JULY 24TH 1973
THREE RIVERS STADIUM, PITTSBURGH, PA
The final tour date before the New York residency and finale. Movie crew in tow and in high spirits, Led Zeppelin loosen up and make 40,000 boogie and shake. Fantastic performance, flowing and full of confidence.
Before boarding the Starship earlier that day renowned photographer Bob Gruen took up Robert's suggestion to take some pictures of Led Zeppelin standing in front of their jet. The resulting shoot has become iconic and printed and reprinted around the World. Looking tired yet supremely confident and self assured, the images show in an instant just how far they'd come in four short years.
The show itself was an open air event, at the stadium used by both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. Despite some reports of minor incidents among the crowd, they various tapes attest to the positive reception and great audience interraction throughout the show. And Led Zeppelin took no prisoners, powerfully and succinctly playing their music.
Once again, the show really heats up with Misty Mountain Hop, the stomping boogie getting everyone really moving. The juxtaposed contrast with a dramatic almost a show in itself Since I've Been Loving You is prefect, Robert ad libbing and changing the lyrics to include a winsome 'please don't sent me to the Heartbreak Hotel...' as Jimmy winds it down.
No Quarter is short and to the point but still dynamic and menacing, but the weight of improvisation and drama still falls on the shoulders of Dazed And Confused where the seamlessly oiled Led Zeppelin machine is tested, twisted and turned by a mischevious and brilliant Jimmy Page.
Shame that all 3 (so far) tapes miss parts of the coda, guess they all used C90's! A fantastic climax builds moment by moment as Heartbreaker turns and teases and Robert and Jimmy extend the boogie until they're satiated.
The Ocean rounds off a superb night, much more than a dress rehearsal for the Madison Square Garden finale. No soundboard has yet appeared, but the 3 source tapes have been knitted together for the various CD's of the show.
There are some 8mm clips from here, as seen on the official ledzeppelin.com website. The 4 1/2 minute colour clip includes 2 minutes or so on the runway (including part of the Bob Gruen shoot) and part of the escorted cavalcade before stage left clear close footage with sound of part of Rock And Roll and Jimmy's solo in Black Dog.
The last brawl. A sadly premature farewell the the USA. Compared to the previous afternoon, let alone the rest of the tour, this is a disappointing performance. The tape doesn't help, a clear enough but flat recording lacking any cohesive power, no doubt not helped by being a large open air stadium.
Feelings are running high after the incident backstage after yesterday's show, and although Robert makes no direct mention he does thank Bill Graham for the shows. Rumours have abounded over the years over documents being signed to absolve responsibility before Led Zeppelin took the stage. Whatever the truth is, they were running late and the show was not only subdued but shorter and more hurried than the day before.
Having said that the middle section of the show is the best part, relaxed and almost intimate. The acoustic tracks suit the mood, and the band are enjoying themselves enough to throw in the second Mystery Train of the tour before Black Country Woman. Trampled Underfoot has been thrown in to replace Bonzo's showcase and to get the crowd moving, and has some nice call and response moments, but by the end Stairway To Heaven and the band sound tired, almost worn out.
A crunching Rock And Roll is the last live Led Zeppelin heard in the United States.
The last 7 shows of what was a record breaking tour are cancelled immediately after Robert's loss, and we're left with this as a final unconvincing and fragmented document of Led Zeppelin in the USA.
Chunks of the performance were bootlegged as The Last Brawl 2 elpee set and 3/4 of the deluxe gatefold sleeve 4 elpee Alpha & Omega that pretended to include the US debut in Denver on disc 1 but instead lied and shamelessly pressed up a running slow edited version of the Spokane December 30th 1968 tape. The various CD's at least preserve the complete tape even if sound wise they're not much better. Historical for what it is, not for the performance.
A second night and a second try. Knebworth is looming over the horizon and Led Zeppelin need to get it right. Robert pronounced the first night as 'ok', but a hammering from the Danish press and the £10 ticket price (Knebworth was £7.50) has left some unsold tickets and a less expectant and demanding crowd.
Under pressure, Led Zeppelin deliver. There is some hesitation and nervousness but the power is palpable. The fantastic clear recording, compression free and almost widescreen, makes the harder numbers all the more impressive. Once again No Quarter is both a high point and turning point of the show. Short and muscular, it may not have the relaxed improvisation of some of the best 1977 versions but it also lacks the indulgence and is better for it.
Ten Years Gone has been added to the set, after a pause to set up Jonesy's triple neck and bass pedals which results in a quipped apology from Robert and the time honoured Danish clapping and chanting urging the band on.
After a delicate Rain Song things are in danger of losing momentum as Jimmy's Danelectro showcase is bitty and uninspired.
But from that point on Kashmir lifts everything. Sick Again and Achilles Last Stand are very powerful and strident and Jimmy's bow extravaganza and the new epic In The Evening show Led Zeppelin growing in confidence and stature.
Even a downbeat Stairway To Heaven is a celebration like an old friend and everyone leaves the stage happy.
Encore time is the debut of the new revamed Whole Lotta Love, no funk or theremin, just a succession of heavy riffs underpinned by Bonzo's on the button syncopation. At a little over 2 and 1/2 hours, Led Zeppelin can consider it job done. Not quite ready in many ways, but much rust and fear removed and a quiet if nervous confidence instilled.
The wonderful 'Copenhagen Warm Ups' 3 elpee set has the whole show in great quality in a slick black sleeve with changed song titles, White Cat, No Dimes, Ulysses First Fall etc. Various CD's use the same sterling quality tape, some grouping together both nights and even putting all the 1979 shows into one set.
Two years after the last brawl Led Zeppelin return, and although it was ultimately not to be in the long run, in July 1979 it was a good time to be a Led Zeppelin fan, Knebworth tickets in hand.
