Nitpicking Page 1977

[Paimonus Rex]

gibsonfan159

You're perilously in danger of being my new, favorite boot commentator.  Your screeds are a strange hybrid of Luis Rey and Crowley's IX / XI diaries... 

[Strider]

On 7/22/2020 at 12:18 AM, Nutrocker said:

June 22 is a killer show no matter how you slice it. Song for song, it arguably is a better performance than the 21st. The goddamn bootleg is one designed for "bootleg ears",  but if you got the forgiving ears it is a rewarding listen. Bonham is kicking ass and taking names on the night, that's for fuckin' sure!

June 22 is the one L.A. '77 show where I want the fucking soundboard.

Shit, that's right, my bad😅

Well to be fair to you, I thought we were just talking about possible "Black Dog" performances in the missing 7 shows of the 1977 tour. I mean, we have tape of 1977 MSG and Oakland, so that was never an issue for debate.

[gibsonfan159]

22 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

I think it's better than the much ballyhooed first night in Cleveland.  

For sure. I wouldn't recommend 4/27 to anyone. I think it's only popular because it was so widely available in the early boot days. Maybe Strider can attest to that.

[Bonzo_fan]

21 minutes ago, gibsonfan159 said:

For sure. I wouldn't recommend 4/27 to anyone. I think it's only popular because it was so widely available in the early boot days. Maybe Strider can attest to that.

I think so too.  It's to 1977 what 3/4 is to 1975.

[Strider]

6 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

For sure. I wouldn't recommend 4/27 to anyone. I think it's only popular because it was so widely available in the early boot days. Maybe Strider can attest to that.

 

6 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

I think so too.  It's to 1977 what 3/4 is to 1975.

Absolutely. People forget what a desert it was for soundboard tapes for many years.

Fortunately, I have bootleg ears and can enjoy bootlegs of varying quality made by audience tapes. But there are some audiophiles out there who refuse to taint their sainted ears with anything less than a soundboard.

For those people, the 4.27.77 Cleveland soundboard was the only board available from the 1977 tour for ages. It wasn't until the June 11, 1977 MSG fragment became available...late '80s?...and around the same time the first VHS copies of July 17, 1977 Seattle Kingdome started popping up. Technically, that was a videotrack and not a true soundboard.

Then, another long wait until the next soundboard from 1977 arrived...the dismal May 26, 1977 Landover, MD. show.

[Slowfoot]

7 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

For sure. I wouldn't recommend 4/27 to anyone. I think it's only popular because it was so widely available in the early boot days. Maybe Strider can attest to that.

The only part of that concert I listen to is the acoustic set.

[NegativeCrepe]

On 12/14/2018 at 10:34 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 5/28/1977 Landover (Powhatan Confederacy- EVSD)

 

Using the the EVSD soundboard for this one. It's muffled one minute and harsh the next, so I suggest using an equalizer to balance the sound to your own liking.  

TSRTS- A good start and Plant sounds alright. First solo- A little loose, but not bad. Outro solo- Again some stickiness, but he holds it together. A very solid "B+".

Sick Again- 0:22, hang up. 0:46, slight flub. Very sluggish intro. First solo- Page's fingers loosen up and he gets some very nimble runs in for an excellent solo. Outro solo- A decent series of short, speedy licks. Not bad. The sloppy intro hurts this a lot, but everything is solid. "B+".

NFBM- Good beginning. Harmonica- Plant gets some decent phrases down. Oh Jimmy- Some bad articulation at 5:12, but otherwise a well played, passionate solo. Plant's vocal delivery was good and the rhythm section was tight. I'd call this a lower tier "A".

IMTOD- Played a litter faster than normal (assuming this boot runs correctly) and a very heavy guitar tone. First solo- Energetic and phrased fairly well. Second solo- Also energetic, played fairly well, and accented nicely by Bonham's explosiveness in the background. This thing really starts to groove toward the end. A very solid version. "A+".

SIBLY- A good intro with one sloppy bit at 1:18. The guitar is cutting through on the mix now. Solo- Played loosely but passionately with no real flubs. 6:40-6:42, Jones and Jimmy get some notes crossed and make carnival music. A solid ending. "B+".

No Quarter- Solid intro. Nitpicking Jones- He gets some solid piano noodling down, but the whole thing honestly sounds like a warm-up routine. The boogie jam comes in and for once Page gets on board with some solid phrases that actually match the rhythm. Well done, though it ends a bit awkwardly. Jones hops into a short but well played soul motif before launching the solo. Solo- 12:59, where'd that come from? A nice 73-ish run. The rest is a little loose, but phrased well and played with vigor. 17:15-17:29 is an excellent stretch. Definitely a better Page here than most other versions. Jones brings it back around nicely and the last quarter is solid. This one seems to lack some energy, but I imagine the audience source sounds much livelier. I usually criticize Page mercilessly on this song in 77, but I was pleasantly surprised here. A solid version with no real flubs, though Jones could've done more. I'd love to hear Jones' playing from 5/26 spliced into this version.  "A". (At 24:16 Jones makes a quip, but I can't make out what he says. Anyone know?)

Ten Years Gone- 0:31, slight flub. First solo (2:48)- Perfection! Second solo (4:54)- Another one played flawlessly. 6:01, Page ends on the wrong note, but it matches Plant and almost sounds intentional. Third solo (6:23)- Phrasing was off a little, but not bad at all. Fourth solo (7:15)- Delay effect sounds perfect as Page plays another flawless four bars. The outro solo is good with excellent accents by Bonzo. Despite a couple flubbed notes, Page was solid as a rock on this. Plant sounded a little subdued on the first half but not bad overall. I'm calling this an "A" even with the small errors.

Acoustic Set: BOE- Superb sound with all instruments and vocals coming through nicely. Very energetic version. GTC- 0:48, Plant comes in early. Played a little too loosely and Plant sounds unsure of himself. BCW- Short and sweet. BYAS- Intro is a little sloppy. A switch to an audience source halfway through. The breakdown sounds decent, but it's heavy on the staccato strumming. WS/BMS- Fairly solid, loose in places and lacking some energy. "B" acoustic set, though Evermore was quite nice.

Kashmir- Another solid performance of this track. The later half comes alive and is much more energetic with Plant belting out some nice lines. "A".

Achilles Last Stand- Solid beginning. First solo (3:35)- A little off track at 3:43. 3:55, nice run. Some slight straining and looseness, but not bad. 5:20, Page a little sloppy on this part. Second solo (6:42)- Passionate and played fairly well. Third solo (8:10)- Played well. Sounds harsh on the soundboard, but probably great on an audience version. Page's phaser comes in heavy on the outro. The energy was there for this one, but Page wasn't as solid as usual. Hope he didn't indulge during the break. "B+".

