Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, (Bring It On Home intro) Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, Rain Song, Dazed and Confused (incl. San Francisco), Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love (incl. Let That Boy Boogie), Communication Breakdown.
Review: Friday and Saturday, Led Zeppelin landed at the Chicago Stadium, with nearly 20,000 turning out for each night’s show. Apparently anticipating possible problems, someone had seen to it that the place was crawling with security as well. Friday night, at least, things were peaceful enough – in fact, by current concert standards, the whole evening proceeded according to script.
For a band that attracts such an eager-for-action audience, Led Zeppelin is curiously controlled. They are not the type to urge the audience to surge forward; in fact, they play with barricades in front of the stage and Plant expressed distaste more than once for the pushing confrontations going on practically at his feet.
For a band that once relied so much on sheer musicianship, augmented by the stage sexuality of lead singer and vocal gymnast Plant, Led Zep’s picked up a lot of theatrical trappings since their last tour. A stage setting with complete lighting system, mirrored panels and silver balls, plus puffs of smoke and enveloping fogs, represents some borrowings from Pink Floyd, though it works well with Zeppelin’s style too. So does the weird electronic music of the theremin which guitarist Jimmy Page doubled on during Whole Lotta Love.
Page took a couple of solos with some flashy guitar work, and drummer John Bonham managed to make a 15 minute or so drum solo in Moby Dick, not only powerful but incredibly engrossing. (ChicagoTribune, July 1973)
Rock and Roll, Celebration Day, (Bring It On Home intro) Black Dog, Over the Hills and Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, The Song Remains the Same, Rain Song, Dazed and Confused (incl. San Francisco), Stairway to Heaven, Moby Dick, Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love (incl. Let That Boy Boogie), Communication Breakdown.
Review: Friday and Saturday, Led Zeppelin landed at the Chicago Stadium, with nearly 20,000 turning out for each night’s show. Apparently anticipating possible problems, someone had seen to it that the place was crawling with security as well. Friday night, at least, things were peaceful enough – in fact, by current concert standards, the whole evening proceeded according to script.
For a band that attracts such an eager-for-action audience, Led Zeppelin is curiously controlled. They are not the type to urge the audience to surge forward; in fact, they play with barricades in front of the stage and Plant expressed distaste more than once for the pushing confrontations going on practically at his feet.
For a band that once relied so much on sheer musicianship, augmented by the stage sexuality of lead singer and vocal gymnast Plant, Led Zep’s picked up a lot of theatrical trappings since their last tour. A stage setting with complete lighting system, mirrored panels and silver balls, plus puffs of smoke and enveloping fogs, represents some borrowings from Pink Floyd, though it works well with Zeppelin’s style too. So does the weird electronic music of the theremin which guitarist Jimmy Page doubled on during Whole Lotta Love.
Page took a couple of solos with some flashy guitar work, and drummer John Bonham managed to make a 15 minute or so drum solo in Moby Dick, not only powerful but incredibly engrossing. (ChicagoTribune, July 1973)
January 18, 2008 5:22am zep73
My first concert, on July 7th., 1973 changed my life forever. I managed to get my hands on a ticket for the second night in Chicago at the old Madhouse on Madison, the Chicago Stadium. I had just turned 16 and nothing could have prepared me for what I was to witness that summer night in July.
We were big hockey fans in those days, and I'd been to the Stadium dozens of times for Blackhawk games, but I never saw it look like it did that night! The hippies and freaks came out of the woodwork, and it was just the coolest scene you could imagine.... Long haired rockers and flower children, bikers, you name it, as far as the eye could see, and to a fairly sheltered 16 year old, it looked like the second coming of Woodstock! Someone had managed to drop the fire escapes on the outside of the building, and they were packed with people climbing onto them and getting into the building through the balcony fire escape doors. More than likely they were without tickets and couldn't resist the chance to get in.
Once inside and the show began, I was floored by the class, power, and majesty of this band, as well as the lights, the sounds, and the smells! Since it was just a few days removed from the 4th of July, the building was filled with the flash and blasts of fireworks going off during the show. Several times the blast were so loud, it felt like the building shook. At one point Robert stopped and asked the crowd to "Please, cool it with the 'works!" Of course it would slow down, and then the firecrackers, bottle rockets, and even M-80's would start up again.... The air was filled with crushing, hypnotizing blues rock, a mystical aura mixed with a haze of pot smoke and gunpowder, and the whole scene was absolutely surreal.
Our seats were first row in the first balcony, almost straight across from the stage, and I had a panoramic view of the show and all of the craziness surrounding it. The aisles and stairs were filled with the people who had gotten in without seats, and just about every light under the balcony was either broken or removed to darken the building and better facilitate the mood.
To be honest, it wouldn't have mattered if Jimmy was on, or if Robert had hit every note, THEY BLEW THE PLACE AWAY. It remains, to this day, the greatest single spectacle I have ever seen, anywhere. I would never be the same after that show.
I went on to see every show they did in Chicago from that day on. Three shows in January of 1975, and four more in April of '77, including Jimmy's abbreviated Saturday night sick show, and culminating with 2nd row seats for the Easter Sunday "Stormtrooper show". I only wish I'd seen the first tours, including stops at (As Robert called it one night) "the old dancing Kinetic Playground."
I'm 50 now, and I sometimes feel like a wise old wizard talking to a group of hobbits when young kids ask what Zep was like back in the day. I recount the stories, and they sit with their eyes wide and their mouths open, and it only reminds me of how fortunate I really was...
My life is richer for having been there...
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RE: Led Zepplin Chicago Concert 1973
January 6, 2013 6:37pm nancy richards
I never missed a concert when they came to Chicago, my father was a cop and we woukld go down and i would cry that he was toget us in for free and I couldnt find him.......
we always got a front row seat!!!! There still my all time favorite group
Nancy
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Concert description
March 17, 2008 2:24pm Argenteum Astrum
Rather mixed performance. While Celebration Day sounded on fire, Over The Hills And Far Away sounds extremely sluggish. Jimmy saves it all with a lengthy solo and a suddenly improved guitar volume. Since I've Been Loving You is a great version with Robert's raw, raspy voice to it's full effect and Jimmy also in great form here. No Quarter is a perfect version 1973 style without the enhancements of 1975/77. Bonzo adds a bit of tympani here and there during the keyboard solo. Page joins very quickly for the jam. With Dazed And Confused Plant is seems to be recovered now and adlibs and screams at will. Together with 1972 these are the best versions of this song. A great version here, followed by a strong medley of Heartbreaker and Whole Lotta Love.
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Jimi Paige
October 9, 2009 5:50am Charles Van Kleef
Never seen a double neck guitar, Jimi plays flawlessly! specially the 12 string. Moved up on my favorite guitarist list. But still have tough time picking number one. 07/071973
1. Jimi Paige tied Eric Clapton
2. Jeff Beck
3. Duane Allman
4. Carlos Santana
5. Stevie Ray Vaughan
6. Robbie Robertson
7. B.B. King
Do not agree with Rolling Stone Mag. The top 100 guitarists of all time.
Always liked Blues! Too!
Zep,Fan 4 Life!
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was a great day
June 23, 2011 10:52pm Denis
At 7;31 tha morningt my wife gave brith to our daughter Kellie Sunshine went to show had 7th row seats not to long ago we went to see Kashmir was great hearing those songs again with my daugther and wife
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re: My First Concert
September 28, 2008 4:32pm Lady
Your review was stellar ~ I'm one of those young hobbits wishing I had been born 30 years earlier so I could have rocked with the GREATEST band of all time in their heyday. I can't wait for them to tour again so I can have my chance to experience it all.
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