Nitpicking Page 1/18/1975 (Source Mix- LedZepFilm) This review includes the rest of the EVSD soundboard. *songs were from the first review. Rock And Roll- Guitar tone is maximum lifeless twang. Robert's opening "Whoo" is on the rough side. Verses are decent. Solo- Talk about being fooled by an audience source, the first series of phrases sounds like he's trying to play with one finger. Even if we accept the fact that a 1975 soundboard paints the worst picture possible this level of playing is just inconceivable by a professional guitarist. Let's move on. "C+". Sick Again- Good start. First solo- smooth sailing until 1:59 where Jim hits a bum note. Outro solo- not the most technically precise, but Page keeps a good flow going throughout with decent playing. "A-". OTHAFA- Out of tune off the bat. Opening is decent, Plant sounds a little rough on the verses. 2:25, Page chokes a note. Solo- bit of a rough start. He keeps a good steady flow going. 3:53-4:07, some bad articulation. The ending phrases are played roughly but he hangs on. Plant sounds half asleep on the return. The out of tune string doesn't help the outro. Bit of a let down. "B". (Plant blames the lighting) When The Levee Breaks- Decent start. 2:27, Page putting a little too much vibrato on the slide, but decent playing overall. Plant's harmonica is adequate. 4:29, Page playing behind the beat a bit. 6:20, decent harmonica playing. 6:48, Page attempts a slide solo which borders on good and slopfest. Honestly, Jones and Bonham are the only ones putting down a solid melody here. If you like slow and messy, this is great. If you like a professional sounding performance, "B". *TSRTS- Page's opening notes start out front and center but move to the right channel after the start. Plant sounding pretty good for 1975. 3:07, chord flub. 3:18, Page struggles to get this phrase started. First solo- not the most precise, but he holds it together fairly well. Second solo- some slight articulation issues, but not bad at all. "B+". *The Rain Song- 7:09, Plant's vocals move more up front and become clearer while some feedback comes through. Page and Jones knock down an excellent instrumental section. Rock Section- 11:38, a very loose drum fill by Bonham. Otherwise good. "B+". *Kashmir- This song starting off so casually never ceases to seem out of place. Maybe they didn't realize how epic it actually was. 19:53, Rob confuses the lyrics a bit. The outro is solid as Page noodles away in Arabic scales. "B+". Wanton Song- Plant really straining for those notes but not sounding too bad. SBD cuts out right before the solo, but this has solid playing from all members. Still an "A". No Quarter- Soundboard enters at 2:27. Jones- solid playing and still very 73 sounding. Solo- Page enters fluidly with steady phrasing, not rushing. 5:20-5:27, not the most articulate through here. 6:29, a little sloppy. 6:50, better flow here. A reserved sounding solo but certainly not bad. 9:30, interesting phrasing by Jones. The return is good and Page gets some decent wah licks in toward the end. I'd call this a perfectly average performance. "A-". Trampled Underfoot- Slightly upped tempo to kick it off. Jones- reserved but good. Solo- Page enters with some nice pulloffs before launching into faster phrases. 3:14-3:20, sloppy. 3:35, repeats this phrase a few times but can't seem to make it work. Solid ending. "B+". IMTOD- Solid verses and playing. First solo- some small hangups but otherwise good. Second solo- 6:22, a little forced here. Not bad. 7:03-7:11, nice playing from Jones. Very solid overall with good enthusiasm. "A". Stairway- Jonesy is absent from the mix and finally gets plugged in at 2:21. Not the most proficient playing from Page through the verses as he's choppy with some of the chording (4:49), but good playing from the others. Solo- struggling with the opening phrases a bit. 6:46-6:48, some hang ups. Page sounding sticky throughout. 7:28, wrong chord in there somewhere. 8:14, repeats an off sounding phrase twice. 8:31, bad chording. 8:40, flub. 8:53, sticky. The audience source does a good job at masking this sloppy playing, but all is revealed here. "C+". WLL (Partial)- 0:06, Plant not sounding well but it's a nice groovy tempo which is only used as a lead in. Black Dog- Plant forgets one of the opening lines and repeats the previous one. The added vocal effect is very off sounding. Apart from that the verses are good. Solo- a little sticky on the take off. 4:25, some bad articulation. 4:46, straining a bit. Overall however it's a surprisingly good solo played passionately. "B+". Final Assessment- The contrast between the SBD and AUD for this show honestly made me rethink my audience source reviews. I've always known that a soundboard reveals small flubs that are otherwise unnoticeable, but this one shows that any audience source that isn't a Millard quality recording is pretty unreliable for accurately judging technicality and proficiency. Makes me worry about soundboards coming out for other shows I've held in high regard. With that said however, it's still a pretty good showing for such an early performance in the tour. Wanton Song and IMTOD are the highlights. Also a very solid No Quarter.

The reason we're not holding them responsible is because bullshit assumptions don't outweigh legitimate studies and analysis. You seem to be stuck on the Nostradamus effect- predict a thousand things and if you get one right then you're a prophet. Well, keep holding your breath.

The former director said he personally believed it was man made. That same person also said there was absolutely no evidence to support that opinion. Strange how all it takes is one person's unproven opinion to support conspiracy, yet thousands of other expert's studies don't count. Just saying. If the evidence pops up showing it was man made, so be it, but the actual science has to prevail, not the opinion or assumption.

Thought you meant 3/24 for a second 😆

Every song but one on TSRTS a five star rating. Hmm. I love the album, but I couldn't say that.

I might go with one of the Aussie shows for that.

I'm 99% certain that's a twelve.

Nitpicking Page 9/28/1971 Osaka, Japan (Please Please Me- EVSD) The fourth show in the run. This starts as a boomy audience source and switches to the soundboard. Immigrant Song- Rob sounding good on the opening notes. Frantic tempo and energetic vibe. Solo- opening pull-offs sound good. 2:42, Page launches into some speedy, alternating phrases. 3:32, the ascending riff. Strong performance. "A". Heartbreaker- Thundering intro and verses. Solo- Pull-offs sound good. The audience claps along to the rockabilly section. Skipping Bouree this time. The smear section is as nasty as it gets, with Page hitting each note with extra emphasis with just the right amount of grit. The soundboard takes over from here. 6:10, excellent phrasing from here on. 6:51, throwing in some more rockabilly phrasing. 7:47, getting some unique raunchy licks in. Bonham's fills on the return verses are phenomenal. "A+". ("Tonight you will be happy") We've got a lot of show to go, Rob. SIBLY- Good intro and Plant opens with some soulful vocals. Solid verses. Solo- Blazing runs off the bat. Page chokes a few notes on the second set of phrases. 4:19-4:31, on fire through here. 6:22, amazing energy. 6:31, Plant cracks just a bit. Energy wise this is off the charts, "A+++". But on a technical analysis? "A-" considering a couple small flubs. Very entertaining version. Black Dog- Sounds like "Make me groove" on the opening lyrics. Vicious tempo and energy. Very solid verses. Solo- Page's bends are as good as they get. 5:04, slight flub which he recovers well from. Nothing too speedy but Page is nailing the phrasing and bends. Very hard hitting solo. "A". Dazed- 1:20, some nice fills by Bonham. 4:09, tremendous energy. First workout- 4:35, interesting phrasing played a little loosely. 5:04, Page and Bonham battling. 5:36, some heavy improv riffs. 6:15, Bonzo matching Page's intensity. Bow section is right under eight minutes. Second workout- Page gets a good flow going. 17:05, some bad articulation. 17:29-17:43, some unique bends. 17:45-17:55, very sloppy here. 18:10, chokes a couple notes. 19:22, this sounds like the spot that would eventually turn into The Crunge. Good noodling by Page throughout from here. Mars section is developing a little more as Bonzo adds some accents to the riffs. The climax and return sound good. 26:28, excellent wah leads with Bonham playing dynamically as they extend the outro. Undoubtedly a very entertaining version but not quite the most technically precise on Page's part. "B+". Stairway- Page playing the transitions much smoother than the last shows. 4:13, Plant feeling good. Excellent verses. Solo- Very good start. 7:03, off note. 7:35-7:39, this phrase is getting repeated a bit much throughout. 7:51, sloppy chording. 7:55, repeated phrase again. 8:06, off sounding bends. 8:25, this jump to the final phrase never flows perfectly, but it sounds especially odd here. Page plays with passion but his fingers just don't cooperate this time. The climax and ending is good. A sticky solo brings it to a "B". Please Please Me (Vocal ad lib)- Plant attacks the crowd's honor because they're too quiet. Quite a contrast to all the times he chastises the crowd for being too loud and rowdy. Can one even Please Please Bob? No Rating. From Me To You (Partial)- Plant cues another and the band follow suit nicely, with Page nailing some excellent rock riffs and Plant belting some powerful vocals. Shamefully they cut it short. Celebration Day- Not the smoothest intro but not bad. Good energy. First solo- good. Outro solo- 2:30, Page drops out for a second. 