1975.02.28 Led Zeppelin Baton Rouge, LA

[hunter19877]

101. Rock And Roll
102. Sick Again
103. Over The Hills And Far Away
104. In My Time Of Dying
105. The Song Remains The Same
106. The Rain Song
107. Kashmir

201. No Quarter
202. Trampled Underfoot
203. Moby Dick

301. Dazed And Confused
302. Stairway To Heaven
303. Whole Lotta Love
304. Black Dog
 A loud pea whistle signals the beginning of Rock and Roll. Bonzo's thunderous pounding echoes off the walls of the arena as Page blazes through the guitar solos during Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "hang onto your heads." In My Time of Dying is incredibly heavy. Bonzo hammers at his drums with unbelievable intensity during The Rain Song. No Quarter features Jones's first use of a grand piano. The instrumental section is absolutely fantastic. Page delivers an amazing guitar solo which ends in a series of violent outbursts with Bonzo. An outstanding performance, one of the best thus far.

Page shreds through an erratic guitar solo during Trampled Underfoot. Plant introduces Moby Dick as "one of the most exciting events that you're likely to see in the next ten minutes." The arena quakes under the power of Bonzo's thunderous assault. An utterly devastating performance, one of the best thus far. Dazed and Confused features a brutally heavy San Francisco interlude, now transformed into a haunting rendition of Woodstock. Page's fingers get a bit sticky during the frantic guitar solo/workout section. The return to the main riff is a chaotic explosion of energy. As the song ends, Plant announces "Mr. Jimmy Page, guitar... Baton Rouge, a really good audience... and Led Zeppelin, just a fun-lovin' bunch of boys." Stairway to Heaven features an excellent, dynamic guitar solo from Page. Plant unleashes some spine-chilling squeals during the theramin freakout in Whole Lotta Love. Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings during Black Dog.
Rock 'n' roll's heaviest metal magicians, Led Zeppelin, blended their past and present for a multi-sensational experience at last night's LSU Assembly Center concert.

As lead singer Robert Plant told a packed audience early in the concert, it's "a cross-section of musical color we've managed to get together in the last six years . . . so hang on to your heads."

"Hang on to your heads "was good advice as lead guitarist Jimmy Page sent wave after wave of hundred-decibel metallic sounds surging through a huge bank of amplifiers.

With his guitar at crotch level and chest arched ceiling ward, Page seemingly has no bones — his body flows just as the music he orchestrates does.
The three-hour concert, unmarred by intermissions and boring backup bands, predictably climaxed with the classic "Stairway to Heaven."

The tall, wild-haired Plant stood spotlighted in gold as he temporarily tamed his screaming vocal cords to lead softly into the 1971 hit that remains their most requested song.

But the tempo and intensity of "Stairway to Heaven" quickly climbed to a crescendo, only to soften, then build, then soften again.
The concert itself was alternately but continually hard and soft, punctuated by smoke and swirling light.

All of the group's six albums, including the recently released "Physical Graffiti," were touched upon. Led Zeppelin blended many of their songs together in long, somewhat new interpretations. "Over the Hills and Far Away" became "Misty Mountain Hop" and then "Over the Hills" again. "Dazed and Confused" drifted into a surprise rendering of "Woodstock."

Bassist John Paul Jones was featured on the piano and organ in "No Quarter" amid rising blue and green smoke and swirling specks of green, yellow and red light.

And drummer John Henry Bonham had the stage to himself for an extended (perhaps a little too long) drum solo of "Moby Dick."
But throughout most of the show, it is Page and Plant who are front and center, setting the tempo, pace and mood.

