Led Zeppelin being booed by the audience?

[Nutrocker]

You can hear someone close to the taper shout the same thing during "Over the Top" on the second night at Cleveland '77.

I believe the exact comment is "This sucks!!!"...another classic from the April 28th show is, right before "Trampled Under Foot" when one guys says, "We love you Jimmy!" only to have his friend shoot back, "Hey Jimmy, learn how to play yer guitar!" LOL

And let's not forget the infamous, "Enough with the guitar lesson" remark made during the Noise Solo on June 21st. Not necessarily instances of booing, but you can tell the impatience in the audience as some of those tedious solos was palpable.

As I've said before, as jaw droppingly bad as the Tempe show is, you don't hear any booing on the audience tape. Nor do I know of any pissed off fans rushing the ticket booths demanding refunds they way they demanded tickets for any of those iffy shows. I'm sure thousands of fans being annoyed at ponying up the dough only to witness a mediocre performance and walking out would have made The Concert File book or something...

[LedZedTributeUK]

On the dvd, How many more times,Albert hall, when the band quieten down,and plant is making hissing noises... listen carefully... someone yells 'shut up' very loud and direct at plant.... there's always one.....

[bamf4k]

I believe the exact comment is "This sucks!!!"...another classic from the April 28th show is, right before "Trampled Under Foot" when one guys says, "We love you Jimmy!" only to have his friend shoot back, "Hey Jimmy, learn how to play yer guitar!" LOL

And let's not forget the infamous, "Enough with the guitar lesson" remark made during the Noise Solo on June 21st. Not necessarily instances of booing, but you can tell the impatience in the audience as some of those tedious solos was palpable.

As I've said before, as jaw droppingly bad as the Tempe show is, you don't hear any booing on the audience tape. Nor do I know of any pissed off fans rushing the ticket booths demanding refunds they way they demanded tickets for any of those iffy shows. I'm sure thousands of fans being annoyed at ponying up the dough only to witness a mediocre performance and walking out would have made The Concert File book or something...

I don't see what they were complaining about, April 28 was a really good show, and I'm assuming that by that point many of the people there had seen "The Song Remains the Same", so they should've at least had a semblence of what they were going to see. I guess he was the one that missed it. Same goes for 6/21. I hate when that guy in the audience yells that "guitar lessons" remark, because around that time is when I'm really getting into the solo. Also maybe the people at Tempe were too high or had too much pity to boo LZ that night.

[Strider]

I don't see what they were complaining about, April 28 was a really good show, and I'm assuming that by that point many of the people there had seen "The Song Remains the Same", so they should've at least had a semblence of what they were going to see. I guess he was the one that missed it. Same goes for 6/21. I hate when that guy in the audience yells that "guitar lessons" remark, because around that time is when I'm really getting into the solo. Also maybe the people at Tempe were too high or had too much pity to boo LZ that night.

In "TSRTS" film, "Moby Dick" is edited down to a palatable 10 minutes and Jimmy's bowing extravaganza is lucid and in the context of "Dazed and Confused", ie. it's part of an ongoing song.

On the 77 tour, the drum solo and guitar solo were self-indulgent 20-30 minute solos...and Jimmy's especially could be haphazard and meandering at best, even with the added visual flair of the laser light show. And on those shows where the guitar solo followed the drum solo, that meant there was close to an hour of momentum-killing bullshit. The concerts often struggled to regain intensity and momentum after this.

Although I never said it out loud, I often thought the same thing those people on the bootlegs said...enough with the guitar lesson, indeed, Jimmy! Play a goddamn SONG like "The Rover" or "In the Light"!!!

But still, as bored as I and others might have been(the drum solo was the cue to hit the restrooms and snackbar lines and chat up the girls), you never heard booing at the end of a Zeppelin concert...at least I never did.

Going back to the 1969 concert the OP referred to, I have never heard this Detroit show but I bet that for all the booing heard BEFORE Led Zeppelin came out, once they started playing the crowd's boos turned to cheers once they got a load of "As Long as I Have You" and "How Many More Times" piledrived thru their skulls.

I bet you don't hear any booing DURING Zeppelin's set.

[bamf4k]

In "TSRTS" film, "Moby Dick" is edited down to a palatable 10 minutes and Jimmy's bowing extravaganza is lucid and in the context of "Dazed and Confused", ie. it's part of an ongoing song.

On the 77 tour, the drum solo and guitar solo were self-indulgent 20-30 minute solos...and Jimmy's especially could be haphazard and meandering at best, even with the added visual flair of the laser light show. And on those shows where the guitar solo followed the drum solo, that meant there was close to an hour of momentum-killing bullshit. The concerts often struggled to regain intensity and momentum after this.

Although I never said it out loud, I often thought the same thing those people on the bootlegs said...enough with the guitar lesson, indeed, Jimmy! Play a goddamn SONG like "The Rover" or "In the Light"!!!

