Nitpicking Page 1/12/1975 Brussels, Belgium (Three Source Revision) Decent audience source. Rock And Roll- Recording is a tough one but everything sounds okay through the verses. Solo- fairly basic phrasing but solid. Last verses carry the song out nicely, with Plant not sounding half bad. "A-". Sick Again- Energy is good. First solo- a tad loose in places but not bad. Return verses also sounding good. Outro solo- a little more structured than the erratic later versions. "A-". OTHAFA- Some warbly chords and hesitant phrases on the intro. 2:31, flub. 3:13, not flowing well at all. 3:58, flub. On the surface this one isn't terrible but there's definitely some staggers along the way. "B". When The Levee Breaks- A good heavy start with thick guitar tone. 1:04, some wobbly slide notes by Page. 2:22, hard to tell if Jimmy has an effect on his guitar but something makes the notes sound out of key. Then again he's not a great slide player. Robert is killing it on harmonica though. The verses sound great anyway. 5:05, sloppy Page. 7:00, Jim uses the wah with the outro solo and the results are questionable, but it's unique. 8:17, they time the ending perfectly. "B+". (Plant introduces "Jimmy Page on steel guitar", which is a different instrument) TSRTS- Blistering speed on the start. Everyone sounds nimble through the murky recording. First solo- a little choppy but it flows well with good energy. Robert strains on the bridge verses. The outro has some suspect areas, 4:36 being very sticky. Not terrible but has a few rough spots. "B+". The Rain Song- Verses are good per usual. The mellotron is barely noticeable during the instrumental break. The rock section has some punch but Robert struggles. The outro is very laid back and sleepy. Nothing that really stands out here. "B+". Kashmir- 1:08, a nasty mix up but soon gets corrected. 1:43, feedback. 5:06, Plant very flat on that one. 6:42, some unusual chording. The spirit is there but the performance is shaky. "B". The Wanton Song- Plant's voice cracks slightly as he strains on the opening verse. Apart from that they're sounding good. Solo- solid playing to start but a little loose toward the end. They finish up nicely. "A-". No Quarter- Plant mumbles the opening verse and the vocals are low in the recording throughout the chorus. Jones' spot is very straightforward, no big improv section here. Solo- Jimmy sounds nimble on the takeoff. 7:30, he keeps an energetic flow of phrases going, hardly stopping to catch his breath. 11:00, Jim gets some aggressive wah licks in on the outro, playing very fluidly. There seems to be a little "Oomph" missing on this one but it's mostly a solid performance. "A-". Trampled Underfoot- Breakneck tempo. Jones gets in a funky solo section and Jimmy follows suit with good guitar noodling. Strong finish as well. "A+". IMTOD- Intro and verses sounding great. 3:34, tempo at a furious pace here. 4:05, Jim has some trouble keeping up and nearly botches the start of the solo. The second solo is played tighter. 7:02, flub. 8:37, Jim and Bonzo get out of sync. Maybe too much energy on this one. "B". Stairway- Very good intro and verses with a Rob singing well. Solo- 6:33, phrasing is lackluster and offbeat to start. 6:53, some fluid fingers are marred by off notes. 7:41, sticky. 8:00, smoother here for some good runs. He barely gets the final pulloffs down. Plant strains on the climax but it's not terrible. A lot of potential but Page struggled to get on track for the solo. "B+". WLL (Partial)- Robert improvises some "Squeeze my lemon" lyrics and that's all there is to it. No rating. Black Dog- Instrumentally sound verses but Robert struggles both vocally and lyrically. 3:30, guitar flub as it sounds like Jim maybe drops his pick and strums the notes with his fingers. 4:16, Plant's air raid is at least somewhat impressive. Solo- nimble fingers to start. 5:05, straining on these bends and the following phrases. Not the best here, "C+". Communication Breakdown- Robert again sounding rough vocally. Solo- blazing opening runs followed by some sketchy phrases, not too bad. The "It's Your Thing" jam is short and sweet. Plant returns with improvised lyrics to finish. Decent close for the show, "B+". Final Assessment- Page apparently hadn't broken his finger by this point so his issues are chalked up to flat out sounding rusty. In between those moments you can clearly hear some remnants of his 1973 fluidity. Plant sounds okay through some songs but clearly sounds tired on most of them. There are a few worthwhile listens here however. The opening two numbers aren't bad at all and the three song stretch of The Wanton Song, No Quarter, and Trampled Underfoot are above average for a rusty performance.

1. IV 2. PG 3. HOTH 4. II 5. III 6. I 7. ITTOD 8. Presence And I will forever defend "hat's off" as an awesome, gritty Delta blues tribute that contrasts perfectly with the other tracks on the album. But opening side two with "hey hey what can I do" and ending with "gallows pole" would've been the smart move.

