JULY 6TH 1969
NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL, NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
What a show! For many years I'd had the 'first' audience tape of this show. Recorded from inside the thronging masses, the vocals get lost and all semblance of balance disappears as the tape rolls on. The feeling of being part of a great performance inside a chaotic festival event. Their second straight open air performance, directly competing against their peers, they pulled out all the stops and stole the show.
Rumours abounded they wouldn't appear, they were sick or even splitting up. Nervous promoters downplayed their appearance for fears of a riot but the fans came and greeted them like heroes. They responded with a wonderful on and over the edge performance.
The track listing was :-
Train kept A-Rollin'/I Can't Quit You Baby
Dazed And Confused
You Shook Me
How Many More Times/The Hunter/Lemon Song
Communication Breakdown/Long Tall Sally
From the outset the crowd are with them, lots of noise and cheers greet every Page-Plant duel and counterplay. Dazed And Confused is fast becoming the showcase of the set, Jimmy's bow sketch a definite crowd and musical highlight.
By the closing extravaganza of 'How Many More Times' they could do no wrong. Thankfully a second tape emerged a few years after the first so we could not only enjoy the culmination of the performance but hear Robert's vocals as well. The chaotic encore is testament to the bedlam and unease Led Zeppelin created in America in 1969.
We have the original Japanese Vinyl 2LP bootleg from the original vocal-buried tape and a handful of CD bootlegs, the Empress Valley being the best featuring the newer recording. There has (so far) been no sign of footage from this festival.
JULY 6TH 1973
CHICAGO STADIUM, ILLINOIS
The start of the second leg (Robert called them two tours) of the 9th US Tour. After a 5 week lay off things aren't too good. Robert has lost his voice almost completely, changing the mood and feel of the performance. Of course, 1973 Led Zeppelin is a devastating machine, full of power and energy. They try and compensate, but it's going to be a few days before Robert has recovered enough to add the show and push the rest of the band.
Sadly the peaks of the first leg take a while to return, but pressures of touring mean there's no chance to cancel but instead to plough on. In the end it's not a bad show, just held back because of Robert's malaise.
The set list :-
Rock And Roll/Celebration Day/Black Dog
Over The Hills And Far Away
Misty Mountain Hop/Since I've Been Loving You
No Quarter
The Song Remains The Same/The Rain Song
Dazed And Confused
Stairway To Heaven
Moby Dick
Heartbreaker/Whole Lotta Love/Boogie Chillun
Communication Breakdown
The audience tape circulating for ever is poor, the soundboard great. It's still a good show, the instrumental passages are outstanding as ever, but with Robert flailing it's a disappointment. Shame.
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