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Ranking The 1975 Shows


Bonzo_fan

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On 11/7/2021 at 5:08 AM, JohnOsbourne said:

OK, I re-listened to the 2-7 show, and I was very pleasantly surprised, definitely better than I remembered.  NQ is very good, and TU is excellent (it has shades of the great March versions).  And Heartbreaker is pretty hot.  But the real revelation was D&C, that was crazy good.  The Philly version is noteworthy because it's reminiscent of '73, this version is unique, really interesting playing by Page.  (Unfortunately a bit disjointed on the return to the main theme at the end, but that's typical for '75.)  So I would definitely move this one up a lot, to the middle of my rankings, but I still can't put it ahead of Philly or Montreal or the NY shows at the end of the first leg (nor any March West Coast shows).  However, it deserves more attention, I agree.

Nice, glad to hear you gave it another chance. It's interesting to me how the passage of time can change how we hear something.. A year from now, I could (and probably will) have a different idea of my 1975 NQ rankings. When I first got into Zep, Physical Graffiti was my fav album of theirs, no contest. As the years went on, it became HOTH and now it's the fourth album 😂 (Happy 50th to that one!!). And some of my all time fav records I was kind of "meh" on when I first heard them.

I agree that the D+C from 2/7 is unique. I usually don't listen to D+C from 75 at all because I find them crushingly dull except for the SF/Woodstock section, but there are some that just fly by and sound killer and 2/7 is one of them. And yeah as far as the whole show goes, I'd also give the edge to Montreal and Philly.     

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11 hours ago, BobDobbs said:

BTW, been listening to 3-11-75 and once Robert is warmed up he is singing very good and the band is just shit-hot. JP, JPJ, & Bonzo are employing combinations I never heard before and Page & Bonham are really on fire.

I need to give this show a full listen, while I'm still on the 75 kick and not burned out yet lol. I gave 3-10 another listen over the weekend and liked it even more. They sound shit-hot there as well. Robert is erratic on that one. Sometimes he sounds amazing, maybe best of the year, other times .. not so much lol. I think the break they took between legs did his voice some good, and 3-10 is his first night back. Also, the shitty quality of the boot may be coloring my perception there, making him sound better than he is, it's tough to say.

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5 minutes ago, 1975NQ said:

I need to give this show a full listen, while I'm still on the 75 kick and not burned out yet lol. I gave 3-10 another listen over the weekend and liked it even more. They sound shit-hot there as well. Robert is erratic on that one. Sometimes he sounds amazing, maybe best of the year, other times .. not so much lol. I think the break they took between legs did his voice some good, and 3-10 is his first night back. Also, the shitty quality of the boot may be coloring my perception there, making him sound better than he is, it's tough to say.

Next up for me is the 3-12 show which is supposed to be one of the best shows of 75' as they supposedly play even better than on the 11th and Plant's voice is very good for 75'.

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^ That's a hot one - I'm sure you've heard it many times by now lol. Btw while I'm not a fan of 77 in general (not big on their sound or the vibe of the shows for that time period), 4-30-77 has my fav version of Kashmir. For me, Robert needs to be in killer voice for that one as it really puts his vocals front in center (vs the album version which has a bit of a different feel to my ears). His vocals on the 4-30 Kashmir version sound otherworldly.

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2 hours ago, JohnOsbourne said:

The 12th is almost as good as the 21st, IMO.

The thing about the 21st which somewhat ruins it for me is Page loses all steam by the encores and Heartbreaker is just a middling version. IMO they are hot from start to finish on the 11th & 12th, encores are just phenomenal. 

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11 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

I need to give this show a full listen, while I'm still on the 75 kick and not burned out yet lol. I gave 3-10 another listen over the weekend and liked it even more. They sound shit-hot there as well. Robert is erratic on that one. Sometimes he sounds amazing, maybe best of the year, other times .. not so much lol. I think the break they took between legs did his voice some good, and 3-10 is his first night back. Also, the shitty quality of the boot may be coloring my perception there, making him sound better than he is, it's tough to say.

^ edit: I meant the break they took between final Dallas show 3/5 and first San Diego show 3/10

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20 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

^ edit: I meant the break they took between final Dallas show 3/5 and first San Diego show 3/10

I like 3-10 a lot, but I think the murkiness of the recording adds a cool, gloomy vibe to the show, I do wonder if the soundboard exposes it (in a few years...), like Landover.