*Soundboard Revision Nitpicking Page 3/24/1975 Los Angeles, CA (Awesome Foursome- EVSD) Literally years since I've relistened to this show and this is my first listen with the newer SBD. Let's see if my perspective differs. Rock And Roll- Bonham has fun switching up the beat on the intro and Robert sounds pretty rough on the verses. Solo- solid for the most part. A fairly flawless performance except for a bad chord flub at 3:10. "B+" considering the croaky throat. Sick Again- Robert a little smoother now. 0:31, tight drum fill. Tempo is energetic with good enthusiasm. Solo- 1:54-2:00, loses the flow a bit and repeats a previous phrase. Not bad overall. Outro solo- The phrasing isn't great here, but he's playing with authority. 4:48, flubs the last chord. "B+". OTHAFA- Guitar is a bit out of tune, naturally. Good intro with a monstrous build up to the first verse. Solo- Sounds a little awkward in the beginning. Gets a good flow going by 3:30. 3:42, excellent run. 4:07, some turkey gobble. 4:15-4:28, fingers stuck in strings. 5:00, loose on the solo outro. Nice ending, but still only a "B" version. That solo had serious potential. IMTOD- Solid intro and first verses with a nice swampy guitar tone. First solo- Gets off to a great start. Loose phrasing at 4:40. Finishes up nicely. Second solo- He keeps a steady flow going and changes everything up nicely. 10:40, Jimmy again hits a wonky chord at the very end. A pretty solid performance overall, "A-". TSRTS- Good energy out of the gate. Verses sounding good. 2:09, some off chords. Solo- A little sloppy, not bad. 2:47-2:57, ok, it's kinda bad here. 2:59, Plant actually nailing the bridge verses without cracking. 3:33, Jones showing off those finger muscles. Outro solo- Not very articulate but he keeps a good flow going. I think "B+" is fair. The Rain Song- Good intro and verses, maybe just a little loose strumming by Page. Unfortunately the mellotron can be heard well on the SBD and I'm swatting at invisible mosquitos. Ok, it's not that bad. Rock section- Hard hitting with Plant singing with passion. Plant barely holding key on the exiting scream. A solid "A" version. Kashmir- First verses are decent with the mellotron serving more as a distraction, but I won't count against that. It's more tolerable on the bridge section. 4:26, Plant slurring some lyrics. Jimmy's guitar drops out of the recording on the second bridge section. 7:35, Jim hanging up a bit. Outro solo doesn't flow well and is on the erratic side. In juxtaposition with the previous review this one leaves a better impression as Page's guitar being more up front on the AUD version reveals some sloppy playing. Here it's nearly inaudible. Realistically a "B" for this SBD version. No Quarter- Page's wah pedal is shaving off the treble too much. Verses sounding good with a strong Plant. Nitpicking Jones- 5:52, a hint of an Arabic scale in there. 7:25, again. 8:20-8:50, Concierto Aranjuez motif sounding excellent. The boogie jam section comes in nicely with Bonham putting down a funky beat. Page- Good intro riffing following the increased tempo. 13:20, off phrasing. 13:40, some strange notes in there. 14:30, just doesn't flow well. 14:56, some catchy repeated riffs. 15:17, good fluidity here. He's picking it up a little now. 17:00, losing the flow a bit and starts using the wah to spice it up, but still lacking some energy. 19:56, Jones and Bonham are killing it while Jimmy tries to conjure up something. 22:40, off notes by Jones. 23:17, Page sounding sticky. 23:54, Jimmy finally sounding inspired on the outro. Very problematic playing from Page overall on the solo. Jones shines on his solo spot, Robert and Bonzo sound very good. Page struggles pretty noticeably throughout however. "B" overall. (Plant mentions some carpentry going on behind him, a "Nail being knocked into wood" which you can hear at 22:15) Trampled Underfoot- 1:40, both Robert and Jimmy are struggling to keep up. Jones- not bad but he's very hesitant to get going on any real phrasing. Page solo- 3:20, very rough. 3:48, turkey gobbling galore. He's certainly playing with some fire though lol. 4:14, sticky and the phrasing is all over the place. 4:47, sticky. Not a good solo at all. They finish up ok. "C+". Moby Dick- Rather impressive on the soundboard with tight playing by Bonzo. Dazed And Confused- Guitar tuning at 3:11. 4:03, tries tuning again. 4:50, more tuning. I guess a backup guitar swap was out of the question. First workout- Very sticky start and still not in tune. The jam does eventually develop but it's nothing great. The transition to San Francisco is slow and Jimmy still fiddles with his tuners. Plant's vocals sound half hearted and straining. Better get "Back to the guitar shop". 9:11, tuning. Bow solo pushes the seven minute mark. 19:00, sounds like we finally get a guitar swap. 19:20, flub. Second workout- Slop out of the gate as Page struggles with the phrasing. 22:05, bad articulation everywhere. 24:56, fingers stuck in strings. 25:18, erratic. Mars- sloppy chording by Jim. 27:08, Good build up to the climax. 28:20, a random panning effect. 28:42, sloppy. Outro solo is decent from Page but Bonham is laying down some impressive rhythms. Page struggles on the final phrases with his "sweep pick" riff. Definitely a "C". Stairway To Heaven- The trusty double-neck is tuned up but the mellotron sounds just a hair flat (and is loud in the mix). Plant sounds great. 2:04-2:10, Jones puts a little pizzazz on that phrase. 4:50, off notes by Jones. Solo- Gets out of the gate very good. 6:38, a bit sticky. A little slop at 7:16. 7:48, loses the flow a little. 8:34, loose. 9:19, just stiff articulation here. Doesn't even attempt the final triplet riff, finishes at a lower octave. Plant does sound strong on the climax. 10:39, flub. "C+" at best. (Page plays the Rover riff before starting the next number) Whole Lotta Love- Ok beginning and verses, Bonham's playing is again noticeably tight and energetic. The Crunge- 1:38, careful Jim. His riffing is very stiff and awkward as he struggles to get the timing down. Licking stick- Jimmy loosens up some for this. The theremin seems to be in tune and the freakout section is intense, with more flawlessly tight jamming by Jones and Bonham. 7:55, Page finally gets the funk rhythm down. Sounding good. 8:24, very cool, heavy riff. Not too bad, "B+". Black Dog- Jim and Bonzo mistime the intro. 1:01, fingers getting sticky and some more tuning issues. 2:07, Page gets tangled up. 2:48, flub. Solo- 3:18, sounds like another guitar swap, which causes him to come in late for the solo. Some speedy playing but the articulation is terrible. "C". This one gives 2/28 a run for it's money. Heartbreaker- Jimmy loose on the intro. A horrible sine noise is present through the verses. 2:08-2:14, pretty good run. Solo- Amateurish through most of it. 5:12, some decent noodling. 5:32, smear section is pretty sticky. 6:26, fairly smooth here. The last verses are decent. "B+". Final Assessment- A legendarily bad show shines a slightly different light under a soundboard source, but nothing that is really gonna help it. Page struggles with articulation and phrasing throughout which isn't helped by constant tuning issues. Robert warms up quickly but never really reaches a strong level. Bonham shines more than anyone here, being energetic and focused through the show. Highlights are a fairly good IMTOD and an awesome Jones section on NQ. Moby Dick has some mind blowing work from Bonzo.