The Led Zeppelin show is a draining experience for both performers and audience. The pulsating, twanging, metallic rhythms, coupled with bursts of light and smoke, marked by screaming heights one minute, temporarily gentled tones the next, is an odyssey in itself. [By C. WEATHERSBY]

 

My Opinion. I really like this show. Its a very good show all around! The playing is high energy from everyone and all of the long improvs and solos are really cool! The reason i posted this is because I have had the SBD of this show for the longest time! And i just recently came across the AUD recording! And I LOVE IT!!! I always grab the AUD recording of a show if its available. Like my collection of 1975 concerts is mostly SBD. And i love it when i find the AUD versions of them! Like the second Dallas show on the 5th, i found an AUD of that show and i love it! SBD's are definitely awesome and i tend to like them more! But a good AUD recording cannot be beat! The realness and ambiance and spaciness of it just makes the listening experience a lot more enjoyable, almost like you're there! I love to smoke a nice J and really zone out to a good audience recording! You really get taken places man! Zep was the best at taking you places! Their shows were so real, genuine. The setlist is perfect and its like a nice long trip into music. Like the Long Beach March 12th concert. That one really takes me away! Anyway i just wanted to share my opinion on both of these bootlegs. Now go find them and listen with me Long Live Led Zeppelin!!!!!

 

[Nutrocker]

If you like the audience recording, I'm sure you can see why people were so pissed off at the fate of Freezer's 1977 Baton Rouge recording. 

One of my favourite '75 shows. Excellent "No Quarter".

 

[Strider]

A prelude and sign of the great things to come in March. Always enjoy listening to this 1975 show.

 

[tom kid]

If you like the audience recording, I'm sure you can see why people were so pissed off at the fate of Freezer's 1977 Baton Rouge recording.

One of my favourite '75 shows. Excellent "No Quarter".

 

Yep agreed. No Quarter absolutely shreds, the interplay between Jones and Bonham in particular is marvellous. I have played it at many a party and more often that not it gets a very positive reception. Especially under the influence of a certain green herb....  TU is also a favourite of mine from this show. Now... if only some plonker hadn't decided to try and spite Freezer by making a crappy matrix of this show, it really is a prime candidate for one. It would rival Four Blocks In The Snow imo.

 

[hunter19877]

If you like the audience recording, I'm sure you can see why people were so pissed off at the fate of Freezer's 1977 Baton Rouge recording. 

One of my favourite '75 shows. Excellent "No Quarter".

 

Yup!

A prelude and sign of the great things to come in March. Always enjoy listening to this 1975 show.

 

I agree!

[Bozoso73]

 Just looking for a little background on this particular guy… 

[Dirty Work]

Taper of the excellent sounding 2/28/75 gig, which has since been released as a soundboard too, but I always keep a copy of the audience version nearby. More "like being there" experience. Honestly one of my favorite audience recordings, because with headphone, cranked up, it sounds exactly like you're in the middle of a concert hall. Rumored that he recorded them in '77 too, in the same city, but I don't think he wanted it to be made public. Considering the sound quality of 2/28, which is great, I'm guessing the '77 tape sounds incredible. Maybe one day we'll hear it, maybe not. Thats about all I know. Go search RoyalOrleans, they might have more info somewhere in their 2/28/75 threads/topics.

[Bozoso73]

Taper of the excellent sounding 2/28/75 gig, which has since been released as a soundboard too, but I always keep a copy of the audience version nearby. More "like being there" experience. Honestly one of my favorite audience recordings, because with headphone, cranked up, it sounds exactly like you're in the middle of a concert hall. Rumored that he recorded them in '77 too, in the same city, but I don't think he wanted it to be made public. Considering the sound quality of 2/28, which is great, I'm guessing the '77 tape sounds incredible. Maybe one day we'll hear it, maybe not. Thats about all I know. Go search RoyalOrleans, they might have more info somewhere in their 2/28/75 threads/topics.

 thanks Dirty:)

[Strider]

 Just looking for a little background on this particular guy… 

All you have to do is google "Freezer's Revenge".

[Bozoso73]

All you have to do is google "Freezer's Revenge".

 I have strider and I can't find anything. . Do you have a link??

[TheGreatOne]

You must have typed it wrong, impossible to not find anything.  Copy and Paste or just type in  -  led zeppelin freezer

[tmtomh]

Sadly, Freezer passed away a year (or two?) ago.

[Nutrocker]

 I have strider and I can't find anything. . Do you have a link??

You must have typed it wrong, impossible to not find anything.  Copy and Paste or just type in  -  led zeppelin freezer

The easiest thing to do is simply join the t r a d e r s  d e n site (it's free) and read the following discussion threads in this order: "Where Do All These New Sources Of Old Zeppelin Shows Come From?" (found in the "Lounge" section), "Freezer's Revenge" (found in the "Audio torrents" section) and "The Latest News From Japan..." (also found in the "Lounge" section)- reading those three discussions will not only give you all the lowdown you need regarding Freezer (R.I.P.) but the shenanigans that go on with the Led Zeppelin trading community...

