Dirigible Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Robert Plant claimed this tour 'was a waste of time' because of the complaints for unfulfilled ticket requests. But it must've been great to see the band back onstage after five months away from it, especially in a nightclub atmosphere. The photos of the concerts look like everyone was having a good time. Are there any soundboard or super audience recordings from the dozen shows comprising this tour? I've heard about the Dublin show. What's the sound quality like? Is that (or any other) performance just a rerun of the '71 BBC stuff? If anyone here actually got to see them in March 1971, would you be kind enough to share your impressions? What I'm curious about is did the band play too loud; or sound radically different from a performance in a large auditorium? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonzoghost Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I suspect Disc 2 of the BBC Sessions is as close as we'll ever get. Bloody hell - the band were HOT in 1971!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slave to zep Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Robert Plant claimed this tour 'was a waste of time' because of the complaints for unfulfilled ticket requests. But it must've been great to see the band back onstage after five months away from it, especially in a nightclub atmosphere. The photos of the concerts look like everyone was having a good time. Are there any soundboard or super audience recordings from the dozen shows comprising this tour? I've heard about the Dublin show. What's the sound quality like? Is that (or any other) performance just a rerun of the '71 BBC stuff? If anyone here actually got to see them in March 1971, would you be kind enough to share your impressions? What I'm curious about is did the band play too loud; or sound radically different from a performance in a large auditorium? Thanks in advance. can anyone post some of these pics, please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) For years I've wondered the same thing, Dirigible...where are the good recordings of the Return to the Clubs tour? Sad to say, it appears the Brits were lagging way behind the Americans when it came to recording the Zeppelin. Think about it...there are plenty of classic good sounding boots from early American shows...the Fillmore shows, the LA Forum "Blueberry Hill" show, the 1971 tour, and many others. Then there are the Japanese, who got great boots from the 1971 and 1972 tours. Now let us look at the Brits...just about every boot I have heard from a 1969 Brit show sucks in sound quality and completeness. Then, there is the famous Bath Festival of 1970...150,000 or so people in the crowd...but apparently not one taper of any worth, as the only tapes I've heard from this show sound like crap. And then, the 1971 tour of the clubs, and again...NOTHING! I don't know if it was laziness or incompetence on the Brits part, but it is sad that such an important part of the band's evolution will never be heard because of it. Edited July 5, 2008 by Strider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirigible Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 For pictures, slave to zep, go to the homepage on this site and choose Photos, then select 1970-1971, there's only four or five. Admittedly they're not very good but Howard Mylett and Dave Lewis have published books that have lots of pictures from the club tour. Bonzo and Jones wore hats and vests and other apparel like never before, the top of Plant's head is within meters of the ceiling of one venue, and this would be the last tour Pagey took the stage in his tweed overcoat although the sweater vests and farmer's hat survived till late in the year. Bonzoghost, if I have to make do with the BBC Sessions, that's okay, at least I got to see the band in August 1971. Strider, right you are about the British not bootlegging properly. And I can't locate a single show from Zeppelin's June '69 UK stint either. It's like it didn't happen. Bleedin' 'ell, Blighty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styrbjorn Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I don't know if it was laziness or incompetence on the Brits part, but it is sad that such an important part of the band's evolution will never be heard because of it. It's probably because most of us go to see a band for the entertainment, not to rip them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatbo Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 It's probably because most of us go to see a band for the entertainment, not to rip them off. wow! don't own any bootlegs, then? from bbc sessions interview in another thread:link gw: it's no secret that the led zeppelin bbc sessions are among the most bootlegged performances in rock history. they're kind of a hard rock version of bob dylan's 'basement tapes'. to put it another way: if you're a serious zeppelin fan, you've either heard or own some version of them. what's your view of bootlegging? jp: it depends. if it's someone with a microphone at a gig, that's one thing. they paid for a ticket, so it's fair game. but things that are stolen out of the studio-works in progress, rehearsal tapes and things like that-are quite another. i'm totally against that. it's theft. it's like someone stealing a personal journal and printing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirigible Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 I saw LZ five times and never once taped them. Been kickin' myself ever since . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgeholder Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Just the first two gigs, right? Belfast and Dublin. I have Dublin, it's pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirigible Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Just the first two gigs, right? Belfast and Dublin. I have Dublin, it's pretty good. Is it reminiscent of the BBC Sessions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Symbol Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Who knows what the tape-hoarders are sat on. I've never heard anything about any of the 71 club dates, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there somewhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirigible Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 It's probably because most of us go to see a band for the entertainment, not to rip them off. Damn! I was wondering why there were no O2 shows available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I've got both Dublin and Belfast. The recordings are pretty bad on both of them, but there are some good parts. Belfast was the debut of the Led Zeppelin IV songs of course. They were much faster with Rock and Roll than you ever hear it. But hearing Black Dog is amazing. It was so much better than even by later 71 when you hear some of the cracking start with Robert. Rock and Roll was basically 3 minutes long and done at a rapid fire pace. You almost don't recognize that it's Rock and Roll(technically it wasn't since Plant introduced it as "It's Been a Long Time") I'll have more later if you have questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirigible Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Nick, did It's Been A Long Time or any other LZ4 songs still sound in the developmental stage at the Ireland shows? I'm under the impression the sessions for LZ4 were finished by January 1971 (but not the mixing) and thought the album