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Top 10 bootlegs


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2 hours ago, goldenretreiver157 said:

.This has been discussed before many times, but they are all over the place, id like a nice updated top 10 list of bootlegs from any time based mostly on performance from ththe entire band, must include good plant shows. This would be a difficult task but id just like to hear what everyone has to say

If you want just LZ I can give you my fave five.

Blueberry Hill

Going to California

Mudslide

Bonzo's Birthday Party

Burn Like a Candle 

That's it really, I don't really rate anything  after 1973

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Here is my standard Baker's Dozen.

1. April 27, 1969 Fillmore West

2. August 31, 1969 Texas Pop Festival

3. March 7, 1970 Montreux

4. Sept. 4, 1970 LA Forum

5. Sept. 19, 1970 MSG, NY (evening show)

6. May 3, 1971 Copenhagen

7. August 31, 1971 Orlando

8. September 29, 1971 Osaka

9. June 25, 1972 LA Forum

10. March 24, 1973 Offenburg

11. March 21, 1975 Seattle 

12. June 21, 1977 LA Forum

13. July 24, 1979 Copenhagen

Honourable Mention: 

Sept. 14, 1971 Berkeley, CA

Edited by Strider
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15 minutes ago, anniemouse said:

Can I ask a daft question how easy was it to get hold of bootlegs. Surely Mr Grants controlling personality must have had an effect on their availability.

In the early seventies fairly easy if you knew where to get them, even Virgin records stocked them for a while. 

Edited by JTM
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1 hour ago, Strider said:

Here is my standard Baker's Dozen.

1. April 27, 1969 Fillmore West

2. August 31, 1969 Texas Pop Festival

3. March 7, 1970 Montreux

4. Sept. 4, 1970 LA Forum

5. Sept. 19, 1970 MSG, NY (evening show)

6. May 3, 1971 Copenhagen

7. August 31, 1971 Orlando

8. September 29, 1971 Osaka

9. June 25, 1972 LA Forum

10. March 24, 1973 Offenburg

11. March 21, 1975 Seattle 

12. June 21, 1977 LA Forum

13. July 24, 1979 Copenhagen

Honourable Mention: 

Sept. 14, 1971 Berkeley, CA

This list is a great jump off point for sure !

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12 hours ago, JTM said:

If you want just LZ I can give you my fave five.

Blueberry Hill

Going to California

Mudslide

Bonzo's Birthday Party

Burn Like a Candle 

That's it really, I don't really rate anything  after 1973

I could add a few more but I don't count them because they are downloaded CDR's, the ones I listed are the ones I had on LP, except BLAC, which was a friends.

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2 hours ago, anniemouse said:

Can I ask a daft question how easy was it to get hold of bootlegs. Surely Mr Grants controlling personality must have had an effect on their availability.

Try this

Peter Grant's line "they're not gonna get anyone heavier'n me, are they?" always cracks me up.

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10 hours ago, anniemouse said:

Can I ask a daft question how easy was it to get hold of bootlegs. Surely Mr Grants controlling personality must have had an effect on their availability.

Depends on where you lived. It was a lot easier in the U.S.A. than the UK, I'm sure. Grant couldn't just go around the thousands of record shops in the U.S. smashing things up like he could in Limey Land.

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On 1/27/2019 at 2:57 AM, Strider said:

Here is my standard Baker's Dozen.

1. April 27, 1969 Fillmore West

2. August 31, 1969 Texas Pop Festival

3. March 7, 1970 Montreux

4. Sept. 4, 1970 LA Forum

5. Sept. 19, 1970 MSG, NY (evening show)

6. May 3, 1971 Copenhagen

7. August 31, 1971 Orlando

8. September 29, 1971 Osaka

9. June 25, 1972 LA Forum

10. March 24, 1973 Offenburg

11. March 21, 1975 Seattle 

12. June 21, 1977 LA Forum

13. July 24, 1979 Copenhagen

Honourable Mention: 

Sept. 14, 1971 Berkeley, CA

That would be my list...

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In terms of pure performance, here would be my top 10, in chronological order:

Boston 1/26/69

New York 9/19/70 (evening show)

Belfast 3/5/71

Osaka 9/28/71

Seattle 6/19/72

Offenburg 3/24/73

Los Angeles 6/3/73

Seattle 3/21/75

Los Angeles 6/22/77

Copenhagen 7/24/79

I agree with others that Strider's list is a good jumping off point if you're just starting to get into bootlegs. All of the shows he's listed have a good mix of sound quality and performance.

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5 hours ago, ZepHead315 said:

In terms of pure performance, here would be my top 10, in chronological order:

Boston 1/26/69

New York 9/19/70 (evening show)

Belfast 3/5/71

Osaka 9/28/71

Seattle 6/19/72

Offenburg 3/24/73

Los Angeles 6/3/73

Seattle 3/21/75

Los Angeles 6/22/77

Copenhagen 7/24/79

I agree with others that Strider's list is a good jumping off point if you're just starting to get into bootlegs. All of the shows he's listed have a good mix of sound quality and performance.