Stairway To Heaven- Page is hitting some slight accidental notes on the intro and at 0:44 he gets crossed up a bit. The pace is very relaxed but not lazy. The first half is solid and Jones plays some excellent phrases on the Rhodes. Solo- 6:10-7:33 is nothing short of stunning, with Page playing a steady flow of articulate notes with exceptional phrasing for 77. Unfortunately, it goes downhill. 7:52 starts a superb legato style phrase, but he fudges the tail end badly. 8:17 is a blazing run. 8:41, bad chording, but he gets it the next time around. The final four are played decently with Page playing the last one on a lower octave (broken string?). The climax hits pretty hard and the song winds down nicely. I really despise these "too good to be true" versions where there is ample potential for something monumental but a few silly flubs put a brown stain on it. The rhythm was excellent, Plant was good, and Page nailed 95% of it. But there's that damned 5% where he tripped up. "B+".

WLL- 0:11, Page and Jones get out of sync. 

Rock And Roll- Jones' bass is twanging like a 12 ft rubber band. Why not bring out the Fender Jazz at least for this one? Solo- Some unorthodox licks and fairly good solo. An adequate encore. "B+".

Final Assessment- I'll admit I was rather surprised by this one, which makes me glad I've taken the time to do these reviews. Even though I may piss a few readers off with my over analyzing, at least I'm finding some hidden gems for myself that I've overlooked. I'd always gone with the 5/30 show for Maryland and never gave this one a chance, but it isn't half bad once Page gets warmed up. And it looks like Page broke out the black dragon suit for this one. Highlights are IMTOD, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, and The Battle Of Evermore. And these highlights are some of the best I've heard from 1977. Stairway is a heart breaker though, with a failed attempt at perfection. 

I’m convinced the soundboard runs just a fraction too slow. In addition to the slow tempos mentioned above, when you cut the recording up at each point there’s a cassette flip, they almost all run past where the side of a 90 minute tape would have already ran out (over 47 minutes). I recently remastered this concert as I too love it despite it’s flaws (my favorite Kashmir of 1977 for how long the outro section goes on), and I did some very slight speed correction on the soundboard before EQ, reverb, etc were applied and the cuts were filled with AUD(M)>DAT(2)>FLAC version of the audience tape. I’m very happy with how it’s turned out! I’d really like to get feedback on it if that’s okay.
 

 

Edited August 15, 2020 by NegativeCrepe

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 7/23/1977 Oakland, CA (Alpha And Omega- Magic Bus)

A decent, slightly muddy audience source of the second from last show the band would ever play in the U.S.- a show also marred by backstage antics that sent some of the Zep entourage to jail for a day.

TSRTS- Sounds like a solid energetic start. 1:36, some terrible chording by Page, otherwise decent verses. First solo- starts ok, but Page sounds out of time on the riffing at 2:51. Second solo- a little loose but not terrible. A fairly decent, energetic start. "B+".

Sick Again- Loose intro with some off notes. Verses sound decent as the tempo remains energetic. First solo- good phrasing and fluidity. Outro solo- a little sloppier here but not terrible. Aside from the intro flub it's a fairly solid version. "B+".

NFBM- Decent start. Plant's harmonica solo is one of the better ones I've heard. Guitar solo- starts ok but Page struggles to keep up around 5:17. 6:11, Plant cracking a little. A little too loose around the edges, but not terrible. "B". (Plant mentions that Page is once again loosing his trousers, a frequent occurrence in 77)

OTHAFA- Loose intro, almost rushed. The verses blast off with good energy. Solo- excellent bends to start it off and Page follows his usual routine of phrasing. 3:40-3:53, nice phrasing. 4:09-4:31, bit of a hang up as Jimmy loses his flow. 4:32, some turkey gobbling as his articulation gets sticky. He exits back to the main riff in good fashion and plays the outro phrase excruciatingly slow. Not too bad for 1977. Almost a B+ but the hang ups keep it at a "B".

SIBLY- Very sleepy intro though the phrasing is good. Plant is simply phoning in the lyrics, using his voice almost solely as an instrument instead of telling a story. Solo- 4:56-5:04, some loose phrasing. 5:17, very sticky ending. 7:24, Plant rambling/mumbling like he's talking to someone offstage. Nothing blatantly terrible about this one, but the overall mood and integrity is completely absent. "B".

No Quarter- Solid start. 2:32, lyric mixup. 5:37, source change. Jones- piano routine is well phrased but a little simplistic. 9:04, the boogie jam almost takes off but Page disappears and Jones continues. 11:17, Page enters for the pre solo jam. Solo- terribly sloppy off the bat but he pulls it together. The playing is basic at best. 13:51, a little sloppy. 14:05, what Page is doing here is anyone's guess. 14:35, forcing some strange chord phrases. 15:00, fall back phrase played sloppy. 15:58, Bonham doubles the tempo as Page makes dying whale sounds.  16:22, Jim gets back on track here for some solid bends. 17:24, all over the place with some experimental riffing. The return is decent but Jim's outro jam is lacking. 21:48, a nice scream from Plant. Not much to brag about here. "B".

TYG- Excellent intro. First solo- 3:50, yikes. Jim forgets where he's at but they get it going shortly. 4:25, off sounding bends. 4:37, sticky. Not good. Second solo- decent. 5:36, Jones out of key. Third solo- a little more appropriate. Fourth solo- sticky to start but followed by some good phrases. Jim's outro noodling sounds ok. Not quite on the Tempe Achilles level of trainwrecks, but very close considering Jones is also flubbing. "C+".

BOE- Firecrackers to kick off the verses. Plant and Jones are sounding pretty good. "B+".

GTC- Solid enough. "A".

BCW- Short and sweet as usual. BYAS- Good intro. 3:19, first breakdown sounds good. Second breakdown- Page riffs some nice country folk licks, then extends the jam out in good fashion. Good finish for a stand out version. "A+".

Trampled Underfoot- Excellent start. Jones' solo is good but doesn't sound too unique. Solo- Page starts off on the lower register and it's hard to make out any articulation through the muddy sound. 3:35 sure sounds sloppy. 3:44, some nice bends. Not one of his better ones. A pretty basic run through. "B+".

WS/BMS- Short intro. 2:00, a little sticky. At the 4:55 mark and I've heard no other flaws or flubs as Page is nimble-fingered. 6:02, just a little sticky here. BMS kicks off well. 7:43, sticky. Overall surprisingly good, but just sticky enough to keep it at a "B+".

Kashmir- Verses sounding very good and the tempo is perfect. The first bridge section played perfectly as Robert sounds flawless. Second bridge/outro sounds fantastic though Page's Arabic noodling can't be heard. It usually takes more aggressive drum work to push this higher, but this is a very solid "A".

Noise Solo- Bow section only.

ALS- Intro is played lazily but the verses sound good. First solo (3:27)- not bad. Second solo (6:20)- hard to make out but sounds a little erratic. Third solo (7:43)- Page misses the start of this one but gets on track for some forced sounding phrases. Page sloppy on the outro. Just not a professional sounding performance overall, with Bonham's energy overwhelming everyone else. "B".

