SteveAJones Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Translated from German into English, two concert attendees recall their experience: More than 30 years gone it's quite hard to remember every single detail but i'll do my best to recall what it was like at the Gruga-Halle in 1973. I was 15 and attended quite a lot of concerts at the time so it's difficult to distinguish from one event to another, notably there was involved quite a lot of beer back then. The Led Zeppelin concert took place at the Essen Gruga-Halle. I saw a couple of gigs there before and lucky me, thanks to a good connection, I managed to get a job as a security guard for the T.Rex gig (Feb 16, 1973). I even had the opportunity to speak to Marc Bolan, helping him in his quest to locate the restroom. Anyway, as a guard I was able to listen to the entire T.Rex concert directly from onstage. I was of course looking forward to the Zeppelin gig on March 22, in good faith thinking I would be watching from onstage again! But unfortunately, Zeppelin brought their own security so I not only did I have to buy a ticket but also watch the concert from the floor. If i remember correctly, the Gruga-Halle was allowed for a 8.000 capacity but at least 10.000 came to see Led Zeppelin that night. Unlike other concerts I'd seen in Essen, the Zeppelin audience had sort of a rowdyish, menacing spirit. There was really an aggressive prevailing mood inside the venue and before Zeppelin hit the stage I watched several brawls here and there. This was also the first concert at the Gruga-Halle where the audience was zoned away from the stage by a metal fence, leaving a path between the actual audience and the stage, guarded by Zeppelin's security men. My position in the crowd was right in front of the fence and directly below one of their giant PA towers. It was different to other concerts...indescribably loud. Just so extremely loud. I remember an Essen newspaper reporting the next day, Zep was the loudest band ever to play the Gruga-Halle. 128 DB measured. As a consequence i felt numb for an entire week but to be honest, I didn't worry. It was just so great, so unbelieveable! I remember the audience continously moved towards the stage and i was squeezed against the metal fence, I was really afraid of them breaking my ribs! Plus some had a funny habit of throwing beercans, bottles and *still glowing* cigarettes. in the end I was quite happy I was able to leave without being seriously injured. Unfortunately I can't recall any details about particular songs they played that night, there's just the overall impression left you understand. It was damn good and they played damn long! There was -of course- no support band. Actually, there wasn't anything spectacular about the stage as they played, just the sheer power of their music. With the help of a friend who belonged to the Gruga-Halle staff, I was able to get Bonzo's drumsticks! And what did I do? I passed them on to some girl. Oh dumb me. I shouldn't think about it! That's it from what I recall; I was quite young then. ZEP FOREVER. W. M. (LedWolf). ----------------------------- E. J., who taped the concert onto two BASF C120 cassettes on his SABA tape recorder, remembers: Thursday, March 22nd 1973. Springtime in Germany. Only a couple of minutes past 8 pm, at the Gruga-Halle, Essen. Almost suddenly the house lights go down, the audience cheers, full of anticipation. Flashlights all over, and in the twinkling of an eye, barely visible on the stage border, a tall shape with long blonde curled long hair, standing in the shadow. Seconds later Bonzo's opening Rock & Roll drumsolo and when Jimmy Page kicks in, the lights go up and there's no more doubt, here they are in person right in front of us: Led Zeppelin! I was 16 and had just left school. For me and my schoolmate, Zeppelin was the second-ever Top-band we saw. Previously, in 1972, we already attended Deep Purple's concert on december 2nd. Well I was young and careless so i brought to the venue my portable SABA tape recorder and an external mono mic, although Iwas well aware of Peter Grant and his 'love' for tapers ;-) Honestly, I was quite envious of the fellows who had an UHER Report Stereo recorder (top-notch back then), but of course i couldn't afford such equipment at the time. Unfortunately, when I was about to flip the tape after 60 minutes, I found out the recorder had eaten the BASF C120 cassette! Can you imagine how I felt? I continued recording onto a new tape but of course I had lost approx. 30 mins. of the middle part of the concert. Shortly after, still in spring 1973, I got myself an UHER Royal Deluxe reel recorder and made the 1st generation backup reel that still exists today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsj Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 a friend of mine who was a world traveller in the early to mid 70s told me he saw zeppelin in germany, even though he wasnt really a fan of the band. he thought it was 74 but obviously that wasnt right so we went through his travels and got it pinned more accurately to 73 his main memory of the concert was one of trouble and 'bad vibes' in the audience and a punishing volume level that didnt help to plactate matters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted November 25, 2007 Author Share Posted November 25, 2007 a friend of mine who was a world traveller in the early to mid 70s told me he saw zeppelin in germany, even though he wasnt really a fan of the band. he thought it was 74 but obviously that wasnt right so we went through his travels and got it pinned more accurately to 73 his main memory of the concert was one of trouble and 'bad vibes' in the audience and a punishing volume level that didnt help to plactate matters Could very well have been this show. If he can recall the city or region of the country that would obviously help to narrow down to the actual date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoneFishing Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 Could very well have been this show. If he can recall the city or region of the country that would obviously help to narrow down to the actual date. Great story but makes me remember enough from sold out concerts in the 80's and I'm too old for that stuff much rather see em as individuals in smaller venues or outside , let the youngins up front to mosh away .......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsj Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 i'll try to get some more details from him as to what city he was in. i know he's a bit hazy on it, as he was intially adamant it was 74, and he was smuggling some stuff back from iran at the time, which probably doesn't help his memory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom kid Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 i'll try to get some more details from him as to what city he was in. i know he's a bit hazy on it, as he was intially adamant it was 74, and he was smuggling some stuff back from iran at the time, which probably doesn't help his memory Smuggling some stuff back from Iran? What was he, a drug runner? hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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