Thats very similar to what i would say, glad you included belfast, an amazing show especially for plant

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I don't care how many people post their list and it aint on it, B) If you want to listen to a great Bootleg and a great performance overall You need to include June 23rd 1977.  Seek out the DragonFly source.  Some of Jimmy's best playing of the tour. NFBM, OTHAFA, SIBLY, NQ, The acoustic set are all Killer. The bow solo is more interesting than most others from the tour and even Bonhams drum solo is pretty good and made all the more memorable because of Keith Moon's hilarious appearance. The tracks I didn't mention were just average performance wise. The overall atmosphere of this recording is fantastic and makes for a great listen.

Edited by hummingbird69
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  • 3 years later...

Most of the "best bootleg" threads are archived so let me reveal here which ones made Jimi's cut.

A couple of things. In the early and mid noughties I had stuff from 1970, 1973, 1975 & 1977 but the recent revelation of the youtube channels has enabled me to listen to the shows and judge if the sound quality and performance justify a physical copy. To make things short I have tried to keep a high standard for the sound quality and the show and I try to have as complete shows as possible. This list can be helpful anyone wanting to give a listen to a particular Zep show on the LedZeppelin Boots youtube channel for instance.

 

The ones that could be left out:

1969

24.4. Conquering California (pretty bad soundwise)

1971

1.4.BBC (I mean the boot has it all and is the one I listen but the official version tells the story pretty much)

1973

14.5. The Draq Queen of New Orleans (either that or Salt Lake City but I find the latter funny as they kept the show shorter to make it to the party in LA)

29.7. As a listening experience the second show is best bootlegged AND it actually has some stellar numbers such as CD and NQ. So what the Dazed from that show was not on the film. So that one is enough.

 

1975 (has a lot of fat)

14.2.  Few Hours With St Valentine. If one of the three ones I have needs to be cut this would be it. Plant is rougher 12.2. but somehow I still like the show.

19. & 20.3. If you have the 21st from Seattle you do not need the other two before that. I of course need them.

24.3. All Is Safe For Rock And Roll. Of the LA run the final show with the stretched versions is the one to have. They work 50% of the time, haha, but still...!!!

 

1977

27.4. Destroyer (just listen to the second one)

25.5. Mighty Arms of Atlas Vol. 1. The last of the Maryland shows is enough

17.7. Seattle. I have this just becaus I have the DVD

 

There are a couple of ones that are not that great as a show or the sound quality is not that great but they either are very historic shows or the performance is just beyond, those would be:

10.-12.1.1969

19.9.1970

4.5.1971

7.7.1980

 

What I lef out. I listened to some of the Australian shows, and at least one of them several times but then realized there were some soundwise greater late 71 boots and the one from Charlotte. Sorry down under...

Some Millard tapes from 1975 are not on the list and I haven't actually heard all of them. Should check... Also the 77 MSG run is not well presented here. Mainly sound when you have the OK(ish) boards and Millard tapes from 77.

 

What else, this is quite a lot. Listen to this set and the story of Zep as a live band becomes clearer.

 

P.S. I have a very soft spot for 75 & 77 shows.

 