Stairway- Jones coming through loud and clear. Verses sound great as everyone plays flawlessly. Solo- textbook start. Page keeps a steady, slightly erratic flow going throughout. 6:57-7:11, some fluid phrases. 8:18, awkward sounding riff. The final measures are played nicely, ending an overall good solo with a balance of articulation and phrasing. Plant strains a little on the climax. A solid run through for late 77 but nothing mind blowing. "A".

WLL- Too short to judge.

Rock And Roll- Plant slurring lyrics on the start. Solo- sloppier than usual start as Jim tries to catch up to the tempo. Not perfect but not bad. "B+".

Black Dog- Good energy and fairly good verses. Solo- a tough listen but it's definitely passion over articulation. That being said, the articulation isn't terrible and the energy is off the chart. Better than most 75 versions. "A".

Final Assessment- A very loose show (as a lot of daytime Zep shows tend to be). Plant sounds good, Page is just ok, and Bonham is a little laid back. There are some good spots though. BYAS, Kashmir, Stairway, and Black Dog are played well. The Ten Years Gone flub really gives this show a bad image.

[BobDobbs]

9 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 7/23/1977 Oakland, CA (Alpha And Omega- Magic Bus)

A decent, slightly muddy audience source of the second from last show the band would ever play in the U.S.- a show also marred by backstage antics that sent some of the Zep entourage to jail for a day.

TSRTS- Sounds like a solid energetic start. 1:36, some terrible chording by Page, otherwise decent verses. First solo- starts ok, but Page sounds out of time on the riffing at 2:51. Second solo- a little loose but not terrible. A fairly decent, energetic start. "B+".

Sick Again- Loose intro with some off notes. Verses sound decent as the tempo remains energetic. First solo- good phrasing and fluidity. Outro solo- a little sloppier here but not terrible. Aside from the intro flub it's a fairly solid version. "B+".

NFBM- Decent start. Plant's harmonica solo is one of the better ones I've heard. Guitar solo- starts ok but Page struggles to keep up around 5:17. 6:11, Plant cracking a little. A little too loose around the edges, but not terrible. "B". (Plant mentions that Page is once again loosing his trousers, a frequent occurrence in 77)

OTHAFA- Loose intro, almost rushed. The verses blast off with good energy. Solo- excellent bends to start it off and Page follows his usual routine of phrasing. 3:40-3:53, nice phrasing. 4:09-4:31, bit of a hang up as Jimmy loses his flow. 4:32, some turkey gobbling as his articulation gets sticky. He exits back to the main riff in good fashion and plays the outro phrase excruciatingly slow. Not too bad for 1977. Almost a B+ but the hang ups keep it at a "B".

SIBLY- Very sleepy intro though the phrasing is good. Plant is simply phoning in the lyrics, using his voice almost solely as an instrument instead of telling a story. Solo- 4:56-5:04, some loose phrasing. 5:17, very sticky ending. 7:24, Plant rambling/mumbling like he's talking to someone offstage. Nothing blatantly terrible about this one, but the overall mood and integrity is completely absent. "B".

No Quarter- Solid start. 2:32, lyric mixup. 5:37, source change. Jones- piano routine is well phrased but a little simplistic. 9:04, the boogie jam almost takes off but Page disappears and Jones continues. 11:17, Page enters for the pre solo jam. Solo- terribly sloppy off the bat but he pulls it together. The playing is basic at best. 13:51, a little sloppy. 14:05, what Page is doing here is anyone's guess. 14:35, forcing some strange chord phrases. 15:00, fall back phrase played sloppy. 15:58, Bonham doubles the tempo as Page makes dying whale sounds.  16:22, Jim gets back on track here for some solid bends. 17:24, all over the place with some experimental riffing. The return is decent but Jim's outro jam is lacking. 21:48, a nice scream from Plant. Not much to brag about here. "B".

TYG- Excellent intro. First solo- 3:50, yikes. Jim forgets where he's at but they get it going shortly. 4:25, off sounding bends. 4:37, sticky. Not good. Second solo- decent. 5:36, Jones out of key. Third solo- a little more appropriate. Fourth solo- sticky to start but followed by some good phrases. Jim's outro noodling sounds ok. Not quite on the Tempe Achilles level of trainwrecks, but very close considering Jones is also flubbing. "C+".

BOE- Firecrackers to kick off the verses. Plant and Jones are sounding pretty good. "B+".

GTC- Solid enough. "A".

BCW- Short and sweet as usual. BYAS- Good intro. 3:19, first breakdown sounds good. Second breakdown- Page riffs some nice country folk licks, then extends the jam out in good fashion. Good finish for a stand out version. "A+".

Trampled Underfoot- Excellent start. Jones' solo is good but doesn't sound too unique. Solo- Page starts off on the lower register and it's hard to make out any articulation through the muddy sound. 3:35 sure sounds sloppy. 3:44, some nice bends. Not one of his better ones. A pretty basic run through. "B+".

WS/BMS- Short intro. 2:00, a little sticky. At the 4:55 mark and I've heard no other flaws or flubs as Page is nimble-fingered. 6:02, just a little sticky here. BMS kicks off well. 7:43, sticky. Overall surprisingly good, but just sticky enough to keep it at a "B+".

Kashmir- Verses sounding very good and the tempo is perfect. The first bridge section played perfectly as Robert sounds flawless. Second bridge/outro sounds fantastic though Page's Arabic noodling can't be heard. It usually takes more aggressive drum work to push this higher, but this is a very solid "A".

Noise Solo- Bow section only.

ALS- Intro is played lazily but the verses sound good. First solo (3:27)- not bad. Second solo (6:20)- hard to make out but sounds a little erratic. Third solo (7:43)- Page misses the start of this one but gets on track for some forced sounding phrases. Page sloppy on the outro. Just not a professional sounding performance overall, with Bonham's energy overwhelming everyone else. "B".

Stairway- Jones coming through loud and clear. Verses sound great as everyone plays flawlessly. Solo- textbook start. Page keeps a steady, slightly erratic flow going throughout. 6:57-7:11, some fluid phrases. 8:18, awkward sounding riff. The final measures are played nicely, ending an overall good solo with a balance of articulation and phrasing. Plant strains a little on the climax. A solid run through for late 77 but nothing mind blowing. "A".

WLL- Too short to judge.

Rock And Roll- Plant slurring lyrics on the start. Solo- sloppier than usual start as Jim tries to catch up to the tempo. Not perfect but not bad. "B+".

Black Dog- Good energy and fairly good verses. Solo- a tough listen but it's definitely passion over articulation. That being said, the articulation isn't terrible and the energy is off the chart. Better than most 75 versions. "A".

Final Assessment- A very loose show (as a lot of daytime Zep shows tend to be). Plant sounds good, Page is just ok, and Bonham is a little laid back. There are some good spots though. BYAS, Kashmir, Stairway, and Black Dog are played well. The Ten Years Gone flub really gives this show a bad image.