But still, as bored as I and others might have been(the drum solo was the cue to hit the restrooms and snackbar lines and chat up the girls), you never heard booing at the end of a Zeppelin concert...at least I never did.

I bet you don't hear any booing DURING Zeppelin's set.

Like I said, a "semblence" of what they were going to see. Yeah the drum solos were averaging about 20 minutes, but at least the noise solos had a certain level of dynamics to them, i.e., harmonizer~theremin~guitar noodling(though this part didnt show up til San Diego 6/19)~violin bow. And the noise solo from 4/28 was only about 10 minutes, and on 6/21, the audience just had Heartbreaker played to them, so they did have a

"goddamn" song, so I still think guy shouldn't have been complaining. Plus I think that "Achilles' Last Stand" more than made up for any so-called "lost momentum." As someone who only can listen to these shows on CD or on the computer, I might use the bathroom during "Over the Top" if I have to, but usually I stick around. I'm starting to think I'm the only one on this whole forum who enjoys the noise solos too. While yes, I think that maybe at least a song or two like "Royal Orleans" or "For Your Life" would've fit quite snuggly between these two pieces, I for one still find these solos to be an enthralling and engaging part of the concert, assuming the level of energy that night was relatively high.

Edited February 21, 2012 by bamf4k

[chillumpuffer]

Also on the Filmore 27th April 1969 show Just before "As Long As I Have You", Plant rambles on about the being their last night there ( when Bonzo's snare drum is being changed) and someone shouts "GOOD" . I bet after a rip roaring version of said song the heckler crawls under the seat with shame!

[bamf4k]

Although I never said it out loud, I often thought the same thing those people on the bootlegs said...enough with the guitar lesson, indeed, Jimmy! Play a goddamn SONG like "The Rover" or "In the Light"!!!

Besides, the '77 setlist already had enough Physical Graffiti songs as it is.

[Nutrocker]

I don't see what they were complaining about, April 28 was a really good show, and I'm assuming that by that point many of the people there had seen "The Song Remains the Same", so they should've at least had a semblence of what they were going to see. I guess he was the one that missed it. Same goes for 6/21. I hate when that guy in the audience yells that "guitar lessons" remark, because around that time is when I'm really getting into the solo. Also maybe the people at Tempe were too high or had too much pity to boo LZ that night.

I'm more inclined to think that the guys who taped the April 28th show were more taking the piss than anything else. It is a good show indeed; the dudes who taped it were just in, ahem, high spirits on the night, I'd reckon. But, even as a '77 fanatic I agree with Strider. The way they designed the setlist, with the drum and noise solos back to back killed any sort of momentum they'd got going over the previous two hours. Especially when you consider the audience had just sat through ten or fifteen minutes of "White Summer/Black Mountain Side", which IMO is just more guitar wankery (especially in '77 and onward when Page was too smacked out to have the chops to pull it off without it sounding like shit), even if it does have the context of being like an 'extended' intro to "Kashmir". But I've always looked upon the Noise Solo as being a serious fucking mistake anyway- if Jimmy had done a little five minute bow guitar piece as an intro to "Achilles Last Stand" it would have worked much better (compare the '77 Noise Solo to his 1979 intros to "In The Evening"). Ever tried playing a '77 show when you've got a gathering of people around, i.e. a party or something? By the time you get to that part of the show it doesn't work...I always end up getting somebody complaining or requesting I change the tunes, and I can understand why. Unless yer into drums or "Noise", they don't make for casual listening on a regular basis. Within the context of the actual concert, maybe, but I bet the bathrooms and concessions were pretty busy during that point. Even with the funky laser pyramid, etc, ten minutes or more of Jimmy Page making squealing noises is something to filed under "What the hell was he thinking?" Did he seriously think 20000 paying fans wanted to hear THAT when they could have played two or three actual SONGS in its place? John Paul Jones tickling the ivories for seven or eight minutes during "No Quarter" actually sort of made sense within the context of the song. The Noise Solo, not so much- they might as well have just played "Dazed And Confused" if Page wanted an audience pleasing vehicle for his gimmickry. Even when it comes to self indulgence, you gotta draw the line somewhere...

Edited February 25, 2012 by Nutrocker

[TomFrom Oregon]

This is true - I was there. Just as Zep Head has it above (from the Steve Hoffman Forum), posted in Feb 1 2012.

This is a great story for me personally because I'd recently seen a group called The Pack at the Grand Haven (MI) Roller Rink and Ballroom (if you can believe it ... was it just the summer before? that's a bit misty for me). Then here was this band opening for Zeppelin - and it was them, The Pack. Now called Grand Funk Railroad.

