(Translation)

Het Laatste Nieuws — Tuesday 30 May 1972 

LED ZEPPELIN SHINE AT VORST

Pearls before swine

During the concert that the British supergroup Led Zeppelin gave at Vorst-Nationaal, very strange and thought-provoking things took place. The sports palace was packed to the rafters. At the last minute a further 2,000 standing places were released, so that one may safely put the number at 7,000. A colourful and boisterous crowd, and an atmosphere that promised much. The police had their hands full keeping out people who wanted to get in without paying.

It very soon turned out, however, that this was a gathering of football fans who, now that the season is behind them, were seeking out the stadium atmosphere at Vorst. They effortlessly drowned out the music lovers present, who had nothing left to do but sit there open-mouthed. Because the gentlemen musicians too, who were playing as though the stars stood in the heavens, as the saying goes, suffered considerable hindrance from this. Singer Plant urged silence in terms ranging from "easy now, let's work together" over "shut your mouth" to "you're a disorderly rabble." And he was right. When Plant, Page (guitar) and Jones (banjo) settled themselves at the front of the stage on a chair to take an acoustic break, it was pearls before swine entirely. In the middle of the splendid "Going to California" there was blowing on police whistles (whatever possesses such people?). When Plant finally invited them to clap their hands, everyone seized on that eagerly. For anyone who had gone to Vorst to listen, this held out a spark of hope, that afterwards the gobs would stay shut and the ears be pricked up. It was of no avail. The crowning insult was the throwing of firecrackers at the moment when Page stood in concentration performing a piece of hussar-work with a violin bow. Led Zeppelin then simply gave up the effort and switched over to fifties rock, which incidentally still led to a mighty display.

For promoters of spectacle there is a clear hint in all this: hire an Oberbayern orchestra. Then people can even be rocked arm in arm.

HEAVY ARTILLERY

Having got that off our chest, we may for a moment swing the censer towards the foursome, who gave us the best concert in years, the rowdies notwithstanding.

Led Zeppelin come out with their own lightshow and electronic playthings with a power of 4,500 watts. At the beginning something went somewhat wrong with the balancing of this equipment and the acoustics of the hall, but the English technicians had everything sharply adjusted after a couple of numbers. With that, the conditions were fulfilled for that unique blend of rock and blues, sensual and theatrically served up. Singer Robert Plant is a striking figure, who trips very femininely across the stage and works profitably with legs, feet and shoulders. From round singing from the mouth he switches effortlessly to blues, sensual and theatrically served up — [from full-throated singing he switches effortlessly to sinewy shrieks from the throat]. Jimmy Page showed himself worthy of the title of guitar prince. Playing from the hip he makes his guitar whine, sing, rattle. In Larsen effects and distortions he approaches the supreme craftsmanship of Jimi Hendrix in this respect.

For a more powerful drummer than John Bonham one must look far. As the lad clubs and hacks, inspired with it and firm in measure. What one may call heavy artillery. And amid all that violence John Paul Jones remains calmly and audibly pulling at the bass strings.

After having played the hit parade of 10 years ago ("Hello Mary-Lou," "Running Bear," "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Don't Be Cruel"), Led Zeppelin broke off their performance prematurely.