Hope you do the 24th next as I always thought it was a pretty good show, much better than the 23rd IMO.

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 7/24/1977 Oakland, CA (Alpha And Omega-Magic Bus)

The last show the band would play in the U.S. Another decent audience source.

TSRTS- Seemingly good start. Everything is fine until...First solo- an absolute slopfest. I don't think Jim actually hits one note with any amount of articulation. And not to be out done, Robert's return has him yodeling some screechy vocals. Outro solo- More of the same. Bonham and Jones sounded good though. Barely a "B".

Sick Again- 0:18, some hesitation before Jim comes in and The Rover licks are sticky. Sounding good once they get going. First solo- Page doesn't exactly hit the opening notes correctly. 2:45, sticky. 2:54-2:58, fingers stuck in strings. Outro solo- the usual phrases. 5:42, getting sticky. Plant sounded a little better at least. "B".

NFBM- Intro sounds just a little low effort. Solid verses. Rob's harmonica solo isn't bad but pales to the one from the day before. Guitar solo- Page very low in the mix but gets some nifty licks in that are seemingly fluid and energetic. Overall a decent performance but there's a noticeable lack of "oomph" about it. "B+".

OTHAFA- Intro played well. Good verses. Solo- some good fluidity and phrasing off the bat. Bonham is mixing it up as well. 3:03, very slight hangup. Overall a fairly solid solo. Outro is a little loose but not enough to mark points off. "A". 

SIBLY- Intro is phrased well but played a little more relaxed than usual. 0:45-0:50, sticky. 1:04, sounds like a very short tape cut. Plant's vocals have a little more narrative to them this time. Solo- a speedy, slightly sticky run to start. 4:54-5:00, sticky. Not the best. Bonham gets lively on the second half but the others don't quite match the energy. A sticky solo keeps this at a generous "B+".

No Quarter- Sound quality now superb. Excellent, thunderous start with everyone sounding top notch. Jones- The Rhodes transition is straightforward but he makes up for it on the piano section with some intricate playing. 6:17, a flamenco sounding phrase. 7:45, picks up the tempo. Jones puts down a piano showcase for roughly five minutes. 10:25, straight into the pre solo jam. Solo- intro notes are sticky but he takes off soon after. 11:29, a little sloppy. 12:08, a speedy run that borders on sloppy. 12:50, again with these forced riffs. Just no real flow on this as Jim's playing is extremely choppy and overly experimental. 14:06, finally a good run. 14:14, Jones getting experimental with some off key chords. 14:42, Bonham doubles the beat as Page gets his fingers tangled up. Jones brings it back down to a professional level and returns to the verses. Page does get some decent wah licks in toward the end. If you can look beyond the sticky guitar phrasing, this is an entertaining "A" version. If you can't, it's a "B". Either way, it's not a good showing from Page. (Plant mentions the mystery dancer who came onstage).

Ten Years Gone- Good intro. First solo- Page almost flubs the intro phrase but hangs on. A little loose but played fairly well. 4:53, wrong bass note by Jones. 5:13, Page plays a little early. Second solo- I don't think he was ready as he hesitates to start it off. 5:55, some decent speedy phrases. Third solo- not bad, but rough on the edges. The bends sound a little forced. Bonzo's drums sound tremendous through here. Fourth solo- 8:40, overdoes it a bit and causes a feedback loop with the delay. Outro solo- 9:30, Jones bass synth gets a boost. Too many flaws on this one. "B".

BOE- No flaws that I can hear but there's a certain something missing on this one. "A".

GTC- A lengthy introduction by Plant. Instruments are low in the mix but sounds like an excellent version overall. "A".

Mystery Train- Played loosely, not as good as the 6/19 version. (1:01, sounds like someone near the taper says "My least favorite guitar")

BCW- solid. BYAS- 2:24, a little sticky on the intro. First breakdown- very straightforward. 4:56, Page drops out for an unknown reason. Second breakdown- a little loose but not bad at all. Some technical problems drop this to a "B".

TUF- 1:21, extend snare roll out of nowhere. Verses sound good. Jones- not showing off but sounds ok. Solo- 3:22, sticky. Hard to make out but sounds like the usual screeching wah licks. 4:21, getting dangerously loose. An entertaining one for sure, but realistically a "B+".

WS/BMS- Page taking time to find a flow for the intro. 1:11, just a bit sticky. The up tempo sounds good with nimble playing. And up tempo it is, flying along. 4:52, the slow section played fairly well. 5:25, a little sticky here. 7:04, sloppy part. If ignoring the couple sticky parts, this is an easy "A" for 1977. Technically I'd go "B+".

Kashmir- 1:10, bad chords by Jimbo. 5:45, Plant straining a little. Overall not bad but the tempo drags badly. "B+".

Achilles- Solid intro. 1:12, bad note by Page. 1:58, Page chokes a note. 2:14, Plant yodel. Bonham and Jones sounding fantastic. First solo- some off sounding bends but nothing terrible. Certainly not his best playing here. 5:41, bad chording by Page. Second solo- not bad, not great. A mixup at 6:40 as Page drops out for a few seconds. 7:10, Page barely hanging on. Third solo- some sloppy screeches. Bonham, Jones, and even Plant sound amazing on this one. Page was obviously having troubles, and he keeps this at a "B".

Stairway- First half sounds good. Solo- 6:03, slight flub. 6:40-6:44, very sloppy. 7:42, sloppy mess. 8:11, Jones misses the chords. 8:33, Jones says screw it and does some unique riffs. 9:00, poorly played released bend. 9:09, final notes are flubbed. Whoo boy, talk about light and day before and after the solo starts. "B"...would honestly be inaccurate considering the near trainwreck solo. "C+".

WLL (Partial)- Good enough but Plant cracks on the final scream.

Rock And Roll- 0:32, guitar is sounding a little strange. 1:08, ah yes, it's horribly out of tune. Not just a string or two, but it sounds like the neck snapped off. Solo- let's keep moving. I swear Bonzo is playing the open high hat extra loud in an attempt to crowd out the guitar. And out of nowhere comes a rare "C" to end the show.

Final Assessment- I tricked myself into believing that after a solid OTHAFA and decent SIBLY that there'd be more to look forward to. There really wasn't. 

I think Bonham has stood out more in these two shows than anyone. He had a playful vibrance and drive that the others (Page especially) just couldn't match. Both Achilles performances had the rhythmic groundwork to be some of the most standout performances, but Page just wasn't focused enough.

[wordev1977]

On 12/24/2020 at 11:50 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 7/24/1977 Oakland, CA (Alpha And Omega-Magic Bus)

The last show the band would play in the U.S. Another decent audience source.

