Boston was always a big Led Zeppelin town, starting back at the very beginning with the marathon Tea Party gigs, through this show right here. July 20, 1973 is the last time Zeppelin played Boston. The crowd is wild at this gig, so much so that the band eliminate Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, and Moby Dick from the setlist. All to…

This is nice stereo FM master recording of Aerosmith in Detroit on April 7, 1974, broadcast on WABX back in the day. The band is rapidly ascending to the top of Rock Mountain with Get Your Wings, the album they're supporting here. I play Mama Kin, Dream On, and Same Old Song & Dance. It's good ol' dirty rock and roll a la The Faces or The New Barba…

Eight days after the shambolic Live Aid reunion Jimmy Page joined Robert Plant onstage at the Brendan Byrne Arena, in East Rutherford, NJ. The contrast between the two gigs couldn't be greater. Robert's voice is virtually perfect and Jimmy's guitar (and Jimmy himself) are in tune. I play an aching beautiful Young Boy Blues from his then current Hon…

This show, February 27, 1996, is the third to the last for Page/Plant's No Quarter tour, and it is smokin'! The band hasn't lost a step since their legendary Japanese shows of a few days prior. This is an excellent audience recording which maintains the high bar set in Japan, quality-wise. I play a ridiculously hot In The Evening, and the two encor…

This recording was liberated by the Dogs of Doom back in the day, and boy oh boy is it cool! Cream playing Dallas State Fair Music Hall just 7 months before they called it a day. The recording is rough. The bass is super loud and overloaded. The vocals are buried behind the music, but that because that's how they sounded, basically. PA systems hadn…

This is a very nice stereo recording (AUD patched w/ SBD) remastered by Winston, of Led Zeppelin playing New Orleans on May 15, 1973. This is a fun performance which is one of the best of their May shows. I play the final trifecta of the night; Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love (with medleys aplenty), and Communication Breakdown. All performances are …

Led Zeppelin always seemed to bump it up a notch when touring the West Coast/PNW, and this is no exception. March 19, 1975 in Vancouver, BC is one of the better shows from this tour. I have covered this show before, but it's been almost 5 years since then, so.... fair game. I play Sick Again, Kashmir, & In My Time of Dying; all of which new songs f…

On July 1, 1980 Santana played Frankfurt, Germany at the same venue in which Led Zeppelin played the night before. Jimmy Page hung around and attended the show, and even joined the band for a couple of tunes. What is noteworthy is how good the jams are. 1980 Jimmy can be very hit or miss. This is a hit. A hit out of the park. First of all Santana i…

June 17, 1980 is the first date in Led Zeppelin's Tour Over Europe, and on that date we find the band in Dortmund. They come out of the gate with something to prove, and they deliver. The show opens with an intense and dangerous Train Kept A Rollin' followed without a breath by Nobody's Fault But Mine, which now is truncated as the intro guitar is …

This show has been around forever in lower quality but this is transferred from the reel master. Heinz Esser is the taper of this awesome Free concert, and he also taped Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple (and more). He caught a great performance by Paul Rodgers and Co. for sure. Paul Kossof is a master of tone and technique at only 19 years old. Andy Fr…

The very last time the Firm played publicly was May 28, 1986 in good ol' Seattle. Everyone in the band knew it was the end of the project, and they all play their hearts out. Paul Rodgers outdoes himself with delivery and passion. Jimmy is very upbeat and talkative. This show is really good. You know how I am at best lukewarm on the Firm, overall, …

The 1996 Page/Plant tour of Japan has been extremely well regarded, and documented, for close to 30 years. Thanks to the fantastic audio and video captured, with the ok of the band, by Third Eye, we have a magnificent full stereo recording of February 12, 1996 in Tokyo.We hear a tender Tea for One (only ever played on this tour) with orchestra, a b…

I once again revisit one of the finest Zep concerts, at least of the post 1973 era. July 24, 1979 at the Falkoner Theater in Copenhagen is absolutely brilliant concert by the biggest band in the world, playing a 1200 seat venue, as a warmup to their 200,000+ Knebworth shows the next month.I play Trampled Underfoot, In The Evening (2nd time played),…

