound flatter than usual. There's no real audience feedback vibe. I understand and agree with some of your comments about the over processed EQ of HTWWW and the butchering of TSRTS , and the intimacy of the small stage, small venue . In many respects it is similar to BBC 71, but that's a superior performance all around. Blueberry Hill is possibly my all time fav bootleg, but there are so many great moments , so many killer shows. To me , this not best ever...nothing is.

Wild! It has the Merchandise Mart in Chicago on it!

This sounds excellent, better than the label releases. Is it possible to hear the whole show? Do you share? Thanks.

Do you use Sound Forge 11 Audio Studio or Pro? Big price difference between the two . I would assume Studio is sufficient. That bit of Mobile sounds really excellent. Better than any boot release. Do you know where I could get the whole show, if shared?