TSRTS- Seemingly good start. Everything is fine until...First solo- an absolute slopfest. I don't think Jim actually hits one note with any amount of articulation. And not to be out done, Robert's return has him yodeling some screechy vocals. Outro solo- More of the same. Bonham and Jones sounded good though. Barely a "B".

Sick Again- 0:18, some hesitation before Jim comes in and The Rover licks are sticky. Sounding good once they get going. First solo- Page doesn't exactly hit the opening notes correctly. 2:45, sticky. 2:54-2:58, fingers stuck in strings. Outro solo- the usual phrases. 5:42, getting sticky. Plant sounded a little better at least. "B".

NFBM- Intro sounds just a little low effort. Solid verses. Rob's harmonica solo isn't bad but pales to the one from the day before. Guitar solo- Page very low in the mix but gets some nifty licks in that are seemingly fluid and energetic. Overall a decent performance but there's a noticeable lack of "oomph" about it. "B+".

OTHAFA- Intro played well. Good verses. Solo- some good fluidity and phrasing off the bat. Bonham is mixing it up as well. 3:03, very slight hangup. Overall a fairly solid solo. Outro is a little loose but not enough to mark points off. "A". 

SIBLY- Intro is phrased well but played a little more relaxed than usual. 0:45-0:50, sticky. 1:04, sounds like a very short tape cut. Plant's vocals have a little more narrative to them this time. Solo- a speedy, slightly sticky run to start. 4:54-5:00, sticky. Not the best. Bonham gets lively on the second half but the others don't quite match the energy. A sticky solo keeps this at a generous "B+".

No Quarter- Sound quality now superb. Excellent, thunderous start with everyone sounding top notch. Jones- The Rhodes transition is straightforward but he makes up for it on the piano section with some intricate playing. 6:17, a flamenco sounding phrase. 7:45, picks up the tempo. Jones puts down a piano showcase for roughly five minutes. 10:25, straight into the pre solo jam. Solo- intro notes are sticky but he takes off soon after. 11:29, a little sloppy. 12:08, a speedy run that borders on sloppy. 12:50, again with these forced riffs. Just no real flow on this as Jim's playing is extremely choppy and overly experimental. 14:06, finally a good run. 14:14, Jones getting experimental with some off key chords. 14:42, Bonham doubles the beat as Page gets his fingers tangled up. Jones brings it back down to a professional level and returns to the verses. Page does get some decent wah licks in toward the end. If you can look beyond the sticky guitar phrasing, this is an entertaining "A" version. If you can't, it's a "B". Either way, it's not a good showing from Page. (Plant mentions the mystery dancer who came onstage).

Ten Years Gone- Good intro. First solo- Page almost flubs the intro phrase but hangs on. A little loose but played fairly well. 4:53, wrong bass note by Jones. 5:13, Page plays a little early. Second solo- I don't think he was ready as he hesitates to start it off. 5:55, some decent speedy phrases. Third solo- not bad, but rough on the edges. The bends sound a little forced. Bonzo's drums sound tremendous through here. Fourth solo- 8:40, overdoes it a bit and causes a feedback loop with the delay. Outro solo- 9:30, Jones bass synth gets a boost. Too many flaws on this one. "B".

BOE- No flaws that I can hear but there's a certain something missing on this one. "A".

GTC- A lengthy introduction by Plant. Instruments are low in the mix but sounds like an excellent version overall. "A".

Mystery Train- Played loosely, not as good as the 6/19 version. (1:01, sounds like someone near the taper says "My least favorite guitar")

BCW- solid. BYAS- 2:24, a little sticky on the intro. First breakdown- very straightforward. 4:56, Page drops out for an unknown reason. Second breakdown- a little loose but not bad at all. Some technical problems drop this to a "B".

TUF- 1:21, extend snare roll out of nowhere. Verses sound good. Jones- not showing off but sounds ok. Solo- 3:22, sticky. Hard to make out but sounds like the usual screeching wah licks. 4:21, getting dangerously loose. An entertaining one for sure, but realistically a "B+".

WS/BMS- Page taking time to find a flow for the intro. 1:11, just a bit sticky. The up tempo sounds good with nimble playing. And up tempo it is, flying along. 4:52, the slow section played fairly well. 5:25, a little sticky here. 7:04, sloppy part. If ignoring the couple sticky parts, this is an easy "A" for 1977. Technically I'd go "B+".

Kashmir- 1:10, bad chords by Jimbo. 5:45, Plant straining a little. Overall not bad but the tempo drags badly. "B+".

Achilles- Solid intro. 1:12, bad note by Page. 1:58, Page chokes a note. 2:14, Plant yodel. Bonham and Jones sounding fantastic. First solo- some off sounding bends but nothing terrible. Certainly not his best playing here. 5:41, bad chording by Page. Second solo- not bad, not great. A mixup at 6:40 as Page drops out for a few seconds. 7:10, Page barely hanging on. Third solo- some sloppy screeches. Bonham, Jones, and even Plant sound amazing on this one. Page was obviously having troubles, and he keeps this at a "B".

Stairway- First half sounds good. Solo- 6:03, slight flub. 6:40-6:44, very sloppy. 7:42, sloppy mess. 8:11, Jones misses the chords. 8:33, Jones says screw it and does some unique riffs. 9:00, poorly played released bend. 9:09, final notes are flubbed. Whoo boy, talk about light and day before and after the solo starts. "B"...would honestly be inaccurate considering the near trainwreck solo. "C+".

WLL (Partial)- Good enough but Plant cracks on the final scream.

Rock And Roll- 0:32, guitar is sounding a little strange. 1:08, ah yes, it's horribly out of tune. Not just a string or two, but it sounds like the neck snapped off. Solo- let's keep moving. I swear Bonzo is playing the open high hat extra loud in an attempt to crowd out the guitar. And out of nowhere comes a rare "C" to end the show.

Final Assessment- I tricked myself into believing that after a solid OTHAFA and decent SIBLY that there'd be more to look forward to. There really wasn't. 

I think Bonham has stood out more in these two shows than anyone. He had a playful vibrance and drive that the others (Page especially) just couldn't match. Both Achilles performances had the rhythmic groundwork to be some of the most standout performances, but Page just wasn't focused enough.

IMO the 77 tour ended just like it started with average/mediocre performances, the band didn't start to really warm up until the final Chicago show from that show on they kept improving. 

A show that'd be neat for you to nitpick next imo would be the Cincinnati show on 4/20/77 its an above average to good show in my opinion even if it's missing the acoustic set and most of SIBLY but the quality is actually pretty good.

[chef free]

I saw 7/24/77, very weak performance was my opinion at the time.  Not helped any by the band's very late arrival and the crowd's ugliness. Bad scene all around, now we know why...

[gibsonfan159]

On 8/11/2018 at 1:20 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

Kashmir- Guitar up in the mix. Plant still sounding great. Very solid throughout, with Plant giving his all on the outro. "A".

In re to this 6/7 review it appears I missed a giant flub near the end of the song in which a giant drum fill from Bonham throws everyone off track for a few measures. Changed to a "C+".