2:58-3:07, a bit sloppy. 3:16, a tad sticky. The groove on this outro is amazing but it's not Page's finest moment technically. "B+". BYAS- First true attempt. Speedy intro and tempo. The mandolin sounding overly twangy in the mix, almost like a banjo. Either someone is helping out on bass here or Jones is using a foot pedal. The breakdown is done well but they end it right after. Loose, but lively first version. "A-". That's The Way- A slower tempo than usual. 4:47, one of the best vocal phrases I've heard from Plant. The outro picks up with Plant ad libbing nicely. Just tremendous playing all the way through with Plant sounding phenomenal. "A+". GTC- Relaxed tempo. 6:30, beautiful interplay between guitar and mandolin. A sleepy version but played well. "A". ((9:08, Page tunes up the twelve string and does a short take on a folk number). We Shall Overcome (Partial)- Does Plant sing "Phil sucks" in regard to Phil Carson? Tangerine- Despite all the tuning up the twelve string is still a little off. This second full version sounds much better. Pretty solid overall. "A". Down By The Riverside- 0:39, some guest vocals. Solid rendition. "A". (The band does a "Grand Ole Opry" mock performance afterwards) WIAWSNB- Energetic tempo and good verses. Solo- a little loose but still good. 3:11, minor flub. 4:06, excellent playing on the outro and Page plays the closing phrases perfectly. "A-". WLL- Back to the audience source. Good start. Freak out section sounds good. 5:00-5:15, not Page's best soloing but solid enough. The return solo is played well. Boogie Chillen- flawless soloing by Page throughout. D In Love- still sounding excellent. Bachelor Boy- Page's guitar accompaniment is done well on this odd number. Down The Road A Piece- Plant a little loose with the lyrics. Decent soloing by Page. Maybelline- keeping the same rhythm for this but Plant gets the lyrics in this time. More solid soloing. Hello Mary Lou- very good and Page nails the leads. Be Bop A Lula- 21:30, Page getting some raunchy leads in. Say Mama- You won't believe this, but more good soloing from Page. Lawdy Miss Clawdy- solid. You Shook Me- good start. Solo- getting some nice runs in. 31:52, Page leaving the planet. 32:55, some of the fastest soloing I've heard by Jim. The return is good as they finally put this monster to bed. I'd honestly put this up against any other medley. "A++". C'mon Everybody- nice tempo and energy. Page stomps the wah pedal for a solid solo. "A". (Plant mentions the guest musicians- Clive Coulson, Phil Carson, and a third person, sounding like Tommy.) High Heeled Sneakers- Some excellent piano work I'm assuming done by Jones. Page comes in for a blistering solo. Very Good. "A". Communication Breakdown- The usual energy. Solo- no wah pedal here as Page shreds wildly. 3:15, similar to the Boogie Chillen solo phrase. Another short round of medleys before they close it out. "A". Final Assessment- Well well well, what a roller coaster ride. The energy, confidence, and performance all come together quite well for this marathon show. It's not perfect by a long shot though. Page is exceptional through most of it but gets off track in a few spots. The Stairway solo is surprisingly lackluster from a technical perspective and Dazed has a few iffy spots as well. Plant and the rest of the band are near perfect however and are obviously enjoying themselves. The acoustic set is once again experimental and "tight but loose". WLL is next level and it's a crying shame it wasn't captured on the soundboard.