wasn't released until November because the band and Atlantic were wrangling over the sleeve. Am I deluding myself about the timeframe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickZepp Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 (edited) Nick, did It's Been A Long Time or any other LZ4 songs still sound in the developmental stage at the Ireland shows? I'm under the impression the sessions for LZ4 were finished by January 1971 (but not the mixing) and thought the album wasn't released until November because the band and Atlantic were wrangling over the sleeve. Am I deluding myself about the timeframe? Rock and Roll is a lot faster then it would end up being. But other than that it sounds the same. The song was about 3 minutes long. It was real rapid fire. But the lyrics are basically the same outside of that. One version had the first part cut but you can tell it's not any different. Black Dog has an additional verse. Something like "People laugh, people cry, can't tell if I'm going up or down" that may not be accurate but it's as close as I can get with the quality. Of course throughout 71 you hear the "sweet jelly role" line, but that isn't in this song yet. Black Dog wasn't completely finished. I'm guessing that song wasn't completely done till late in the year. I've always felt Black Dog wasn't completely done till later on. It was all recorded but you hear different lines in it throughout 1971. So I think it wasn't completely album ready till closer to the release date. But that's just a theory from someone that listens to bootlegs based on the fact that the lyrics are slightly changed. Going to California sounds about like it was finished by this time. Although it's hard to listen to in the Belfast version because of a squeal noise for the first verse(there's also a similar noise during the last part of Stairway). And it's cut in the Dublin version. But other than that it sounds like the album or any other live version does. The arrangement was completely done. A few things were different vocally in the Belfast version at the end. But other than that it's the same. Stairway to Heaven was pretty much like any live version but a shorter Page solo that most live versions. The big difference with any of these is that they probably had a quicker pace about them. Even Black Dog seemed like it was done at a slightly faster pace than they would be done at. Stairway was maybe a bit quicker also. Rock and Roll was just done at a furious pace. As far as the recordings go. The recording for the Dublin show is better but the end of it gets really bad and the Belfast recording is pretty average throughout and has changes in tape speed. Edited July 5, 2008 by NickZepp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docron Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 It's probably because most of us go to see a band for the entertainment, not to rip them off. Oh boy... another one of "those" viewpoints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Robert Plant claimed this tour 'was a waste of time' because of the complaints for unfulfilled ticket requests. But it must've been great to see the band back onstage after five months away from it, especially in a nightclub atmosphere. The photos of the concerts look like everyone was having a good time. Are there any soundboard or super audience recordings from the dozen shows comprising this tour? I've heard about the Dublin show. What's the sound quality like? Is that (or any other) performance just a rerun of the '71 BBC stuff? Unfilled ticket requests - how about the o2 show! I have the Dublin show AUD and the sounds isn't great... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgeholder Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 "This is one from the new album, it's called 'Stairway to Heaven". Silence. So odd.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 It's probably because most of us go to see a band for the entertainment, not to rip them off. Thanks for the giggle...hadn't had a good laugh in a while. Now I have. Ta! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirigible Posted July 6, 2008 Author Share Posted July 6, 2008 Thanks for the giggle...hadn't had a good laugh in a while. Now I have. Ta! Stride, good to hear from yer, lad. I know everybody's heard Robert say 'Ta' at the end of songs. For the benefit of those who are unaware of that bit of English slang would you please explain what it means? They might not believe me, Strider. Purely for the further and fuller enrichment of bootleg connoisseurship amongst our fellow zepileptics, of course, for those who wish to squeeze every last drop of nuance off the tape that can possibly be savored. Now don't get your hopes up; it doesn't mean anything like: "Is everybody in the room taking Mandrax?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cactus Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 "Ta" is slang for "thanks" or "thankyou". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenman Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 For years I've wondered the same thing, Dirigible...where are the good recordings of the Return to the Clubs tour? Sad to say, it appears the Brits were lagging way behind the Americans when it came to recording the Zeppelin. Think about it...there are plenty of classic good sounding boots from early American shows...the Fillmore shows, the LA Forum "Blueberry Hill" show, the 1971 tour, and many others. Then there are the Japanese, who got great boots from the 1971 and 1972 tours. Now let us look at the Brits...just about every boot I have heard from a 1969 Brit show sucks in sound quality and completeness. Then, there is the famous Bath Festival of 1970...150,000 or so people in the crowd...but apparently not one taper of any worth, as the only tapes I've heard from this show sound like crap. And then, the 1971 tour of the clubs, and again...NOTHING! I don't know if it was laziness or incompetence on the Brits part, but it is sad that such an important part of the band's evolution will never be heard because of it. I'd say its a combination of taping being in its infancey and the profile of the band not being that great towards the start of their career. The impression I get is that Zep really didnt take off until bath 70 and were not viewed as a "serious" act before that time by many(espeically the kind who'd record shows). With the return to the clubs tour though I'd guess its more a case of the small size of the venue and the high demand for tickets meaning that either no tapers got any or they were mor eeasily picked out by Grant and co. Notice that for the second UK tour in late 71 in larger venues we suddenly start to get alot of pretty decent recordings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxie Posted July 10, 2008 Share Posted July 10, 2008 "This is one from the new album, it's called 'Stairway to Heaven". Silence. So odd.... Yeah it's strange to hear some of those (non) crowd reactions in the early '71 shows when they play STH, compared to a year or so later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docron Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Yeah it's strange to hear some of those (non) crowd reactions in the early '71 shows when they play STH, compared to a year or so later. Maybe its because they were waiting for them to play their better live songs like I Can't Quit You or How Many More Times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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