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25 minutes ago, JohnOsbourne said:

I like 3-10 a lot, but I think the murkiness of the recording adds a cool, gloomy vibe to the show, I do wonder if the soundboard exposes it (in a few years...), like Landover.

It is definitely a murky recording. Makes me wanna re-listen to this D+C to see if that makes it extra creepy 😛. The band seems super fired up right from the get go, and the crowd is obviously going nuts so that's fun. I wonder if Jimmy's solo on NQ is intentionally laid back to help chill em out? It sounds like he's having a lot of fun that night. He keeps going and going on WLL with the funk/Crunge bit .. Robert's like "ok, I guess we're doing this" lol. I really can't wait for the soundboard for this one, particularly to expose Robert's vocals. He sounds fantastic (add obligatory "for 75" here) on a lot of this.

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On 11/4/2021 at 1:43 PM, 1975NQ said:

I like the EC shows quite a bit as well. They're my go-to if I want to hear a show in its entirety (i like to put on 5/25 then switch to 5/24 at RS). I think the Zep community prefers the US shows due to the higher energy and raucous nature of the shows overall, as well as the risk-taking and lengthier songs. As astutely pointed out by Bonzo_fan, the improvisation was dialed back a bit at EC, probably due to the addition of the acoustic set (this makes sense to me as well).

So, one could say the EC shows are Zep at their refined best (tasteful, even), which is not a bad thing at all. I think it's apples and oranges. Sometimes you wanna hear a D+C like you get with 2/7 or 3/20 (the 2 best from the tour imho) and other times you wanna hear the classic perfection of 5/24 (my fav of the year).

 

Great points and well said! You've captured the differences very well, and your listening preferences are quite similar to mine - I'd just never thought of it that way or that clearly before!

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20 hours ago, tmtomh said:

Great points and well said! You've captured the differences very well, and your listening preferences are quite similar to mine - I'd just never thought of it that way or that clearly before!

Thanks man! Have a great weekend.

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  • 1 month later...
On 3/29/2020 at 11:22 AM, Badgeholder Still said:

16 ? this is a top 5 show. Certainly more enjoyable than any of the LA shows.

This deserves more love. A fine recording of a solid performance during a run which most regard as not worthy of their time. Probably THE live version of The Wanton Song. For anyone who mis-remembers, revisit this. Then judge.

Montreal and Chicago 1/22 (been on a kick with this one lately) are both great. Per any show from 75, they each have their warts but the high points for each show are fantastic.

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9 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

Montreal and Chicago 1/22 (been on a kick with this one lately) are both great. Per any show from 75, they each have their warts but the high points for each show are fantastic.

Listening to 3-27-75 and I really like the majority of the show. What I don't get is how Jimmy could go from absolute brilliance on NQ to the disaster TUF was? Actually, I think I blame Jim, JPJ, & Bonzo on this one as it sounds like Jimmy is seriously out of tune on the lower register riffing, while JPJ & Bonzo are constantly losing the beat and circling back. This makes Jimmy's playing even more erratic as Jimmy needs a rock solid rhythm section to synch up to, especially as Jimmy has a tendency to fall out of time during turn-arounds and bridges. Without Bonzo & JPJ to help guide Jim back the song almost falls of the rails several times.

This show has some of Jimmy's most unique playing of the tour intermingled with these little disasters here and there. A real shame as Robert just knocks it out of the park on TUF.

It's a seriously weird show but, I like it quite a bit as when they hit the mark they REALLY hit the mark.

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2 hours ago, BobDobbs said:

Listening to 3-27-75 and I really like the majority of the show. What I don't get is how Jimmy could go from absolute brilliance on NQ to the disaster TUF was? Actually, I think I blame Jim, JPJ, & Bonzo on this one as it sounds like Jimmy is seriously out of tune on the lower register riffing, while JPJ & Bonzo are constantly losing the beat and circling back. This makes Jimmy's playing even more erratic as Jimmy needs a rock solid rhythm section to synch up to, especially as Jimmy has a tendency to fall out of time during turn-arounds and bridges. Without Bonzo & JPJ to help guide Jim back the song almost falls of the rails several times.

This show has some of Jimmy's most unique playing of the tour intermingled with these little disasters here and there. A real shame as Robert just knocks it out of the park on TUF.

It's a seriously weird show but, I like it quite a bit as when they hit the mark they REALLY hit the mark.