Yeah, I think so. There's only about four notes being played.

Wait, didn't Phil Carson play bass at a later Zep show? Could he be filling in here?

I was assuming he used the stand up bass on 9/28 but I could be wrong.

9/28/1971 Bron Y Aur Stomp, who's playing bass and who's playing mandolin? Jones is good but I don't think he's doing both.

I purposely didn't look at my previous ratings to see how they'd compare. It's pretty obvious that a soundboard reveals more flaws, or at least exaggerates them, more than an audience source. So the ratings are really "in the ear of the beholder", but I'll always say a soundboard is more accurate for a technical analysis. Brussels is a possibility.

Nitpicking Page 1/18/1975 Bloomington, MN (Dogs Of Doom source) The Dogs Of Doom (Discord) come through again with a decent audience source. Missing IMTOD, and the encores. Rock And Roll- Plant sounds like 1975 Plant, using the opening numbers to warm up. Good verses. Solo- a little choppy on the transitions but the phrasing is good. Good outro verses. Not too bad. "B+". Sick Again- Plant a little better but still raspy. Good energetic tempo. First solo- perfectly played and phrased....until 1:58, where Page flubs a note badly. 2:15, easy Rob. Outro solo- starts off good with some nimble runs. 4:22-4:30, a nice set of trills and runs. 4:38, a unique sounding phrase, almost rockabilly. Apart from the very noticeable flub not bad. "A-". OTHAFA- Solid intro. Plant manages fairly well on the chorus verses. 1:49, Page misses a chord. Solo- 2:47, Page plays the rhythm twice instead of jumping right into the solo. He noodles fluidly on the get-go and maintains a good flow of phrases. Not bad for 1975. 4:41, he struggles a bit on the ascending riff. Plant sounding a bit rougher on the return, but the outro is good. Some rough edges keep this at a "B" despite a good solo. When The Levee Breaks- Sounding much heavier live. 0:57, Page not hitting the mark on this phrase. 2:54, not bad but Page is struggling with these slide phrases. Some decent harmonica from Plant. 5:46, a little loose sounding. Plant comes back in for some average harmonica playing. 6:40, some improv soloing by Jim with the slide which isn't the most fluid phrasing. Well, for a first time rating, "B+". (Plant mentions Page's broken finger) TSRTS- Nice energetic start. 1:38, an off note ringing out. 2:06, there it is again. First solo- blazing speed here as Page seems to nail the articulation. 4:09, a string out of tune on the 12. Outro solo- 4:37, Page goes into shred mode on this, nailing the timing and articulation. Considering the slightly out of tune guitar, "A-". The Rain Song- Good start and guitar interlude from Page. Jones sounds adequate though he's buried in the mix. Rock section- not bad, pretty average. Solid playing throughout. "A". Kashmir- Recording a little murky now. Solid all the way through, no flaws that I can hear. "A". The Wanton Song- Pretty solid playing throughout. Solo- some good phaser soaked leads. Fairly solid overall. "A". (4:01, "He was born in Jerusalem") No Quarter- Solid first verses. Jones' section is very straightforward but pleasant. Solo- Page opens with some nimble runs. 6:23-6:30, playing aggressively. 7:30-7:42, fluid playing and excellent phrasing. 8:41, Page reusing this phrase a lot but it works well. 10:40, interesting phrasing by Jones. The solo winds down nicely and the return sounds good. 13:32, small tape cut. Some decent wah licks on the outro. Could easily pass for a good 1973 version. "A+". Trampled Underfoot- 1:04. Plant slurring the lyrics. Jones' solo is mostly inaudible. Solo- 3:13, forcing it a little. Just not getting a good flow going but it's not terrible. An average run through for 1975. "B+" for the energy. Stairway- Verses solid all the way through. Solo- kicking off with the usual phrases, Page playing articulate. But...the phrasing is incredibly straightforward and uncreative. It's quite boring to my ears even if he is keeping a good steady flow going throughout. 8:16, staccato chords played well. 8:26, slight flub. Honestly, the very last phrase at 9:10 is the only one he plays with emphasis. 9:25, Plant drops out for a second on the climax. I can't deduct for technicality because everything is played fairly well, but it's a slightly sleepy version. "A-". Final Assessment- Some rust undoubtedly showing on the group, but overall much better than what I expected for this performance on the whole. Page is surprisingly nimble fingered (despite one being broken) and still has the remnants of 1973 in his playing. Plant takes a while, naturally, to warm up. Perhaps opening the tour in Minnesota during winter wasn't the best thing to do. The highlight is a strong No Quarter that contends with any 1973 version. Stairway is very solid on Jimmy's part, but as I already stated it feels a bit dialed in. TSRTS, The Rain Song, Kashmir, Wanton Song, and No Quarter is a very solid five song stretch and that type of consistency would be rare for the rest of 1975. Although playing good here, I'd still give the nod to Philadelphia for the best Page of the year. Thanks again to The Dogs Of Doom discord.

