LED ZEPPELIN - JULY 18TH, VANCOUVER AND MORE

JULY 18TH 1973

PACIFIC COLISEUM, VANCOUVER, BC

After the triumph in Seattle, Led Zeppelin return to Canada. Their first visit since the Montreal show on June 7th the previous year and almost two years since their last Vancouver show, which was the opening night of the 7th US Tour on August 19th 1971. In fact, there was a planned show in '72 for Vancouver that fell through and many fans were bussed to the Seattle June 18th show instead.

Sadly, this was not going to go as planned. Once again I defer to Paul Sheppard with his thoughts and comments - 

"An oddity as the show is cut short after Robert is taken ill (a spiked drink we later learn). It’s not too bad a show up to that point, certainly as a far as the instrumental section are concerned. Shame it was cut short.

Nothing remarkable to say about the Cd versions as they all use the same source.

Only one audience source is available (no soundboard).

These are the CDs:

Canada Dry (Tarantura)

Cut In The 70's (TDOLZ)

No Firecrackers (Electric Magic)

Taking A Spiked Drink (Tarantura 2000)

Twopenny Upright (Antrabata)

The Tarantura 2000 is the best one I've heard but there's very little to choose between them all."

The false finale is the highlight of the show, with Jimmy and Bonzo ferociously battling during a very inspired Dazed And Confused before they deliver a winsome Stairway. After that stage announcements confirm the show has ended.

ALSO ON THIS DAY ...

JULY 18th 1969

Continuing their summer rampage across the US, Led Zeppelin reach Chicago for two nights at the Kinetic Playground. It's a great line-up too, with Savoy Brown, The Litter and Jethro Tull, labelled 'special guests'. 

Despite all the press hinted 'animosity' and a few barbed comments along the way - Jimmy was once quoted as saying they were making a live set called 'Bore 'em at the Forum' - Tull frontman Ian Anderson was indeed a tower of strength for Robert when tragedy struck in 1977 and he was one of the first to offer support and help, offering a plane to get Robert across the US as fast as possible so he could get home to his family. Some friendships run deep.

JULY 18TH 1970

After laying down a marker at the Bath Festival, Led Zeppelin undertook a short 4 date blitz of shows in Germany to audition the new set for the upcoming US Tour. Despite many erroneously dated tapes there has been no (as yet) confirmed recording of this show, the 3rd of 4 at the Festhalle, Frankfurt. The only definite recordings we have are from the final show in Berlin.

Esteemed British journalist Chris Welch travelled with the band and provided some information with quotes from Bonzo in particular as to how well the shows were going. Bonzo said that this show had been 'a record audience in Germany, some 11,000 kids' and that the kids '...were great, listened very hard and kept quiet throughout the act'. Chris also took some fascinating cine film throughout the tour, more on that tomorrow when I look at the Berlin show.

Bonzo also mentioned the new acoustic interlude, and even though there's no hard evidence from the Berlin tape I'd guess That's The Way and Bron-Y-Aur would have more than likely have been featured. Closing the set with a medley springing from Whole Lotta Love after dropping How Many More Times was a big change during these shows, and a more balanced longer set with no support act to clutter up the night and preparation for the show.