Only the first two songs of this show are publicly extant, and I always have love for the runt of the litter, so here we go! Led Zeppelin played Wallingford, Connecticut on August 17, 1969 and we are able to hear Train Kept A Rollin' and I Can't Quit You Baby, at least. Thank god for tapers!By Mark Donahue

There's a good reason I'm coming back to this show, after almost 5 years. Watchtower has released a version of this show in fantastic quality, without the noise reduction that muffled prior releases. It's also one of the best shows from one of the best years of one of the best bands around. So there's that. This is band's first night of their first…

On August 19, 1971 Led Zeppelin began their North American tour in Vancouver, BC and we have the pleasure of hearing peak Zep, thanks to an intrepid taper. Last time I touched upon this show we featured the first few songs; this time we're back for more. I play a scorching Black Dog (sung like the record), a powerful (better than the European ones,…

May 11, 1986 is the date The Firm played the Cleveland Colosseum for concert which was broadcast on the Westwood One Radio Network, back in the day. Thus the quality is professionally mixed stereo. The fantastic sound quality brings out the virtuosity of the band. Tony Franklin and Chris Slade are a beautifully solid rhythm section, fluid enough to…

"It's not the side effects from the cocaine. I'm thinking that it must be love"David Bowie struggled a bit in the late 80's/90's, in a comparative sense, after the stratospheric success of Let's Dance with the MTV generation. In the tour he is partnered with King Crimson/Zappa alum Adrian Belew, with whom Bowie had recorded Pretty Pink Rose (a mino…

Led Zeppelin played Kyoto, Japan on October 10, 1972 on their second (and last) tour of the country. This is a merge of two excellent sources, put together and speed corrected by Dario Romero. The sound is very good as is the performance. You'll like it. Where else are you gonna hear The Rain Song played with a wah wah?The band are now the biggest …

I recorded this in honor of Jimmy Page's 81st birthday. I chose a selection of performances which I first think of when I think of Zeppelin, or Jimmy. I play tracks from 1969 through 1988 and every track is a banger. I hope you enjoy.By Mark Donahue

1995 was a great year for Zep fans. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant had finally reunited, and were touring with a huge ensemble including (not one, but) two orchestras, and the guitarist for the Cure.... and a hurdy gurdy. It worked out splendidly.This is October 26, 1995 at Madison Square Garden, where Jimmy and Robert played a smashing gig. I play No…

December 20, 1972 at the Brighton Dome in good old Brighton, UK. This is digital transfer of the original master cassette, courtesy of KRW_Co. Being a master recording all the clarity which the recorder could capture is preserved. I play Misty Mountain Hop and a 30 minute, everything but the kitchen sink, rendition of Whole Lotta Love. So many medl…

The 1998 Walking Into Everywhere Tour is a goldmine for great music. The rhythm section of Michael Lee, and Charlie Jones, had really jelled with Jimmy Page, and were a formidable force live. This show is the penultimate show of the tour, December 1, 1998 in Ghent, Belgium. I play Tangerine, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You (great work from everyone on thi…

This is one of Robert Plant's greatest shows. He's full blast and the rest of the band is right there with him. August 7, 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland right before heading the US for another amazing tour. You can't get better than 1971 Led Zeppelin, and it's so cool to hear them play Zep IV songs to an audience that had never heard them yet. I pla…

I've been going through a bit of a Brussels period, with 1980 and now 1972 back to back. Led Zeppelin usually played well in Brussels, and this show is no exception. May 28, 1972 has the band in fine form as I play Immigrant Song/Heartbreaker and the entire acoustic set of Going to California, That's the Way, and Bron-y-Aur Stomp. Acoustic Zeppelin…

