I had graduated high school four weeks before the concert. it was a tlittle over a week before my 18th birthday. I had looked forward to this concert for months. A friend and I rode over to Tampa from Melbourne (FL) -- usually a drive of less than two hours. We were caught up in traffic and sat on the interstate for what seemed like hours. The engine overheated once or twice. We finally got to the stadium as the show was starting.

We were were still outside the stadium as "The Song Remains the Same" was playing. By the time we found seats about 2/3 of the way up on the right, they had started "Nobody's Fault but Mine." I had seen the black clouds rolling in from outside the stadium, so I knew we were in for a hard rain. By the time the song was finished, it was raining pretty hard. I rember Robert Plant saying that they would have to stop playing for a while beacuse water was getting in the equipment -- he ended with a loud "IS THAT COOL!" The crowd, of course, replied "NOOOOO!"

The rain came down in torrents. The stairwells were like cascading waterfalls. We were soaked. From where I sat, I could see deep puddles -- ponds, really -- on the stage. I saw the limos pull out from behind the stage. I knew there was no way that the band would be playing again that evening. I remember hearing the "cancelled" announcement that another commenter posted. But I also remember Peter Grant announcing that if everyone left in an orderly fashion, Led Zeppelin would be back the following evening for three hours of music.

We waited in our seats, first for the rain to quit, then for the crowd to thin out a bit. The stands were pretty quiet. The commotion was down on the field. There were a number of folks beating in unison on the stage barrier, just like we clap in unison for an encore. One section of the stage barrier gave way and was leaning against the stage.

I saw a few shoed and bottles thrown. The AP story said that "rocks and bottles" were thrown. Will someone please explain to me where anyone could find rocks inside Tampa Stadium? I clearly remember one guy walking into a clearing and literally breathing fire (ala Gene Simmons).

After a period of time, the crowd seemed to be starting to thin out a bit. We were thinking of leaving when I saw the blue helmets lining up at one end behind the stage barrier. I figured that this was not going to end well. They started around the corner of the barrier and formed a line in front of the stage. The crowd was already running when they moved out into the crowd with sticks swinging. I clearly saw a girl with long blonde hair running from one of the riot cops, her long hair flowing behind her. The cop grabbed her by the hair with his left hand while swinging down on her skull with the stick in his right. Not a pretty sight. It was not very long before the field was mostly clear. There were a few pockets of people here or there. Most seemed to be tending to someone who was injured. We figured that it was time to go then. There was still no trouble in the stands that I ever saw. It was all down on the field.

By the time I got home the following day, I read a newspaper article stating that thousands had "stormed the stage" at the concert. There was more of the "rocks and bottles" being thrown. I don't remember anyone storming the stage. No one even got close to the stage. Where did they get this stuff? I still hold the opinion that the Tampa police over-reacted and that precipitated the violence. True, there was rowdy behavior. But there were not "thousands" of people rioting -- at least not until they were running for their lives. In my opinion, the crowd was thinning and would have eventually dispersed without strong-arm tactics.

That turned out to be my only opportunity for a Zeppelin concert. Too bad. While I hope they go on tour after the Ahmet trubute, it just won't be the same as 1977. Oh well. As Sinatra says, "Regrets, I've had a few. . ."