[Michael Fry]

Hi gibsonfan159.

A request! Now that we have the source merge and upgrade of New York, June 8th 1977 on Led Zeppelin Boots' YouTube channel, would you be willing to do a review of the show? He's done a superb job and it now sounds as good as the other nights. Performance-wise, it might be even as consistently enjoyable as the 13th. I'd love to know what you think. 

Oh, and thank you for introducing the term 'turkey gobbling' into my guitar playing vocabulary. It never fails to produce an involuntary hearty guffaw from my personage!

[dontpokethebear3893]

Maybe this is the wrong forum to ask this, but in this version of LTTE I found on Youtube, claiming to be WR, there is a perfect cut in Ten Years Gone to make up for the gap from the tape switch. You can listen to it here:

I have been unable to find a source for this edit other than an old Genuine Masters release. Does anyone know if this concert has ever been mastered in higher fidelity with a similar cut? No fills from inferior sources, no fading out and fading in. Just a straight cut with the drum fill to keep the beat like this one.

[gibsonfan159]

On 3/8/2021 at 4:44 PM, Michael Fry said:

Hi gibsonfan159.

A request! Now that we have the source merge and upgrade of New York, June 8th 1977 on Led Zeppelin Boots' YouTube channel, would you be willing to do a review of the show? He's done a superb job and it now sounds as good as the other nights. Performance-wise, it might be even as consistently enjoyable as the 13th. I'd love to know what you think. 

Oh, and thank you for introducing the term 'turkey gobbling' into my guitar playing vocabulary. It never fails to produce an involuntary hearty guffaw from my personage!

That one is on the list!

[Michael Fry]

Awesome

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 6/8/1977 MSG, NY (DADGAD Remaster)

Some new sources, revisions, and remasters have popped up for this one so I decided to give it a go. Page is buried behind everyone else in the recordings so it's a little tough to judge his playing for a few numbers, but it clears up later.

TSRTS- Good tempo and energy to start. Robert sounding pretty decent. First solo- very hard to make out but sounds pretty on point. Bonham playing with some extra oomph for this. Outro solo- 5:40, Page's articulation isn't quite clear here but Bonham's seems to be good. Robert sounding a little rough on the "Sliding. sliding" part. Sounds good overall with Bonham giving a hint toward 6/21, "A".

Sick Again- 0:17, some looseness on the intro. First solo- 2:43, sloppy. Nothing extraordinary. Outro solo- honestly pretty bad for 1977. "B".

NFBM- Plant straining some and sounding raspy. Solid verses. Harmonica- good. Solo- first half is decent, second gets a little sloppy. Bonham again accenting Jim on the solo. Not too bad, but not great. "B+".

IMTOD- Aggressive sounding faster tempo with Jones' low note rattling the walls. 4:10, poor Plant. First solo- hard to judge, but some parts sound a little sloppy. Second solo- more of the same with extremely erratic playing. A nice groove up until the You Shook Me nod and finish. The solos have to be judged pretty heavily for this and they didn't impress, but I'll stay at a "B+".

SIBLY- Intro sounds well played and phrased. Plant's opening note done quite well and he rips through the verses with a decent amount of conviction. 4:02, a nice wind down before launching the solo. Solo- Page shows patience and focuses on some elegant phrasing. He skimps on the final notes but still a solid solo. Jones and Bonham come alive more on the second half. The most impressive number so far. "A".

No Quarter- 3:00, Bonham wailing away on the snare. Jones- starts with a gloomy Phantom Of The Opera style and transitions to the silent film score section, all done masterfully as Bonham adds some cannon blasts. 8:18, soul boogie sounding good. Bonham and Jones just need a choir to jump in on the jam, but Jim will have to do. Jim gets his usual screechy blues bends in. Jones returns for more excellent phrasing but launching the solo. Solo- Smooth start but he's not exactly showing off tonight. 15:27, short tape cut. 15:31, a decent sounding speedy run. 16:09-16:22, just lazy phrasing here that's repeated for some reason. Bonham's energy is carrying this solo more than anything as Jim seems to be in an over-relaxed trance. 17:44, almost comes alive but it quickly dies down again. 18:35, not sounding good. Jones and Bonham are locked in an epic groove throughout while Jim imitates a dying cow on guitar. You'd be hard pressed to call this a "Guitar solo" as there's almost no runs or phrases worth pointing out, just an experimentation with noise. 21:10, epic finish by the rhythm section. The last verses are good as Bonham blasts the roof off on the ending. This song once again proves to be divisive, showing a stark professional contrast between Jones and Page- one putting down some of their best work and the other almost falling asleep. Two ratings is the only way to go, "A+" for Jones and Bonham, "C+" for Page.

TYG- Good tempo and flow on the intro. Verses sound nice. First solo- a little distant but honestly sounds flawless. Second solo- again, not bad at all. Third solo- 6:41, straining a bit. A step down from the first two. Fourth solo- impossible to make out with the delay effect. Outro- Jim gets some decent phrases in, nothing special. A fairly solid version but there's a certain atmosphere missing from it. "B+".

BOE- Robert sounding good throughout. Solid instrumentation. "A".

GTC- Nice start. 2:23, careful Rob. 1:45, mini airraid vocal. Not bad. "A".

BCW- Solid. "A".

BYAS- Page opens in an unusual manner, playing the intro very rushed. Excellent groove for the verses and Plant sounds great. Breakdown- Page loosens up and gets a good jam in. The awkward intro holds it back a bit. "B+".

WS- Intro is a little erratic. 1:20, sloppy. 1:49, some wrong notes but he pushes through nicely. Just not a good flow overall as Jim sounds a little out of practice. 5:13, nice phrasing. "B".

BMS- Much smoother and played more confidently. Still a little rough on the edges. "B+".

Kashmir- Very good tempo and groove. 3:44, Plant being playful with the vocal accents. 5:23, machine gun snare. 8:18, some sloppy playing by Jim throughout this section, but doesn't affect the feel of the song at all. Awesome version with Bonham going nuts. "A+".

Achilles- Decent intro and good tempo. 3:28, slight tape cut. First solo- 3:46, excellent fluid run. He strains badly on the second half though. 5:11, Jim slurring his chords. Second solo- loose and erratic. 7:44, Bonzo misplays the beat. Third solo- decent. 8:44, Plant straining. Not close to the best performance of this one. "B".

Stairway- A nice intro is marred by fireworks. Verses sound great with Jones' electric piano accenting nicely. Solo- Jim gets a good flow going though the articulation isn't great. 7:14, Page drops out for an unknown reason as Jones fills in nicely on piano. 7:51, the softer part features some nice noodling. 8:53, these lower register notes would probably sound more impressive if they were clearer in the recording. 9:17, a little sloppy with these chords. 9:33, a unique phrase I've not heard before. The final phrases are played well and Plant comes in sounding very rough for the climax. Of course we get some firecrackers to end it. Not bad but a few rough spots. "B+".