I was led to this show by a thread on Royal Orleans (a Zep fan site) in which someone wrote a brilliant essay about 1980 and how it deserves another look, as it's not all dysfunction, addiction, and flat performances. I've gotten to the point where I'd say at least half the 1980 Tour over Europe is pretty damn good, even great. June 20, 1980 the ba…

We listen to a transfer of Joe Maloney's master mono reel of Led Zeppelin at the legendary Boston Garden, on Sept. 9, 1970. No surprise this is an incredible show with Robert in full power, and Jimmy, Bonzo, and Jonesy just perfectly locked in. I play Immigrant Song>Heartbreaker in all one chunk, and the mini acoustic set of That's the Way and a be…

The 1973 UK tour is not to be slept on. Robert's voice is rough as he, as he always has in winter, the flu. So they cancelled and rescheduled to preserve the treasure that is Robert Plant's voice, right? Nope. He pushed himself as always and did his poor larynx no favors. This show is January 14, 1973 at the Empire in Liverpool. The show is a bange…

This week we listen to a compilation put together by Led Zeppelin Boots, of Copenhagen and Odense (May 4 and 5 respectively). These are shows in which Led Zeppelin truly were exception. In addition to being on top of their game, with a ridiculously powerful Robert Plant at the fore, they played Gallows Pole and Four Sticks! These songs have only be…

This is an incredible tape of Led Zeppelin rehearsing at Headley Grange in preparation of their upcoming Physical Graffiti double album. From November 1973 through May 1974 the band convened at Headley Grange, the site of many a legendary recording session (Zep IV, Houses, etc) to work on their new album. The sessions were fruitful and the band was…

I couldn't keep this one just to myself. It's too good. Sept. 21 1998 at the Cox Arena is San Diego is a truly magical night. Everyone is playing at 11 and they achieve that elusive synergy wherein the total equals more than the sum of their parts.In How Many More Times, I've never heard the rhythm section sound better or more locked in. Jimmy is 1…

I find this to be my favorite of the 5 nights at Earls Court. Jimmy is playing with passion and dexterity. One of his best 1975 shows, imo. I'm playing source mix making an excellent, complete recording. These excellent audience tapes allow us to hear Tangerine with the four part harmony, unlike on the videos which only had Robert's voice. That alo…

On November 28, 1983 Jimmy Page walked onstage in Dallas, Texas for his first American appearance in more than 7 years. He was newly free of the chains that heroin addiction had weighing him down, and he was working on getting back to fighting fettle. Paul Rodgers is joining him for this tour, as Steve Winwood was in the studio and couldn't reprise…

This is one of the canonical 'best of' shows for Led Zeppelin. April 26, 1969 at the Winterland in San Francisco is a high water mark for a band with very... high water. Robert Plant is beyond belief and the rest of the band meets that level, just run with it. I have covered this show in the long long ago, but I have not repeated any songs, so we h…

This is a fun one! April 2, 1980 at My Father's Place in Roslyn, NY from an FM broadcast on WLIR. The sound and the performances are stellar. Nice, short, story songs sung impeccably... kinda in a Kinks vein. If you're like me you'll be reminded of a whole bunch of great songs that had slid over the horizon over the years, overshadowed by the fame …

Bonzo is the star of this show. Led Zeppelin in St. Paul, Minnesota July, 9, 1973 is a top tier NA 1973 show. Jimmy and Jonesy are on fire, but John Bonham is head and shoulders above them this night. He plays stuff I've not heard before, adding complexity to Heartbreaker and ingenuity to No Quarter and, and bombastic fire to Whole Lotta Love. The …

This is a good one. Robert Plant is in amazing voice with lots of oomph. Richie Hayward (from Little Feat) is killing it on drums, Robbie Blunt is a bloody virtuoso with his emotive playing. This is December 13, 1983 at the Hammersmith Odeon, on his Principle of Moments tour. Jimmy Page had four days prior finished up with the ARMS Tour, and was af…

For this episode we hear the thunderous John Paul Jones on tour for his Zooma album, at The Fubar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March, 10, 2000. This is a very well recorded show for around 200 people. The sound and vibe are incredible. Jonesy is very chatty and interactive with the audience. I play Grind (from Zooma), Crackback (from the Scream f…