*REVISION Nitpicking Page 8/19/1971 Vancouver, Canada (Source Mix) A newly liberated source for this is used to patch the missing pieces. Immigrant Song- Robert straining just a bit but sounding pretty good overall. Solo- the usual slow build up leads to some good repeating bends (2:46), followed by slightly choppy phrasing toward the end. 3:22, final phrases are unusual but work well. Not bad at all and plenty of energy for the opener, "A". Heartbreaker- The opening verses thrashing with attitude. 1:28, Bonham is playing so rhythmically it almost sounds like bongos. Page's lead in phrasing is simplistic. The rockabilly jam is hesitant as well and seemingly short. Smear section a little sticky but good overall, with a repeated phrase to end. Once the fast section comes in Jimmy is off to the races, ripping the fretboard apart and nearly bending the strings off the neck. He slows down a bit for a steady flow on the last half with some neat phrasing. Strong finish. Plant's power really pushes this but it's a booming version. "A". SIBLY- Jimmy's intro is laid back but phrased well. 0:53, Jones hits a chord a little early but recovers well. 1:31, Jimmy is very active through the verses, doing a lot of call and response to the vocals. Solo- perfectly phrased throughout. 0:51, now that's a scream. People next to the tapers can be heard shouting expletives at someone not sitting down, to which they reply "Everyone else is standing up". The outro is played with tons of passion although Plant is low in the mix. 2:17, except for these excellent screams which are clear. Knockout version, "A++". Black Dog- Taking off at break neck speed, verses sounding very strong and energetic. 2:00, Rob switching up the lyrics. Solo- Page gets lost on the start but soon gets on track for a nice set of phrases. Energy off the charts here but I wouldn't call it the most solid version. "A-". Dazed- Booming intro is awash with screams of "Sit down". Plant sounding otherworldly as he rips some powerful screams. No real first workout here. Bow section roughly under six minutes. Second workout- Sounding good to start. 11:35, bit sloppy. 12:03, this ascending phrase ends badly as Page trips up. 12:23, Jimmy works his way into some interesting eastern sounding sitar like phrases. 14:46-14:56, Page is having some trouble finding a good flow. 15:15-15:25, awkward phrasing. The climax sounds decent as Plant strains a bit. "B", Page isn't his usual smooth self here. Stairway- The BD, Dazed, Stairway setlist is always jarring. Intro and verses sounding fairly good. 4:57, some off notes by Jonesy on the keys. The solo lead in sounds fantastic, creating the perfect atmosphere. Solo- Jimmy kicks it off nicely, phrasing and articulation on point. 7:27, the final pull off notes are extended for the entire measure which works quite well. Plant nails a good climax section, maybe not his most powerful though. He extends a ridiculously long note on the outro. Not bad, "A". (Plant can be heard using some expletives toward the PA system). GTC- Very clear recording. Plant sounds a little flustered on the opening verse (probably annoyed with the PA). Instrumentally solid but Plant doesn't sound like his usual self here. "B+". TTW- Beautiful work by Plant through the verses with the other three accenting everything nicely. Wonderful version. "A+". WIAWSNB- Cuts in on the second verse. Rob sounding very powerful. Solo- noticeably loose but nothing off track. The recording gets incredibly distorted in places. Outro- 3:51, awkward chording by Jim to end. "A-". Celebration Day- Intro is decent as they launch into energetic verses. Jonesy's excellent bass work is buried under the noisy tape. First solo- couple of flubbed notes to start but otherwise solid. Outro- what starts good loses some impact as Jim struggles to really find a flow with the leads. Not bad however for an early version. "B+". Gallows Pole- A slow, trodding tempo with some dynamic chording from Jimmy. Plant sounding excellent. 4:00, Page launches a foray of 12 string lead phrases that sound eerily similar to parts of The Song Remains The Same. This might be the most solid version of the song yet. "A++". WLL- Jim warms up a bit on the intro and sets the mood. Verses have a good flow with the appropriate raunchy attitude. Jimmy attempts some lead on the freakout section but it doesn't seem to land well. Solo- Page makes it scream perfectly. 5:16, Jim gets unplugged and we get blasted with feedback for a couple seconds. 7:25, more feedback during an excellent solo. That's Alright- might be the recording but Plant sounds more strained here. Page's accompaniment is very well done however. Again, an awesome solo is matched by feedback squelches and Page seemingly turns his volume down some to get it under control. 10:20, tape cut takes us into Mess Of Blues. 10:53, Jim's phrasing just a little loose. 12:15, ending is a tad awkward. Another tape cut takes us to Honey Bee. 12:45, not the most nimble fingers. 15:07, better fluidity here. 17:20, Page going berserk. 18:47, Plant and Page get into a heated battle. 19:20, another cut takes us to what sounds like the end of a For What It's Worth jam. Plant gets a powerful but short air raid in for the return and the PA system goes askew with feedback. An entertaining version, maybe not the most explosive. "B+". Weekend- Rough recording here but everything is sounding fine. 1:19, slight vocal crack. Solo- a bit disjointed but not terrible. Plant's vocal timing is loose on the last verses. Not the best version of this one. "B+". Rock And Roll- Kickoff sounds fairly solid with a slight pause from Jim at 0:36. Almost positive Jimmy is using the EDS for this as the tone does not match a Les Paul. Solo- rough on the start but overall pretty good, plenty of energy. The outro verses are excellent as they end it perfectly. "A-". Communication Breakdown- Perfect energy through the verses. Solo- Page is fairly sticky here with both articulation and phrasing. Nothing too off putting though. 2:42, he's running out road. 3:20-3:30, some very strained notes. It takes a couple of measures for everyone to get in sync for the ending. Not great. "B". Final Assessment- A loose show obviously affected by a rowdy crowd and a misbehaving P.A. system. Robert is quite powerful throughout but Page is the odd duck here, not playing at his usually fluid 1971 level in several places. Definitely worth the listen however. Highlights are a superb SIBLY and in my opinion the best Gallows Pole we have available so far. Rock And Roll sounds like it was played with the EDS 12 string which if true is very unique.