Before boarding the Starship earlier that day renowned photographer Bob Gruen took up Robert's suggestion to take some pictures of Led Zeppelin standing in front of their jet. The resulting shoot has become iconic and printed and reprinted around the World. Looking tired yet supremely confident and self assured, the images show in an instant just how far they'd come in four short years.
The show itself was an open air event, at the stadium used by both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. Despite some reports of minor incidents among the crowd, they various tapes attest to the positive reception and great audience interraction throughout the show. And Led Zeppelin took no prisoners, powerfully and succinctly playing their music.
Once again, the show really heats up with Misty Mountain Hop, the stomping boogie getting everyone really moving. The juxtaposed contrast with a dramatic almost a show in itself Since I've Been Loving You is prefect, Robert ad libbing and changing the lyrics to include a winsome 'please don't sent me to the Heartbreak Hotel...' as Jimmy winds it down.
No Quarter is short and to the point but still dynamic and menacing, but the weight of improvisation and drama still falls on the shoulders of Dazed And Confused where the seamlessly oiled Led Zeppelin machine is tested, twisted and turned by a mischevious and brilliant Jimmy Page.
Shame that all 3 (so far) tapes miss parts of the coda, guess they all used C90's! A fantastic climax builds moment by moment as Heartbreaker turns and teases and Robert and Jimmy extend the boogie until they're satiated.
The Ocean rounds off a superb night, much more than a dress rehearsal for the Madison Square Garden finale. No soundboard has yet appeared, but the 3 source tapes have been knitted together for the various CD's of the show.
There are some 8mm clips from here, as seen on the official ledzeppelin.com website. The 4 1/2 minute colour clip includes 2 minutes or so on the runway (including part of the Bob Gruen shoot) and part of the escorted cavalcade before stage left clear close footage with sound of part of Rock And Roll and Jimmy's solo in Black Dog.
JULY 24TH 1977
DAY ON THE GREEN, OAKLAND-ALAMEDA COUNTY COLISEUM, CALIFORNIA
The last brawl. A sadly premature farewell the the USA. Compared to the previous afternoon, let alone the rest of the tour, this is a disappointing performance. The tape doesn't help, a clear enough but flat recording lacking any cohesive power, no doubt not helped by being a large open air stadium.
Feelings are running high after the incident backstage after yesterday's show, and although Robert makes no direct mention he does thank Bill Graham for the shows. Rumours have abounded over the years over documents being signed to absolve responsibility before Led Zeppelin took the stage. Whatever the truth is, they were running late and the show was not only subdued but shorter and more hurried than the day before.
Having said that the middle section of the show is the best part, relaxed and almost intimate. The acoustic tracks suit the mood, and the band are enjoying themselves enough to throw in the second Mystery Train of the tour before Black Country Woman. Trampled Underfoot has been thrown in to replace Bonzo's showcase and to get the crowd moving, and has some nice call and response moments, but by the end Stairway To Heaven and the band sound tired, almost worn out.
The last 7 shows of what was a record breaking tour are cancelled immediately after Robert's loss, and we're left with this as a final unconvincing and fragmented document of Led Zeppelin in the USA.
Chunks of the performance were bootlegged as The Last Brawl 2 elpee set and 3/4 of the deluxe gatefold sleeve 4 elpee Alpha & Omega that pretended to include the US debut in Denver on disc 1 but instead lied and shamelessly pressed up a running slow edited version of the Spokane December 30th 1968 tape. The various CD's at least preserve the complete tape even if sound wise they're not much better. Historical for what it is, not for the performance.
JULY 24TH 1979
FALKONER THEATER, COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
A second night and a second try. Knebworth is looming over the horizon and Led Zeppelin need to get it right. Robert pronounced the first night as 'ok', but a hammering from the Danish press and the £10 ticket price (Knebworth was £7.50) has left some unsold tickets and a less expectant and demanding crowd.
Under pressure, Led Zeppelin deliver. There is some hesitation and nervousness but the power is palpable. The fantastic clear recording, compression free and almost widescreen, makes the harder numbers all the more impressive. Once again No Quarter is both a high point and turning point of the show. Short and muscular, it may not have the relaxed improvisation of some of the best 1977 versions but it also lacks the indulgence and is better for it.
Ten Years Gone has been added to the set, after a pause to set up Jonesy's triple neck and bass pedals which results in a quipped apology from Robert and the time honoured Danish clapping and chanting urging the band on.
After a delicate Rain Song things are in danger of losing momentum as Jimmy's Danelectro showcase is bitty and uninspired.
But from that point on Kashmir lifts everything. Sick Again and Achilles Last Stand are very powerful and strident and Jimmy's bow extravaganza and the new epic In The Evening show Led Zeppelin growing in confidence and stature.
Even a downbeat Stairway To Heaven is a celebration like an old friend and everyone leaves the stage happy.
Encore time is the debut of the new revamed Whole Lotta Love, no funk or theremin, just a succession of heavy riffs underpinned by Bonzo's on the button syncopation. At a little over 2 and 1/2 hours, Led Zeppelin can consider it job done. Not quite ready in many ways, but much rust and fear removed and a quiet if nervous confidence instilled.
The wonderful 'Copenhagen Warm Ups' 3 elpee set has the whole show in great quality in a slick black sleeve with changed song titles, White Cat, No Dimes, Ulysses First Fall etc. Various CD's use the same sterling quality tape, some grouping together both nights and even putting all the 1979 shows into one set.
Two years after the last brawl Led Zeppelin return, and although it was ultimately not to be in the long run, in July 1979 it was a good time to be a Led Zeppelin fan, Knebworth tickets in hand.
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