Salem Armory Auditorium - January 1, 1969 - Radio Spot -

[mikezep61]

Early radio spot for Led Zeppelin's cancelled Salem Armory Auditorium show supporting Vanilla Fudge on January 1, 1969:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dStPbvgUPlQ

 

Edited December 21, 2015 by mikezep61

[bcarter690]

Nice! Thanks, Mike.

[SteveAJones]

Not sure what to make of this upon first listen. This advert is for a Jan 1st '69 show in Salem, Oregon but Richard Cole's book has them driving all night thru a blizzard from Spokane to Seattle to catch a flight to Los Angeles the morning of December 31st. When they got there they found the airport was closed. The next show was Jan 2nd in Los Angeles, where they opened for Alice Cooper.

How sure are we they were supposed to play in Salem on Jan 1st? I suppose it's possible they were to have flown from LA to Salem on Jan 1st had the blizzard not occurred.

  

[The Only Way To Fly]

Anythings possible in those days - the add may have been based on someones misinterpretation or total misinformation. Some radio sales or promotions guy says run a 30 second spot on The Fudge and Zeppelin playing on the first - so that's what you do - it airs and someone was running tape. 

[kingzoso]

Not sure what to make of this upon first listen. This advert is for a Jan 1st '69 show in Salem, Oregon but Richard Cole's book has them driving all night thru a blizzard from Spokane to Seattle to catch a flight to Los Angeles the morning of December 31st. When they got there they found the airport was closed. The next show was Jan 2nd in Los Angeles, where they opened for Alice Cooper.

How sure are we they were supposed to play in Salem on Jan 1st? I suppose it's possible they were to have flown from LA to Salem on Jan 1st had the blizzard not occurred.

  

Richard Cole, with the members of Led Zeppelin in the car, drove from Spokane to Seattle during a blizzard and were told to turn around by the Washington State Police.  Cole, along with Kenny Pickett driving the U-Haul with the bands equipment simply ignored the police warning and carried on.  In Cole's book he said that he had to stop to take a piss and that the car then began sliding backwards toward precipice and that Richard jumped back into the car and stopped the car from sliding any further.  According to him, all of Led Zeppelin were screaming and mortified at what had just happened. 

When they got to the Seattle airport the airport was not closed.  Richard and the band went to the airport bar and ordered a round of Scotch but the bartender asked for identifications and since Jimmy, Jonesy and Richard were over 21 and Robert and Bonzo were not, Robert and Bonzo ended up ordering coffee and snuck a few sips of the Scotch.  The band caught the next flight out of Seattle and into warmth and sunshine of Los Angeles, California. 

 

[SteveAJones]

Richard Cole, with the members of Led Zeppelin in the car, drove from Spokane to Seattle during a blizzard and were told to turn around by the Washington State Police.  Cole, along with Kenny Pickett driving the U-Haul with the bands equipment simply ignored the police warning and carried on.  In Cole's book he said that he had to stop to take a piss and that the car then began sliding backwards toward precipice and that Richard jumped back into the car and stopped the car from sliding any further.  According to him, all of Led Zeppelin were screaming and mortified at what had just happened. 

When they got to the Seattle airport the airport was not closed.  Richard and the band went to the airport bar and ordered a round of Scotch but the bartender asked for identifications and since Jimmy, Jonesy and Richard were over 21 and Robert and Bonzo were not, Robert and Bonzo ended up ordering coffee and snuck a few sips of the Scotch.  The band caught the next flight out of Seattle and into warmth and sunshine of Los Angeles, California. 

 

I'm posting from memory (thought all flights were cancelled on account of the blizzard) so I'll take your word for it. I'd like to see if Led Zeppelin were mentioned in any print ads for the Salem concert. 

 

[sam_webmaster]

Here's a payment to the band, marked as "REFUND OF COMM 1/1/69 SALEM, OREGON".

[SteveAJones]

That is amazing to see. So what do we make of it? Why was the refund (of commission?) issued?

a. because the blizzard caused the Salem gig to be cancelled altogether

b. because the blizzard prevented them from playing Salem

c. because the band had declined to play Salem in advance of the date 

d. (other ideas)

[mikezep61]

 

 

My best guess is "d."  By the time the band got to LA they were really, really sick.  Given that the Whisky dates were such high profile gigs for the band, they probably decided to skip the low profile Salem support slot to get healthier in preparation for the LA gigs.

 

Edited December 22, 2015 by mikezep61

[SteveAJones]

 

 

My best guess is "d."  By the time the band got to LA they were really, really sick.  Given that the Whisky dates were such high profile gigs for the band, they probably decided to skip the low profile Salem support slot to get healthier in preparation for the LA gigs.

Sounds very plausible. In fact, as you may recall the evening set in LA on Jan 2nd was cancelled on account of Jimmy having a fever of 104 degrees.

Edited December 22, 2015 by SteveAJones

[kingzoso]

 

 

My best guess is "d."  By the time the band got to LA they were really, really sick.  Given that the Whisky dates were such high profile gigs for the band, they probably decided to skip the low profile Salem support slot to get healthier in preparation for the LA gigs.

 

This news is actually incorrect as Led Zeppelin made their United States debut on December 26, 1968 in Denver, Colorado and not in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

Edited December 23, 2015 by kingzoso

[sk8rat]

 Richard and the band went to the airport bar and ordered a round of Scotch but the bartender asked for identifications and since Jimmy, Jonesy and Richard were over 21 and Robert and Bonzo were not, Robert and Bonzo ended up ordering coffee and snuck a few sips of the Scotch.  The band caught the next flight out of Seattle and into warmth and sunshine of Los Angeles, California. 

 

its crazy to think about, that they were too young to order drinks.

[sam_webmaster]

On 12/22/2015 at 6:23 AM, SteveAJones said:

I'd like to see if Led Zeppelin were mentioned in any print ads for the Salem concert.

 

[SteveAJones]

^^^

Outstanding! So we now have confirmation it was Vanilla Fudge that initiated the cancellation, citing weather concerns.

 

[gibsonfan159]

Excellent follow up post!

[Jgifford]

Has anyone seen the poster for this show?

I own two and have never seen another.  Purchased directly from EJD - Ed Dougherty archives.

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by Jgifford
Added photo

[sam_webmaster]

45 minutes ago, Jgifford said:

Has anyone seen the poster for this show?

I own two and have never seen another.  Purchased directly from EJD - Ed Dougherty archives.

 

 

 

Nice. I've never seen this poster.

[SteveAJones]

8 hours ago, sam_webmaster said:

Nice. I've never seen this poster.

Agreed! Perhaps Carmine Appice would have serious personal interest in obtaining one.

[Brigante]

Great that new information can still come to light after all this time.