Nitpicking Page 12/2/1971 Bournemouth, UK (Rock And Roll Magic- Electric Magic) Good audience source. Immigrant Song- Robert straining a bit on the opening. Good energy on the verses. 1:32, pushing his vocals too hard here. Solo- Tape fluctuations throughout but sounds like Page gets on a roll with excellent phrasing. 3:05, strains on these bends just a little. Not a bad start and hopefully Rob warms up quickly. "A-". Heartbreaker- Heavy with a quick tempo. 1:30, a series of voice cracks. Jimmy lowers his volume for some excellent acapella soloing. We get a rough sounding 59th St but no Bouree. The smear section is blazing as Jimmy shreds flawlessly. The phrasing on the fast section is very aggressive. 6:08, repeating a riff for a full measure. 6:51, chord flub. A thumping version but a little rough on the edges. "A-". Black Dog- Keeping the energy alive with another fast tempo. 0:50, Jim trying to keep up. 1:03, mild vocal cracks. 1:35, a short air raid. 2:34, Jim slips a little. 3:18, Robert missing the key a bit. Solo- not bad at all considering the tempo but Jimmy is really rushing to keep up. Arguably too fast for this song. "B+". SIBLY- The guitar tone is super clean on the intro but he cranks it up for the last part. The drums are coming through with perfect detail and you can hear all the little snare nuances. The chorus is very loud and distorts the tape a bit. 2:45, good passion from Plant. 3:33, Page strumming with intensity leading up to the solo. Solo- exceptional phrasing throughout with flawless technique. 4:47, one of, if not the most, powerful air raid vocals from Robert. 5:53, the energy on the outro is through the roof. A must hear version, easily one of the best. "A+++". Stairway- Jimmy gets going quickly, maybe a bit too fast. Once the verses progress the tempo feels more natural though very energetic. Excellent start. 6:43, possibly an off note. Overall Jimmy is just shredding through this solo, doing some aggressive and unique phrases. Plant comes back with some noticeably half-hearted vocals on the climax, but it's nothing terrible. Just a lack of enthusiasm for whatever reason. The ending sounds good. "A-" considering the finale letdown. GTC- Some electrical noises delay the intro but they soon get on track. Plant still sounding tired. 4:20, very tired on the bridge. There's an annoying clicking sound throughout the song, possibly just someone tapping their foot. Instrumentally sound but Plant really kills the vibes with this one. "B". That's The Way- A dynamic performance with the tempo rising and falling throughout. Page strums heavily, seemingly almost breaking the strings in places. "A". Tangerine- The recording has the guitar nearly inaudible but the playing sounds solid. 2:04, slight guitar flub (or small tape cut). The ending also cut with a quick fade out. Pretty standard run through. "A". BYAS- Jim opens with some "Turkey in the straw". A lively performance with everyone sounding good. "A+". Dazed- Plant singing with lots of emotion through the verses. 4:16, the first workout getting started with a heavy duel between Page and Bonham. 4:55, recording gets a little murky as Jimmy goes ape on some lightning fast runs. Bow section right at six minutes. 15:45, some choppy phrasing. The descending/ascending run lands perfectly. 16:45, Jimmy takes a side road for some dynamic riffing before working his way into the Shaft theme. 19:19, Jones and Bonham try to push another funk jam but Jim doesn't bite. 22:20, repeating an improvised riff that doesn't really go anywhere. Mars is basic and lacks some energy. The climax goes by unnoticed. 27:13, unreal sustain. Page gets some powerful wah leads in before the ending but it's short lived. I think Bonham and Jones are under the radar here and are playing with more enthusiasm than Page for this. Plant sounded strong throughout. Overall solid but a sleepy performance. "A-". WIAWSNB- Another quick tempo assuming the tape speed is correct. Verses sounding good and lively. 2:04, just a little loose on the slide solo. 2:59, this riff lands perfectly. Outro- Rob with tremendous enthusiasm. Jimmy nails the ending lick. Very good, "A+". Rock And Roll- Powerful start with strong vocals. Solo- textbook perfection until the last phrase where something causes Jimmy and Jones to stop dead in their tracks. Plant continues the next set of verses and the others eventually jump back in for a good finish. "B" considering the show stopping mishap, but this had tremendous potential. WLL- They open with a unique intro jam before launching the main riff. 4:08, chord flub. The post-freakout jam has Jimmy repeating a riff and getting terribly sloppy at 5:16 as he botches several chords. 5:40, Jimmy goes on a noodling tangent and it sounds like the others mistake this for the solo, which comes around next measure. 6:14, flubbing this solo phrase. Bottle Up And Go- Plant puts plenty of attitude into the verses. Solo- Jimmy struggles to get going then plays a familiar phrase he's used for other medley pieces. Robert tries to get Boogie Chillen started but the audience's clapping skews the timing of it. The tape cuts to Buddy Holly's Heartbeat which sounds fantastic. Mary Lou- moving fast but smoothly. Solo- Page sidesteps the hybrid picking for some bluesier licks. Lawdy Miss Clawdy- Plant stepping up on this and sounding amazing. I Can't Quit You- very laid back. Jim gets his usual, excellent blazing runs in. Shame Shame Shame- spot on hybrid picking by Page for the verses but the solo is exactly the same as his That's Alright solo. Plant gets a nice air raid in for the return and the outro is packed with energy. Some highs and lows throughout, certainly not a perfect performance. "B+" at best. Communication Breakdown- Raucous intro with Plant shouting to the heavens. Page goes otherworldly on the wah soaked solo, even recycling the That's Alright phrasing. They sidetrack into a funky Turn On Your Lovelight, then another improvised jam with good noodling from Jim. Very good, "A++". Weekend- Plant isn't quite as strong here as the earlier versions but he's still good. Flawless performance. "A+". (Page does some Kinks riffs afterwards) It'll Be Me- Verses sounding good. The first break is empty with no one taking a lead. The second has some wah runs by Page but nothing spectacular. 2:38, Plant straining for some unnatural high notes. This has always come across as an awkward cover by the band but nothing terrible here. "A-". Final Assessment- Another rollercoaster ride here as the impressive parts are often followed by several mishaps. Once Robert gets warmed up he's his usual self for the era but the first few numbers have him sounding very tired. Jimmy certainly has some high points but the overall impression is that he's not playing confidently. The tempo throughout is noticeably fast (assuming the tape runs correctly), which probably didn't help. The highlights are a top tier SIBLY, energetic BYAS, powerful WIAWSNB, and an amazing encore version of CB.

