Strider Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Philadelphia...the City of Brotherly Love. One of the largest cities in the United States...a major hub of the North-East. Yet in the annals of Led Zeppelin lore, there seems to scarcely be any interest in any of the Philadelphia concerts the band played there...I believe they performed four times. Think about it: Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Dallas, Vancouver, San Francisco/Oakland, Chicago...these cities and others have legendary concerts to their name that people remember and seek out. You can go to any swap meet/record show and readily find bootlegs from any of the above cities. In fact, the bootlegs have become so legendary the titles alone are enough to determine what city the show is from: "Listen to This, Eddie", "Blueberry Hill", "For Badgeholders Only", "Bonzo's Birthday Party", "Three Days After" = Los Angeles "Mudslide", "Snow Jobs" = Vancouver "Flying Circus", "Requiem", "Four Blocks in the Snow" = New York And so on...EXCEPT for Philadelphia. Philadelphia never seems to come up in the conversation of great Zeppelin gigs. I've never seen or heard a boot from Philadelphia. All I've come across is a bit of 8mm footage from 1975. I find it rather curious...does anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I have a couple of boots of them in Philly. One of Zep's biggest shows didn't happen due to the tragic loss of Robert's son. They were supposed to play at JFK in 1977 and film the show. That would have been amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The Live Aid Reunion was in Philly...... It is strange that no soundboard's have surfaced from Philly though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 There is a boot at the Spectrum for 1972 and 1975. There is film for both nights. The 1975 film circulates but there is a 6 minute clip in 1972 owned by some company that might circulate in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom kid Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I used to have the '75 boot, the sound was alright but pretty distant. A pretty good show from memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmtomh Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Not a real answer, but for whatever reason no SBDs have surfaced from Philly, and the AUD sources are pretty crappy. For '72 it's not entirely surprising - while there are some very nice AUD sources, there are virtually no SBDs from '72. For '75, though, it's almost certainly gotta be out there - and it's strange that the Philly date, of all dates, should be among the ones still being hoarded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 The recording from 1972 is almost unlistenable but Bring it On Home makes a strange appearence in the main set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecongo Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Thats cuz Philly sux. End of thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I used to have the '75 boot, the sound was alright but pretty distant. A pretty good show from memory. Coupla different sources for the '75 Philly show (I believe there is even a 'matrix' version combining them to 'complete' the show)...and it is a good performance...one of the few '75 shows I can enjoy all the way through... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 They were going to play the Spectrum in 1977 and 1980, but both tours were cancelled and we all know why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 I gave it a 2.5/10. I've only rated one boot lower than that. Major Major: Just so I know for comparisons sake, a few shows that I consider to be some of the worst-sounding in my collection are March 6, 1973 Stockholm, Sweden March 12, 1975 Long Beach Arena June 22, 1977 LA Forum What would be the numeric rating you would give these shows as far as sound quality? I think it's bizarre how whenever a topic comes up like "what's the best No Quarter or OTHAFA or Kashmir?" or "what are the 10 best concerts?", Philadelphia never comes up. It's almost as if the concerts were held in a vacuum. Even concerts in relatively podunk towns like Oakland and Uniondale(Nassau County), NY get discussed more among the Led Zeppelin community. They even passed up Philadelphia on their landmark 1973 US tour...and they played the Spectrum a lot less than the Capitol Center...and Philadelphia is ten times the city Landover is. Was this a Peter Grant/Jimmy Page grudge against Philly? Maybe something to do with a perceived slight against them from the Yardbirds days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 According to my records, I gave Stockholm 4/10 and Long Beach 7.5/10 - one of my highest scores for a non-SBD, I think. Maybe we have different sources for that one? Or maybe you're confusing it with San Diego 10.3.75 (I gave that 3.5/10)? You gave a 7.5 to the March 12 Long Beach? Are you sure you're not confusing 3-12 with 3-11? They did two shows at Long Beach Arena. Mike Millard taped the first night but he was late to the second night due to a car accident. So only Stairway thru the encores has good sound on the March 12, 75 show. The rest of the show is from a source that is way too bass heavy and distorted. Unless you have a source for 3-12 that hasn't circulated, I think you're mistaking 3-12 for Mike Millard's 3-11 recording. By the way, have you posted your ratings somewhere for the public to see? A website or blog perhaps? Did you ever review for the UU site or Collectors Music? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutrocker Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Major Major: Just so I know for comparisons sake, a few shows that I consider to be some of the worst-sounding in my collection are June 22, 1977 LA Forum If you think the June 22 show is a bad '77 recording, you need to hear Chicago (April 10), Atlanta (April 23) or June 8th (New York)...any of those make June 22 sound like a Millard recording! Compared to my Stones '75 and Pink Floyd '77 Philadelphia Spectrum recordings, the '75 Zeppelin Philly tapes aren't half bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Wait until you hear Bath 1970 and Phily 1972, 6/22 will sound like a board recording to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfman Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Thats cuz Philly sux. End of thread. Shut up clown. You have no clue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 ^^^Aha! That explains it then, as the cds I have for March 12 are Badgeholder's "Taking No Prisoners Tonight", which came out in 2004. It's a mix of the Source 1 and Mike Millard's Source 2 tape. I pray that the soundboard comes out eventually. And to answer your question, yes, this was the Long Beach show I went to in 75. So judging by your ratings, the Philly show must sound like it was recorded from the restroom at the Spectrum...or outside the venue itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrledhed Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I always wanted to know if they played there 1973. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfilm Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Not in Philly, but: JULY 24 - THREE RIVERS STADIUM, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA (TUESDAY, show starts at dark Little Feat provided the support. Rumoured to be professionally recorded. Some short sentences were professinally filmed and used on The Song Remains The Same movie in 1976 and "Whole Lotta Love" promo video in 1997. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 They even passed up Philadelphia on their landmark 1973 US tour...and they played the Spectrum a lot less than the Capitol Center...and Philadelphia is ten times the city Landover is. Was this a Peter Grant/Jimmy Page grudge against Philly? Maybe something to do with a perceived slight against them from the Yardbirds days? Jimmy never played Philadelphia with The Yardbirds and The Spectrum dates in '77 & '80 were cancelled. I always wanted to know if they played there 1973. July 19, 1973 is cited by some sources but it remains unconfirmed/unlikely as no reviews, photographs, recordings or memrobilia have surfaced. Robert was given a spiked drink backstage in Vancouver the night prior so it's possible this date was cancelled (if it was ever announced at all). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f2walsh Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Remember Jimmy played in Philly with the Beach Boys on July 4, 1985! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 ^Wasn't that the Washington DC 4th of July concert? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Yes, Walter, you are correct. Besides, for the purposes of this thread, I am only talking about Led Zeppelin. I don't care about post-1980 gigs. Yes, I know the 1977 and 1980 Philly dates had to be cancelled...I may be heading towards 50, but I still have a firm grip on my mental faculties, thank you very much. But, it's just very curious and odd to me that from 1969 to 1975, Led Zeppelin played only 4 shows in Philadelphia...and you rarely see anyone come on here and rave about the show, like Basgeholder, MadScreamingGallery and I rave about the LA shows, or Rick about Landover or The Rover and others about Dallas and Houston. Look at the 1975 tour...it appears Led Zeppelin played two or more gigs in the large major cities: LA, NY, Chicago, Dallas, Seattle...hell, even San Diego, Long Beach and Vancouver got two shows and they were much smaller than Philadelphia. It doesn't make sense. I have a couple of boots of them in Philly. One of Zep's biggest shows didn't happen due to the tragic loss of Robert's son. They were supposed to play at JFK in 1977 and film the show. That would have been amazing! Not sure how "amazing" the 1977 Philadelphia show would have been considering the train wreck the band had become in July. Has anyone...Steve Jones, perhaps?...found out what happened to the band inbetween the June and July legs of the 77 tour? How does Led Zeppelin go from playing a pretty good run of shows in New York and LA in June to the disasters of Tempe and Seattle in July? Oakland is a tad better, but not by much. Does anyone really think the band would have pulled it together in time for the New Orleans and Philly stadium gigs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Don't itineraries exist of the 73 tour, as well as earlier ones? Ok they might have ended up being amended due to cancellations & rescheduling, but surely by 73 they were far too regimented to just pitch up in a random city and play unscheduled shows at short notice, like some bunch of peripatetic carneys? Yes, of course but unconfirmed shows - Austin '75 being the best example - are claimed by some as having occured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Not sure how "amazing" the 1977 Philadelphia show would have been considering the train wreck the band had become in July. Has anyone...Steve Jones, perhaps?...found out what happened to the band in between the June and July legs of the 77 tour? How does Led Zeppelin go from playing a pretty good run of shows in New York and LA in June to the disasters of Tempe and Seattle in July? Oakland is a tad better, but not by much. Does anyone really think the band would have pulled it together in time for the New Orleans and Philly stadium gigs? June/July was the mid-tour break and next to no confirmed public appearances suggests each retreated to holidays and/or home. Personally, I don't think Seattle was all that bad by '77 standards. Tempe '77 was like Greensboro '75 in that an off night was par for the course given the level of self-indulgence at the time, but following the fiasco in Oakland it seems they were in a downward spiral. I imagine any and all of the remaining dates of the tour could have gone either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrledhed Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Yes, of course but unconfirmed shows - Austin '75 being the best example - are claimed by some as having occured. Is there any way I can find this out for certain, by searching for Austin newspaper articles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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