June 3, 1977
Tampa, FL US
Tampa Stadium
Setlist:
The Song Remains The Same, (The Rover intro) Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine.
Notes:
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Click here to view the US '77 Tour Programme (flipbook) |
Show ends early due to rain.
The promoters then ran a full page ad, apologizing to fans for the turn of events – it read:
“Concerts West Apologizes and is sorry for the humiliation & inconvenience to you and your faithful fans at Tampa Stadium, June 3, 1977.
You did everything that you could and wanted to do so much more. You are the best and deserve the best, not the worst treatment.
-Respectfully, Concerts West.
News Report: At Least 100 Injured At Led Zeppelin Concert
TAMPA Fla. - City officials, reeling from a mini riot which erupted when a thunderstorm washed out a Led Zeppelin concert, canceled a rain check rerun Saturday, leaving fans from as far as Michigan and New York holding "rain or shine" ticket stubs.
"If I were in Buffalo, I'd go home right now," said Bonnie Strickland. The 19-year-old youth and three companions had driven 24hours to get to Florida for the concert. Strickland said they were the first ones in the stadium when the doors opened at 11:30 a.m. Friday for the8:30 p.m. concert. After spending the day in 90-degree weather on the sun baked football field, they settled down for the concert.
The British band played for 20 minutes before the thunderstorm hit. About 45minutes later the concert was called off.
The cry "We want Zeppelin. We want Zeppelin" came from the 70,000 fans as rocks and bottles began flying onto the stage."We had what had to be called a small riot. There were between 3,000 and4,000 people who were unruly and disorderly," Tampa Police spokesman Johnny Barker said.
About 250 police officers, all in riot gear and using billy clubs, broke up the rioting and herded the fans out of the stadium. The scene was followed by 26 reported traffic accidents near the grounds. "The cops didn't give any warning," one teen-aged girl said. "They just waded in. I ended up at the bottom of the crowd and a cop kicked me in the head. My brother got a broken leg and broken ribs."
The melee left an estimated 100 fans with injuries. Eight were arrested. Shift Commander Tom Wilson said "in the neighborhood" a dozen officers were treated for injuries." One had a concussion, there was one with a broken hand, one with a broken ankle, one with cut lips and some teeth knocked out, one with a dislocated shoulder..." There were so many people you just couldn't move," a 32 year-old man from West Palm Beach said: "I was just trying to get away. The ticket said rain or shine."
Persons holding ticket stubs can get refunds, but we are encouraging them to mail in their refund requests," Barker said. (Newswire - June 5, 1977)
Comments
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Tampa Stadium 1977
Yep I was there... of course I was also at the previous one in '73, (which was an incredible concert). My then boyfriend now husband, and I had tickets for this sold out show thanks to my Dad, (his company gave us the tickets) was extremely excited about seeing Zep...
As others have mentioned, it was very hot... the clouds overhead were so dark they looked purple...no I wasn't wasted... The band walked on the stage... and their magic began... Let's be real...this is Florida Lighting capital of the world... There were lighting strikes on the stage... that wasn't part of the show...and understood why the band got off quickly... So we assumed as did everyone else that the rain would be over quickly and we wanted to wait out the rain...so we sat in the rain...and it was a hard rain which wasn't fun, and mad things muggy as hell.... After about 20-30 mins it was announced that the band wouldn't return... Being savy young people, we got up and started for the exit... it was insane ....people yelling ...shouting... bottles flying... we had just got out of the stadium, and we heard gun shots... I started thinking this was going to make the papers and I would be grounded for life from concerts... One of our friends ended up in the emergency room needing stiches after bottle hit him in the head... what was he doing at the time? Trying to help someone up who had be knocked down...
None of the above changes anything about the way this bands music is remembered, or revered... They are musicans who are very talented, and very human... if I was on a stage where lighting was striking I too would get off, and not go back....