Nitpicking Page 11/25/1971 Leicester, UK (Master Cassette revision) Immigrant Song- Plant announces he has the Flu before starting. The opening yells aren't half bad considering he's sick. 1:20, sounding fairly good here. 1:33, now we hear some raspiness in his voice as he sings this lazily. Solo- a little hesitant to get going but he soon finds a fluid groove. 3:00, hitting shred level. Unfortunately he slows it back down before finishing. "A-" for some weak vocals and lack of energy. Not bad however. Heartbreaker- Up-tempo and Jimmy is a little sticky on the intro riffs. Plant holds on well through the verses. 1:55, Page fudges the lead-in a little but makes it work. He does get an amazing rockabilly section in, noodling flawlessly. The smear section is blazing guitar goodness. We get some Bouree but no 59th st. The fast section features top tier phrasing from Page. 6:20, awesome aggressive licks. This one is worth the solo section alone though it's rough on the edges. "A" overall. Black Dog- Plant's power is noticeably diminished and he sings in a mediocre fashion. 2:50, Rob finally pushes himself. Instrumentally it's a very tight performance. Solo- 4:18, working up to that bend nicely. Page shows good fluidity through an aggressive set of leads. 5:11-5:14, some over the top phrasing. Top notch solo to end. Not bad even with the subdued vocals, "A". SIBLY- The smooth sounding intro has some questionable phrases around the 0:33 mark. He soon gets on track to introduce the very gloomy feeling verses. The clarity of this recording is exceptional. Plant is reserved but effective. Solo- flawless phrasing to start. 4:48, Jones dropping out briefly. Page is absolutely wrecking it, easily one of the best solos. 5:42, he gets very loose on some chords through here. 6:21, Jones still intermittently dropping out. Bonham's energy also shouldn't go unnoticed. 7:22, Plant finally gets some gritty vocals in. The ending is done as slowly as possible and ends rather awkwardly. A total 50/50 performance here, with an excellent mood and a top tier solo versus quite a few flubs and hesitant vocals. "B+" seems unfair but it sums up the overall grade. Celebration Day- A very off sounding intro from Page but once Robert comes in it smooths out. First solo is good per usual but Jimmy gets lost on the return. Rob tries his best to put energy into his vocals but it falls rather flat. 3:07, Jimmy still loose. 3:54, excellent runs here. Outro- 4:00, Bonzo pushes Jim along as he tries some unique, slightly rough sounding phrases. 4:50, getting very experimental for better or worse. The final riffs also sounding very loose. Not a good one technically but certainly an interesting listen. "C+". GTC- Despite pre song tuning the guitar and mandolin are at odds with each other throughout. 3:40, Plant sounding off here. 5:28, vocal flub. 6:16, Jones attempting some unusual, almost Eastern sounding notes. A total lack of energy further dampens a rough performance. "B". That's The Way- Jones giving that tuning another go. Very smooth and super relaxed. 4:16, awesome little accents by Jones. "A". Tangerine- 0:33, something interrupts Page's playing as he stops abruptly and seemingly smacks a mic. After a restart everything goes well. Page amps up the energy on the bridge, strumming heavily. "A" not counting the first round. BYAS- Intro gets the mood livened up as the crowd claps along. Plant still sounds weak through the verses but he's putting in good effort. Jimmy's breakdown is played well and pushed along by the crowd. 4:50, Plant skipping a line. "A-" considering the vocals. Dazed- Bonham gets his foot warmed up on the intro with plenty of bass drum blasts. 3:23, Page ending with a unique phrase. 4:23, excellent pulloff work. 4:40, The first workout starts in an unusual fashion as Page introduces a slow and heavy riff. The jam comes to quick end however before the transition. The bow section stretches to over seven minutes. 14:09-14:40, Jimmy hits an absolute peak here as he delves into some of the most flawless shredding I've heard in a while. 15:30, nailing the ascending riff. We get another dose of the Shaft theme. The funk jam is done very well but short. 19:00, the boys go into an experimental jam and Bonham ups the energy. 19:53, Page on fire again with the lead phrasing. The Mars section takes a huge leap forward here as it evolves into the more familiar routine of later years, with Bonham and Jones matching Pages riff. The climax hits spot on and Jimmy gets an excellent wah jam in for the finale. For the lack of dynamics so far in the show they certainly make up for it here. "A+++". Stairway- 2:35, slight flub by Jones. Just realized he's playing the organ all the way through on this (instead of switching to the Rhodes) and it has a strange tone about it. 3:20, some dissonant notes by Jones. The organ isn't really meshing well. 3:57, slight flub by Jim. 5:25, Bonham's drumming gets a little loose as Plant pushes his voice a bit. Solo- Jim is playing well enough on the start but the phrasing is choppy and oddball. 7:27, a monster of a phrase I've never heard before. 7:38, Bonham playing loosely. 8:21, visiting that awesome phrase once more before the finish. Plant sounds strong on the climax and the finish is good. A unique version to say the least but it's got quite a few rough spots. "B+". WIAWSNB- Robert's vocals come back with a vengeance. 1:03, minor flub by Page and he drops out for a few seconds. Solo- Jimmy sounds hesitant to get going but he nails the phrasing. 3:07, Bonham and Page play off each other on the last phrase. Outro- solid playing. "A". WLL- 1:36, Jimmy improvises a unique ascending riff. Plant duels with the theremin on the freakout section. Page is loose on the solo. Boogie Chillen turns into a heavy Going Down, featuring an awesome solo by Jimmy. Boogie Chillen comes back around and also features good noodling by Jim. Hello Mary Lou- Bonzo is playful with the accents for this slightly loose version. Rave On- Plant strains some on the initial verses and someone provides some back up at 14:25. Page gets a good solo in here and Plant comes back with more oomph on the last verses. Mess Of Blues- Robert starts the intro vocals at a very slow tempo. 17:01, Bonzo gets off track and just makes the best of it by improvising. 18:25, Bonham missing the transition again and throws Jimmy off as well. So Many Roads/Mean Old Fireman- 20:28, some questionable lyrics from Plant. 21:13, Bonham switching the beat up again. 24:00, the latter part of Jim's solo features exceptional playing but Bonham again plays loosely throughout. 26:43, a quick air raid vocal. 27:20, he gets another one in for the verse return. The outro jam sounds fantastic to end. Lots of dynamics with this incredible mixed bag of tributes. Taking Bonham out of the mix it's very good but realistically has several flubs. "A-" overall but GDS steals the show. (31:22, almost certain that's Bonham yelling "Hello Peter!".) Rock And Roll- Verses sound strong. Solo-2:21, just a tad sticky here but otherwise great. Bonham's drum finale hits perfectly for the finish. "A"+. Communication Breakdown- A solid opening is followed by an extended wah solo with Page circling back around several times. 3:06, strange chording whether by accident or not. The funk jam has Jimmy once again operating the wah pedal. 5:20, one final air raid. Amazing version, "A++". Final Assessment- Where the band are strong they are quite so, and where they trip up it's unusually so. Jimmy has a problem being consistent (imagine that) and has quite a few slumps on songs he's done perfectly many times now. But when he's on he's simply amazing. Plant's voice and enthusiasm may be hurt by the flu but he pushes through quite well considering. Bonzo seemed to drift off during the medley section. Jones evidently had some technical issues for Stairway with the organ sounding strange throughout. But let's look at the positives; The opening three numbers are fairly strong instrumentally, SIBLY has a top tier solo, Dazed is astounding, Going Down is a must hear, and the encores are top notch. Also the recording is spectacular. The bad- Celebration Day is a near disaster and the acoustic set is very off per their usual standards.

I've heard several instances of Grant having to talk Jones into staying after the 73 tour. The validity of any of it is always up for speculation.

I'm as puzzled as you. He was a professional vocalist who had to have been around many people in the business who would've/should've gave him advice on taking care of his voice. For whatever reason he seemed to always open cold and warm up during the set.

And I thought I was the most pessimistic fan.

Nitpicking Page 11/24/1971 Manchester, UK (Low gen revision) Immigrant Song- Plant sounding in pain on the opening. It's an inspired, gritty performance though and Rob manages the chorus well. Solo- 2:38, Page sounds energetic has he almost bends the strings off the fretboard. The murky recording hides a lot but I'd bet he's on point here. "A". Heartbreaker- Fast tempo. Energy is booming on the lead in to the solo. 2:41, Jim turns down his volume knob to where it's almost inaudible for some good rockabilly jamming. The smear section is absolutely blistering before he runs through the usual Bouree and 59th st. The fast section is overloaded by the bass and Jimmy all but disappears, shame. On the surface it sounds great but I won't rate this one. Black Dog- Robert sounds fully warmed up now and gets an excellent scream in before the solo. Solo- Jim again at the bottom of the mix but sounds like his phrasing is steady, not overdoing it. 4:45, unusual fill by Bonham. Murky recording aside I'll go "A". SIBLY- Some hesitance on the intro as Jones is still situating. 1:18, Jimmy making those last notes work hard. The flow on this feels off but everyone is playing passionately. Solo- 4:41, sounds like a monster run. 5:11, now that's a power vocal. 7:12, another scream from Plant almost blows out the walls. A strange sounding version of this but it's equally as intriguing in it's style. "A+". Celebration Day- The twelve string sounds terribly disharmonic on the start but Jim takes off anyway. The verses are extremely murky a drowned out by the snare drum. First solo- ok I guess. 4:00, by this point the band could be playing Amazing Grace and I couldn't tell. What sounds like a solid performance is hidden by a terrible recording. No rating. Stairway- Good verses all the way through. Solo- sadly it's impossible to make out the guitar here. 1:11 certainly has some off notes. Overall it sounds like Jimmy played some more unique phrasing for this and wasn't half bad, but that's anyone's guess. Plant does sound incredible on the climax. "A" as is. GTC- Flawless performance to my ears. Robert sings wonderfully throughout. "A+". That's The Way- Another rock solid acoustic jam with good vibes. "A+". Tangerine- Some warbling going on with the recording and my version sounds just a bit slow. 2:35, awkward vocal improv. Definitely a lack of oomph but not bad. "A-". BYAS- Up tempo and plenty of energy. 1:04, Plant really getting into his high range. 4:09, Page drops out for a bit. Apart from one flub this is a masterful performance with the strongest vocals I've heard from Robert in a while. "A". Dazed- Jones gets his timing mixed up on the intro but quickly readjusts. Plant's opening vocal is a textbook air-raid viking scream. 4:20, Jimmy gets some interesting phrases going for the first jam. 4:55, Bonzo almost going into a Moby Dick routine. Bow section just over six minutes. 11:20, Plant making the most of his regathered vocals to show off a little. Second workout- Page drops in the mix and is difficult to follow. 14:30, unique phrasing. The circular funk jam is dynamic with each member doing their own thing. 16:15, the band do their take of the Shaft theme. 20:04, Mars is a little disjointed but they make it work. The climax hits like an explosion and Plant does some wild vocal improv on the extended outro while Jimmy shreds with the wah pedal. A standout, dynamic version. "A+++". WIAWSNB- Cuts in on the first verse. Solo- average Jimmy looseness with the slide. Outro is powerful as Robert sings with full confidence. "A". Rock And Roll- Slight cut at the beginning. The vocals and drums pretty much drown out everything, which is fine considering Plant is at an absolute peak for this show. Solo- what can be heard sounds great from Jim. Very solid version, "A+". WLL- You can tell that Robert has to restrain himself at the start to stay in key. 4:00, a nice bluesy jam. Solo- Page plays to perfection. 5:55, another off the wall jam. Boogie Chillen- Page is hard to hear through the extended solo but on the surface it sounds fantastic. Rave on- sounding on point for this rare jam. A tape cut takes us to an incredible air-raid for the outro. A terrible shame the medley was cut. "A+". Thank You- We only get the opening verses before the tape ends. No rating. Final Assessment- Another show that makes me glad I started doing nitpick reviews. A much better show than I recall with Plant in particular at one of his vocal peaks, made even better by the rest of the band also playing to impress. Unfortunately the recording isn't one of the best and a better source for this would be tremendous. A must listen for sure.