Today we hear some music from Led Zeppelin playing San Diego, 5/28/73, on a soundboard recording remastered by DADGAD. This show has some towering highs and tumbling low points. I play two of the highlights. First is a smokin' Since I've Been Loving You with gorgeous, smooth cooooool jazz piano from Mr. Jones, and Jimmy delivers in spades. Then I p…

This is a good one! For this episode I have chosen Jimmy Page & Robert Plant on the last night of their huge Unledded US tour. May 27, 1995 at The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington. This is a great venue known for it's beauty, not unlike Red Rocks in Colorado. Page/Plant end their tour on a high note with tight performances in a 3rd Eye reco…

Jan. 18, 1973 - Led Zeppelin play Bradford UK on their tour of smaller UK venues, before launching on their epic European tour, which gave us all those great shows. This show is on par with those high water marks like Vienna or Essen. I play a raucous and frenetic Whole Lotta Love with joyous medleys aplenty. The rhythm machine is in high gear here…

In this episode we hear a recording of the opening date of Led Zeppelin's 1971 UK Tour, in Newcastle on November 11, 1971. This is a distant but clear and good recording, and to no one's surprise the band is in great form. I play Heartbreaker, What Is And What Should Never Be, and a frenetic Communication Breakdown. This is a great show from a grea…

This is a fantastic recording of The Rolling Stones at the LA Forum, July 9, 1975. St. Michael Millard is the taper so the sound is out of this world. The Stones are also pretty darn great. This is Ronnie Wood's first tour with the Stones and he brings energy, fun, and a good bit of skill to the band. They sound revitalized. Billy Preston is with t…

This is a delightful recording of a confident young Zep playing The Schaefer Music Festival, Central Park, NYC, on July 21, 1969. It's from a 1st gen reel and it sounds very good to these ears. The performance is, of course, glorious. I play a frenetic proto-funky Communication Breakdown, You Shook Me which is as much Robert's as it is Jimmy's with…

This is as legendary as legendary gets. Led Zeppelin at the LA Forum, June 23, 1977 is one of the most popular, and famous, bootleg recordings out there. The quality of Mike Millard's master recording is matched by the quality of the bands' performance. The first four songs are from the Barry Goldstein master tape, which is almost as good as Millar…

This is a great show! The penultimate Page/Plant gig, December 2, 1998 Oberhausen, Westphalia. Unbelievable chemistry between all band members. Jimmy Page is absolutely on fire, and super precise in his tone, and delivery. The band has never sounded better and they are ending their Walking Into Everywhere Tour with a hell of a bang. I play Heartbre…

This is a firecracker of a show recorded the month following the Royal Albert Hall gig, which is featured on the Led Zeppelin DVD. February, 28, 1970 in Copenhagen, Denmark. We have The Nobs performing, to placate the wrath of the elders of the Von Zeppelin family. Zeppelin delivers in Copenhagen, historically, and this show is now different. So, i…

I play a nice show from July 7, 1973 of Led Zeppelin lighting up Chicago. Robert's voice is in rough shape, but not as bad as the night before. Jimmy and Bonzo ably pick up any slack left by Mr. Plant. I play Over the Hills and a raucous Dazed. Good stuff. Performed 51 years ago, today.By Mark Donahue

This is a wonderful, clear, stereo recording of the legendary, and officially released (with a bunch of cuts and edits) April 1, 1971 performance at the Paris Theater, in London. Jonesy's fat bass sounds so good in the left channel. I play a nice punching Communication Breakdown with a very well represented hi-hat in the mix, and finally an epic Wh…

1996 was a great year for the Jimmy Page/Robert Plant partnership. After their tremendously successful 1995 Unledded tour, they both loosened and tightened up, and headed South (of the Equator) with a smaller coterie of musicians. They played Central and South America, Japan, and finally, Australia. This recording is from their February 24, 1996 in…