Those dogs are naturally that skinny. He wasn't starving them.

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.

Nitpicking Page 7/20/1973 Boston, Mass. (Maloney Source) I received some requests to do this one as there might be some hidden gems. Plant is pretty rough here even for 73 but I'll overlook that as much as possible for the ratings. This is a slightly murky and boomy audience source, but still quite listenable. Also a shortened setlist because of an unruly Boston crowd. Rock And Roll- Plant sounding incredibly rough. Solo- textbook precision until 2:25 where Page plays the last phrase a little early. Nothing too noticeable however. A tough call with these vocals, but let's be nice and say "B+". Celebration Day- Good energy, Plant not quite warmed up yet. Still borderline hypothermia actually, but he's putting in good effort. Solo- good. Outro solo- solid noodling from Page. "A-". Black Dog- BIOH intro followed by some good verses, Plant still raspy. 1:46. tack on another vocal nodule for that effort. Solo- lots of energy on this outro as Page gets some good phrases in. Not the most impressive but solid enough. "A". OTHAFA- Fairly solid intro. Plant really yielding to his limits on the chorus. Solo- good noodling to start. 3:15, extremely fast and articulate run. 3:26-3:38, bending the strings to the sky. Plant endures the final verses and Page gets a good ending down. Instrumentally good, but the vocals have an impact here. "A-". (Plant scolds the crowd and SIBLY is skipped) No Quarter- Rob's voice sounding smoother for this. Verses sound good. Solo- Jones' lead in is ethereal and haunting. Page's getting the usual flow going for this. 7:08, some lightning runs. 7:26, Bonham switching up the groove. 8:00, and again. Good playing and decent phrasing, nothing over the top. The final verses go out flawlessly. Very solid version. "A". TSRTS- Good start and verses. First solo- a little hard to make out but sounds good. Plant cracks a little on "Honolulu". Outro solo- lightning fingers playing perfectly. 4:48, Bonzo picks up the tempo a little, matching Page's intensity. Overall a good sounding version with a forgivable 73 Plant. "A". The Rain Song- Verses are good. Rock section- decent but vocals are very rough. Ending played nicely. Not too bad. "A-". Dazed- Explosive energy on the start with Plant managing well. First workout- Page shreds nicely but doesn't extend too much, probably due to the crowd. San Fran sounds good, also ironic when the crowd is ripping each other apart. 7:00, the phrasing between Jones and Page doesn't mesh here as the notes sound a little off. Bow section lasts six minutes. Second workout- unfortunately the guitar becomes almost inaudible here. 18:45, clears up some as Page gets some good licks in. Flawless playing and phrasing throughout with a breakneck tempo. Mars- sounds good. 24:20-24:40, Page getting experimental with this phrase before nailing down the climax. Last verses are good and Page gets some raunchy wah licks in for the finale. A very strong version and I think the rowdy crowd adds to the energy. "A+". Stairway- The bickering audience detracts from the listening experience a bit. Plant sounding very good now. Verses all sound good. Solo- very good phrasing to start with Page spacing the riffs just right, not overdoing it. 8:10, awesome run. 8:36, adding nice little accents to each note. Final phrases are as perfect as they can get. Top notch solo. Plant manages the climax without straining too much and the ending is solid. The solo really bumps this one up and it's one of the best I've heard. "A++". Heartbreaker- Bonham with that stomping intro beat. 0:33, Plant sounds off key here. Verses a little loose. Solo- 3:39, sloppier than usual for 73. 4:40-4:58, Page comes alive on the fast part for some very fluid runs. Excellent second half to the solo but that's about the only saving grace. "B+". WLL- Good kickoff and solid verses. The funk jam played well with the rhythm section following Page's every move. Theremin freak out sounding adequately trippy. Page strains slightly on the last two solo phrases. Boogie Chillen- Plant pushing his vocals. Solo- knocks it down quite well with excellent phrasing and fluidity. 12:13, massive cherry bomb. The return and ending sound excellent. I'd like to have heard more in the medley but this is what we got, thanks to an out of control audience. "A". (The crowd unleashes the rest of their fireworks as the band flee). Final Assessment- A very good showing despite a suffering Plant and misbehaving audience. The highlights are a very solid Dazed, a standout STH solo, and short but sweet WLL. This would be the last time Zep played in Boston as they were banned from returning in 1975 due to rioting crowds. Nothing like loving a band so much that you ensure that you'll never get to see them again.