But Bob, I was talking about Chicago 1-22 ..? 😛

Just playin. You make a great point on how important Jonesy and Bonzo were to keeping Page in time. They were the anchor. I listened to 3/27 quite a bit in the late 80s. At that time in my life, I really thought the LA 75 shows MUST have been the be-all end-all for the band. After all ... they always played great in LA, right? And just look at all those cool pictures! Hearing 3/27 for the first time (in fairness, it was a pretty bad quality boot) was underwhelming, to say the least. And the second time. And the third time. It wasn't a bad show necessarily (or was it) .. it just didn't "wow" me the way I thought it would. I kept listening, and it never clicked for me. Fast forward to 2021, and I'm into Led Zep all over again, listening to new shows, rediscovering old shows, etc. I listened to the NQ from 3/27 3 times all the way through (a test in endurance lol) when putting together my list of favorites for that thread - and it didn't make the top 15 for me. It honestly just sounds tedious to my ears.

I think how we connect to music is a very funny and subjective thing, and there is no right or wrong. Lots of people love that show. Since it's been so many years since I've heard the show in its entirety, I'm gonna play it today while working and try and hear it with fresh ears. It's entirely possible you and others are hearing something I'm not. If I have some kind of epiphany, I will report back! 🔎

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11 hours ago, BobDobbs said:

Listening to 3-27-75 and I really like the majority of the show. What I don't get is how Jimmy could go from absolute brilliance on NQ to the disaster TUF was? Actually, I think I blame Jim, JPJ, & Bonzo on this one as it sounds like Jimmy is seriously out of tune on the lower register riffing, while JPJ & Bonzo are constantly losing the beat and circling back. This makes Jimmy's playing even more erratic as Jimmy needs a rock solid rhythm section to synch up to, especially as Jimmy has a tendency to fall out of time during turn-arounds and bridges. Without Bonzo & JPJ to help guide Jim back the song almost falls of the rails several times.

This show has some of Jimmy's most unique playing of the tour intermingled with these little disasters here and there. A real shame as Robert just knocks it out of the park on TUF.

It's a seriously weird show but, I like it quite a bit as when they hit the mark they REALLY hit the mark.

I was joking about having an epiphany earlier, and funny enough - I had an actual epiphany. I listened to the show up through NQ. The show still doesn't quite click with me, but I'm glad I gave that first half another listen. The crowd is really into it, and you can really feel the great atmosphere. Also, those 4 guys were really plugged into each other. I think all 3 could immediately tell Pagey was not as fluid as usual that night. But they could also tell (and hear) that Jimmy himself was well aware of that and was still feeling great and playing around his limitations, whatever the cause of them may have been (we'll never know).

You mentioned Jimmy needing a rock solid rhythm section, and that's just what Bonzo and Jonesy give him on No Quarter. That groove during his solo is fantastic, and he is really playing, in the literal sense of the word. Bonzo and Jones give him the freedom to get jazzy with it and just play. His playing is not like his magical fluid self of 73 or Philly 75 or fill-in-the-blank. But it is VERY "Page-like" if that makes any sense. It has a great vibe and sounds good without having the technical killer playing from other nights. He's enjoying himself. And they are all feeling that and hearing it. Heck, even Robert gets into it at the end with that abominable (and yet somehow appropriately fun) shriek lol. A full moon kind of thing. One guy "feels the spirit", the crowd feels it, the other 3 guys feel it too. This is rambling, and I apologize if it's not completely coherent, but I think you (and hopefully anyone else reading this) get what I'm saying.

So, now I get why this version of No Quarter is so loved. It's about how it feels, what's behind the notes vs the notes themselves. Which in itself is very Page-like. As far as the other songs from this night - still not a big fan, but I do like how SRTS  sounds (I actually think that's where all the atmosphere/chemistry/whatever starts to happen).

Net-net is I'm much more receptive to this version of NQ and will give it more listens in the future now that I've "seen the light", so to speak.

 

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I listened to the Ft Worth 3/3/75 show and gotta say, it’s one of best from 75

great energy throughout, especially from Bonzo

There are some ups and downs as usual, but overall, you can tell crowd and band are both into it, and it’s a fun energetic show 

And Jimmy doesn’t do one of his post Moby Dick ugh I indulged too much collapses 

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More love for Chicago 1/22 - been listening to this one all week and still not tired of it It's quickly turning into one of my fav shows from 75. Very enjoyable listen, start to finish. The band is fired up, Robert is having one of his best 75 nights once he gets warmed up, and as mentioned earlier the material from PG just sounds fresh and really hot - "Wanton Song" in particular is the best live version I've heard.