Tangerine is in F# folks. Page is tuned down a half step but the chord structure follows the G Maj position and progression. If you play in G it's not gonna match the actual track.

Have the crop circles been remastered?

Nitpicking Page 11/20/1971 Wembley Empire Pool, London (Electric Magic Definitive Edition- Graf Zeppelin) Murky audience source that clears up in places. The Graf release is a vast improvement over the old sources. Immigrant Song- A small tape cut on the intro right before Robert enters with some pitiful sounding viking yells. Verses played well per usual. Solo- Jimmy starts slow, builds to some aggressive runs, and slows back down for a lackluster finish. Hopefully things improve for the next one. "B". Heartbreaker- Lacking some energy on the verses. Jimmy's lead-in solo is good. The acapella and smear sections feature excellent work by Jim. The fast section is very hard to make out but the overall flow sounds great. Starting to pick up a bit. "A". Black Dog- Robert sounds powerful throughout the powerful verses and the energy is up all the way. Solo- Page plays steadily, keeping the phrasing smooth up to 4:48 where he finally misses a couple notes near the end. Can't detract much for that. "A". SIBLY- Page's intro isn't bad at all but it almost sounds like he forgets the usual phrasing for it and wanders off track a little. Plant enters in a delicate fashion, reserving his voice. Solo- very good. 6:23, air raid. The energy picks up to where it needs to be toward the end. 7:26, flub and Jimmy sounds hesitant on the outro. There's also a loud electrical buzz coming from Jim's amp once the song ends, possible equipment issues. The groove on this one never quite got centered but it's still a good one. "A-". Rock And Roll- Recording is pretty rough but the verses sound good. Solo- good up until the end where Page ends very awkwardly at 2:53. Small tape cut at the end. "A-". Stairway- Verses played well. 5:35, Plant hums a strange sounding vocal. Solo- Jim plays smoothly, not forcing anything. 6:45, murdering this phrasing (in a good way). 7:36, excellent palm muted runs. Final phrases are spot on to end a beautiful solo. Climax performed with passion from Rob. 9:02, perfect timing on the ending. "A+". GTC- Sounding marvelous. The opening verse is sang a bit different than usual. Robert very strong on the bridge. Outro played wonderfully. "A". That's The Way- Some more tuning adjustments. The tempo is lively, one of the more energetic versions. Sounds very good. "A++". Tangerine- Up tempo and lively. "A". Dazed- Another strange electrical hum present at the start. Good dynamics on the verses. The first workout is funky and experimental. Six minute bow solo. Second workout- 14:28, desending/ascending phrase done very well until 14:43 where he snags a string. 14:58, repeating a phrase to catch his breath. 15:55, switching up to some country runs. Not the most blazing Jimmy here but he's playing steadily. 17:10, hanging up badly as it sounds like he's either got equipment issues or just experimenting. 19:45, starts a series of unique runs. Mars still sounds undeveloped here as it's just Jimmy playing along. He makes some feedback squeal before nailing the climax. A small cut takes us to the outro jam, which sounds good with Bonzo matching Jim's intensity. A few flubs detract from an otherwise decent showing, but Jimmy has certainly been more impressive. "B+". WIAWSNB- Small cut at the beginning. Verses played well, Plant being maybe a little reserved. Solo- Just slightly loose but mostly on point. Outro picks up the energy. Not bad at all but there are livelier versions, "A". Celebration Day- Jimmy arpeggiates a few chords before launching. By the second verses the energy is booming. Jim's articulation can't be judged through this murky tape but the general impression is good. First solo sounds spot on. Outro- good noodling on the twelve to start. I don't think he ever switches to the six string here. Plant duels Jimmy on the last few measures to end an excellent version. "A+". WLL- 0:54, Bonzo enters strangely almost sounding like he's playing tabla drums instead of a snare, likely just a trick of the recording. The freakout section has an epic theremin journey with Jim playing guitar and theremin at once. The following jam has Page noodling nicely. 4:40, slight hiccup on the solo. 5:21, Plant holding an extra long vocal. Boogie Chillen- Jim hitting on all cylinders through the solo. Hello Mary Lou- a little rough on the transition but they quickly get in sync. Excellent groove and vibes. Mess of Blues- 13:24, something sounds off here with the timing. Otherwise good. 14:05, nice falsetto from Rob. Honey Bee/Going Down Slow- Jimmy puts on a clinic for blues shredding. 19:30, Bonham unsure of where to go. 23:41, a little bit of Hendrix riffing for the finale. Not flawless but the spirit is strong on this one and Jim hits some real peaks. Plant sounds very strong as well. "A". Final Assessment- A mostly solid show overall marred by a slightly rough tape. Plant starts rough but warms up quickly. Page struggles in places but there's nothing trainwreck level.

