LED ZEPPELIN - BLITZ BERKELEY 14-9-71 GOING TO CALIFORNIA, THE BEST BOOTLEG OF THEM ALL!

As the 7th US Tour drew to a close, Led Zeppelin hit the West coast with a flourish, selling out 2 shows at Berkeley Community Theater before finishing the tour with two shows in Honolulu. For a long time under represented on bootleg, back in the vinyl days the second night in Berkeley is the ONLY bootleg vinyl from the tour. Since the digital age seeped into the bootleg world we have 11 shows on CD and 2 on 8mm cine film of the 21 shows played.

And if there's a performance that can top the 2nd night in Berkeley, I've yet to hear it. I got the tape first, a clicking and occasionally sticking Sony C120, and before long a cheap (think it was Dittoline or some such undistinguished white label, cheap insert pressing) vinyl copy before getting hold of an original version. 

A kind of gatefold - a wrap around sleeve with a couple of fold over flaps at the bottom to hold the elpees in place. Semi translucent blue vinyl, sides 1 & 4 on one disc, 2 & 3 on the other, so you could put 'em both on the spindle together (anyone else remember that?!). 

So, what of the show? In fine form physically, mentally and musically, Led Zeppelin take the fans of Berkeley to the heavens. Sadly, this is all we've ever had of this show. Of all the classic bootleg vinyl - I'd say about 25 elpees from back in the day - the only two shows I can think of where the tape hasn't surfaced outside of the vinyl pressing is this show and the London Lyceum October 12th 1969 show. If I've missed any, I'm sure you'll let me know!

From the off, Immigrant Song is a powerful blast. Fuzzy and somewhat indistinct mono, Jimmy's solo snakes over a beautifully syncopated backbeat before the switch to Heartbreaker where the bootleggers suddenly remember they're using 2 mics and a loud clunk fanfares the switch to stereo as Bonzo rolls majestically around the kit. This is unbelievable. 

After a crunching couple of verses Jimmy takes centre stage with an almost perfect cameo showcase. From jazz to neo classical runs and exercises, he teases the 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) and bits of Bouree amid a beautifully restful solo. The blast off is impeccable, Berkeley responding with a roar. Robert comments 'last night we were several bowler hatted beatniks' before a soulful Since I've Been Loving You complete with an unusual sensual solo introduction by Jimmy, gloriously coaxing sustained trumpet figures before getting into the flurried meat of the solo. The still unreleased Black Dog hammers the receptive Californian crowd from the moment they crunch down on the Out On The Tiles intro to Jimmy's stunningly elastic and evocative solo and the muscular coda. And that ends side 1!

Side 2 is dedicated to an extravagant yet lean and mean Dazed And Confused. despite a bootleggers edit, this is something else. The opening verses are amazingly dramatic and muscular, Robert punctuating the rhythms with that still highest of the high vocal as Jimmy floats and spikes with harmonic and wah wah flourishes. 

The bow sketch is something else, crowd whoops and cheers punctuate the reverential hush as Jimmy pulls classical figures and other worldy squalls and drones from his Les Paul and Robert answers with vocal drones and eastern 1st and 2nd scales and flourishes. The post bow chase breaks to half pace as Robert ad libs Livin' In The USA and Led Zeppelin ease their way to the final verses. The coda is edited sadly, but the awed response as Dazed And Confused finishes says it all.

Side 3 highlights the peaceful side of Led Zeppelin. The as yet unreleased but surely much touted Stairway To Heaven is a huge drama in itself, with a dramatic and powerful solo and final burst, bringing Berkeley to their feet. The acoustic duo is beautiful. That's The Way is growing night by night as an evocative song of some beauty and Going To California, following a lengthy 'we're home' waffle by Robert, has its second Californian premiere even before the elpee is released.

By the time we get to side 4 it's almost too much. With some of the set and all of the encores missing from the bootleg, the last side is dedicated to the final ritual of the night, the closing bacchanalia of the now legendary Whole Lotta Love and accompanying medley. 

The riff sounds almost sinister before Robert enters in his highest voice, and Led Zeppelin play dirty and sexy bloodboiling rock like no other. The Theremin runs wild over a chaotic, complex rhythm with whoops and shrills flailing around the Community Theater before Robert brings 'em back to (almost) sanity briefly with ad libs of  Rosco Gordon's Just A Little Bit before Jimmy's near hysterical solo and return to THAT riff. 

The Boogie starts with Robert's flirting John Lee Hooker essay before it explodes and Berkeley yields unreservedly. The tight but loose groove of Led Zeppelin is more than infectious, it's downright brutal. Hello Mary Lou draws sighs and laughter from the audience and leads into a brilliant My Baby Left Me, punctuated with incredible stop start teases between three totally in tune with each other musicians behind some glorious vocals until Jimmy steals the show with some frankly amazing thousand-notes-a-second flurries and cascades. 

Robert momentarily slows things down leading a sleazy yet impeccable take on Doc Pomus' Mess O' Blues, extended with solo after solo as it morphs into You Shook Me, a swinging celebration given the added spice of The Lemon Song that rounds off a remarkable 20+ minute medley. Finally Robert brings the 'way down inside' sketch into play and Led Zeppelin bring the hammer down. 

What a show. This was my 5th bootleg, and frankly I've yet to hear it bettered. Some have come close - Boston Tea Party, Bath, Osaka, Bonzo's Birthday Party, Earls' Court, Listen To This Eddie spring to mind - but this is the one for me. For decades the rumours of the rest of the show have persisted. The long standing theory is the bootleggers destroyed the reel tapes in lieu of an impending raid and all we have is the vinyl. Wild comments about 'tons of encores' and 'they even played Hey Hey What Can I Do' have persisted, but that to me is more than doubtful. The only near certainty is that Celebration Day, What Is And What Should Never Be and Moby Dick were probably played, and encores were typically Jonesy's solo leading into Thank You and/or Rock And Roll (a review mentions this was played) plus the occasional treats Communication Breakdown and Weekend. 

Here's the encore from the first night, with a few lines of Gallows Pole thrown in for good measure...

The plethora of vinyl pressings are generally downgraded compared to the original 'wrap' multi-tone sleeve and the TMOQ stamped and stickered pressing that came with the legendary Willian Stout Led Zeppelin riding Dumbo cartoon insert. I'd avoid the Electric Junk CD version (long out of circulation by the way) as it's from a noisy vinyl copy. The more expensive Godfather and Tarantura versions are better, and some of the artwork has a full colour Dumbo picture and both nights have been packaged together as well. Many vinyl represses attribute the show to LA, causing much confusion on tape trading lists from way back. 

And it's with a wry smile and a welcome thumbs up that a couple of months ago a limited (400) vinyl reissue by Casino Record Entertainments has circulated. Yellow vinyl, heavy vinyl - 180gm - and deluxe packaging it's a tempting and worthwhile item for sure. It sounds clean and has been probably sourced from one of the better CD editions - Godfather more likely than Tarantura - and is almost going full circle with collecting. Wonderful....

Led Zeppelin - 'Going To California'. The Best.