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2 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

More love for Chicago 1/22 - been listening to this one all week and still not tired of it It's quickly turning into one of my fav shows from 75. Very enjoyable listen, start to finish. The band is fired up, Robert is having one of his best 75 nights once he gets warmed up, and as mentioned earlier the material from PG just sounds fresh and really hot - "Wanton Song" in particular is the best live version I've heard.

Hell yes this is a great show and Robert does sound very good for 75'. The Wanton Song is a standout and another mystery as to why it was not kept in the set.

 

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1 hour ago, BobDobbs said:

Hell yes this is a great show and Robert does sound very good for 75'. The Wanton Song is a standout and another mystery as to why it was not kept in the set.

 

I reckon time constraints, don't you? The 75 set list is painstakingly put together.Considering their objectives with NQ and Dazed (not to mention the obligatory Moby Dick), they just didn't have the room. They'd have to either cut down one of the jam songs (deal-breakers for them at that time) or replace one of the other songs. I personally would have been happy if they swapped out "Rock and Roll" (a bit tired by that point and Wanton could have been the perfect set opener in 75) or "Trampled Underfoot" for "Wanton Song", but oh well. 

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3 hours ago, BobDobbs said:

Hell yes this is a great show and Robert does sound very good for 75'. The Wanton Song is a standout and another mystery as to why it was not kept in the set.

 

Have you heard 2-7-75 yet? It's one of the few shows from 75 that I enjoy start to finish (most 75 shows lose me at some point or other due to erratic issues from Robert, Jimmy or both). It's really won me over this year.  

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2 hours ago, 1975NQ said:

Have you heard 2-7-75 yet? It's one of the few shows from 75 that I enjoy start to finish (most 75 shows lose me at some point or other due to erratic issues from Robert, Jimmy or both). It's really won me over this year.  

Not yet but gonna give it a listen over the Christmas holiday break. I figure it must be a damn good show as Montreal (day before) and Philly (day after) were both white-hot and Philly even has Robert in good voice too!!! After 2-7 I am gonna give 2-10 a listen as I believe this was a very good show as well.

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18 hours ago, bluecongo said:

I listened to the Ft Worth 3/3/75 show and gotta say, it’s one of best from 75

great energy throughout, especially from Bonzo

There are some ups and downs as usual, but overall, you can tell crowd and band are both into it, and it’s a fun energetic show 

And Jimmy doesn’t do one of his post Moby Dick ugh I indulged too much collapses 

Very underrated 75 show. I'd throw it in with the top 5.

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On 12/22/2021 at 4:27 AM, bluecongo said:

I listened to the Ft Worth 3/3/75 show and gotta say, it’s one of best from 75

great energy throughout, especially from Bonzo

There are some ups and downs as usual, but overall, you can tell crowd and band are both into it, and it’s a fun energetic show 

And Jimmy doesn’t do one of his post Moby Dick ugh I indulged too much collapses 

I agree about the energy part, but I have a tough time with Plant's vocals on this one, they're really bad even for 75.

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13 hours ago, BobDobbs said:

Not yet but gonna give it a listen over the Christmas holiday break. I figure it must be a damn good show as Montreal (day before) and Philly (day after) were both white-hot and Philly even has Robert in good voice too!!! After 2-7 I am gonna give 2-10 a listen as I believe this was a very good show as well.

Nice, let me know what you think! The run of shows they did 2-6 through 2-8 are hot Page shows for sure. They all kind of bleed together for me, and I still need to get my arms around the 3, as far as comparing apples to apples. It takes several months for me to fully appreciate just one Zep show. I started listening to these shows casually August - October of this year while putting together the NQ rankings and began listening more closely October - now. My fav NQ of the 3 is Montreal  2-6 with MSG 2-7 being a very close second. And fav Dazed is from MSG 2-7, one of the few D+C from 75 I actually find listenable start to finish. Most D+C from 75 just feel tedious to me, and I usually skip em.

Beyond that, my brain is still in "processing" mode lol. 2-7 has a quality to it that keeps pulling me back and so far is the one I listen to the most, start to finish. Philly 2-8 might be Page's best night for 75 and is also one of Robert's best nights of the year (to my ears). But sometimes the sum of parts doesn't always equal the whole. Anyway, a few months from now I'll have a better idea how I'd rate them - all 3 shows are inconsistent, per 75.  Wait until you hear the HB from 2-7 ... he sounds drunk off his ass 🤣

Landover is a show I partially listened to but wasn't blown away. I should give it another listen for sure.

Edited by 1975NQ
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