Nitpicking Page 1971

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 9/23/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Flying Rock Carnival)

There are seemingly endless audience sources for these shows, but to keep things simple I'll be using a balance between consistency and good audio. This is mainly source 7 with some others used to fill the gaps.

I'm also introducing a new rating, "A-". Whereas I used "B+" before for a performance that was near flawless but had a few small flubs, I think that still seems unfair to put it at a "B" level if everything else was top notch. So "A-" will basically be just that- a well played song with good energy that has maybe one bad vocal squeak, a bad guitar phrase, or a slightly flubbed transition that doesn't detract from the overall performance. So this will be the "minor flaws" category and I think I will need it for this run of shows.

Immigrant Song- Thundering tempo. Opening wails sound on point and powerful. Solo- 2:30-2:50, Page lets loose on the usual array of triplet pulloffs. 3:23, a little inarticulate here. 3:47, some nice bends and pulloffs. Good solo overall. Exciting version. "A-" considering the sloppy descending solo phrase. 

Heartbreaker- Speedy tempo and excellent start. Solo- the pulloff and rockabilly sections are flawless. The smear section isn't too sloppy and phrased well. Bouree is short and flawless before Page takes off on the fast section. Excellent phrasing and flow throughout. Absolutely nothing bad to point out here as this is the definition of a solid performance. Also good energy from Bonham. "A".

SIBLY- Guitar overdrive is perfectly crunchy. 0:33, Bonham's double kicks echoing off the walls. 0:54-1:07, superbly fluid guitar run. 2:57, semi airraid. 3:03, Page almost jumps into the pre-chorus phrase early. Solo- fluid run off the bat. Flawless phrasing and fluidity throughout. 4:53, playing this bend to the fullest. 6:03, Bonzo getting loose with the beat but brings it back in. "A-".

Black Dog- Keeping with the fast tempo. 2:00, a wrong note in there somewhere but nothing major. 2:33, Page having a little trouble keeping up. Plant's pre-solo scream is a little subpar. Solo- good flow, fluidity, and phrasing throughout. This one felt extremely rushed and there were some flaws because of it. "B+".

Dazed- Average start. First workout- not much here as it goes straight to the bow section. Second workout- Page begins with the usual riffs. Good noodling throughout with some country sounding bends thrown in. Excellent phrasing. 17:18, Mars section still in it's infancy. 18:21, some bad chords by Page on the climax. The outro is pretty average sounding. Fairly solid, but not the most intriguing version. "A-".

Stairway- Flawless verses. Solo- an effortless flow of notes but it's almost too straightforward. 6:19, small tape cut. 6:57, this phrase sounded a little off. 7:12, some flubbed notes. 7:30, Page almost caught off guard and quickly plays the final phrase. Plant sounding excellent on the climax. For 1971? "B".

Celebration Day- Not the cleanest intro by Page. Fantastic energy with Jones just dominating the mix on this. Solo- takes a while for Page to lift off but he gets some decent noodling in. The ending turns into a rhythmic faceoff between the three. Not bad, not great, with a lacking solo. "B+".

That's The Way (BYAS false start). Nice relaxing tempo with subtle mandolin accents. Plant singing every lyric with tremendous emotion and intimacy. Very good. "A+".

GTC- Beautiful version all the way through. "A". (Plant scolds the crowd for whistling)

WIAWSNB- Solid start. 1:08, Page hits a unique minor sounding chord here. Solo- played perfectly. The second half winds out nicely. 4:12, some nice chording to end a good version. "A+".

WLL- The crowd gets riled up as they kick this one off. Sounding good on the start. Page comes out of the theremin section with some good free form jamming and knocks down the solo. Plant shreds his vocal chords before launching Boogie Chillen. Chillen is played with precision and Page gets a good solo in. Hello Mary Lou- audio gets a little worse but sounds decent. The solo doesn't flow perfectly but it's still a solid version. Mess Of Blues- tempo drags a little but still good with solid leads from Page. I'm A Man (partial). Tobacco Road- good verses and Page plays an excellent solo. Good Times Bad Times- sounding great as the crowd continues to clap out of time. 20:35, Page skips straight to the outro solo which is played nicely and continues jamming. How Many More Times- Plant calls it out and Page responds. Played with tremendous energy and swagger. 25:21, excellent bends by Page. The Hunter is played nicely. You Shook Me- as heavy as it gets and Jim's slide is on point. Solo- 29:48, long, fluid series of runs by Page. 31:22, massive trills. 31:48-32:02, one of the best lead runs I've heard by anyone. Just a phenomenal solo here as Page flexes every blues muscle he's got. 34:04, Plant straining a bit on the return. The outro is nailed down to end a ground-shaking medley. 35 minutes of near perfection. "A++".

Communication Breakdown- Plant tells the crowd to cool it before Page launches the intro. Plant's vocals are a little half-hearted probably due to the commotion in the crowd. Solo- some decent wah soaked runs. Plant again scolds the crowd. An ironic scene considering the song. the jam section and ending sounds good. Would have to be "B+" considering the interruptions. 

Final Assessment- First of all, after all the examinations of every year after, it's quite shocking to hear how consistently good these guys could be when they were focused and not under the influence, Page in particular with how free-flowing his lead phrasing is. It's a pretty tight show overall, though still not perfect. WLL is the biggest standout with a massive medley. Very strange that Stairway is where Page couldn't get entirely on track with the phrasing, almost sounding like he was trying too hard. Plant isn't exactly summer 1970 level but the high range is still there. Bonzo and Jones aren't showing off here, but doing their respective duties very well. One of the stark contrasts to me is how underwhelming Dazed is compared to later years. It feels like it's still in early construction here.

[pageluvva]

8 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 9/23/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Flying Rock Carnival)

There are seemingly endless audience sources for these shows, but to keep things simple I'll be using a balance between consistency and good audio. This is mainly source 7 with some others used to fill the gaps.

I'm also introducing a new rating, "A-". Whereas I used "B+" before for a performance that was near flawless but had a few small flubs, I think that still seems unfair to put it at a "B" level if everything else was top notch. So "A-" will basically be just that- a well played song with good energy that has maybe one bad vocal squeak, a bad guitar phrase, or a slightly flubbed transition that doesn't detract from the overall performance. So this will be the "minor flaws" category and I think I will need it for this run of shows.

Immigrant Song- Thundering tempo. Opening wails sound on point and powerful. Solo- 2:30-2:50, Page lets loose on the usual array of triplet pulloffs. 3:23, a little inarticulate here. 3:47, some nice bends and pulloffs. Good solo overall. Exciting version. "A-" considering the sloppy descending solo phrase. 

Heartbreaker- Speedy tempo and excellent start. Solo- the pulloff and rockabilly sections are flawless. The smear section isn't too sloppy and phrased well. Bouree is short and flawless before Page takes off on the fast section. Excellent phrasing and flow throughout. Absolutely nothing bad to point out here as this is the definition of a solid performance. Also good energy from Bonham. "A".

SIBLY- Guitar overdrive is perfectly crunchy. 0:33, Bonham's double kicks echoing off the walls. 0:54-1:07, superbly fluid guitar run. 2:57, semi airraid. 3:03, Page almost jumps into the pre-chorus phrase early. Solo- fluid run off the bat. Flawless phrasing and fluidity throughout. 4:53, playing this bend to the fullest. 6:03, Bonzo getting loose with the beat but brings it back in. "A-".

Black Dog- Keeping with the fast tempo. 2:00, a wrong note in there somewhere but nothing major. 2:33, Page having a little trouble keeping up. Plant's pre-solo scream is a little subpar. Solo- good flow, fluidity, and phrasing throughout. This one felt extremely rushed and there were some flaws because of it. "B+".

Dazed- Average start. First workout- not much here as it goes straight to the bow section. Second workout- Page begins with the usual riffs. Good noodling throughout with some country sounding bends thrown in. Excellent phrasing. 17:18, Mars section still in it's infancy. 18:21, some bad chords by Page on the climax. The outro is pretty average sounding. Fairly solid, but not the most intriguing version. "A-".

Stairway- Flawless verses. Solo- an effortless flow of notes but it's almost too straightforward. 6:19, small tape cut. 6:57, this phrase sounded a little off. 7:12, some flubbed notes. 7:30, Page almost caught off guard and quickly plays the final phrase. Plant sounding excellent on the climax. For 1971? "B".

Celebration Day- Not the cleanest intro by Page. Fantastic energy with Jones just dominating the mix on this. Solo- takes a while for Page to lift off but he gets some decent noodling in. The ending turns into a rhythmic faceoff between the three. Not bad, not great, with a lacking solo. "B+".

That's The Way (BYAS false start). Nice relaxing tempo with subtle mandolin accents. Plant singing every lyric with tremendous emotion and intimacy. Very good. "A+".

GTC- Beautiful version all the way through. "A". (Plant scolds the crowd for whistling)

WIAWSNB- Solid start. 1:08, Page hits a unique minor sounding chord here. Solo- played perfectly. The second half winds out nicely. 4:12, some nice chording to end a good version. "A+".

WLL- The crowd gets riled up as they kick this one off. Sounding good on the start. Page comes out of the theremin section with some good free form jamming and knocks down the solo. Plant shreds his vocal chords before launching Boogie Chillen. Chillen is played with precision and Page gets a good solo in. Hello Mary Lou- audio gets a little worse but sounds decent. The solo doesn't flow perfectly but it's still a solid version. Mess Of Blues- tempo drags a little but still good with solid leads from Page. I'm A Man (partial). Tobacco Road- good verses and Page plays an excellent solo. Good Times Bad Times- sounding great as the crowd continues to clap out of time. 20:35, Page skips straight to the outro solo which is played nicely and continues jamming. How Many More Times- Plant calls it out and Page responds. Played with tremendous energy and swagger. 25:21, excellent bends by Page. The Hunter is played nicely. You Shook Me- as heavy as it gets and Jim's slide is on point. Solo- 29:48, long, fluid series of runs by Page. 31:22, massive trills. 31:48-32:02, one of the best lead runs I've heard by anyone. Just a phenomenal solo here as Page flexes every blues muscle he's got. 34:04, Plant straining a bit on the return. The outro is nailed down to end a ground-shaking medley. 35 minutes of near perfection. "A++".

Communication Breakdown- Plant tells the crowd to cool it before Page launches the intro. Plant's vocals are a little half-hearted probably due to the commotion in the crowd. Solo- some decent wah soaked runs. Plant again scolds the crowd. An ironic scene considering the song. the jam section and ending sounds good. Would have to be "B+" considering the interruptions. 

Final Assessment- First of all, after all the examinations of every year after, it's quite shocking to hear how consistently good these guys could be when they were focused and not under the influence, Page in particular with how free-flowing his lead phrasing is. It's a pretty tight show overall, though still not perfect. WLL is the biggest standout with a massive medley. Very strange that Stairway is where Page couldn't get entirely on track with the phrasing, almost sounding like he was trying too hard. Plant isn't exactly summer 1970 level but the high range is still there. Bonzo and Jones aren't showing off here, but doing their respective duties very well. One of the stark contrasts to me is how underwhelming Dazed is compared to later years. It feels like it's still in early construction here.

Love your passion my friend

[Bonzo_fan]

10 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 9/23/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Flying Rock Carnival)

Final Assessment- First of all, after all the examinations of every year after, it's quite shocking to hear how consistently good these guys could be when they were focused and not under the influence, Page in particular with how free-flowing his lead phrasing is. It's a pretty tight show overall, though still not perfect. WLL is the biggest standout with a massive medley. Very strange that Stairway is where Page couldn't get entirely on track with the phrasing, almost sounding like he was trying too hard. Plant isn't exactly summer 1970 level but the high range is still there. Bonzo and Jones aren't showing off here, but doing their respective duties very well. One of the stark contrasts to me is how underwhelming Dazed is compared to later years. It feels like it's still in early construction here.

I agree on all fronts.  I've always found that Dazed comes into its own over the course of these five shows, actually.  The two Tokyo versions are well played, but underwhelming compared to later years; Hiroshima's is very good, and; both Osaka versions are spectacular, with the 9/29 version being able to go toe-to-toe with the best of '72 and '73 IMO.

[ZepHead315]

Only point of disagreement I have is Stairway. Granted, I'm not a guitar player and haven't gone through that solo with a fine toothed comb, but I always LOVED this version and it's easily one of my favorites ever. Actually getting to hear the intro without the crowd cheering, Plant singing the verses with emotion, the solo before it got bogged down in repetitive phrases, and, of course, Plant nailing the climax. Doesn't get much better for me!

[Bonzo_fan]

48 minutes ago, ZepHead315 said:

Only point of disagreement I have is Stairway. Granted, I'm not a guitar player and haven't gone through that solo with a fine toothed comb, but I always LOVED this version and it's easily one of my favorites ever. Actually getting to hear the intro without the crowd cheering, Plant singing the verses with emotion, the solo before it got bogged down in repetitive phrases, and, of course, Plant nailing the climax. Doesn't get much better for me!

Copenhagen 😉

[Autumn Moon]

15 minutes ago, Bonzo_fan said:

Copenhagen 😉

Haha, July 23 or July 24?

[KillingFloorBlues]

Yeah pretty spot on. My only disagreement is Stairway, specifically Jimmy's solo. I think the solo is one of his best, just phenomenal. The live solo in 71 is still being worked out and there's quite a few shows where you can tell he's just trying to figure out where to go next or how to wrap it up. His playing here is fluid and purposeful, and he always feels on track. Great phrasing, great execution, capped off by a fantastic finish from Plant. If there's an A+ STH out there, this is one IMO.

Edited April 12, 2021 by KillingFloorBlues

[Autumn Moon]

15 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

One of the stark contrasts to me is how underwhelming Dazed is compared to later years. It feels like it's still in early construction here.

It was in development, from the very beginning to 1973. IMO this is a wonderful, heavy, energetic 71 version. Therefore, it doesn´t make sense to compare it to e.g. Seattle 73. Another example: Listening to any 73 or 75 version of Heartbreaker after listening to the 923 version may cause a narcoleptic attack.

Thanks for touching holy ground, I really appreciate your nitpicking reviews.

[Bonzo_fan]

19 hours ago, Autumn Moon said:

Haha, July 23 or July 24?

Neither! 😖 May 3, 1971!

[Autumn Moon]

4 hours ago, Bonzo_fan said:

Neither! 😖 May 3, 1971!

Yes, I thought as much, sorry for the 79 joke.

[Bonzo_fan]

1 hour ago, Autumn Moon said:

Yes, I thought as much, sorry for the 79 joke.

Lol, it's all good...I got a kick out of it!

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 9/24/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Source Mix)

Immigrant Song- Opening vocals sounding powerful. Verses all played well. Solo- Page's phrasing builds tension and suspense as he plays fluidly throughout. 3:30. Excellent ascending power chords to end. "A+".

Heartbreaker- Fast tempo with tremendous energy. 0:50, Bonzo throwing in extra fills. Solo- pulloff and smear sections sound fantastic with explosive energy, though he skips the rockabilly phrasing. Bouree and 59th Street are played perfectly. The fast section features fluid playing and nice phrasing all the way through, not a bad note to be heard. 6:22, Plant returns with a vicious scream and the song ends with precision. Amazing performance. "A++". 

SIBLY- Solid intro. Verses sound good. 3:10, a little half-hearted delivery from Rob. Solo- Page keeps a steady flow going with almost no pauses, filling in all spaces with notes. Very good. Plant returns with a dramatic vocal. He gets a little drowned out in the mix on the ending verses. 6:39, an agonizing scream filled with emotion. Good ending. "A".

Black Dog- Again, very fast paced. 1:48, sort of a flubbed yell from Plant, but it worked. Plant's pre-solo scream is a little better. Solo- solid playing and phrasing throughout with Page shredding some trills at the end. "A".

Dazed- 1:40, some extra accentuations from Bonham. Good beginning. First workout- Jones and Bonham match Page's intensity as Plant adds some vocal improv. Bow solo is roughly five minutes. Second workout- Page's guitar cuts out momentarily on the start. 12:28, finally coming alive for a fluid run of leads. 13:40, ascending phrase played at blinding speed. 14:14, getting a little loose here. 15:24, Honky Tonk Woman riff. Excellent phrasing throughout as Plant duels vocally. 17:55, throwing in more country sounding riffs. Mars section sounds good and the climax is nailed down. Plant sings the last verses off the beat a little but it doesn't detract from the flow much. Outro played well as Page shreds with the wah pedal. A step up from the previous night performance wise but some technical issues and looseness keep it at "A-".

Stairway- Jones' organ accenting this perfectly. 0:37, Page changing up this phrase a little. 1:31, again. Not sure if he's just trying something new or getting confused. Verses sound good. Solo- Good flow and steady, slightly erratic phrasing. 7:05, a unique modal sounding phrase they may not have been intentional. Page again jumps to the ending phrase out of nowhere, showing how raw his phrasing still is for this. 8:36, some off notes on this chord. "A-".

Celebration Day- Blistering tempo. Verses sound good although the recording gets overly bass heavy and muddy. First solo- good. Outro Solo- 3:27, some nice unusual sounding pulloffs. 4:15, interesting rhythmic playing through here as Page plays this outro on the twelve string, making for some unique phrasing. "A".

That's The Way- Excellent instrumentation from all members. Solid throughout. "A".

GTC- Plant remarks on the intro that America is where you can go to buy "Beads, bells, guns, and bombs." Intro sets the mood nicely. 5:26, Plant being playful with the vocals. Very good. "A".

Tangerine- First performance. 1:20, either a tape cut or a timing flub from Page. Plant opens with the chorus. 2:29, bad chording. Sounded very loose and unrehearsed. "B".

WIAWSNB- Solid verses. Solo- 2:14, nice unique phrase. Played perfectly. "A".

WLL- An extend false intro jam before they kick it off. First verses sound good. Freak out section, solid. Solo- perfect. Boogie Chillen- starts off unusually and Plant switches up the lyrics. Page gets an excellent solo in. Rave On- takes a second for the band to follow Plant's lead. Played loosely. Page follows with some improvised riffing and Plant cues Your Time Is Gonna Come. Page shreds some nice leads as Jones and Bonham fall into a makeshift rhythm, but it's obvious this one caught them off guard. I'm A Man- very short. The Hunter- good groove on this. 17:44, Page launches into a descending/ascending run ala Dazed solo that sounds quite inarticulate. Hello Mary Lou- finally one they all know by heart. Sounds fantastic. Pretty Woman (not that one)- excellent groove on this as Page nails the melody and leads. An extended blues boogie jam follows. Plant cues up HMMT and the others transition nicely. Page gets some good lead runs in as they try to decide when to end it. 27:20, Plant challenges the crowd's vocal response with a more difficult, impressive phrase. The song comes to a close in good fashion. This medley certainly lacked the seamless flow of the previous night's, but it's undoubtedly more interesting. But I'm not rating on how interesting the setlist is and there were some loose spots here and there as they tested the limits with an unfamiliar routine. "A-".

Organ solo/Thank You- 1:12, Jones nailing the soap opera ending theme. Nothing too noteworthy as Jones noodles about. Thank You comes in nicely but the recording gets a little muffled. Verses sound great. Solo- attempting to timestamp the highlights would be moot because the whole thing is played and phrased flawlessly. One of Page's best, but he usually excels on this solo. Solid ending. "A+".

Communication Breakdown- Good start and verses. Solo- 2:53, some shred licks. Good phrasing throughout. 4:17, Plant and his schoolgirl topics. The outro seems to go on an extra few measures. Good energy on this for the close. "A".

Final Assessment- A much more consistent show overall than the previous night as the nerves seemed to have calmed and the band seemed more focused, but even with that said, the previous show was still remarkable. Also more daring than the previous night with some unique medley choices. Plant seemed desperate to get a rendition of Friends going, singing the lyrics a couple times, but Page didn't bite. Highlights are aplenty as this show is very tight throughout, save for an awkward version of Tangerine. Page's phrasing on the Thank You solo is next level. Bonham seemed to be a bit more reserved after the first few numbers, Plant sounding great throughout. A very strong showing from the group.

Edited April 15, 2021 by gibsonfan159

[Bonzo_fan]

8 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 9/24/1971 Budokan, Tokyo (Source Mix)

Immigrant Song- Opening vocals sounding powerful. Verses all played well. Solo- Page's phrasing builds tension and suspense as he plays fluidly throughout. 3:30. Excellent ascending power chords to end. "A+".

Heartbreaker- Fast tempo with tremendous energy. 0:50, Bonzo throwing in extra fills. Solo- pulloff and smear sections sound fantastic with explosive energy, though he skips the rockabilly phrasing. Bouree and 59th Street are played perfectly. The fast section features fluid playing and nice phrasing all the way through, not a bad note to be heard. 6:22, Plant returns with a vicious scream and the song ends with precision. Amazing performance. "A++". 

SIBLY- Solid intro. Verses sound good. 3:10, a little half-hearted delivery from Rob. Solo- Page keeps a steady flow going with almost no pauses, filling in all spaces with notes. Very good. Plant returns with a dramatic vocal. He gets a little drowned out in the mix on the ending verses. 6:39, an agonizing scream filled with emotion. Good ending. "A".

Black Dog- Again, very fast paced. 1:48, sort of a flubbed yell from Plant, but it worked. Plant's pre-solo scream is a little better. Solo- solid playing and phrasing throughout with Page shredding some trills at the end. "A".

Dazed- 1:40, some extra accentuations from Bonham. Good beginning. First workout- Jones and Bonham match Page's intensity as Plant adds some vocal improv. Bow solo is roughly five minutes. Second workout- Page's guitar cuts out momentarily on the start. 12:28, finally coming alive for a fluid run of leads. 13:40, ascending phrase played at blinding speed. 14:14, getting a little loose here. 15:24, Honky Tonk Woman riff. Excellent phrasing throughout as Plant duels vocally. 17:55, throwing in more country sounding riffs. Mars section sounds good and the climax is nailed down. Plant sings the last verses off the beat a little but it doesn't detract from the flow much. Outro played well as Page shreds with the wah pedal. A step up from the previous night performance wise but some technical issues and looseness keep it at "A-".

Stairway- Jones' organ accenting this perfectly. 0:37, Page changing up this phrase a little. 1:31, again. Not sure if he's just trying something new or getting confused. Verses sound good. Solo- Good flow and steady, slightly erratic phrasing. 7:05, a unique modal sounding phrase they may not have been intentional. Page again jumps to the ending phrase out of nowhere, showing how raw his phrasing still is for this. 8:36, some off notes on this chord. "A-".

Celebration Day- Blistering tempo. Verses sound good although the recording gets overly bass heavy and muddy. First solo- good. Outro Solo- 3:27, some nice unusual sounding pulloffs. 4:15, interesting rhythmic playing through here as Page plays this outro on the twelve string, making for some unique phrasing. "A".

That's The Way- Excellent instrumentation from all members. Solid throughout. "A".

GTC- Plant remarks on the intro that America is where you can go to buy "Beads, bells, guns, and bombs." Intro sets the mood nicely. 5:26, Plant being playful with the vocals. Very good. "A".

Tangerine- First performance. 1:20, either a tape cut or a timing flub from Page. Plant opens with the chorus. 2:29, bad chording. Sounded very loose and unrehearsed. "B".

WIAWSNB- Solid verses. Solo- 2:14, nice unique phrase. Played perfectly. "A".

WLL- An extend false intro jam before they kick it off. First verses sound good. Freak out section, solid. Solo- perfect. Boogie Chillen- starts off unusually and Plant switches up the lyrics. Page gets an excellent solo in. Rave On- takes a second for the band to follow Plant's lead. Played loosely. Page follows with some improvised riffing and Plant cues Your Time Is Gonna Come. Page shreds some nice leads as Jones and Bonham fall into a makeshift rhythm, but it's obvious this one caught them off guard. I'm A Man- very short. The Hunter- good groove on this. 17:44, Page launches into a descending/ascending run ala Heartbreaker solo that sounds quite inarticulate. Hello Mary Lou- finally one they all know by heart. Sounds fantastic. Pretty Woman (not that one)- excellent groove on this as Page nails the melody and leads. An extended blues boogie jam follows. Plant cues up HMMT and the others transition nicely. Page gets some good lead runs in as they try to decide when to end it. 27:20, Plant challenges the crowd's vocal response with a more difficult, impressive phrase. The song comes to a close in good fashion. This medley certainly lacked the seamless flow of the previous night's, but it's undoubtedly more interesting. But I'm not rating on how interesting the setlist is and there were some loose spots here and there as they tested the limits with an unfamiliar routine. "A-".

Organ solo/Thank You- 1:12, Jones nailing the soap opera ending theme. Nothing too noteworthy as Jones noodles about. Thank You comes in nicely but the recording gets a little muffled. Verses sound great. Solo- attempting to timestamp the highlights would be moot because the whole thing is played and phrased flawlessly. One of Page's best, but he usually excels on this solo. Solid ending. "A+".

Communication Breakdown- Good start and verses. Solo- 2:53, some shred licks. Good phrasing throughout. 4:17, Plant and his schoolgirl topics. The outro seems to go on an extra few measures. Good energy on this for the close. "A".

Final Assessment- A much more consistent show overall than the previous night as the nerves seemed to have calmed and the band seemed more focused, but even with that said, the previous show was still remarkable. Also more daring than the previous night with some unique medley choices. Plant seemed desperate to get a rendition of Friends going, singing the lyrics a couple times, but Page didn't bite. Highlights are aplenty as this show is very tight throughout, save for an awkward version of Tangerine. Page's phrasing on the Thank You solo is next level. Bonham seemed to be a bit more reserved after the first few numbers, Plant sounding great throughout. A very strong showing from the group.

Agreed, especially with respect to the WLL medley -- some very interesting selections, but a bit of an awkward flow compared to the others on the tour.

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 9/27/1971 Shiei Taikukan Hall, Hiroshima (Love And Peace- EVSD)

Third show in Japan. A good audience source spliced by inferior sources. 

Immigrant Song- A little slower but heavier tempo. Plant not sounding as strong as the previous shows and singing with less enthusiasm. Solo- starting with the usual pulloffs then getting an excellent flow going. 2:55, some off notes. 3:00-3:09, Page repeats an odd sounding phrase. 3:28, the ascending phrase to signal the end. Not the best solo. Lacking the punch of the previous shows. "B".

Heartbreaker- 0:36, Plant hesitating on some lyrics. Decent verses. Solo- pulloff section sounds good. 2:40-3:04, some fluid phrasing on the low volume section. The smear section is done nicely and not too sloppy. Bouree played well. 4:22, a little out of tune now. Page's guitar starts cutting out as the tempo picks up and it's apparent he's having trouble at 4:47. 5:40, bends sounding very off. 5:49, slight flub. 6:44, more unusual phrasing. "C+" considering the issues, and definitely compared to the first two shows.

SIBLY- 0:15, very slight flub. Very good intro. 1:22, Jim still having issues. 1:57, guitar out of tune. 3:10, excellent trill phrasing. Solo- Page makes up for the lackluster performance so far with an absolutely blazing series of runs and fluid phrasing. Plant returns with a very good scream and sounds more alive on the second half. Some technical issues aside it's a good performance. "A-".

Black Dog- 0:38, Rob's mic cutting out. Decent verses. Solo- 4:32, unique phrasing. Not a bad solo but awkwardly played. There has to be some underlying issue with his guitar as he's changed his playing up dramatically so far. "B+".

Dazed- Bonham getting some fills and rolls in on the intro. First workout- very rhythmic routine, Bow section is seven minutes. Second workout- 14:08, Page comes alive for a monstrous run. 15:12, 15:40, a speedy descending run but not the most articulate. The return ascending run sounds great. 16:40, stretching the strings to the max. 17:19, some odd sounding chords. 17:44-17:55, another familiar sounding riff. 18:37, Page flips the mood and switches to some major scales. Page keeps a steady flow going. Mars- decent. The climax and return sounds good. Page gets some excellent wah licks in before finishing. A very dynamic performance with some surprises thrown in. "A+".

Stairway- Excellent start. 3:11, a little rough on the transition. 6:58, nice fill from Bonham leading into the solo. Solo- Page hammers out some passionate chords before launching into spectacular leads. 7:49, unique phrasing. 8:13-8:20, Page playing very loosely but putting in maximum effort. 8:27, unique phrase. 9:02, almost played the ending phrase early. Far from the most articulate solo but it's redeemed ten-fold by the emotion and feel he's putting into it. Plant returns with a heavy delay on his vocals but the climax sounds good. Oh boy, how do you rate something so unrefined yet so explosive and passionately played? I'd dare call this the most energetic STH solo I've heard. I'll go with "A-". Had there been more fluid phrasing this would easily be top tier.

Celebration Day- Some choppy chords to start. Good verses with the usual energy. First solo- played well. 2:12, Jones switches up the bass line a bit. Outro solo- starts with some good noodling, returns to the main riff, and back to some fluid leads reminiscent of TSRTS outro solo. "A".

That's The Way- No flaws and played wonderfully. A very enjoyable version. "A".

GTC- Nice interplay between Jones and Page all the way through. Plant seems a little subdued overall but still delivers perfectly. Excellent version. "A".

Tangerine- Just barely a step up from the first performance and still very unconfident. "B+".

WIAWSNB- 0:51, loose playing by Page. Decent verses but Plant sounds hesitant at times. Solo- Page seems to barely hang on for this one. The Japanese crowd always starts clapping for this one. Very rough. "B".

WLL- A little warm-up improv before they get started. The band launches into a nice blues jam before reaching the theremin section. 5:30, Page comes out of the freak out section with some blazing leads and nails down a perfect solo. Boogie Chillen- good verses. Solo- the usual good phrasing. 10:51, the band hitting on all cylinders. Nine Times Out Of Ten- a little loose but good. Be Bop A Lula- sounds a little odd within a heavy rock format, Page gets some good phrasing down on the solo. The return sounds good. Not the most impressive medley, but not bad. "A-".

Communication Breakdown- Opens with an improvised rhythmic jam. Plant disappears on the chorus. 2:25, Plant scolds the crowd for climbing on the stage. 3:22, launching into the solo like they never stopped. 5:20, back to a rhythmic jam. 6:20, Page launches another fluid solo before jumping to the ending. "B+".

Final Assessment- Although vastly considered the worst of the run, it's still not a bad showing. A slow warm up and equipment problems plague the first half. Neither Page or Plant seem to be performing as confidently as before. Dazed is a highlight and Stairway is very close to being phenomenal. Overall a major step down from the first two shows in Japan.

Edited April 25, 2021 by gibsonfan159

[Bonzo_fan]

10 hours ago, gibsonfan159 said:

Nitpicking Page 9/27/1971 Shiei Taikukan Hall, Hiroshima (Love And Peace- EVSD)

Third show in Japan. A good audience source spliced by inferior sources. 

Immigrant Song- A little slower but heavier tempo. Plant not sounding as strong as the previous shows and singing with less enthusiasm. Solo- starting with the usual pulloffs then getting an excellent flow going. 2:55, some off notes. 3:00-3:09, Page repeats an odd sounding phrase. 3:28, the ascending phrase to signal the end. Not the best solo. Lacking the punch of the previous shows. "B".

Heartbreaker- 0:36, Plant hesitating on some lyrics. Decent verses. Solo- pulloff section sounds good. 2:40-3:04, some fluid phrasing on the low volume section. The smear section is done nicely and not too sloppy. Bouree played well. 4:22, a little out of tune now. Page's guitar starts cutting out as the tempo picks up and it's apparent he's having trouble at 4:47. 5:40, bends sounding very off. 5:49, slight flub. 6:44, more unusual phrasing. "C+" considering the issues, and definitely compared to the first two shows.

SIBLY- 0:15, very slight flub. Very good intro. 1:22, Jim still having issues. 1:57, guitar out of tune. 3:10, excellent trill phrasing. Solo- Page makes up for the lackluster performance so far with an absolutely blazing series of runs and fluid phrasing. Plant returns with a very good scream and sounds more alive on the second half. Some technical issues aside it's a good performance. "A-".

Black Dog- 0:38, Rob's mic cutting out. Decent verses. Solo- 4:32, unique phrasing. Not a bad solo but awkwardly played. There has to be some underlying issue with his guitar as he's changed his playing up dramatically so far. "B+".

Dazed- Bonham getting some fills and rolls in on the intro. First workout- very rhythmic routine, Bow section is seven minutes. Second workout- 14:08, Page comes alive for a monstrous run. 15:12, 15:40, a speedy descending run but not the most articulate. The return ascending run sounds great. 16:40, stretching the strings to the max. 17:19, some odd sounding chords. 17:44-17:55, another familiar sounding riff. 18:37, Page flips the mood and switches to some major scales. Page keeps a steady flow going. Mars- decent. The climax and return sounds good. Page gets some excellent wah licks in before finishing. A very dynamic performance with some surprises thrown in. "A+".

Stairway- Excellent start. 3:11, a little rough on the transition. 6:58, nice fill from Bonham leading into the solo. Solo- Page hammers out some passionate chords before launching into spectacular leads. 7:49, unique phrasing. 8:13-8:20, Page playing very loosely but putting in maximum effort. 8:27, unique phrase. 9:02, almost played the ending phrase early. Far from the most articulate solo but it's redeemed ten-fold by the emotion and feel he's putting into it. Plant returns with a heavy delay on his vocals but the climax sounds good. Oh boy, how do you rate something so unrefined yet so explosive and passionately played? I'd dare call this the most energetic STH solo I've heard. I'll go with "A-". Had there been more fluid phrasing this would easily be top tier.

Celebration Day- Some choppy chords to start. Good verses with the usual energy. First solo- played well. 2:12, Jones switches up the bass line a bit. Outro solo- starts with some good noodling, returns to the main riff, and back to some fluid leads reminiscent of TSRTS outro solo. "A".

That's The Way- No flaws and played wonderfully. A very enjoyable version. "A".

GTC- Nice interplay between Jones and Page all the way through. Plant seems a little subdued overall but still delivers perfectly. Excellent version. "A".

Tangerine- Just barely a step up from the first performance and still very unconfident. "B+".

WIAWSNB- 0:51, loose playing by Page. Decent verses but Plant sounds hesitant at times. Solo- Page seems to barely hang on for this one. The Japanese crowd always starts clapping for this one. Very rough. "B".

WLL- A little warm-up improv before they get started. The band launches into a nice blues jam before reaching the theremin section. 5:30, Page comes out of the freak out section with some blazing leads and nails down a perfect solo. Boogie Chillen- good verses. Solo- the usual good phrasing. 10:51, the band hitting on all cylinders. Nine Times Out Of Ten- a little loose but good. Be Bop A Lula- sounds a little odd within a heavy rock format, Page gets some good phrasing down on the solo. The return sounds good. Not the most impressive medley, but not bad. "A-".

Communication Breakdown- Opens with an improvised rhythmic jam. Plant disappears on the chorus. 2:25, Plant scolds the crowd for climbing on the stage. 3:22, launching into the solo like they never stopped. 5:20, back to a rhythmic jam. 6:20, Page launches another fluid solo before jumping to the ending. "B+".

Final Assessment- Although vastly considered the worst of the run, it's still not a bad showing. A slow warm up and equipment problems plague the first half. Neither Page or Plant seem to be performing as confidently as before. Dazed is a highlight and Stairway is very close to being phenomenal. Overall a major step down from the first two shows in Japan.

Agreed.  Dazed is definitely a highlight -- better than both Tokyo versions, but not as good as either Osaka version.

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 9/28/1971 Osaka, Japan (Please Please Me- EVSD)

The fourth show in the run. This starts as a boomy audience source and switches to the soundboard.

Immigrant Song- Rob sounding good on the opening notes. Frantic tempo and energetic vibe. Solo- opening pull-offs sound good. 2:42, Page launches into some speedy, alternating phrases. 3:32, the ascending riff. Strong performance. "A".

Heartbreaker- Thundering intro and verses. Solo- Pull-offs sound good. The audience claps along to the rockabilly section. Skipping Bouree this time. The smear section is as nasty as it gets, with Page hitting each note with extra emphasis with just the right amount of grit. The soundboard takes over from here. 6:10, excellent phrasing from here on. 6:51, throwing in some more rockabilly phrasing. 7:47, getting some unique raunchy licks in. Bonham's fills on the return verses are phenomenal. "A+". ("Tonight you will be happy") We've got a lot of show to go, Rob.

SIBLY- Good intro and Plant opens with some soulful vocals. Solid verses. Solo- Blazing runs off the bat. Page chokes a few notes on the second set of phrases. 4:19-4:31, on fire through here. 6:22, amazing energy. 6:31, Plant cracks just a bit. Energy wise this is off the charts, "A+++". But on a technical analysis? "A-" considering a couple small flubs. Very entertaining version.

Black Dog- Sounds like "Make me groove" on the opening lyrics. Vicious tempo and energy. Very solid verses. Solo- Page's bends are as good as they get. 5:04, slight flub which he recovers well from. Nothing too speedy but Page is nailing the phrasing and bends. Very hard hitting solo. "A".

Dazed- 1:20, some nice fills by Bonham. 4:09, tremendous energy. First workout- 4:35, interesting phrasing played a little loosely. 5:04, Page and Bonham battling. 5:36, some heavy improv riffs. 6:15, Bonzo matching Page's intensity. Bow section is right under eight minutes. Second workout- Page gets a good flow going. 17:05, some bad articulation. 17:29-17:43, some unique bends. 17:45-17:55, very sloppy here. 18:10, chokes a couple notes. 19:22, this sounds like the spot that would eventually turn into The Crunge. Good noodling by Page throughout from here. Mars section is developing a little more as Bonzo adds some accents to the riffs. The climax and return sound good. 26:28, excellent wah leads with Bonham playing dynamically as they extend the outro. Undoubtedly a very entertaining version but not quite the most technically precise on Page's part. "B+".

Stairway- Page playing the transitions much smoother than the last shows. 4:13, Plant feeling good. Excellent verses. Solo- Very good start. 7:03, off note. 7:35-7:39, this phrase is getting repeated a bit much throughout. 7:51, sloppy chording. 7:55, repeated phrase again. 8:06, off sounding bends. 8:25, this jump to the final phrase never flows perfectly, but it sounds especially odd here. Page plays with passion but his fingers just don't cooperate this time. The climax and ending is good. A sticky solo brings it to a "B".

Please Please Me (Vocal ad lib)- Plant attacks the crowd's honor because they're too quiet. Quite a contrast to all the times he chastises the crowd for being too loud and rowdy. Can one even Please Please Bob? No Rating.

From Me To You (Partial)- Plant cues another and the band follow suit nicely, with Page nailing some excellent rock riffs and Plant belting some powerful vocals. Shamefully they cut it short. 

Celebration Day- Not the smoothest intro but not bad. Good energy. First solo- good. Outro solo- 2:30, Page drops out for a second. 2:58-3:07, a bit sloppy. 3:16, a tad sticky. The groove on this outro is amazing but it's not Page's finest moment technically. "B+".

BYAS- First true attempt. Speedy intro and tempo. The mandolin sounding overly twangy in the mix, almost like a banjo. Either someone is helping out on bass here or Jones is using a foot pedal. The breakdown is done well but they end it right after. Loose, but lively first version. "A-".

That's The Way- A slower tempo than usual. 4:47, one of the best vocal phrases I've heard from Plant. The outro picks up with Plant ad libbing nicely. Just tremendous playing all the way through with Plant sounding phenomenal. "A+".

GTC- Relaxed tempo. 6:30, beautiful interplay between guitar and mandolin. A sleepy version but played well. "A". ((9:08, Page tunes up the twelve string and does a short take on a folk number).

We Shall Overcome (Partial)- Does Plant sing "Phil sucks" in regard to Phil Carson?

Tangerine- Despite all the tuning up the twelve string is still a little off. This second full version sounds much better. Pretty solid overall. "A".

Down By The Riverside- 0:39, some guest vocals. Solid rendition. "A". (The band does a "Grand Ole Opry" mock performance afterwards)

WIAWSNB- Energetic tempo and good verses. Solo- a little loose but still good. 3:11, minor flub. 4:06, excellent playing on the outro and Page plays the closing phrases perfectly. "A-".

WLL- Back to the audience source. Good start. Freak out section sounds good. 5:00-5:15, not Page's best soloing but solid enough. The return solo is played well. Boogie Chillen- flawless soloing by Page throughout. D In Love- still sounding excellent. Bachelor Boy- Page's guitar accompaniment is done well on this odd number. Down The Road A Piece- Plant a little loose with the lyrics. Decent soloing by Page. Maybelline- keeping the same rhythm for this but Plant gets the lyrics in this time. More solid soloing. Hello Mary Lou- very good and Page nails the leads. Be Bop A Lula- 21:30, Page getting some raunchy leads in. Say Mama- You won't believe this, but more good soloing from Page. Lawdy Miss Clawdy- solid. You Shook Me- good start. Solo- getting some nice runs in. 31:52, Page leaving the planet. 32:55, some of the fastest soloing I've heard by Jim. The return is good as they finally put this monster to bed. I'd honestly put this up against any other medley. "A++".

C'mon Everybody- nice tempo and energy. Page stomps the wah pedal for a solid solo. "A". (Plant mentions the guest musicians- Clive Coulson, Phil Carson, and a third person, sounding like Tommy.)

High Heeled Sneakers- Some excellent piano work I'm assuming done by Jones. Page comes in for a blistering solo. Very Good. "A".

Communication Breakdown- The usual energy. Solo- no wah pedal here as Page shreds wildly. 3:15, similar to the Boogie Chillen solo phrase. Another short round of medleys before they close it out. "A".

Final Assessment- Well well well, what a roller coaster ride. The energy, confidence, and performance all come together quite well for this marathon show. It's not perfect by a long shot though. Page is exceptional through most of it but gets off track in a few spots. The Stairway solo is surprisingly lackluster from a technical perspective and Dazed has a few iffy spots as well. Plant and the rest of the band are near perfect however and are obviously enjoying themselves. The acoustic set is once again experimental and "tight but loose". WLL is next level and it's a crying shame it wasn't captured on the soundboard. 

[William Austin]

I agree that the Stairway solo was a mixed bag. Page certainly brings the emotion, banging out perhaps the longest solo thus far for the song. But he starts to lose steam towards the second half and noticeably jumps the gun to the ending. Had he ended about 20-30 seconds sooner, it probably would have sounded better overall.

Black Dog however has Page at his very best, IMO. That solo is hands down my favorite for this song. Just as you think he may be wrapping it up, he keeps on going with the fluidity and phrasing always on point. Plant also pulls off his best vocals of the tour for the song (at least in which also sings all of the correct lyrics). A definitive live version you might say... but this is one song in which they never bettered the studio version on stage. That opening track was the most sexually-laced, 5 minute ball of swagger that has ever graced Rock and Roll music!

Dazed is very tight but loose, with the outro being the highlight; the only section that was definitely performed better than the next night (and pretty much every other night they played this song lol).

Both nights in Osaka produce the finest acoustic sets ever. This night has a better first half. BYAS may not be the most technically best, but the energy and enthusiasm make up for it. Merging seamlessly into one of the more definitive versions of That's The Way. The only flaw is Plant fumbling the first verse, but 5 seconds later you don't even care because Jones bangs out the most beautiful mandolin licks I've ever heard him play on this song. Plant ends up delivering his finest vocal performance for the song. Going To California is another definitive version. Fantastic phrasing from Page and Jones with Plant again delivering a most excellent performance.

A photo from this concert shows Bonham sitting in Jones seat with a tambourine during the acoustic set. This is most certainly during Down By The Riverside while Jones was on organ. It sounds like Bonham and Page are both singing backup. Page sings harmony vocals during Tangerine for the only time that I'm aware of. I wonder why he didn't do this more often; it's one of their only songs in which he wrote the lyrics instead of Plant. Also, is Page playing with a 12-string on Tangerine? I was under the impression that didn't start until the next tour. 

[gibsonfan159]

13 minutes ago, William Austin said:

Also, is Page playing with a 12-string on Tangerine? I was under the impression that didn't start until the next tour. 

I'm 99% certain that's a twelve.

[BobDobbs]

1 hour ago, William Austin said:

It sounds like Bonham and Page are both singing backup. Page sings harmony vocals during Tangerine for the only time that I'm aware of. I wonder why he didn't do this more often; it's one of their only songs in which he wrote the lyrics instead of Plant. Also, is Page playing with a 12-string on Tangerine? I was under the impression that didn't start until the next tour. 

You and I both as Page had a decent singing voice, especially compared to Jones. Page had a decent singing voice, decent enough for harmony back-up. Bonzo had an excellent singing voice IMO. From what I have heard he had a nice range kinda similar to Roger Taylor (Queen). Never understood why Page & Bonzo did not sing harmony live (Bonzo did for The Ocean), and why Plant never played 2nd guitar (rhythm) live when they so desperately needed a second guitarist, especially from 75' on when the complexity and layering of the songs required at the very least a 2nd guitar player.

Edited May 10, 2021 by BobDobbs

[Autumn Moon]

3 hours ago, William Austin said:

Page sings harmony vocals during Tangerine for the only time that I'm aware of.

I don´t think so, just listen attentively to Tangerine of the second night in Osaka. With the recordings we know so far, it is very hard to detect his harmony vocals. But it´s there, albeit very quiet. He sings in a higher register than the day before, very beautiful to my ears.

 

2 hours ago, BobDobbs said:

You and I both as Page had a decent singing voice, especially compared to Jones. Page had a decent singing voice, decent enough for harmony back-up. Bonzo had an excellent singing voice IMO. From what I have heard he had a nice range kinda similar to Roger Taylor (Queen). Never understood why Page & Bonzo did not sing harmony live (Bonzo did for The Ocean), and why Plant never played 2nd guitar (rhythm) live when they so desperately needed a second guitarist, especially from 75' on when the complexity and layering of the songs required at the very least a 2nd guitar player.

Totally agree with your opinion that Page & Bonham should have used their singing talents more often. Especially Bonzo, who had a strong and beautiful singing voice. 

Strongly disagree with your thoughts on Plant playing rhythm guitar. I don´t think that Plant (at any age/with LZ) would have been capable of playing the second guitar.

In my humble opinion they came to the right decision to remain a quartet.

[Cosmic_Equilibrium]

9/28 has to be the best rendition of GTC ever I think.

[bluecongo]

The Black Dog solo 9/28 is just outrageously good, possibly the best ever 

[gibsonfan159]

17 hours ago, bluecongo said:

The Black Dog solo 9/28 is just outrageously good, possibly the best ever 

I might go with one of the Aussie shows for that.

[gibsonfan159]

Nitpicking Page 9/29/1971 Osaka, Japan (Kutabare Moonchild- Winston Remaster)

The final show of the five night run. This is mainly a remastered SBD with patched audience sources. 

Immigrant Song- Plant struggling just a bit on the opening wails. 0:59, the second set of viking wails sound very scratchy, not recommended for a proper invasion. Solo- some hesitant phrases before launching. Page not quite finding his flow here but it's a decent routine. The wah pedal comes in but the phrasing is still basic, until 3:58 where he finally takes off for some inspired runs. Fairly lackluster by 1971 standards. "B".

Heartbreaker- Nice textbook start with a slightly better sounding Rob. 1:42, Page's pre solo solo is executed nicely. 3:02, nimble fingers. Rockabilly jam played flawlessly. Smear section is as raunchy as it needs to be. 59th St and Bouree played well. Page kicks off the official solo in an elegant manner. 6:47, just a hair sticky. Solid solo. Ending is decent for an overall good version. "A".

SIBLY- Solid intro. Verses sounding decent. Solo- Page enters with some hesitant but emotional phrasing before knocking some aggressive, passionate phrases out of the park. Very well structured solo. Last verses are good for a very solid version, despite a reserved Plant. "A".

Black Dog- Strong start but Jimmy gets off track a bit at 0:47. Plant isn't very strong on the verses but he manages well enough. Solo- the usual runs and phrases to start. 4:00, nimble runs. 4:22, perfect bends. 4:26-5:02, may be the best playing, both articulation and phrasing, I've heard for this song. A bad flub and weak Plant hold this to a "B", but that solo was something else. (Plant- "A common complaint  in Osaka, rice in hair." You can hear who I believe is Bonham snicker, probably realizing how offensive that quirk was.)

Dazed- Sounding like a good start. First workout- Page starts with some unique phrasing similar to the previous night. 5:16, a nice heavy riff with Jones and Bonham following suit, Page playing some blazing leads. Bow section- close to nine minutes. Second workout- Page apparently having trouble turning off the wah effect before launching. 16:23, solid runs to start as Page gets going with nimble fingers. 17:05, bad phrasing here but he gets back on track. 18:03, not the best he's played that ascending run. 18:46, not much better. 19:30, Bonham puts down the Honky Tonk Women beat. 20:26, Page coming alive more with aggressive bends. The funk jam is short but sweet. 22:11, Pennies From Heaven sounding wonderful with some more funky chording from Jim. Mars- Page plays the riff while Jones and Bonham stay on their respective path. Climax is good as they bring it back around. 28:20, Bonham having some fun. Outro jam sounds strong as the source switches to an audience recording. Not the most technically precise performance on Page's part but the dynamics here are exceptional as the jams are developing and maturing. "B+".

Stairway- Verses solid throughout although Plant's vocals are subdued. Solo- Page starts by playing two measures of rhythm. Solid playing to start as Page leaves no breathing room between phrases. 8:00, Bonham switching up the beat throughout. The final phrases are played well to end a steady set of leads, though a lot of it sounded run of the mill. Plant comes back in pushing his vocals but sounding decent. A fairly solid, though routine version. "A".

Celebration Day- Page pauses a couple times on the intro riff, a little slow to get going. Bonham's drums dominating the mix on this source. Verses sound good enough and the first solo is played well. Second solo- good flow and phrasing throughout. 3:25, Bonham playing half time beats. Excellent soloing from Page considering this is played on the twelve string, like a Song Remains The Same solo on steroids. "A-".

That's The Way- Preceded by Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. Very relaxed tempo. 1:43, Jones' first mandolin break has some off notes. 3:10, source switch to fill a gap. Not bad but a bit sleepy. Jones was loud and clear on this recording and it's honestly not the best I've heard him play. "B". (Jones also tries the Rudolph phrase on mandolin).

GTC- Page starting off with the verse chords before switching and Jones throwing in a wonderful improv mandolin solo before the verses come in. 3:17, Page almost goes back into the verse but it's extended another round. 5:30, source switch for this extended mandolin section, played nicely. Plant was rather subdued vocally but it doesn't necessarily detract from the mood too much. Staying consistent with another solid version, "A". (Mr. Bonham seems to have disappeared while they were playing and a voice states "He refuses to come".)

Tangerine- Vocals up front in the recording. Solid throughout. "A". (Plant can be heard scolding Bonzo, "Where were you man?")

Friends- Mr. Bonham reappears to join this unique performance. The only live version, played near perfectly. "A-". (I believe Bonham accuses the crowd of being too noisy). *following the input of Duckman I changed this from an "A+" to "A-".

WIAWSNB-  A restless tempo and energy on this one. Solo- takes Jim a few seconds to get going and he's not playing very precisely. The outro is solid enough for an energetic, though not perfect version. "A-".

WLL- Jimmy with some groovy riffing and lead work to kick it off. Vocals are way down in the mix as the sources jump around. Good verses and Jim gets some raunchy noodling in before the theremin section. 4:53, some improvised jamming but Jim has trouble finding the right chords. Solo- excellent. Return is good before turning to the medley. Boogie Chillen- 8:16, some unique riffing by Jimmy. 10:00, flawless soloing by Page. 10:50, making that note work. I Gotta Know- played perfectly, and heavily at that. 12:48, another well played set of leads. Twist And Shout- 15:05, Jim struggling with these chords a bit but knocks down an awesome solo afterwards. Fortune Teller- Robert a little vague with the lyrics but instrumentally amazing with another tremendous solo. Good Times Bad Times- A perfect start is marred by Robert coming in out of time with the first verse, then Jimmy flubs some chords on the chorus. Jim does however get an excellent solo in before leading into a funk jam, featuring some powerful wah work. You Shook Me- verses sounding great. Solo- Jim once again just tearing it apart. The return sounds good with Bonzo going nuts. So close to perfection, but alas, those few significant flubs keep it from being there. "B+", but still a must listen.

Communication Breakdown- The usual energetic start. Solo- sounding flawless as he works the wah pedal. 3:00, the extended solo has Jimmy repeating a lot of phrases but he keeps it going smoothly. The "Just A Little Bit" jam sounds good. 6:28-6:58, Jim playing the raunchiest of phrases. 7:35, everyone jumping to the ending in perfect syncopation. A must hear version. "A+".

Thank You- Solid verses. Bonham with some big drum fills before the solo starts. Solo- sounding good throughout though he's not quite as energetic as I've heard him before. 3:37, more awesomeness from Bonzo. 4:46, bad chording. 5:55-5:60, chord clashing between Jim and the organ on the outro. Maybe not the most impressive performance, but fairly solid with a couple flubs. "B+".

Rock And Roll- 0:56, Plant straining a bit. Solo- extra sloppy to start but not necessarily in a bad way. 2:09, choking some notes. The energy was there at least. "B" for 1971. 

 Final Assessment- Plant is undeniably a couple notches lower on this show. Not saying that's bad since it's still 1971 Plant, but then again it's 1971 Plant and we're used to siren wails and lots of energy on vocals. Instrumentally the band is impressive in some areas but falters in others. The Black Dog solo is shredtastic whereas the Dazed ones are pretty loose. I think Friends is the standout track as it's very rare we hear the boys perform something perfectly for the first time. The WLL medley is nothing to shake a stick at despite some flubs. Still a legendary show with an awesome setlist.

Edited December 6, 2021 by gibsonfan159

[duckman]

Ouch ...my all time favorite show gets the Gibsonfan assessment. Never mind, with all the B's, I'll take this over any 73 or 75 shows. 😛

There's one song however (which I love, )but is far from perfect; 'Friends'. Jonesy gets lost  on his fretless P bass and Page (especially on the SB) sounds not entirely  in tune. Still not bad for a 'one-off' performance.