[Bozoso73]

The easiest thing to do is simply join the t r a d e r s  d e n site (it's free) and read the following discussion threads in this order: "Where Do All These New Sources Of Old Zeppelin Shows Come From?" (found in the "Lounge" section), "Freezer's Revenge" (found in the "Audio torrents" section) and "The Latest News From Japan..." (also found in the "Lounge" section)- reading those three discussions will not only give you all the lowdown you need regarding Freezer (R.I.P.) but the shenanigans that go on with the Led Zeppelin trading community...

[Nutrocker]

^^^

Were you actually planning on saying something, Bozoso?

[Bozoso73]

Ahaha look at that Nutrocker:):) almost a year later and Im still looking up Freezer stuff:):) I thought I said thanks . . its only a year late:):)

[Nutrocker]

On 11/18/2016 at 10:31 PM, Bozoso73 said:

Ahaha look at that Nutrocker:):) almost a year later and Im still looking up Freezer stuff:):) I thought I said thanks . . its only a year late:):)

Better late than never...and don't worry, it'll still take you another three years to plow through all the goddamn discussions! 

[Bozoso73]

It crazy some of these people hate each other on here. . There is some fascinating stuff in this forum. . One question NR. . why 77?? JP was so bad this tour. . 

[Crimson Avenger]

22 hours ago, Nutrocker said:

Better late than never...and don't worry, it'll still take you another three years to plow through all the goddamn discussions! 

Hmm, I got a couple of hundred pages into that and was enjoying the insults immensely, when I suddenly realised these weren't stoned teenagers ripping into each other, but middle aged men. At which point I found it a bit sad, frankly, and I gave up.

Anyway, Baton Rouge 75... yes, excellent NQ, rest of the gig, average. The Texas shows the next week are better played/sounding IMO.

[Bozoso73]

19 hours ago, Crimson Avenger said:

Hmm, I got a couple of hundred pages into that and was enjoying the insults immensely, when I suddenly realised these weren't stoned teenagers ripping into each other, but middle aged men. At which point I found it a bit sad, frankly, and I gave up.

Anyway, Baton Rouge 75... yes, excellent NQ, rest of the gig, average. The Texas shows the next week are better played/sounding IMO.

I know there are some peeps on here that are keyboard killers. . Its our love for LZ . . why make it into some wierd bully session?? The hate for some is real. . I dont know where it comes from since most havent met each other. . 

[Sathington Willoughby]

12 hours ago, Bozoso73 said:

I know there are some peeps on here that are keyboard killers. . Its our love for LZ . . why make it into some wierd bully session?? The hate for some is real. . I dont know where it comes from since most havent met each other. . 

He's referring to a spat between taper 'Freezer' and some members over at The Traders Den a few years back. 

As far as your question goes, I suppose you never ventured much into the 'Ramble On' sections of the forum, especially before the removal of the political threads, where you could have seen many vile, racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, and general douchey posts from our own SteveAJones, amongst others.

EDIT: Just came across another of his fine, upstanding posts here, if you want a small sample:

 

[Bozoso73]

THX for the lowdown SW:):) lol Its supposed to be about Led Zeppelin. . I dont know politics would be brought into any discussion. . I know certain people hate others. . cant we all just get along?? 

[Nutrocker]

On 11/22/2016 at 3:19 AM, Crimson Avenger said:

Hmm, I got a couple of hundred pages into that and was enjoying the insults immensely, when I suddenly realised these weren't stoned teenagers ripping into each other, but middle aged men. At which point I found it a bit sad, frankly, and I gave up.

Anyway, Baton Rouge 75... yes, excellent NQ, rest of the gig, average. The Texas shows the next week are better played/sounding IMO.

Absolutely- those discussions over at the Den are both some of the funniest and most disturbing things I have ever read. But in between that myriad of childish insults some of the information is very revealing. You simply cannot look at unofficial live music trading and collecting the same way after reading some of that stuff.