NEWSFLASHBACK: Led Zeppelin Salt Lake City Mar 26 1970

[SteveAJones]

From the Salt Lake Tribune Friday, March 27, 1970

GROUP'S NOTHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT

by George Raine

Tribune Staff Writer

The following notes on Thursday night's Led Zeppelin concert in the Salt Palace Arena will spell what artists know as a "lukewarm" review - a review not particularly meant either to acclaim or to abominate. Led Zeppelin, then, is not particularly hot, nor is it cold. Led Zeppelin is not good, nor is it bad

Without question, Jimmy Page, the lead guitarist, is a virtuoso. There is seemingly nothing he cannot do in the technical realm. He plays one of the fastest guitar necks to be seen. His intonations, his vibratos and his sense of time and syncopation probably are matched by only a handful of contemporary guitarists.

However, one can only carry the wavering in the pitch of a tone so far, and a more conscious sandwiching of pure tones or "white" tones in his runs would have made the music more dimensional and fuller. At times, then, this incredibly gifted musician turned to gimmickry. Still, Page's "White Summer" solo was superb, motivated, as it was for harmony's sake.

Ideally, rock concerts should be environmental experiences, and the closer one is to the source the closer he is to the substance of the art. So those seated at a distance were invited down closer to the stage, and people were everywhere. But with the push of almost 14,000 in the hall, there was, on the other hand, an invitation to paranoia.

[Hotplant]

Like I said Steve, the douche is a moron. What a pathetic article, he was probably some straight, maybe mormon, dumbass they got to write.

As I recall the Proctor fellow was hip to our scene back then and more knowledgable, and more into truly listening to the greatest band ever.

But absolutely wonderful job getting these articles.

Many thanks!