Austin can also see temps in the low 100s (as well as rain, if there's a hurricane in the Gulf) in September (although the nights are beautiful). I'm originally from NYC and travel back there frequently (including during the summer months) and I much prefer Austin's heat (including the sun and 100 degree temps) to summers in the NYC area. My husband and I have attended shows at ACL (as well as SXSW) for about ten years (personally we prefer SXSW). We live close enough to Austin to pick and choose what days we'll drive in and what bands we want to see. I've found that ACL is a more family friendly environment (and the shows wrap up around 10pm) than SXSW. Once our children were in high school, we never had any problems with letting them attend ACL alone with their friends - it's always been a safe place for them to see bands - so you will likely see groups of "local" teenagers at some of the shows as well as families with children of all ages. In addition to Cee-Lo, I've heard that Iron WIne and Fitz & the Tantrums will be at ACL this year...also rumors that Kenye will be part of this year's line-up. I'll post more bands as I hear about them.

Hi Stairway, I don't live anywhere near Jimmy, it's my friend from college who does.

One of my old friends is getting together with some of Jimmy's long-time friends/acquaintances tomorrow, near where you saw him last night. I was so tempted to ask if Jimmy would be there too but at the risk of appearing as an overly-eager fan, I kept my curiosity at bay...now I am again wondering - I think I'll try to nonchalantly ask about his presence later this weekend...

My guess is that it is either a Paul Reeves shirt (Jimmy was still wearing another shirt on the 1975 tour that was designed by Paul Reeves) or a Nudie Cohen shirt. Edited to add: Aen27, that was always our favorite shirt too.

Pinetop, 97 years young when he left us, a great blues legend who will be missed by so many of us whose lives he touched and whose path crossed briefly with our own - even if it was just to enjoy his music as a fan and chat briefly with him afterwards. He often sat in with local Austin bands and it was always an amazing experience to see one of the few people who had a direction connection to that music and its origins play live. Pinetop was a sweet man who was always so kind about having his photo taken with his fans. For those who are in the area, many Austin musicians who have played with Pinetop through the years will gather at Antone's (where I've seen Pinetop, JPJ and other greats play) tonight, Tuesday March 22, 2011, at 7 pm, to honor Pinetop's memory and his music. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Pinetop's legacy by donating to The Pinetop Perkins Foundation. The Pinetop Perkins Foundation is a tax exempt non-profit organization. Its mission is to provide encouragement and support for youth and young people at the beginning of their musical career; and help provide care and safety for elderly musicians at the twilight of their career.

I've already expressed my wishes for good health and healing for Ev in a private message to Angi. Ev was one of three people who immediately (without knowing who I was, who I know, or what I've done in my life) contacted me when I first posted on the old, unofficial board, approximately six years ago. I don't know why but I still remember the first conversation I had with each of these three people, all of whom were/are, like me, risk-takers who've often taken leaps of faith throughout our lives. My first conversation with my friends there was about LZ but with Ev it wasn't about Zep at all – it was, oddly enough, about my adventures at the Renaissance Faires on the old Paramount Ranch. Although I haven't spoken directly with Ev in several years, he knows that I wish him only the best. And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about. ~ Haruki Murakami

I wrote this nearly three years ago and since then have seen Jeff twice (soon to be three times) in less than a year at smaller venues. I never expected it to happen and I rarely thought about it...but it did happen...and Jeff was consistently brilliant.

Although Mike's mother, as the inventor of Liquid Paper, ultimately became very wealthy, during Mike's years with the Monkees her business was just beginning to become successful. She made her fortune when she sold her own company to a large corporation (P&G?) in the late 1970s. It was only after her death (very early 1980s, I think) that Mike inherited half her fortune - she left the other half to various philanthropic organizations. Mike is also very involved in philanthropy and has been a supporter of the arts (including film).

Mike has been involved in his own projects (music and film). He is independently wealthy and can pick and choose where, when and with whom he wants to play. I just saw him last month play a short gig (acoustic set) in Austin (not far from the Lucky Lounge). He made no mention of reuniting with any of the Monkees and I think he has distanced himself from them.

Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton is one of my favorite albums. I love John Mayall and still think that Clapton/Mayall collaboration was brilliant. I have an ever-lasting fondness for Clapton and his work - I still catch every concert of his that I can as (like Beck) he often changes musicians and set lists. And, I've been fortunate that two of his recent concerts focused on the blues and were in (for Clapton) relatively small venues of 10,000 and less. I was recently going through some of my own old concert photos and found one from his "comeback" tour - I had forgotten how gaunt and haggard and tenuous EC looked behind his large sunglasses (and in my photo, he is alone)...the next photo I have (from a year or two later) shows him without the glasses, looking so much more comfortable and relaxed, fit and healthy, with his shirt open. The last one (from a year or so after that) shows him looking confident and relaxed on stage. Then I found some of my photos from the ARMS concerts and Jimmy is the one who is taking the first tenuous steps back to performing live, looking gaunt, surrounded by his fellow musicians, including Eric, who is right next to him. The sweetest recent photo I've seen of Eric is the one taken by Nettie Baker - it shows Eric, Ginger and Charlotte Martin all laughing together (although Ginger is wearing an oxygen mask).

Congratulations to you Kiwi_Zep! My major was and undergrad degree is in Economics too! It's a fascinating subject and a great degree to have as far as career and grad school. Best of Luck to you!

Thank you for sharing these photos and for the bit of information about Joan, Sam. I'm sure she would also be very proud of how nice John was to so many of his young fans. Thanks again.

My heartfelt condolences to the Bonham family on their sad loss. Many of us loved and respected her son John and he will always hold a special place in our hearts. Bless Joan and John and may they Rest in Peace along with Mick and Jack.

I heard this news several hours ago and I am still in a bit of shock (as he died at only 58, in his sleep, in Spain). A tragic loss - he was a great rock and blues guitarist who seemed never to forget his roots, who will be sadly missed by so many of us who grew up with his music and who were so fortunate to have seen him live. I remember he once said in such a sweet, nice way something about the Zep guys having the prettiest girls following them. RIP and Bless you Gary Moore.

I've been told that Barney Hoskyns, who has written several books about various musicians (Tom Waits, The Band, LA area musicians, etc.) and the small book about LZ IV is working on a LZ book that will be what he has called the "definitive" LZ story. He has been interviewing people who were connected to the band, although I don't know if he has plans to interview any of the Zep guys (or their family members). It sounded to me like it will be a large project so I have no idea as to the expected publication date.

Hi finches, thanks, yes, I recently heard about Tom Sanderson and Bombus via one of my English friends...we were talking about Davey Graham, Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, John Martyn, Pentangle... and he suggested I listen to Bombus.

He opened for Neil at all of Neil's U.S. shows last year - and he played with Pegi Young (Neil's wife) her band, too. He also played Clapton's CrossRoads concert.

The first rock concert I went to alone (with friends, not adults) was LZ at MSG, Sept. 3, 1971. Jim (and Jimi) - my Holy Grail.

Strider, there are some of us here on the board who were at many of the '73 shows so while we may be familiar with the different outfits Jimmy wore (on and off stage) I think younger fans or fans who are new to the band speak only of the "73 cosmic" pants because those seem to have become iconic in that, for a long time, most of the photos (and film footage) circulating of JP during the '73 tour showed him in those pants. I think the same may hold true for the '75 tour. On the '73 tour, Robert and Jimmy had a couple of young women (college age) with them in NY and they worked on some of the LZ guys outfits (sewing appliques, etc.), including Jimmy's suit. They seemed more like "hippie girls" - they were separate from and slightly older than the groupies (and neither of them was Coco).

Hi finches, Bert Jansch is one of the best acoustic players I've ever seen perform live, spellbinding. I think both Jimmy and Neil Young have cited Jansch as an influence. I've seen Jansch several times, most recently last spring - I thought he was amazingly strong and energetic - much more so than I had imagined he would be after battling lung cancer. Jansch's playing was amazing and powerful and very evocative. I imagine that both Jimmy and Neil, hearing Jansch during their formative years, were inspired to bring some of his sound into their playing so without Jansch's inspiration, their playing might have been different (as might have Jansch's without the influence of Davy Graham).

Thank you for starting this thread, Magic! Because I've spent a lot of time in the same place (although a few years after Jimmy), this photo is my favorite: