Tuscaloosa, AL 1973 (New Photographs)

[sam_webmaster]

Here's a new set of amateur photos, taken by a teen-aged Kevin Glackmeyer in Tuscaloosa, AL 1973. Thanks to his son Patrick for scanning and sharing them with us.

https://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/memorial-coliseum-u-al-may-10-1973

 

 

[SteveZ98]

Cool pics. Thanks for posting them, Sam. This always seemed like the strangest date on the '73 tour. Tuscaloosa wasn't close to being the biggest city in Alabama in the 1970s and the tour was stopping in Mobile a few days later. I'm guessing the locals did a double take when they heard Led Zeppelin was coming to their town. Lucky bastards.

[The Only Way To Fly]

Just checked the Timeline on this gig. Only 4 dates into their monster tour of the US. Great photos! 

[greengrass]

I saw them  13 days later in Albuquerque. That was my 1st time seeing Led Zeppelin . Great show , ill never forget it. Awesome pics Sam.

[badgeholder]

That first shot is fantastic. Must have worked his way up there at some point. Great pics

[Patrick Glackmeyer]

Thanks so much for sharing these! 

[JohnOsbourne]

Very cool, thanks.  Odd-looking stage floor.

[Chris N]

My ticket for this T-town show cost $5.  Makes it tough to pay ridiculous prices to see lesser bands today. Best concert I ever attended and I’ve been to hundreds. We were so wired afterwards we told our friends to drive back to Montgomery without us. We wandered Tuscaloosa all night and hitched a ride home the next day. 
 

Thank you to Patrick for sharing your dad’s shots. 
 

Chris Noftz

[ohjimmy]

Thank you so much for these new pics,Sam. I can’t get enough of seeing Zeppelin pictures. Cheers

[John M]

excellent photos.  Thanks for sharing.  I don't think I have ever seen a stage floor like that in a Zep concert photo.

[Sticks of Fire]

10 hours ago, John M said:

excellent photos.  Thanks for sharing.  I don't think I have ever seen a stage floor like that in a Zep concert photo.

I noticed that as well.   Interesting…

[redvinyl]

Amazing!!!

[jabe]

On 3/26/2023 at 9:09 AM, SteveZ98 said:

Cool pics. Thanks for posting them, Sam. This always seemed like the strangest date on the '73 tour. Tuscaloosa wasn't close to being the biggest city in Alabama in the 1970s and the tour was stopping in Mobile a few days later. I'm guessing the locals did a double take when they heard Led Zeppelin was coming to their town. Lucky bastards.

Pure speculation on my part, but Tuscaloosa's Coleman Coliseum was probabaly the largest indoor arena in Alabama in 1973.
Birmingham's largest indoor arena was Municipal ( now Boutwell) Auditortium. 
Right in the thick of downtown Birmingham this antiquated schlunker accommodated 5000-6000 people.
I experienced the likes of the Monkees, Badfinger, Skynard, Gregg Allman, Yes, Grateful Dead, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull (front row)
Springsteen, Sting, Velvet Revolver, Joe Cocker, Robin Trower, Golden Earring, Buckingham Nicks ( their last performance as BN), and others......

Tuscaloosa, a short drive from Birmingham.
By 1977, Birmingham had constructed an arena to house 16-18 thousand. 
May 18, 1977, Led Zeppelin christened the new coliseum.

[JohnOsbourne]

20 hours ago, jabe said:

Pure speculation on my part, but Tuscaloosa's Coleman Coliseum was probabaly the largest indoor arena in Alabama in 1973.
Birmingham's largest indoor arena was Municipal ( now Boutwell) Auditortium. 
Right in the thick of downtown Birmingham this antiquated schlunker accommodated 5000-6000 people.
I experienced the likes of the Monkees, Badfinger, Skynard, Gregg Allman, Yes, Grateful Dead, Queen, Thin Lizzy, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull (front row)
Springsteen, Sting, Velvet Revolver, Joe Cocker, Robin Trower, Golden Earring, Buckingham Nicks ( their last performance as BN), and others......

Tuscaloosa, a short drive from Birmingham.
By 1977, Birmingham had constructed an arena to house 16-18 thousand. 
May 18, 1977, Led Zeppelin christened the new coliseum.

Thanks for the info.  We drive through Mobile a few times a year, it seems nice but not exactly a huge town, curious why Zep did a show there?

[1975NQ]

Kevin, Patrick - thank you for sharing! These are great.

[jabe]

13 hours ago, JohnOsbourne said:

Thanks for the info.  We drive through Mobile a few times a year, it seems nice but not exactly a huge town, curious why Zep did a show there?

I have no clue and I've wondered the same.
Interior photos I've seen of the Saenger Theatre in Mobile remind me of the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham,
where I saw Plant and the SSS perform 08/2012. Their second concert.
I would venture a 1973 Led Zeppelin intimate gathering at the Saenger in Mobile consisted of 3500-4000 people or less.
Surely the demand for tickets was huge.

Could possibly be a sleuth meister Jones Mystery to be investigated,

(I stand corrected. In 1973 Led Zeppelin performed in Mobile's Municipal Auditorium which holds around 10,000 people)

[Wolfman]

I graduated from Alabama in 1994. Everytime I was in that arena, all I could think about is how Zeppelin played there. So wish a boot would come out. Roll Tide!

[Sheppard]

Mobile actually got a lot of bands in the 70’s.  The Stones played there in 72 and I know the Who played in Tuscaloosa in 71.  It is interesting though that I used to go to Tuscaloosa for work back when I lived in Atlanta and I would always think about Zeppelin playing there. 

[The Only Way To Fly]

On 3/29/2023 at 8:48 PM, Wolfman said:

I graduated from Alabama in 1994. Everytime I was in that arena, all I could think about is how Zeppelin played there.

Funny I would think the same thing when I was at the Chicago Stadium or the LA Forum. Picturing the four of them at one end of the arena. Shame it all had to end in 1980 the way it did. 

[Topotom]

I was at this concert, upper level, about the same angle as the fifth photo.  I was a sophomore at W.A. Berry (Now Hoover) High School in Birmingham.  I got tickets for $5 each.  My brother, who was home from college, and I drove down on Thursday afternoon after I got home from school.  He was a big Zeppelin fan at the time, I was just getting into them.   As much as I remember, it was a great concert.  I was impressed by Page's double necked guitar and completely blown away when he played the guitar with a violin bow.   I don't remember much of the set except for  Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love and, of course Stairway to Heaven.  By the way, I also remember that you could get gas in Tuscaloosa at that time for about 28 cents a gallon.

[Wolfman]

16 hours ago, Topotom said:

I was at this concert, upper level, about the same angle as the fifth photo.  I was a sophomore at W.A. Berry (Now Hoover) High School in Birmingham.  I got tickets for $5 each.  My brother, who was home from college, and I drove down on Thursday afternoon after I got home from school.  He was a big Zeppelin fan at the time, I was just getting into them.   As much as I remember, it was a great concert.  I was impressed by Page's double necked guitar and completely blown away when he played the guitar with a violin bow.   I don't remember much of the set except for  Rock and Roll, Whole Lotta Love and, of course Stairway to Heaven.  By the way, I also remember that you could get gas in Tuscaloosa at that time for about 28 cents a gallon.

That's awesome brother. RTR!!!