WLL (Partial)- Good start but Plant squeaks badly at 0:55 and Page drops out for a few seconds. 

Rock And Roll- Excellent energy and solid start. Solo- Page plays loosely but passionately, not the most articulate but it works. 3:23, Bonzo goes for another "Lonely time". "B+".

Final Assessment- Another "Page is feeling too good for his own good" show, but it's honestly more on the positive side overall. Many songs were potential "A"s but were brought down by solo mishaps. If you're the type to not focus on guitar precision then you'll find this show favorable, but within the nitpicking context it can't be ignored. Bonzo, however, is energetic and flexing throughout. He's also not perfect, playing a little looser than usual I think, missing some of the usual cues and changes. The highlights are a brutal Kashmir and a remarkable SIBLY. Also a strong acoustic section. No Quarter once again shows Jones and Page being Yin and Yang musically for the number, one impressing while the other flops. 

[Michael Fry]

Nice assessment of a forgotten show. Thank you. Do you have an overall favourite of the MSG shows and of the non-L.A. '77 shows?

[gibsonfan159]

5 hours ago, Michael Fry said:

Nice assessment of a forgotten show. Thank you. Do you have an overall favourite of the MSG shows and of the non-L.A. '77 shows?

I really liked 6/10 but I'd love to hear all of 6/14 as it has amazing potential. As far as outside of L.A., it's hard to beat 4/28 and 4/30. I think my overall personal favorite 77 boot would probably be the 5/30 Liriodendron remaster, which sounds good enough to be officially released.

Edited April 11, 2021 by gibsonfan159

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 4/6/1977 Chicago (2nd Gen- KRW_CO)

A fairly noisy AUD source but the band come through ok. Bootleg ears recommended.

TSRTS- Firecrackers sounding like hand grenades before the band get started and Robert quickly warns them to stop. Excellent start. 3:32, some tape warble. First verses sounding good. First solo- 4:32-4:42, sounding pretty sloppy here even through the noisy recording. Plant just a little raspy on the California section but not bad at all. Outro- 6:26, not great here either from Jim. The energy is there but Page seems to be struggling out of the gate. "B+".

Sick Again- Something very strange about the intro. Almost sounds like Page is using the wah pedal throughout the song but the recording makes that impossible to verify. Verses sounding decent. First solo- apart from a bum note at 2:54 it's fairly good. Last verses good. Outro- sounds like a phrasing nightmare as Jim plays erratically. A generous "B+".

NFBM- Rob sounding good on the verses. The recording gets a bit distorted during the harmonica solo but sounds like an average one. Solo- 5:01-5:10, not the most precise bends. 5:18, disastrous articulation and possibly out of key. 5:35, very off sounding phrases for the end. Everyone is good except Jim, who's clearly struggling. "C+".

IMTOD- Beginning sounds decent. 1:40, Jim jumps the gun a bit. 1:47, Jim off key with his slide lick. 1:52, Jones flub. 2:50, Jim out of sync with Bonzo again. 3:05, and again. Most definitely monitor issues. First solo- tough to judge but doesn't sound bad to start. 5:13, strange phrase. 5:25, off key on the ending. The tape warbles badly throughout. Second solo- sounds alright. 7:01, might be mistaken but sounds like Bonzo starts the ending snare beats but Jim keeps going another measure. More tape warbles. 9:25, off key slide. 10:34, Page plays aggressively with the slide but it's not gonna save this. At least Plant sounded decent. Disastrous, "C".

SIBLY- 0:46, good run. 0:59, some sloppy bends. Decent intro. Plant sounding spectacular on the verses. Solo- 4:06, very thin line between being expressive and sloppy. 4:22, bad start on this phrase. 5:13, Page plays an uneven phrase for an embarrassing end. The last verses are good enough. The energy was here but the chops were not. "B" at best. 

No Quarter- Excellent vibe to start with Page's wah riffs sounding menacing. Jones section- superb phrasing off the bat as Jonesy is feeling it. The "Boogie jam" is still in early development here and is done well, no screeching leads from Jim yet though. Jones brings it back down nicely. Solo- 11:35, Jim gets some unique riffs in before dropping in. Good phrasing and fluidity to start. 13:44, a little loose. 14:20-14:24, some sloppiness on this phrasing. 14:50, Bonzo playing a disco beat. 15:02, terrible articulation. 15:20, bad chording. The tape cuts to Jones' transition to the verses then cuts again to the outro. Jim's wah outro sounds good. In reality it's a typical 77 showing from Page, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be better. "B+" overall. 

Ten Years Gone- Page's opening notes played loosely. Verses sounding good. 2:40, wrong chord. First solo- 3:04, struggling some. His phrasing is solid here but there's a lack of execution. 3:35, Plant late on the return. 3:49, possibly a Jones flub with the bass pedal. Second solo- Page lets loose on some better, aggressive runs here. 5:18, Plant again late coming in. Third solo- sounding a bit sticky but not bad. Fourth solo- sounds alright. 8:30, the harmonizer effect on the guitar sounds a little harsh. Good ending. If you could tighten up the loose ends on this one you'd have a pretty solid version. "B" as is. 

BOE- 4:47, Plant hesitant with the lyrics. 5:13, again. Instrumentally very good but Plant was unconfident on this one. "B+".

GTC- Good start and first verses. Some tape warble throughout. Solid performance with excellent vibes. "A+".

BCW- Solid. "A".

BYAS- Nice intro by Page. 1:20, Page's first breakdown features some good riffing. Second breakdown- goes through several phrases and played smoothly. Plant sings with emphasis throughout. Very good. "A".

WS/BMS- 1:10, string out of tune. 1:32, Page retuning before taking off. 1:56, sticky fingers and Page tries to retune the string on the fly, making for some strange sounds. 2:52, still out of tune. This will be interesting going into the next song if he doesn't get it fixed. 4:28, not good. BMS sounds a little more in line and honestly isn't too bad considering he was thrown off track. 6:18, some Swan Song phrases. "C+".

Kashmir- The Danelectro is still wonky on the first verses but it's masked some by the band. Plant sounds great however. 4:47, Page's guitar sounds like it's falling apart in the background. Last half is played well with an excellent outro. Taking the guitar tuning out of the equation- "A-".

Moby Dick- Strangely Page's Les Paul is also out of tune for the intro. Ray Thomas must not have showed up tonight. Terrible tape fluctuations on the first half. 

Achilles- Out of tune for the intro and Page plays hesitantly. 2:51, fingers stuck in strings. First solo- very loose but the phrasing is decent. 4:34, these bends sound painful. 4:45, flub. Second solo- 6:57, barely hanging on. Third solo- the delay effect doesn't come through but it sounds ok. Everyone was on track here except for Jim. "C+".