The same from what I've read. Just a different initial was used on the master

Nitpicking Page 11/16/1971 Ipswich, England (Over The Twelve Foot End- Graf Zeppelin) A thin and slightly distorted audience recording but mostly clear. Immigrant Song- Robert comes in sounding fantastic, almost destroying the taper's mic. 0:50, really testing himself to see how high he can go. Solo- a little hesitant to get rolling on the start but soon enough Jim's shredding fluidly. He again stutters in some spots but nothing off-putting. Nice solo overall. Excellent vocals but without an over the top solo it stays at an "A". Heartbreaker- Decent start with good energy. Jimmy's lead-in jam features some nice fretwork. The acapella and Rockabilly phrasing also par for course. The smear runs are explosively aggressive and teeter on sloppiness at the end. Bouree and 59th St transitions perfectly into the fast section. 5:28 sounds a little frustrated but he pushes through. 6:09, sounding lost. Rob rescues the stalling solo and ends the verses on a strong note. Not a trainwreck but Jimmy was struggling a little. "B+". Black Dog- Jim jumps in a bit late. 2:10, singing the verses very strangely. 3:33, power vocal. Solo- 4:08, missing these bends badly. 4:49, he gets back into a better flow toward the end. Not bad, just unusual. "B+". SIBLY- Exceptional intro by Page with perfectly smooth phrasing. Plant's intro is very subtle, shying from the banshee scream. Verses sounding good. Solo- more flawless playing from Jimmy for a top tier solo. Plant pushes himself on the return. The last verses are dramatic and emotional with Bonzo throwing in every fill in the book. Must hear version, "A+++". Rock And Roll- Jim does a cool little intro riff before launching. Plant's vocals sound almost too high and thin but he's nailing the verses. Solo- some slight stickiness on the start but he smooths out and shreds just fine. 3:50, bit of a unique ending phrase. Very good, "A+". Stairway- The crowd is dead silent as the verses move along in a quick fashion. Solo- perfect execution by Jim. The phrasing is all on point and there's almost no gaps between any note as he flows seamlessly. The climax is solid and Bonzo plays with the beat on the outro. Can't get much more solid than this but there's a noticeable lack of vibes. "A+". GTC- Good performance throughout. "A". That's The Way- Very laid back but he energy picks up some later. No flaws here, "A". Tangerine- Page's guitar is slightly out of tune. 2:10, some excellent vocal harmonies from Page (I'm assuming). "A-" taking tuning into account. Dazed- Page and Bonham square off on the intro. The first workout is a dynamic jam session with all members playing off each other. The bow section stretches out to seven minutes. 13:51, air raid. 15:35-16:00, Page ascending to lead guitar heaven, almost leaving the others behind. 16:28, Page dabbles with some unique riffs while adjusting a string. 17:30, Jim experimenting with some oddly timed riffs as the others try to follow. 19:25, unique riff that Bonzo adds some accents to. 20:30, Plant really getting up there with the air raids. Page jumps into Mars while the others are still adjusting but it develops into an amazing jam. 22:43, Jimmy climbing to the top of the mountain. 23:42, he starts this final climax phrase a little late and rushes it. The outro has more solid noodling, nothing too exhilarating. Bonham's ending fill is explosive however. Not the tightest version but certainly one of the more dynamic. "A+". WIAWSNB- Lively, upbeat tempo. The first chorus comes in with a roar. Jim's slide solo is played loosely but nothing off track. Plant sings the third verse with plenty of attitude and emphasis. 3:12, Jimmy throws in some extra pulloffs. Outro- good execution to end it. "A". Celebration Day- Excellent intro. Plant nails the verses but his voice sounds slightly unnatural. Solo is good. Outro- Jimmy starts the usual pulloffs with the twelve string 3:35, Jim switches to the six string and gets on shred level for some fluid runs. 4:00, phrasing gets a little choppy as he prepares to switch back to the twelve for the ending. Overall very nice, "A". WLL- Solid start. There's an excellent jam after the freakout section and Jimmy plays some different phrases for the solo. Boogie Chillen also features some unique phrases at the beginning. Solo- all around good job from Jimmy. Mary Lou- average run through with a solid solo. 10:53, Jones starts playing hesitantly for the last verse. Mess Of Blues- Jim does some unusual phrasing all through this one. Nothing bad however and the solo is flawless. Honey Bee- in comparison to other versions this one is fairly tame but it's another good showcase of Jimmy's pentatonic blues masterclass. Very good. The coda comes back with a fury to end this good, although slightly askew performance. "A". Weekend- Page does a warm up riff and fools Robert into a false start. Plant's vocals are powerful and passionate. Solo- sounds good, maybe not as good as some others per phrasing. A nice one. Gallows Pole- Intro and first verses sounding very good. 3:30, Page and Jonesy both struggling to get the timing synced up. 4:14, Jimmy with some decent lead phrasing. Outro- decent solo licks to carry it out. "B+". Another version a little rough around the edges but otherwise pretty good. Final Assessment- Only a minor slump in the beginning on a very impressive show overall. Jimmy seems to take some sideroads on certain phrases but the destinations are still reached. The complete silence of the audience while the band performs is both a blessing and curse for the listener, making it both more listenable but lacking energy to push the performances. That doesn't detract too much however as this is another must listen show for the end of 1971. Highlight is an extremely passionate SIBLY and there are honestly no real off track moments for this "Baths Hall" concert.

