I don't know where to begin. Led Zeppelin had always played in New Orleans when they came to the area, so having them come to Baton Rouge instead was a big event, to say the least. People had come from all around and camped out for days in a rare snowfall in the hope of getting tickets. I can't remember if the concert sold out in a matter of
hours or a matter of days, but it broke Elvis Presley's record for this venue, and I would guess that Led Zeppelin still holds the record here. Luckily, my aunt worked at LSU and I was able to get "festival style seating" on the floor before tickets even went on sale to the general public. Since Zeppelin also played here two years later, during the Presence tour, it is hard to remember anything particular about either show, except that at the beginning of each we were packed like sardines up against the barricade, and the security guys were pulling people over who were apparently being crushed. It would calm down after "Rock and Roll", but there would inevitably be another rush for the stage for songs like "The Song Remains The Same" or "Whole Lotta Love". The thing I remember the most about both shows is being totally awestruck. For this particular show, I had not yet completely absorbed all the songs on Physical Graffiti, but I was keenly aware that previous Led Zeppelin albums that had disappointed me to some extent were just different than the mostly blues-based stuff on the first two albums. Physical Graffiti later became my favorite Led Zeppelin album, although it is hard for me to say which was their best. My only "regret" is that Led Zeppelin did not videotape every show they did for posterity. I guess that would have been too cost-prohibitive, even for them, or maybe they didn't think people would care several decades later. My memories are fading now, but it goes without saying that "an evening with Led Zeppelin" was an evening well-spent.