Stairway- Intro and verses sounding very good. 3:44, Plant hesitant with lyrics. Solo- Solid start. 6:37, nice fluid run. 6:58, another one. The softer section features some good phrasing played just a little loose. The strummed phrases are quite sticky sounding. 8:37, straining on these bends. Final phrases are decent. I was expecting worse but honestly not a terrible solo. Climax and outro played well. "A-" for some stickiness.

Rock And Roll- 1:53, Bonham switching up the beat either by accident or intentionally. Solo- Page playing wildly with energy, somewhat erratic. 2:20, Bonham pauses for a beat. A very unhinged solo but not bad. Unique and almost out of control. "B+".

Trampled Underfoot- Good vibes and energy. 1:58, Page trips up. 2:22, the wah sounds off in places. 3:55, bad notes by Jones but otherwise an average keyboard solo. Jim's Solo- 4:27, what he's doing to get these sounds is anyone's guess. Almost sounds like he's using a whammy bar. 4:50, playing aggressively. 5:16, some erratic noodling to end this experimental solo. 6:48, Jimmy having no fear of wild phrasing, for good or bad. One I'd like to hear a SBD for. "B".

Final Assessment- I had done a string of 1971 and 1973 reviews before returning to 77 with this show and it was quite a shock, possibly setting a record for low ratings. But it wasn't all Jim's fault as he obviously had major issues with his equipment. Then again some of it was on Jim as he's not quite as coherent with his playing compared to other 77 shows. Don't let that kill the excellent vibes of the show though as the others are playing very good with Plant sounding fantastic for the most part. The acoustic set has some standouts and Kashmir and Stairway are mostly solid. Very interested to hear what the next few Chicago performances reveal. 

[elKZacha]

On 6/5/2022 at 4:11 PM, gibsonfan159 said:

I had done a string of 1971 and 1973 reviews before returning to 77 with this show and it was quite a shock, possibly setting a record for low ratings

I can imagine that’d be a pretty heavy shift, especially if you’d been listening to the European tour of 73. 

I’ve been trying to listen to any other show from 77 that isn’t Eddie but in all honesty they’re a fucking chore to get through, although even the worst shows do highlight just how good Bonham and Jones are with the focus off Jimmy. 

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 4/7/1977 Chicago, IL (Home Of The Electric Blues- Gusto Revision)

A slightly distant AUD source but very listenable. 

TSRTS- 1:03, sounding pretty loose on the intro. 2:07, either the twelve string is out of tune or Page is botching these chords. 3:00, Jim drops out for a moment. First solo- about as sloppy as I've ever heard it. He's either got major equipment issues or he's completely wasted. Plant cracks on the California verses. Outro- 4:12, pitiful. Very loose all the way. 5:17, ouch. Plant still straining on the final verses. "C".

Sick Again- Sticky intro but not terrible. Plant still scratchy on the first verses. The energy is there however. First solo- quite sticky. 3:42, flubbed chords. Outro- well, it sounds about as bad as usual as Jim frantically attempts every pentatonic riff he knows. "C+".

NFBM- Intro isn't too bad. Jim is playing loosely throughout the verses with his flanger effect sounding out of control. Harmonica- Pretty solid routine from Rob, who's also sounding more warmed up on the return. Solo- His phrasing is decent but his execution is very rough. 4:51, sticky. 5:28, Page almost going back to the verse riff. It's definitely Page's fault again on this one. "C+".

SIBLY- Intro really isn't too bad. Sticky in a couple places but Jim holds it together quite well considering what we just went through.  2:56, a little sloppy. 3:12, not sure if he actually hits a note here. Plant is putting in tremendous effort on the verses. Solo- a bit sloppy on the start. Jim plays with good emphasis on the attitude but boy is his articulation rough. Not a good one. The last verses are played decently at least. "B" is probably generous. 

No Quarter- Solid intro. 2:38, Plant giving it his all. Bonham also very lively on the first chorus. Jones- very good atmosphere being set on the beginning. 6:17, introducing the soul phrases. The boogie jam is well done as Jones keeps the soulful riffs going. 8:05, a switch to more dramatic phrases. Solid routine but nothing amazing. Solo- 10:23, loose. 10:37, trying to make the slop work. 10:50, hang up. 11:10, trying to hide the lack of articulation with aggressive phrasing. It does work somewhat. 12:25, more aggressive phrasing that's very forced. 13:23, getting experimental. 13:28, a menacing riff that actually sounds good to end it. Not necessarily a trainwreck but nothing I'd brag about. Tape cut on the returning verses. "B" for what we have. 

TYG- Cuts in. Plant sings loosely on a couple verses. First solo- 1:24, doesn't quite land these pulloffs. Bends sound a little off, otherwise not too bad. Plant sounding hoarse on the next verses. 2:40, minor chord flub. Second solo- excellent start but Jim hits a major snag at 3:04. 3:20, I guess the solo was so bad Plant didn't realize where to come back in. Third solo- some decent country bends here. Plant's lyrical projection is good on the last verses. Fourth solo- somewhere between good and bad. Decent outro. "C+".

BOE- Very uptempo. Verses sounding good. 6:08, vocal crack. Not a bad rendition but Plant has sounded better. "B+".

GTC- Excellent mandolin break by Jones. Plant is anywhere from impressive to screechy. Not bad overall. "A-".

WS/BMS- Rough intro as Page has trouble just warming up. The fast part actually goes ok to start. 2:13, sloppy. 3:11, sloppy. 3:40, slower phrasing is a bit smoother. 4:30, disastrous playing here. BMS is actually played well for the most part. "B".

Kashmir- Solid start and verses. 3:35, Plant not singing with much confidence. 4:15, much better here. 7:08, painful scream. Again, Plant is anywhere between banshee and flu ridden. Overall pretty decent. "B+".

ALS- Cuts in near the third solo, which has no bass coming through. No rating.

STH- 1:51, small phrasing flub. 2:35, Page missing some chords. 4:03, Jim drops out again. "Does anybody remember the chords?" He doesn't actually say that unfortunately. 5:50, Rob sounds a little flat here. Solo- good start but the tape gets murky and Jim is very hard to hear. The phrasing sounds kinda choppy on the quieter part. The final phrases sound a bit strained but not bad. Plant pushes his vocals on the climax, sounding just a little raspy but overall good. Outro is good. Not the most solid performance. "B".

Rock And Roll- Verses sound ok. Solo- 2:58, Jim struggling to get any kind of flow going throughout. 3:27, not sure what happens here as the guitar pitch rises to a higher key. I wouldn't expect anything different for tonight's finale. "C+".

Final Assessment- Just not good. 

[Sted]

I saw this rating coming from miles away

[Zep Hed]

Given they were based in Chicago for this part of the tour I wonder if they tended to be better prepared to perform if they had to travel to the show. Sitting around most of the day - probably sleeping most of it - they may have been lethargic simply going straight to the show from the hotel. Much respect to GFan's technical reviews. Two relative duds in two nights in Chicago.