LED ZEPPELIN - THE PEAK HAS BEEN REACHED, MADISON SQUARE GARDENS 27-29/7/73

So, this is it. The final night of the final tour as Robert put it. 33 shows across 2 legs, with just a couple of dips at the start of the second leg thanks to Robert's shot vocal chords. Shows 31 through 33 were three SRO shows at Madison Square Gardens, famously captured in their 137 minute movie The Song Remains The Same and accompanying soundtrack(s). 

For years it's been the subject of much discussion and debate, the final word on sources, edits, misnomers and the like put together by Eddie Edwards on his remarkable www.thegardentapes.co.uk site. One thing for sure, that's not my purpose here. For me, it's the performances, the music, the nuances of what happened onstage.

FRIDAY JULY 27TH, 1973

Three days rest and Led Zeppelin arrive in New York for the final blow out of the tour. By now the media, from TV and Radio stations through rock magazines Creem and Rolling Stone all want a piece. Led Zeppelin are now in the stratosphere, the tour has been an incredible success and the addition of stage effects, a publicist and some remarkable if more 'professional' shows have seen to that. They're the hottest ticket. Cameron Crowe's 'Almost Famous' movie captures some of the essence, the near hysteria and the adulation.

Back at The Garden, Led Zeppelin kick into the 3 song blast with a solid, bottom heavy Rock And Roll and after the sound clears in Celebration Day drive the audience - already on the edge - to near hysteria with a bombastic Black Dog.

This is the one missing piece of the audio jigsaw of the three shows. The last segment of the show - from Stairway through to The Ocean - has been circulating from a soundboard source for nigh on 40 years now. The audience tape that came to light at the end of the 70's starts during The Rain Song, so the opening tracks are missing except for the brief fragments of 8mm footage.

We do know that Stairway and Dazed are the ones from the film and soundtrack and are both out of this world. The last verse of Stairway comes from the next night thanks to a mic failure from Robert. In the movie you can see Jimmy using the wah wah, confirmed on the soundboard tape. 

He's fully warmed up and ready for a wonderful Dazed And Confused, once more pushing his band mates as far as he can, coaxing some remarkable moments and time shifts in the process. 

You can hear on the audience recording of Dazed - without the small edits and drop ins on the soundtrack LP - just how dynamic and breathtaking the playing really is. Astonishing stuff.

And following that is a Stairway To Heaven to behold, with THAT solo as seen in the movie/soundtrack, as Jimmy moves mountains and takes the roof off.

Bonzo's solo is a restbite, and then we get the final blast off. The funky section really works and grinds, and the band are flying high now. The sole encore of The Ocean seals a fantastic first night.

SATURDAY JULY 28TH 1973

From now on we have complete soundboard recordings, and although this night is a bit flat and compressed, it makes for an even listening. It doesn't seem as spectacular as the previous show, maybe the buzz of being back in New York has faded a bit. But in 1973 a slightly less than 100% Led Zeppelin is still a mighty thing.

The openers bring the crowd to their feet, the blues drama of Since I've Been Loving You to their knees. The Song Remains The Same and The Rain Song are fantastic here, and just about intact and untouched in the movie. Again, Jimmy's spitfire meets jazz figures are breathless and bewildering as much as his lush melodic work is awe inspiring. Even Jonesy's mellotron work is spot on without the wandering tunings of so many other shows. 

No Quarter is simply stunning tonight, and the vast majority of the performance used in both the movie and soundtrack. We all know it by heart of course, but the syncopation is spot on and Jimmy's solo just soars and cries...

Dazed And Confused is again maintaining it's position as the centrepiece of the show, but Stairway To Heaven is fast becoming the communion of the believers, an anthemic monster that draws so many facets of Led Zeppelin together. Before it became a millstone and even a chore, it's purely spectacular. 

The finale has Jimmy out of control in Heartbreaker and Robert itching to Boogie before they bring the hammer down. The Ocean is again the only encore as the crowd bay for more and Led Zeppelin prepare for one more blast.

And we have some great cine from tonight too, covering most of the show. Finally after many years the quality of 8mm footage is getting so much better, with improving technology and getting nearer the source footage. 

SUNDAY JULY 29TH 1973

For the final show, Led Zeppelin pull out all the stops. Not as inspired at first, they seem a bit tired and weary. By Misty Mountain Hop it kicks up a notch or two and Since I've Been Loving You is masterful, a show full of drama in itself. Jonesy really comes to the fore tonight, changing a few riffs and fills more than usual, challenging the band with mood changing deftness on both keyboards and bass.

Stairway To Heaven is immense again, and the crowd love every second. As they approach the finish line it's hard to believe they were told about the robbery during Bonzo's solo. 

The playing is inspired, and after a frenzied Heartbreaker the end of Whole Lotta Love is extended for ever as Bonzo thrashes away while fire dancers cavort around the stage. With the flaming Gong as well, this is the climax to end all climaxes. If you get to hear the audience recording you'll know the reaction of the already nuts crowd after that!

Encore time is a stomping The Ocean and a long, almost regal Thank You, preceeded by a studied and almost calming John Paul Jones solo spot. The longest show of the tour ends the longest tour of the US so far. 

And again we have some great cine to accompany the audio.

I can watch an enjoy the movie endlessly. For all its' faults and edits and occasional clumsiness it's part of my rite of passage at the very least. Always loved the soundtrack album, and despite the extra tracks the remastered edition somewhat less. I listen to these 3 nights and enjoy them all, even if the moments used in the movie & soundtrack(s) are so stuck in my brain they shoot out at me a bit. Visually, we've got the 2 disk version with some wonderful extra's, plus the bootleg The First Cut with some different visuals. There's a ton of cine film too, from all nights, and some has been used by Jimmy too. 

On bootleg, only a couple of partial soundboard tapes were circulating when the last days of vinyl (first time around anyway) were being pressed so we only have some set end and encore fragments on Rock Solid's Duck Walks & Lasers compilation. On Cd it's a real minefield. Empress Valley have released at least two versions of the 'expanded and revised collectors edition' of all 3 shows individually and collectively. And there are various fan CDR edits like the Winston Remaster series. Sadly, there ill always be anew even more limited and even more expensive box set just around the corner, the trick is knowing when to stop!

Led Zeppelin ended their 9th US Tour with 3 stunning shows at one of their landmark venues. Within months the weariness, the road fever, would make subsequent tours more studied and organised affairs. Robert had a throat operation and the band got a bit older. Although some of their finest recording years were still ahead of them, this was certainly a pivotal point in Led Zeppelin's history. In many ways I agree with Luis Rey - The Peak Has Been Reached. America has been well and truly conquered, they are now superstars.