Mid-South Coliseum - April 17, 1970

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April 17, 1970
Memphis
TN
United States
us
Setlist

We're Gonna Groove, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Bring It On Home, White Summer / Black Mountainside, Since I've Been Loving You, Organ solo / Thank You, What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times (medley incl. Boogie Chillen', Bottle Up 'n Go, Memphis Tennesee, For What It's Worth, Ramble On, Tobacco Road, Long Distance Call, Honey Bee / "Lemon Song", That's Alright Mama), Whole Lotta Love.

Note

While in Montreal a few days earlier, the group is told the mayor of Memphis plans to honour them with keys to the city.


Click here to read Phillip Rauls' story of his day with Zeppelin in Memphis 1970. (Phillip was an Atlantic Record's Regional Promotion & Marketing Director)


Press Review: The Led Zeppelin: My! My! Groovy

The lyrics of Led Zeppelin’s opening song went “Set my soul on fire. We’re Gonna Groove – my, my, my – we’re gonna groove” And with the help of 10,732 Memphis fans these four British blues men did exactly that at Mid-South Coliseum last night.

Jimmy Page, lead guitar, captured the audience on Dazed and Confused by playing his guitar with a violin bow. Page also exhibited his enormous playing ability on Heartbreaker. At one point in the song, Page allowed down to such a point that it sounded like easy-listening music.

The slowness didn’t last for long. Robert (“Platt”) lead vocalist and harmonica player, began Bring it on Home with – “you got it. Just a little louder. This is where the beat comes from.” The audience listened intently as (“Platt”) sand and played his harmonica for 10 minutes.

Jimmy Page and drummer John (“Benham”) were responsible for the group’s first standing ovation. Page was featured in a 12-minute version of White Summer.

A member of the audience screamed a request for one of his favorite songs and Robert (“Platt”) calmly replied, “Easy, easy. Don’t scream. It’s all gonna come. Scream at the end.” He then mentioned that he had seen Elvis Presley perform in Las Vegas and really liked his performance. He wanted to dedicate Since I’ve Been Loving You to Memphis’ most celebrated musician.

John Paul Jones, organist and bass player, hot his chance to show his ability on the organ and on a song that resembled church music at times. Jones’ solo brought another standing ovation.

The crowd stood and roared their approval long before “Benham” was through with his drum solo in Moby Dick. After this 20-minute song, “Platt” asked, “Does everybody feel alright?” They obviously did.
Before Led Zeppelin’s supposedly last song, “Platt” said “Put your hands together for this good city. Get loose.” When the group began their potpourri of Memphis, Tobacco Road and others, some of the audience came out of their seats to the front of the stage and began clapping, giving the peace sign and moving about. This action brought on the house lights and some of the crowd was pushed back by police officers.

They tried to leave the stage but were brought back by a screaming crowd. They sang their biggest hit Whole Lotta Love. Led Zeppelin obviously fulfilled the expectations of Pam Palmer, 18, a student at Kingsbury, who said “Fantastic, just fantastic.” Becky Schneider, 17, also a student at Kingsbury and a friend of Pam’s said with delight in her eyes, “It’s the best I’ve ever seen.” [M. Hughes, Press-Scimitar, April 18, 1970] 

Notes

While in Montreal a few days earlier, the group is told the mayor of Memphis plans to honour them with keys to the city & honorary citizenship.


Click here to read Phillip Rauls' story of his day with Zeppelin in Memphis 1970. (Phillip was an Atlantic Record's Regional Promotion & Marketing Director)


Press Review: The Led Zeppelin: My! My! Groovy

The lyrics of Led Zeppelin’s opening song went “Set my soul on fire. We’re Gonna Groove – my, my, my – we’re gonna groove” And with the help of 10,732 Memphis fans these four British blues men did exactly that at Mid-South Coliseum last night.

Jimmy Page, lead guitar, captured the audience on Dazed and Confused by playing his guitar with a violin bow. Page also exhibited his enormous playing ability on Heartbreaker. At one point in the song, Page allowed down to such a point that it sounded like easy-listening music.

The slowness didn’t last for long. Robert (“Platt”) lead vocalist and harmonica player, began Bring it on Home with – “you got it. Just a little louder. This is where the beat comes from.” The audience listened intently as (“Platt”) sand and played his harmonica for 10 minutes.

Jimmy Page and drummer John (“Benham”) were responsible for the group’s first standing ovation. Page was featured in a 12-minute version of White Summer.

A member of the audience screamed a request for one of his favorite songs and Robert (“Platt”) calmly replied, “Easy, easy. Don’t scream. It’s all gonna come. Scream at the end.” He then mentioned that he had seen Elvis Presley perform in Las Vegas and really liked his performance. He wanted to dedicate Since I’ve Been Loving You to Memphis’ most celebrated musician.

John Paul Jones, organist and bass player, hot his chance to show his ability on the organ and on a song that resembled church music at times. Jones’ solo brought another standing ovation.

The crowd stood and roared their approval long before “Benham” was through with his drum solo in Moby Dick. After this 20-minute song, “Platt” asked, “Does everybody feel alright?” They obviously did.
Before Led Zeppelin’s supposedly last song, “Platt” said “Put your hands together for this good city. Get loose.” When the group began their potpourri of Memphis, Tobacco Road and others, some of the audience came out of their seats to the front of the stage and began clapping, giving the peace sign and moving about. This action brought on the house lights and some of the crowd was pushed back by police officers.

They tried to leave the stage but were brought back by a screaming crowd. They sang their biggest hit Whole Lotta Love. Led Zeppelin obviously fulfilled the expectations of Pam Palmer, 18, a student at Kingsbury, who said “Fantastic, just fantastic.” Becky Schneider, 17, also a student at Kingsbury and a friend of Pam’s said with delight in her eyes, “It’s the best I’ve ever seen.” [M. Hughes, Press-Scimitar, April 18, 1970] 

Setlists

We're Gonna Groove, Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker, Bring It On Home, White Summer / Black Mountainside, Since I've Been Loving You, Organ solo / Thank You, What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, How Many More Times (medley incl. Boogie Chillen', Bottle Up 'n Go, Memphis Tennesee, For What It's Worth, Ramble On, Tobacco Road, Long Distance Call, Honey Bee / "Lemon Song", That's Alright Mama), Whole Lotta Love.

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