INGLEWOOD FORUM,
LOS ANGELES
SATURDAY AUGUST 21ST
It had taken almost a year, during which they created their best and most progressive music to date, for Led Zeppelin to return to what was already their spiritual home from home - Los Angeles. Back on September 4th 1970 their extraordinary performance was captured by no less than (at least) 4 bootleggers, resulting in possibly their most famous illicit record of all - Live On Blueberry Hill.
Now Led Zeppelin are back. Their 3rd appearance at the 'Fabulous Forum', their 26th in the state of California. After starting the tour two nights before in Vancouver, they travelled the 940 odd miles south for the first of two SRO shows. Although the untitled 4th elpee was not yet released, reviews, whispers and bootlegs of their BBC In Concert show back in April had racked up the expectation. If the Blueberry Hill show was wild and celebratory, this time promised to be even more so.
Half of the next elpee would be performed over this tour and the set was evolving with a fuller acoustic interlude, a more incendiary medley and assorted wild encores. The set ran -
The variety of styles, moods and musical flavours has never been so pronounced for Led Zeppelin. The opening salvo is powerful beyond words, and the L.A. faithful are in instant hysteria. The PA sound is much more high fidelity than the last US Tour, or possibly the recording devices are better Either way, there's a lot more depth and class to the sound than ever before. Since I've Been Loving You is getting stronger and more dynamic, less tentative and 'pretty' as Robert's voice soars above the incredibly sophisticated instrumental Led Zeppelin machine. The new Black Dog has the Out On The Tiles fanfare burst before becoming a showcase for Robert's lusty howls and a solo coda from Jimmy that raises the roof.And we're only half an hour in!
Dazed And Confused is extending nightly, the bow sketch greeted with oohs and aahs and wild cheers as it sets down as a rite of passage for the ocean of believers.
The LA debut of Stairway To Heaven is nigh on perfect. Robert may have jokingly dismissed its' response tonight in later interviews but Jimmy has spoken enthusiastically about the standing ovation and rightly so. From winsome to strident to a controlled yet manic crescendo. The crowd response is indeed magical. A muscular Celebration Day follows, probably played at this point in the set so Jimmy can continue to use the twin neck. A brief but restful acoustic set (amid the chaos) and What Is... give us pause for breath before the closing medley. Moby Dick, strangely enough, is missing tonight.
There's so much to love in the medley, the start is aural madness led by an incredibly potent Bonzo rhythm underpinning with shemanic Theremin games from Jimmy. Roberts Ral Donner/Elvis dreams are the medley highlights, an infectious That's Alright Mama and strident Got A Lotta Livin' To Do take everyone higher and higher.
The 4 encore finale leaves everyone completely satisfied, from an incredible Rock And Roll with Robert hitting ALL those notes and an unhinged Weekend before the regal Thank You bids farewell to an amazing crowd.
We're lucky to have 2 complementary audience recordings from this show (not as many as the last Inglewood gig though!) and several CD issues to wade through. Tarantura managed to release both shows together in a nice package blighted by some over enthusiastic noise reduction leaving a rubbery, wobbly sound to contend with. Empress Valley have done probably the best job with Firecrackers Explosion, but frankly any version is worth at least hearing because the performance is THAT good! And just wait til the next show...
And now for the second show! The set is similar but has changes. Going To California is missing, but we get Bonzo's showcase. And the medley is different - as it is every night in 1971!
The show begins in bizarre fashion with the Ventures 'Walk, Don't Run' that slams straight into the glory and pillage of Immigrant Song. Was this an in joke? One day we'll know, but it's surely Led Zeppelin at their playful best. The opening pair are stunning. This is Robert at his primeval best. That unnerving wail, sexually provocative and powerful, soaring over the most potent piece in the history of music. Can it get any better?!
By Since I've Been Loving You it's almost perfect, the empathy is sublime between the instruments and Robert's phrasing, pushing each other, every line unique and exciting. Led Zeppelin are becoming the perfect live band before our eyes and ears!
Once again the middle part of the show is astonishing. From a fluid and unique Dazed And Confused where Jimmy conducts the Led Zeppelin Orchestra into ever possible change and nuance to a deft second LA performance of Stairway.
The brief acoustic interlude placates the party mood, which is immediately stoked by a Bonzo Moby Dick thunderstorm. And the chains are off for the closing medley. More concise than the 1st night, it's still a wonderfully frenzied end to another stunning LA performance. Jimmy sounds so inspired, so fluid and unhindered with the best rhythm section behind him and the perfect vocal foil to his right.
Encore time is less over the top tonight with just Communication Breakdown and the calmer Thank You bringing things to a close.
Two wonderful nights in LA, and Led Zeppelin are approaching their onstage peak, which has been growing over the three years of their time together.
We're lucky to have some 8mm cine film of this show too, an almost perfect souvenir to a stunning brace of shows.