We will. And you'll be proven wrong just like all conspiracy nuts are. Then you'll move on to some other bullshit.

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 Dazed 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.

Nitpicking Page 9/23/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Flying Rock Carnival) There are seemingly endless audience sources for these shows, but to keep things simple I'll be using a balance between consistency and good audio. This is mainly source 7 with some others used to fill the gaps. I'm also introducing a new rating, "A-". Whereas I used "B+" before for a performance that was near flawless but had a few small flubs, I think that still seems unfair to put it at a "B" level if everything else was top notch. So "A-" will basically be just that- a well played song with good energy that has maybe one bad vocal squeak, a bad guitar phrase, or a slightly flubbed transition that doesn't detract from the overall performance. So this will be the "minor flaws" category and I think I will need it for this run of shows. Immigrant Song- Thundering tempo. Opening wails sound on point and powerful. Solo- 2:30-2:50, Page lets loose on the usual array of triplet pulloffs. 3:23, a little inarticulate here. 3:47, some nice bends and pulloffs. Good solo overall. Exciting version. "A-" considering the sloppy descending solo phrase. Heartbreaker- Speedy tempo and excellent start. Solo- the pulloff and rockabilly sections are flawless. The smear section isn't too sloppy and phrased well. Bouree is short and flawless before Page takes off on the fast section. Excellent phrasing and flow throughout. Absolutely nothing bad to point out here as this is the definition of a solid performance. Also good energy from Bonham. "A". SIBLY- Guitar overdrive is perfectly crunchy. 0:33, Bonham's double kicks echoing off the walls. 0:54-1:07, superbly fluid guitar run. 2:57, semi airraid. 3:03, Page almost jumps into the pre-chorus phrase early. Solo- fluid run off the bat. Flawless phrasing and fluidity throughout. 4:53, playing this bend to the fullest. 6:03, Bonzo getting loose with the beat but brings it back in. "A-". Black Dog- Keeping with the fast tempo. 2:00, a wrong note in there somewhere but nothing major. 2:33, Page having a little trouble keeping up. Plant's pre-solo scream is a little subpar. Solo- good flow, fluidity, and phrasing throughout. This one felt extremely rushed and there were some flaws because of it. "B+". Dazed- Average start. First workout- not much here as it goes straight to the bow section. Second workout- Page begins with the usual riffs. Good noodling throughout with some country sounding bends thrown in. Excellent phrasing. 17:18, Mars section still in it's infancy. 18:21, some bad chords by Page on the climax. The outro is pretty average sounding. Fairly solid, but not the most intriguing version. "A-". Stairway- Flawless verses. Solo- an effortless flow of notes but it's almost too straightforward. 6:19, small tape cut. 6:57, this phrase sounded a little off. 7:12, some flubbed notes. 7:30, Page almost caught off guard and quickly plays the final phrase. Plant sounding excellent on the climax. For 1971? "B". Celebration Day- Not the cleanest intro by Page. Fantastic energy with Jones just dominating the mix on this. Solo- takes a while for Page to lift off but he gets some decent noodling in. The ending turns into a rhythmic faceoff between the three. Not bad, not great, with a lacking solo. "B+". That's The Way (BYAS false start). Nice relaxing tempo with subtle mandolin accents. Plant singing every lyric with tremendous emotion and intimacy. Very good. "A+". GTC- Beautiful version all the way through. "A". (Plant scolds the crowd for whistling) WIAWSNB- Solid start. 1:08, Page hits a unique minor sounding chord here. Solo- played perfectly. The second half winds out nicely. 4:12, some nice chording to end a good version. "A+". WLL- The crowd gets riled up as they kick this one off. Sounding good on the start. Page comes out of the theremin section with some good free form jamming and knocks down the solo. Plant shreds his vocal chords before launching Boogie Chillen. Chillen is played with precision and Page gets a good solo in. Hello Mary Lou- audio gets a little worse but sounds decent. The solo doesn't flow perfectly but it's still a solid version. Mess Of Blues- tempo drags a little but still good with solid leads from Page. I'm A Man (partial). Tobacco Road- good verses and Page plays an excellent solo. Good Times Bad Times- sounding great as the crowd continues to clap out of time. 20:35, Page skips straight to the outro solo which is played nicely and continues jamming. How Many More Times- Plant calls it out and Page responds. Played with tremendous energy and swagger. 25:21, excellent bends by Page. The Hunter is played nicely. You Shook Me- as heavy as it gets and Jim's slide is on point. Solo- 29:48, long, fluid series of runs by Page. 31:22, massive trills. 31:48-32:02, one of the best lead runs I've heard by anyone. Just a phenomenal solo here as Page flexes every blues muscle he's got. 34:04, Plant straining a bit on the return. The outro is nailed down to end a ground-shaking medley. 35 minutes of near perfection. "A++". Communication Breakdown- Plant tells the crowd to cool it before Page launches the intro. Plant's vocals are a little half-hearted probably due to the commotion in the crowd. Solo- some decent wah soaked runs. Plant again scolds the crowd. An ironic scene considering the song. the jam section and ending sounds good. Would have to be "B+" considering the interruptions. Final Assessment- First of all, after all the examinations of every year after, it's quite shocking to hear how consistently good these guys could be when they were focused and not under the influence, Page in particular with how free-flowing his lead phrasing is. It's a pretty tight show overall, though still not perfect. WLL is the biggest standout with a massive medley. Very strange that Stairway is where Page couldn't get entirely on track with the phrasing, almost sounding like he was trying too hard. Plant isn't exactly summer 1970 level but the high range is still there. Bonzo and Jones aren't showing off here, but doing their respective duties very well. One of the stark contrasts to me is how underwhelming Dazed is compared to later years. It feels like it's still in early construction here.