Location Title Label Date Source
San Francisco Fresh Garbage – Fillmore West – January 1969 Graf Zeppelin 10-12/09/1969 AUD (11th SBD)
San Francisco Conquering California Dinopower 24/04/1969 SBD?
San Francisco Sleeping Beauty 1969 Multiband Remaster Wendy 27/04/1969 SBD
Dallas Texas International Pop Festival 1969 Non Label 31/08/1969 SBD
London Royal Albert Hall Wendy 09/01/1970 Multitrack
Montreaux I Left My Heart In Montreux 1970 Wendy 07/03/1970 AUD/SBD
LA Forum Blueberry Hill Ultimate Moonchild 04/09/1970 AUD
MSG Storming The Big Apple Eat A Peach 19/09/1970 AUD
London Led Zeppelin-BBC 1971 Japanese Broadcast Moonchild 01/04/1971 SBD
Odense Odense 1971: Master Cassette Non Label 04/05/1971 AUD
Orlando Orlando 1971 Non Label 31/08/1971 SBD + AUD
Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens Graf Zeppelin 04/09/1971 AUD + SBD
Osaka Led Zeppelin - Please Please Me Complete 928 Eelgrass 28/09/1971 SBD + AUD
Osaka Kutabare Moonchild Moonchild 29/09/1971 SBD+ AUD
Ipswich Over The Twelve Foot End Definitive Ipswich Graf Zeppelin 16/11/1971 AUD
Charlotte Charlotte 1972 TDOLZ 09/06/1972 AUD
LA Forum Forum, Burn Like a Candle 2n edition Graf Zeppelin 25/06/1972 AUD
Tokyo Budokan 1972 1st Night Revisited Non Label 02/10/1972 AUD
Kyoto Kyoto 1972 Non Label 10/10/1972 AUD
Southampton Southampton University 1973 Non Label 22/01/1973 Multitrack
Vienna Led Zeppelin - Vienna Fireworks Moonchild 16/03/1973 SBD + AUD
New Orleans Drag Queen Of New Orleans 1973 Wendy 14/05/1973 SBD
Salt Lake City For Frenzied Crowd Wendy 26/05/1973 SBD
LA Forum Bonzo's Birthday Party Moonchild 31/05/1973 SBD + AUD
San Francisco Mary Kezar Wendy 02/06/1973 AUD + SBD
Seattle Afterburner Cashmere 17/07/1973 SBD + AUD
MSG Madison Square Garden Deux Wendy 28/07/1973 SBD
New York Madison Square Garden Trois Wendy 29/07/1973 SBD
Bloomington Salvation Through Him Eelgrass 18/01/1975 SBD
MSG Good to Be Back in New York City  Planet X 12/02/1975 SBD
Uniondale NY The Kings Of The Stone Ace Eelgrass 13/02/1975 SBD
Uniondale NY Led Zeppelin-Few Hours With St Valentine Moonchild 14/02/1975 SBD
Vancouver Rocky Mountain Hop Moonchild 19/03/1975 SBD
Vancouver Snowblind Eelgrass 20/03/1975 SBD
Seattle Deus Ex Machina Eelgrass 21/03/1975 SBD
LA Forum All Is Safe For Rock And Roll Eelgrass 24/03/1975 SBD
LA Forum Led Zeppelin - LA Forum 1975 3rd Night Nanker Dog 27/03/1975 AUD, Millard
London Earls Court 1975 4th Night Non Label 24/05/1975 SBD
London Earls Court 1975 SRS 25/05/1975 SBD
Cleveland Destroyer Eelgrass 27/04/1977 SBD
Cleveland The Destroyer II Moonchild 28/04/1977 AUD
Fort Worth Led Zeppelin's Hideout Holy Grail Moonchild 22/05/1977 SBD
Landover Mighty Arms of Atlas Vol. 1 Moonchild 25/05/1977 SBD
Landover Double Shot 2 Eelgrass 30/05/1977 SBD
MSG Magical Sound Boogie Eelgrass 07/06/1977 SBD
LA Forum Listen to This Eddie (Beauty & Beast) Non Label 21/06/1977 AUD, Millard
LA Forum For Badgeholders Only Wendy 23/06/1977 AUD, Millard
LA Forum Led Zeppelin - LA Forum 1977 4th Night Definitive Non Label 25/06/1977 AUD, Millard
LA Forum Los Angeles 1977 Final Night Non Label 27/06/1977 AUD, Millard
Seattle Seattle 1977  Non Label 17/07/1977 SBD
Copenhagen Dazzling Daze 2 Moonchild 24/07/1979 AUD
Knebworth Knebworth Day One Moonchild 04/08/1979 SBD
Zurich Zurich 1980 Non Label 29/06/1980 SBD
Frankfurt Triumph Des Willens Wendy 30/06/1980 SBD
Berlin Berlin 1980 The Last Concert Non Label 07/07/1980

SBD

Edited by JMH
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3 hours ago, Xolo1974 said:

1979 - Copenhagen

These Copenhagen shows get a lot of love, but I've tried and tried over the years to get into them. But I just can't, the recordings sound so thin compared to stuff like Blueberry Hill or Going To California or the 19 Sept 1970 shows in New York. Until there's a better tape the majority of stuff I listen to is between 1969 and 1973. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys, brand new to this forum, but 35 year Zep fan and will always be one.

About 32 years ago i heard a great bootleg on CD from either Japan or Italy, can't remember, they did a few covers on it and some partial covers where Page would incorporate another song into a Zep song, the name of the CD was "Masters of the Air" if i remember correctly, i was wondering if anybody has any knowledge of it and maybe where i can get a copy, thanks.

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15 hours ago, fishboy11 said:

 

About 32 years ago i heard a great bootleg on CD from either Japan or Italy, can't remember, they did a few covers on it and some partial covers where Page would incorporate another song into a Zep song, the name of the CD was "Masters of the Air" if i remember correctly, i was wondering if anybody has any knowledge of it and maybe where i can get a copy, thanks.

I think you are referring to some of the earliest known Zep  boot cd's; "Classics off the Air (vol.1,2,3)" on the Neutral Zone label, released in 1988. Covering -mainly BBC- broadcasts from 1969 up to 1971. Considering their age, finding an original copy will be quite difficult, although they were copied by Italian and Luxemburg labels (Living Legend, Pyramid, Great Dane,...). Quality wise there are much better and more complete releases available today. These 'Classics' suffer from a healthy amount of surface noise since they were lifted straight from vinyl. 

Edited by duckman
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  • 4 weeks later...
On 1/29/2019 at 5:15 PM, hummingbird69 said:

I don't care how many people post their list and it aint on it,  If you want to listen to a great Bootleg and a great performance overall You need to include June 23rd 1977.  Seek out the DragonFly source.  Some of Jimmy's best playing of the tour. NFBM, OTHAFA, SIBLY, NQ, The acoustic set are all Killer. The bow solo is more interesting than most others from the tour and even Bonhams drum solo is pretty good and made all the more memorable because of Keith Moon's hilarious appearance. The tracks I didn't mention were just average performance wise. The overall atmosphere of this recording is fantastic and makes for a great listen.

 

ClZlgV7WkAAsyzC.jpeg

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