And they were -- GREAT. Shockingly so to the audience, which was getting increasingly enthralled, excited, charged up. Farner was great, the songs very cool, you name it. Then, suddenly, in the middle of a song -- the Zep manager suddenly pulled the plug on them -- and we in the audience all took it as pettiness, jealousy, pure and simple. Was the audience ever pissed -- beyond pissed. Lots of booing, as you can imagine.

Then, after a long wait, Zeppelin came out -- and they were very average. Especially compared to Grand Funk on that night. Especially Page - he was not on his game. I'd seen them before, at the Grande in Detroit (and I saw them again) - but on this night they were just very uninspired. Was there more booing -- you better believe it. It was a hostile evening -- memorably so. It was the hostility that was memorable -- and GFR.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2016 by TomFrom Oregon

[chef free]

When I saw them in Oakland, second show in '77, they were booed ON TO the stage.  They were soooooo late coming on that people were booing and actually LEAVING!

[MortSahlFan]

I remember seeing "Behind The Music" of Grand Funk saying they blew Zep... Baloney.. I'm from Flint, and so are they, but they always played Detroit shows and had a lot of fans. So of course fans got upset, as they were billed as a local band, or "Detroit's very own" as Don and Mel are from Swartz Creek, so I did go to the same high school as Mark.

As for audiences, I prefer the quiet ones - I'm there to listen to Zeppelin, not audience chatter. I'm listening to a bootleg online right now, "No Quarter" and it's pretty disrespectful so many people are chatting. Go outside and chat.... It's horrible now with people and their cell phones, trying to sing along, off-key, wrong words, clapping with no rhythm. Clap in-between songs if you must.

Edited July 30, 2016 by MortSahlFan

[drpete]

I grew up in Kansas City and rumor was they were either booed in 69 or something pissed them off to make them never to play there again 

[Strider]

On 5/27/2016 at 9:44 AM, chef free said:

When I saw them in Oakland, second show in '77, they were booed ON TO the stage.  They were soooooo late coming on that people were booing and actually LEAVING!

Judas Priest was the band that played directly before Led Zeppelin at those Oakland shows, right? Do you remember the length of time between Judas Priest ending their set and Led Zeppelin coming on stage?

The primary reason for Led Zeppelin's delay, of course, was the band and Bill Graham haggling over the legal ramifications of the beatdown Peter Grant, John Bindon, and Bonzo had delivered to one of Graham's employees. There was a real threat of arrests and jail, etc. It was ugly and probably would have got uglier if Led Zeppelin refused to play.

I am so fortunate my memories of the 1977 tour aren't stained by such darkness.

[TheGreatOne]

I saw this band called Brutal Truth and said the F--ing suck and the singer saw me and almost everyone turned around, then the singer started threatening me and almost jumped the stage..hahah     Another time I saw the Def-Tones and was telling my friend how bad they sucked during their performance and guess a fan next to me got  super offended and wanted to kick my ass.

Not sure about early years, but can't see anyone booing Zeppelin and not getting their ass kicked.  There were riots just to get tickets.

Edited July 30, 2016 by TheGreatOne

[TheGreatOne]

1 hour ago, Strider said:

Judas Priest was the band that played directly before Led Zeppelin at those Oakland shows, right? Do you remember the length of time between Judas Priest ending their set and Led Zeppelin coming on stage?

The primary reason for Led Zeppelin's delay, of course, was the band and Bill Graham haggling over the legal ramifications of the beatdown Peter Grant, John Bindon, and Bonzo had delivered to one of Graham's employees. There was a real threat of arrests and jail, etc. It was ugly and probably would have got uglier if Led Zeppelin refused to play.

I am so fortunate my memories of the 1977 tour aren't stained by such darkness.

There was some kind of money issue too from what I remember.  Peter Grant wanted 25k up front before they played.  Not sure which night it was, but when Plant introduces No Quarter, he thanks Bill Graham.  Not sure if that was a subliminal jab - Quarter = 25

[chef free]

6 hours ago, Strider said:

Judas Priest was the band that played directly before Led Zeppelin at those Oakland shows, right? Do you remember the length of time between Judas Priest ending their set and Led Zeppelin coming on stage?

The primary reason for Led Zeppelin's delay, of course, was the band and Bill Graham haggling over the legal ramifications of the beatdown Peter Grant, John Bindon, and Bonzo had delivered to one of Graham's employees. There was a real threat of arrests and jail, etc. It was ugly and probably would have got uglier if Led Zeppelin refused to play.

I am so fortunate my memories of the 1977 tour aren't stained by such darkness.

My (unreliable) memory says that Judas Priest Opened and Rick Derringer played before Zeppelin.  I recall the crowd not liking Judas Priest, maybe they just wanted to see the Zeppelin, but Derringer put on a great show.  We waited at least 90, maybe 120 min. for LZ.   Later I heard that the band was holed up at the Mark Hopkins in SF, and Graham signed something promising that he wouldn't pursue legal action against Grant and Bonham.