Nitpicking Page 11/13/1971 Dundee, Scotland (Master/DAT- Weedwacker) A mostly clear but distant audience tape severely marred by speed fluctuations for the last half. Immigrant Song- Cuts in on the first wail and Plant is sounding excellent through the distorted tape. A slight cut on the first verses. 1:35, doing the mic shake again on the final verse. Solo- plenty of energy from the rhythm section as Page wades through a flood of never-ending notes, played with passion. 3:12, starts dabbling with some power chords near the end. Excellent finish. "A+". Heartbreaker- Good start and verses. Page plays an extended rockabilly jam with extra smooth fretwork. 3:30, the smear section is less smear and more straight aggressive phrasing. Bouree and 59th St get the crowd excited. Page flies through the fast solo with ease, noodling nicely and the band finish strong. "A++". Black Dog- Just a brutally heavy start. 1:34, strong air raid from Rob and the energy is insane. 1:40, no chorus vocals from Rob. 3:47, superb phrase as Page starts with a country sounding double stop bend and follows with a fluid major run. 4:15, straining these bends just a hair. Bonham's drums sounding like cannon fire on the finish. "A+". Rock And Roll- Booming energy and strong verses from Plant. Solo- a little murky on the recording but sounds spot on. Solid finish to this over the top version. "A+++". Since I've Been Loving You- 0:28, that extended trill creates perfect tension. Not the most blazing intro here but one that certainly sets the mood. 1:40, some unique chording. Solo- flawless playing through a constant stream of blues phrases. 4:45, extremely powerful vocal. Plant is just God-like though this whole performance but almost gets drown out by the energy of the others. If you like loud, energetic versions this is the one. "A++". Stairway To Heaven- Cuts in during the verses. Page's twelve-string sounds magical throughout. Solo- Jimmy plays through the chords one time before launching. The recording has some speed fluctuations but they don't interrupt Page's very solid solo. As strong as Plant is tonight I'm very surprised he didn't attempt the higher vocals for the climax. That would've sent this over the edge. The ending is cut. "A". That's The Way- A few fluctuations but the overall performance sounds spot on with wonderful instrumentation. "A". Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp- Perfect vibes on the first verses as the crowd claps along. Unfortunately cut near the end but it sounded like a good one. No rating. Tangerine- We do get most of this one as there's only a few tape issues. Very good, "A". Dazed And Confused- An unusually calm intro until Plant belts out the first verse. A significant cut takes us to the bow section. 4:29, maybe my ears deceive me but this sounds just like someone plucking the mandolin during the bow solo. The second workout seems to get going well with Plant screaming like a banshee but the tape fluctuations continue and the rest of the song is cut. A shame for sure. No rating. What Is And What Should Never Be- Cuts in on the second verses. Solo- murky but seemingly played well. Plant is sounding ridiculously powerful but again the tape is cut before we hear the outro. Undoubtedly a top tier performance. "Sigh", no rating. Moby Dick- Incomplete but considering how awesome John's drums sounded in this venue I'd say this was a monster. Whole Lotta Love- Fluctuations on the intro as Jim plays some lead in riffs. The freakout section features the same problems. Solo- perfect. Boogie Chillen- Plant and Page battle for sonic glory. 5:13, Page starts an amazing descending/ascending riff that almost sounds neo classical in places. Solo has some odd phrasing but Jim is shredding fluidly. Hello Mary Lou- the fluctuations all but ruin this one. Mess Of Blues- a solid rendition made almost unlistenable by the recording. Honey Bee- 12:30, Bonham either accidentally or purposefully mixes up the beat. Page shreds through his usually impressive blues licks. Fortunately the tape cooperates here. 16:36, I believe Rob drops an F bomb here. The return coda is vibrant and full of attitude as they end strong. Tape fluctuations be damned, "A+". Communication Breakdown- Sounds like an exciting performance, shorter without much jamming, but the tape warbles make it an impossible listen. No rating. Weekend- Fortune shines upon us as the majority of this recording is good, and it's an absolute banger. Perfect energy and Rob's vocals are mind-blowingly powerful. "A++". Final Assessment- All four members are feeling great and playing great tonight and sounding eager to impress the Scottish crowd. Easily a top show of 1971. But in true Zep fashion we get a tease of a tremendous performance and something throws a wrench in the gears. It's not as bad as it may appear however as seven of the fifteen tracks are mostly complete and that's something to be grateful for. Hopefully a new source will pop up.

Always thought Jones had the best home out of the members. That's a nice place, even if it is old.

It's definitely got something to do with lettuce.

I was mistaken, it's credited to "Globe Photos". When searching them only a few photos of Chateau Marmont appear on their page. I'd message the author Eddie McSquare himself if he had a contact.

To add some info to the above photo; It's from a 1991 photobook titled Good Times Bad Times and has Jeffrey Mayer credited. Strange thing is that he mostly shot in California, so one photo being shot by him in Pontiac would be unlikely. Also the filter used is most likely a Cokin A201 kaleidoscope filter. I'd be very interested in finding out the origin of this one particular shot and whether or not there are more.

Nitpicking Page 11/11/1971 Newcastle (First Gen Master) A bit distant in places although very clear and listenable. Immigrant Song- Plant's opening wails sounding very powerful. 2:16, shaking the mic as he screams the last verse (akin to Orlando). Solo- the distant recording hides some of the details but Jim's phrasing seems to be good. A promising start, "A". Heartbreaker- 0:14, unique drum fill. 1:00, strange delay effect on the vocals. 2:55, Jimmy shreds through some very fluid rockabilly licks. The smear section is aggressive and smooth, Bouree sounds good. 4:50, Jim in the zone. 5:19, odd sounding notes that Page makes work. Rock solid, "A+". Black Dog- 1:27, Bonham flexing right off the start. 2:16, either Bonham gets confused or he's just testing his snare. 3:03, Bonham again with a timing hiccup. Robert's vocals are devastatingly powerful. Oddly though his airraid scream is rather half-hearted. Solo- Page is rock solid through all the phrases. Lots of potential for this one but it feels rushed. "A-". SIBLY- 1:27, Bonham again destroying his kit with massive drum fills. 3:05, Page might be having equipment issues as he hesitates to play the accompaniment. 3:18, power vocals. Solo- good showing from Jimmy as he's almost overshadowed by Bonzo's energetic playing. 5:22, airraid vocal. Dramatic and dynamic but the distant recording hurts the overall impact. "A+". Rock And Roll- Up tempo and raucous with Plant nailing the high pitched verses. Solo- fluid playing from Jim. Small hang up at 2:30 as he improvises a unique phrase for the ending, throwing Plant off a little for the return verse. Strong finish for a high energy version. "A-". Stairway- Excellent beginning and verses. 3:44, Jones' bass pedals don't come through on the middle section, making it sound somewhat hollow. Solo- Jimmy nailing every phrase for a top notch solo. Plant sounds fairly strong on the climax and the final phrases are done in dramatic fashion. Very solid but there's a little something missing. "A". That's The Way- A nice relaxing atmosphere and solid strumming. "A". GTC- Beautiful mood set from the start. 3:10, the audience gets a chuckle from something. 3:45, Plant mumbles his way through some of the lyrics. Overall good version, "A-". Tangerine- Jimmy strums heavily through the chorus. 2:57, Rob throwing some excellent ad libs in toward the end. "A+". Dazed- Bonzo blasting away during the first verses. First workout features some cool ascending/descending riffs from Page but is otherwise very short. Bow section lasts six minutes. Second workout- 12:27, Robert getting into the higher range. 13:37, Page and Bonham pushing each other to the brink of falling apart. 15:59, a funk jam comes blasting out of nowhere. 17:35, Jimmy is in the zone and shredding flawlessly. Mars- still sounding experimental but they come together well for this one. 19:11, Page butchers a couple chords on the climax. The outro jam reaches another level and Bonzo utterly destroys his kit for the finale. Very dynamic, powerhouse of a performance despite a couple small flubs. "A+" WIAWSNB- Solid verses. Page is a little hesitant to get the solo going but is played decently. Outro sounding good. "A". Celebration Day- Hmm, Page's usually blazing intro falls flat here as he struggles to even get it going. Plant sings the lyrics a little unorthodox. 2:04, nothing really sits right here rhythmically. Outro- decent noodling to start. 3:45, Jim seemingly runs out of road and just throws in random riffs. It's rare this song gets this loose. "B". CB- Someone shouts Lemon Song before they get silenced by a barrage of open E notes. Good energy and Page nails an aggressive solo. 2:20, a mild air raid. The It's Your Thing jam plays out nicely and the finish is strong. "A". Final Assessment- Only one dud in the entire show. I'm not certain there was any one performance that would be notable above others but it's a very concrete performance throughout. Let's hope this luck continues.

Any clue about this one? Looks to be a Pontiac shot but I'm not sure if the effect was added by the photographer or by whoever posted the photo in this book.

Can't trade unofficial material on discogs though. 🙁

I stated that 5/31 would sound better with a soundboard and completely forgot it has a partial one. It doesn't really sound better 😄