And although there are various CD sets of both nights, the saddest thing is of all their 16 appearances at the Forum, these two are the ones captured with the worst, least hi-fi recordings....
Half of the next elpee would be performed over this tour and the set was evolving with a fuller acoustic interlude, a more incendiary medley and assorted wild encores. The set ran -
Immigrant Song/Heartbreaker
Since I've Been Loving You
Black Dog
Dazed And Confused
Stairway To Heaven
Celebration Day
That's The Way
Going To California
What Is And What Should Never Be
Whole Lotta Love + Medley -
Boogie Chillun'/It's Your Thing/I'm Movin' On/That's Alright Mama/For What It's Worth/Dr Kitch/Mess O' Blues/Got A Lotta Livin' To Do/Honey Bee/Sugar Mama/Kindhearted Woman Blues
Weekend
Rock And Roll
Communication Breakdown
Organ Solo/Thank You
The variety of styles, moods and musical flavours has never been so pronounced for Led Zeppelin. The opening salvo is powerful beyond words, and the L.A. faithful are in instant hysteria. The PA sound is much more high fidelity than the last US Tour, or possibly the recording devices are better Either way, there's a lot more depth and class to the sound than ever before. Since I've Been Loving You is getting stronger and more dynamic, less tentative and 'pretty' as Robert's voice soars above the incredibly sophisticated instrumental Led Zeppelin machine. The new Black Dog has the Out On The Tiles fanfare burst before becoming a showcase for Robert's lusty howls and a solo coda from Jimmy that raises the roof.And we're only half an hour in!
Dazed And Confused is extending nightly, the bow sketch greeted with oohs and aahs and wild cheers as it sets down as a rite of passage for the ocean of believers.
The LA debut of Stairway To Heaven is nigh on perfect. Robert may have jokingly dismissed its' response tonight in later interviews but Jimmy has spoken enthusiastically about the standing ovation and rightly so. From winsome to strident to a controlled yet manic crescendo. The crowd response is indeed magical. A muscular Celebration Day follows, probably played at this point in the set so Jimmy can continue to use the twin neck. A brief but restful acoustic set (amid the chaos) and What Is... give us pause for breath before the closing medley. Moby Dick, strangely enough, is missing tonight.
There's so much to love in the medley, the start is aural madness led by an incredibly potent Bonzo rhythm underpinning with shemanic Theremin games from Jimmy. Roberts Ral Donner/Elvis dreams are the medley highlights, an infectious That's Alright Mama and strident Got A Lotta Livin' To Do take everyone higher and higher.
The 4 encore finale leaves everyone completely satisfied, from an incredible Rock And Roll with Robert hitting ALL those notes and an unhinged Weekend before the regal Thank You bids farewell to an amazing crowd.
We're lucky to have 2 complementary audience recordings from this show (not as many as the last Inglewood gig though!) and several CD issues to wade through. Tarantura managed to release both shows together in a nice package blighted by some over enthusiastic noise reduction leaving a rubbery, wobbly sound to contend with. Empress Valley have done probably the best job with Firecrackers Explosion, but frankly any version is worth at least hearing because the performance is THAT good! And just wait til the next show...
INGLEWOOD FORUM,
LOS ANGELES
SUNDAY AUGUST 22ND
And now for the second show! The set is similar but has changes. Going To California is missing, but we get Bonzo's showcase. And the medley is different - as it is every night in 1971!
The show begins in bizarre fashion with the Ventures 'Walk, Don't Run' that slams straight into the glory and pillage of Immigrant Song. Was this an in joke? One day we'll know, but it's surely Led Zeppelin at their playful best. The opening pair are stunning. This is Robert at his primeval best. That unnerving wail, sexually provocative and powerful, soaring over the most potent piece in the history of music. Can it get any better?!
By Since I've Been Loving You it's almost perfect, the empathy is sublime between the instruments and Robert's phrasing, pushing each other, every line unique and exciting. Led Zeppelin are becoming the perfect live band before our eyes and ears!
Once again the middle part of the show is astonishing. From a fluid and unique Dazed And Confused where Jimmy conducts the Led Zeppelin Orchestra into ever possible change and nuance to a deft second LA performance of Stairway.
The brief acoustic interlude placates the party mood, which is immediately stoked by a Bonzo Moby Dick thunderstorm. And the chains are off for the closing medley. More concise than the 1st night, it's still a wonderfully frenzied end to another stunning LA performance. Jimmy sounds so inspired, so fluid and unhindered with the best rhythm section behind him and the perfect vocal foil to his right.
Encore time is less over the top tonight with just Communication Breakdown and the calmer Thank You bringing things to a close.
Two wonderful nights in LA, and Led Zeppelin are approaching their onstage peak, which has been growing over the three years of their time together.
We're lucky to have some 8mm cine film of this show too, an almost perfect souvenir to a stunning brace of shows.
And although there are various CD sets of both nights, the saddest thing is of all their 16 appearances at the Forum, these two are the ones captured with the worst, least hi-fi recordings....
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