I really liked 6/10 but I'd love to hear all of 6/14 as it has amazing potential. As far as outside of L.A., it's hard to beat 4/28 and 4/30. I think my overall personal favorite 77 boot would probably be the 5/30 Liriodendron remaster, which sounds good enough to be officially released.

Nitpicking Page 6/8/1977 MSG, NY (DADGAD Remaster) Some new sources, revisions, and remasters have popped up for this one so I decided to give it a go. Page is buried behind everyone else in the recordings so it's a little tough to judge his playing for a few numbers, but it clears up later. TSRTS- Good tempo and energy to start. Robert sounding pretty decent. First solo- very hard to make out but sounds pretty on point. Bonham playing with some extra oomph for this. Outro solo- 5:40, Page's articulation isn't quite clear here but Bonham's seems to be good. Robert sounding a little rough on the "Sliding. sliding" part. Sounds good overall with Bonham giving a hint toward 6/21, "A". Sick Again- 0:17, some looseness on the intro. First solo- 2:43, sloppy. Nothing extraordinary. Outro solo- honestly pretty bad for 1977. "B". NFBM- Plant straining some and sounding raspy. Solid verses. Harmonica- good. Solo- first half is decent, second gets a little sloppy. Bonham again accenting Jim on the solo. Not too bad, but not great. "B+". IMTOD- Aggressive sounding faster tempo with Jones' low note rattling the walls. 4:10, poor Plant. First solo- hard to judge, but some parts sound a little sloppy. Second solo- more of the same with extremely erratic playing. A nice groove up until the You Shook Me nod and finish. The solos have to be judged pretty heavily for this and they didn't impress, but I'll stay at a "B+". SIBLY- Intro sounds well played and phrased. Plant's opening note done quite well and he rips through the verses with a decent amount of conviction. 4:02, a nice wind down before launching the solo. Solo- Page shows patience and focuses on some elegant phrasing. He skimps on the final notes but still a solid solo. Jones and Bonham come alive more on the second half. The most impressive number so far. "A". No Quarter- 3:00, Bonham wailing away on the snare. Jones- starts with a gloomy Phantom Of The Opera style and transitions to the silent film score section, all done masterfully as Bonham adds some cannon blasts. 8:18, soul boogie sounding good. Bonham and Jones just need a choir to jump in on the jam, but Jim will have to do. Jim gets his usual screechy blues bends in. Jones returns for more excellent phrasing but launching the solo. Solo- Smooth start but he's not exactly showing off tonight. 15:27, short tape cut. 15:31, a decent sounding speedy run. 16:09-16:22, just lazy phrasing here that's repeated for some reason. Bonham's energy is carrying this solo more than anything as Jim seems to be in an over-relaxed trance. 17:44, almost comes alive but it quickly dies down again. 18:35, not sounding good. Jones and Bonham are locked in an epic groove throughout while Jim imitates a dying cow on guitar. You'd be hard pressed to call this a "Guitar solo" as there's almost no runs or phrases worth pointing out, just an experimentation with noise. 21:10, epic finish by the rhythm section. The last verses are good as Bonham blasts the roof off on the ending. This song once again proves to be divisive, showing a stark professional contrast between Jones and Page- one putting down some of their best work and the other almost falling asleep. Two ratings is the only way to go, "A+" for Jones and Bonham, "C+" for Page. TYG- Good tempo and flow on the intro. Verses sound nice. First solo- a little distant but honestly sounds flawless. Second solo- again, not bad at all. Third solo- 6:41, straining a bit. A step down from the first two. Fourth solo- impossible to make out with the delay effect. Outro- Jim gets some decent phrases in, nothing special. A fairly solid version but there's a certain atmosphere missing from it. "B+". BOE- Robert sounding good throughout. Solid instrumentation. "A". GTC- Nice start. 2:23, careful Rob. 1:45, mini airraid vocal. Not bad. "A". BCW- Solid. "A". BYAS- Page opens in an unusual manner, playing the intro very rushed. Excellent groove for the verses and Plant sounds great. Breakdown- Page loosens up and gets a good jam in. The awkward intro holds it back a bit. "B+". WS- Intro is a little erratic. 1:20, sloppy. 1:49, some wrong notes but he pushes through nicely. Just not a good flow overall as Jim sounds a little out of practice. 5:13, nice phrasing. "B". BMS- Much smoother and played more confidently. Still a little rough on the edges. "B+". Kashmir- Very good tempo and groove. 3:44, Plant being playful with the vocal accents. 5:23, machine gun snare. 8:18, some sloppy playing by Jim throughout this section, but doesn't affect the feel of the song at all. Awesome version with Bonham going nuts. "A+". Achilles- Decent intro and good tempo. 3:28, slight tape cut. First solo- 3:46, excellent fluid run. He strains badly on the second half though. 5:11, Jim slurring his chords. Second solo- loose and erratic. 7:44, Bonzo misplays the beat. Third solo- decent. 8:44, Plant straining. Not close to the best performance of this one. "B". Stairway- A nice intro is marred by fireworks. Verses sound great with Jones' electric piano accenting nicely. Solo- Jim gets a good flow going though the articulation isn't great. 7:14, Page drops out for an unknown reason as Jones fills in nicely on piano. 7:51, the softer part features some nice noodling. 8:53, these lower register notes would probably sound more impressive if they were clearer in the recording. 9:17, a little sloppy with these chords. 9:33, a unique phrase I've not heard before. The final phrases are played well and Plant comes in sounding very rough for the climax. Of course we get some firecrackers to end it. Not bad but a few rough spots. "B+". WLL (Partial)- Good start but Plant squeaks badly at 0:55 and Page drops out for a few seconds. Rock And Roll- Excellent energy and solid start. Solo- Page plays loosely but passionately, not the most articulate but it works. 3:23, Bonzo goes for another "Lonely time". "B+". Final Assessment- Another "Page is feeling too good for his own good" show, but it's honestly more on the positive side overall. Many songs were potential "A"s but were brought down by solo mishaps. If you're the type to not focus on guitar precision then you'll find this show favorable, but within the nitpicking context it can't be ignored. Bonzo, however, is energetic and flexing throughout. He's also not perfect, playing a little looser than usual I think, missing some of the usual cues and changes. The highlights are a brutal Kashmir and a remarkable SIBLY. Also a strong acoustic section. No Quarter once again shows Jones and Page being Yin and Yang musically for the number, one impressing while the other flops.

I've never seen anyone rank 1/22 as a top show but I don't think it's as bad as people say. I once called it the best Zep boot but for different reasons than performance level. Plant is the major drawback from Southampton and the encores were pretty bland and uneven, but I'd definitely put about any Euro show over 1/22 for overall playing.

Nitpicking Page 3/21/1973 Hamburg, Germany (Fan Remaster) Noisy to slightly clear audience source with soundboards of Dazed, Stairway, and WLL spliced in. Rock And Roll- Plant sounds decent for early 73 although there are some croaks and squeaks all throughout. Solo- textbook phrasing akin to the studio version. 3:08, Plant attempting a painful sounding airraid. Strong finish. "A" despite the screechy vocals of this era, which have to be looked over somewhat. OTHAFA- Solid intro from both Page and Plant. Plant opens the chorus with a very gentle approach, obviously knowing his vocal limits here. Solo- starting with some speedy noodling right off the bat. 3:15-3:24, amazing set of runs and articulation. No off notes, bad phrasing, or sloppiness, though it does sound like he jumps to the end phrase a bit early but it's hard to tell. Plant sounding good on the return. 5:18. very nice vocals from Rob. Considering how solid this was for a 1973 Plant combined with an excellent solo, I'll go "A+". Black Dog- Strong start. 2:01, Plant stops for a second to get some crowd participation. Solid verses throughout. Plant gets a semi-decent pre solo airraid in. Solo- 4:33, Page makes that bend work for it's money. Not as blazing as other solos, but no real flaws. "A". MMH- Bob opens with his story about getting arrested for weed and very casually sings the verses. Solo- good. 3:06, these drum fills. 4:09, something appears to happen that causes Bonzo to hesitate a little. Not bad, though Plant has some screechy moments. "B+". SIBLY- Not the smoothest opening runs for 73 as he hangs up just a little. 0:56, some awkward phrasing just before wrapping up the intro. Plant's opening vocals sound very relaxed and the verses a little uninspired. Solo- strong, blazing runs to start, with solid articulation. 4:43, Page bends this note to the moon. 5:21, finishes up with a mock intro run. Very impressive solo. Robert returns with more sleepy vocals. 7:29, finally wakes up. If you take the solo out of this one you don't have a lot to brag about. So that's a "B" for 1973. Dancing Days- Starts up awkwardly and the tempo is a little sluggish. Once the verses get going the groove is like a sledgehammer. Pretty standard run through, nothing to stand out. "B+". BYAS- A lively tempo gets things going as the crowd claps along. The breakdown is straightforward and simplistic. Not bad. "B+". TSRTS- Good start and Plant sounds good through the verses. First solo- fast and articulate, almost to the point that I think Bonzo and Jonesy have trouble keeping up (3:19). Plant straining on the second verses. Outro solo- blindingly fast and flawless to my ears. Plant squeaking badly on the outro. Though Page is on another level, the overall feel is a tad on the loose side and Plant brings it down some. "B+". The Rain Song- Fantastic first half with the Mello filling the space just right. Rock section- hits very hard as Plant pours out emotion. Outro sounds perfect to my ears. "A+". Dazed- The intro is pure Bonzo as he throws in a drum fill every bar. First workout- by the time they get to Cold Sweat they're locked into a furious jam. Unfortunately it ends quickly and San Fran comes in, which sounds exquisite. 7:00, Bonham building up energy. Second workout- Page is off to the races with the usual lightning fast runs. 15:46, nice interplay with Bonham. 17:54, Bonham challenging Page to a duel. Page continuing to play flawlessly. Mars- hits just right as Bonham flips the beat in every direction. The climax lands perfect as they bring it back around. 22:45, Bonham just having fun now. 24:03, Bonham and Jones changing up the outro rhythm as Page jams along in the background. Bonham's triplets on the ending absolutely leveling the building. Undoubtedly the most rhythmically dynamic version of the song. "A++". Stairway- Very solid verses. Bonham enters with the continuing enthusiastic playing, knocking down some energetic fills. Solo- the usual opening runs. Very hard to decipher this as Bonham and Jones crowd the mix, but sounds like Page keeps a good flow going. 7:40, Bonham matching the syncopation perfectly. 7:55, Page squeezing the life out of this bend as the recording switches back to an audience source. 8:05, very intriguing phrase by Page. Final riffs are flawless. The climax has Plant sounding a little tired. A solid ending for a remarkable version. A better rating for a better Plant, but I'll still say "A". WLL- 1:05, though Page is playing guitar the theremin can be heard in the background. The theremin section is good as they transition to Cold Sweat, with Page pushing the tempo. 4:12, Bonham somehow mimicking bongos. Everybody Needs Somebody- average start, but gets funky toward the end. The return solo is played perfectly. Boogie Chillen- excellent throughout, with solid leads from Page. Baby I Don't Care- everyone firing on all cylinders, especially Bonham who's accenting every riff and beat. Let's Have A Party- textbook run-through with the same enthusiasm, the ending featuring a series of ascending riffs from Page. I Can't Quit You- Plant pushing and straining a few notes. Not the usual technical prowess from Page here either as he plays a little erratically. 19:17, Bonham becoming restless and almost launching into a solo himself. 19:50, a very sloppily played phrase by Page. 20:27, another rhythm shift by Bonzo with Jones following. 22:37, Page finally ripping out a fluid run. More of an exercise in experimental riffing than an actual attempt at the song. The return has a feeble airraid from Plant and we wind this one down. Not the most technical display of medleys, but the dynamics and energy make it a fun listen. "B+" mostly due to the loosely played ICQY. The Ocean- Returning to a very boomy audience source. Plant raspy throughout. Solo- not bad. A straight-forward version that doesn't seem to bring the crowd alive. "B+". Final Assessment- "The Bonzo show" for the most part, though Page is playing exceptionally and Plant isn't half bad for the era. There's definitely some looseness that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, which accounts for the many "B+" ratings. The highlight is an uber-energetic Dazed, played flawlessly and dynamically all the way through. The lone letdown was an uninspired sounding SIBLY, but which of course features an excellent solo from Page. TRS and Stairway are both very solid versions. WLL was headed for great things but I think Bonzo's dynamics actually worked against it in the end, not allowing for everyone to get on the same groove.

It does sound like "born" but pretty sure it's "gone".