[uduwudu]

I'd read somewhere on the web that the issue was one of curfew and (possibly) public transport. The account was from a stage tech. Grand Funk were going down very well. So well that their manager tried to keep things going (he had quite an interest). So did Grant and Co. They would get fined (and I think, did) and had visas etc to consider. So apparently the power was cut as Grand Funk went over time and then Zeppelin played resulting in going over time as well.

Pitting Grant against the Funk manager and making an issue out of height and build etc merely creates false equivalency.

Even now there is a lot of emotion; rock fans going out of their mind are not going to understand the the reason and certainly not when the "we blew Zeppelin off stage" narrative is repeated but unsupported by all the facts. Grand Funk did capitalize on the event.

Did not read of Zeppelin taking an hour and a half between sets though . More grist to rock politics fire. First casualty facts.

[JTM]

5 hours ago, uduwudu said:

I'd read somewhere on the web that the issue was one of curfew and (possibly) public transport. The account was from a stage tech. Grand Funk were going down very well. So well that their manager tried to keep things going (he had quite an interest). So did Grant and Co. They would get fined (and I think, did) and had visas etc to consider. So apparently the power was cut as Grand Funk went over time and then Zeppelin played resulting in going over time as well.

Pitting Grant against the Funk manager and making an issue out of height and build etc merely creates false equivalency.

Even now there is a lot of emotion; rock fans going out of their mind are not going to understand the the reason and certainly not when the "we blew Zeppelin off stage" narrative is repeated but unsupported by all the facts. Grand Funk did capitalize on the event.

Did not read of Zeppelin taking an hour and a half between sets though . More grist to rock politics fire. First casualty facts.

I used to do a light show for a cabaret band in the mid to late seventies. One time the band that was on before the band I worked for who were quite popular at this venue ran over their time, on the instruction of our Bass player I unplugged their amps/pa from the mains and gestured for them to get off.

[gibsonfan159]

On 2/2/2012 at 1:55 PM, Jahfin said:

 

If you're referring to the "Skynyrd blew the Rolling Stones off the stage at Knebworth" story, that didn't come from any of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd themselves, it came from the audience. Even so, the truth of the matter is that Skynyrd apparently performed in the late afternoon (this footage makes up the bulk of Freebird the Movie) and the Stones didn't play until late at night so it's not like their sets were in close proximity to one another.

Hanson could blow the Stones off the stage. Their live acts were held together by a front man strutting like a chicken.

[TheStairwayRemainsTheSame]

On 2/21/2012 at 12:13 AM, LedZedTributeUK said:

On the dvd, How many more times,Albert hall, when the band quieten down,and plant is making hissing noises... listen carefully... someone yells 'shut up' very loud and direct at plant.... there's always one.....

"everybody sh sh sh sh" 

I know what you're on about but they aren't booing.

That HMMT Rah is one of their greatest moments as a a group, I don't think it's boos

[TheStairwayRemainsTheSame]

15 minutes ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Hanson could blow the Stones off the stage. Their live acts were held together by a front man strutting like a chicken.

LOL

I must add it wasn't actually the Stones at Knebworth really was it now

 

Edit: It's Jahfin you're replying too, didn't realise this thread was THAT old 

Ah Jahfin, where art thou now?

And who are you pissing off?

Edited January 7, 2019 by TheStairwayRemainsTheSame

[gibsonfan159]

That whole GFR story is lame as well. Opening for Zep that night in their hometown is the highlight of their career, as they've been talking about it ever since. Fast forward a few years and compare who's blowing who off the stage. GFR eventually resorted to playing straight up cover songs in order to crack the billboard. Imagine being stuck playing "Locomotion" for the rest of your career. But hey, they had that one night in Michigan when all their friends and family came to see them.

[The Only Way To Fly]

We do have Plant on record from the Blueberry Hill show saying something like "We've had a bit of abuse in the mid-west. Every time we sit on a chair and pick up a mandolin it's ewwwwww". So they must have encountered some booing during the early tours. 

[whirlegreg]

This is a True story and not GFRR fluffing anything up! Grand Funk Railroad was known much later as Grand Funk. They were a Michigan band that had sort of avoided their home state after the Atlanta Pop Festival so this was their "Homecoming" after gaining acclaim....I have friends that were there and reported the PA and Amps going quiet, unexpectedly, mid gig...Zep waited 90 minutes before finally taking the stage to a smaller audience as many had left...I have seen Zep and am also a big fan of theirs...but that night at the Olympia in Detroit their manager bullied the Funk...

[hercoflex]

Mark Farner is at it again...

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/grand_funk_frontman_recalls_how_led_zeppelin_shut_his_band_down__threw_them_off_tour_because_they_outshined_them_as_opening_act.html