Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused (incl. San Francisco), Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love (incl The Crunge), Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Communication Breakdown.
Rock and Roll, Sick Again, Over the Hills and Far Away, In My Time of Dying, The Song Remains the Same, Rain Song, Kashmir, No Quarter, Tangerine, Going to California, That's the Way, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, Trampled Underfoot, Moby Dick, Dazed and Confused (incl. San Francisco), Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love (incl The Crunge), Black Dog, Heartbreaker, Communication Breakdown.
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Click here to view the Earls Court concert programme (flipbook) |
Press Review: LED ZEPPELIN / Earls Court
IF THERE was ever a concert that you could brag about seeing to all your friends, it was the Led Zeppelin one at Earls Court on Sunday evening. It turned out to be a nocturnal delight, one which should be remembered for eons to come.
The American show that they brought home with them comprised some of the best rock music in the world, highlighted by opulent stage and lighting effects and an abundance of dry ice in traffic light colours.
Led endeavoured to take us on a musical journey of their six and a half years reign. Robert Plant made a jolly raconteur as he told us about the good times, the hard times and times when the four heroes sat around the fire sipping tea. The sound in the vast arena was amazingly clear and concise, which was why Zeppelin decided to add an extra half hour to their three hour show.
Rock And Roll was the first thing to get an airing, with Plant's staccato voice machine gunning around the hall and proving that his golden larynx is an Instrument in Itself. Jimmy Page's fluid, flaunting guitar work knocked everyone for six as he juggled with the chords, making them sing, dance, do almost anything. All this craftsmanship was guaranteed to get the most frigid listener buzzing like a bumble bee and warming up for the astounding things to come.
Above the massive stage stood a video screen depicting each member at different times so that the fans in the cheap seats could get a better look.
In My Time Of Dying contained some slidework wizardry from Page and a thumping bass from J.P. Jones, 'though it was Kashmir which got the most response and it could well become a second Stairway To Heaven.
John Paul Jones, who up 'til now displayed some splendid bass work, shifted to piano to do some lilting melodies on the solemn No Quarter. But one of the highlights, for me was their mellow acoustic set. Comprising the illustrious Tangerine and Going To California. John Paul Jones on mandolin and Page on acoustic guitar, together made a beautiful kaleidoscope of notes. On these numbers, dear ol’ Bonham, looking portly of late, attempted to join in with the others for a four part harmony. Plant amusingly jibed afterwards that they'd be singing the Hollies’ Bus Stop next!
The next twenty minutes allowed Zep to get off and jam. The inimitable Moby Dick was the springboard for Bonham to demonstrate his drumming talents, and with the giant screen hanging overhead we could clearly see what the maestro was doing. Alas the drum solo was far too long and involved, giving way to a numb-bum, although admittedly, the first ten minutes of his playing were superb.
The well-known favourite Dazed And Confused was perhaps the most exciting visual sequence of all. Jimmy Page used a violin bow to produce some macabre, mind -boggling amends. A laser with three strips of light filled the stage to enhance the solo.
The finale was of course Stairway To Heaven, an extravaganza of all things bright an' beautiful. This got the crowd on their feet and clapping for more.
The encore was Whole Lotta Love, improved with age in the same way a good wine tastes better if allowed to mellow.
Before Zep left the stage Robert Plant said: "Thanks for your time it's been our pleasure." Well, well, what an awfully nice fellow! [Record Mirror / May 1975 / JAN ILES]
December 15, 2007 8:56am fred holding
Hello,
I still have my T shirt, programme, poster and ticket stub from the Earls Court gig in '75. I decided to not wear my t shirt, however those fans that did, the 'iron transfer' on the front soon peeled off.
Fred
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Concert description
March 17, 2008 4:19pm Argenteum Astrum
The final Earl's Court show, the final 1975 show, and the last ever performance of Dazed And Confused. The initial string of numbers are high powered and aggressive! No Quarter is a really great jam and the acoustic section is pretty good. Moby Dick and Dazed are rather boring however, which is sad and rather unfitting as it is the last ever performance of the latter. Stairway To Heaven was dedicated to Plant's daughter: "Carmen - this song's to a little girl who sits probably wondering what it all about ... so, where is the bridge? Well, Carmen, were's your chance to find out where the bridge is ... and if you know, please let me know after the show." The solo is wonderful and the encores contain a tortured Theremin solo from Jimmy before the extra songs are played for the last night's sake.
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Earl's Court, Led Zeppelin, 23rd-25th May 1975
February 5, 2010 3:26pm John Bruce
Went to all three concerts in the second weekend. Still sends a shiver down my spine when I see footage from them. Previously saw them in Glasgow in 1972. Never seen anything to equal them before or since.
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Sunday night show at Earls Court
November 23, 2009 6:30pm Jack
We travelled down from Glasgow on the Saturday overnight train. Wandered around London all day before going to the concert. After the four hour display by the band we had to walk from Charing Cross to Euston station and slept on the floor until the train left for Glasgow at 8.00 am on the Monday morning. But hey it was worth it. The concert was the best I have ever been at and I can remember the whole week-end vividly.
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Earls Court May 25th 1975
November 27, 2007 4:02pm mike spence
We queued up for tickets outside Virgin Records in the Horsefair, Bristol for nearly 2 days, quite a feat for a bunch of 15 year old kids, we were 5th in line. My mate steve's dad drove us up in a minibus and actually managed to get in to see the gig. It was a real hilight to my concert going as a teenager, we managed to get in to see most of the current rock bands at the colston hall and hippodrome. The gig was nearly 4 hours long as I remember, old fluff freeman doing the compering. We got a bit narked with some old hairies behind us who kept wanting us to sit down. Those awful wrongly spelt Osmondesque satin scarves were also a no no! Bought my copy of physical graphiti at the gig too. I still have it. I wonder whether seeing the band now, without Bonzo would be the same, would love to find out though. My kids are big fans of the band and it gives me some street cred actually having seen them.
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I remember this like it was
November 23, 2007 11:58am Rob Gitsham
I remember this like it was yesterday. Band came on earlier than 8.00 pm start and finally left the stage about 10 minutes after midnight, Jimmy Page looking exhausted.
Still the best gig I have ever seen in nearly 40 years of gig going
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last show at earls court in '75
January 24, 2009 6:03pm adrian williams
What a few days that was ...Bad Company at Brum Town Hall on Friday the ?...Yes/ Alex Harvey band on17/5 at Stoke football ground (i remember a mini riot!) ........then Zep in the smoke!! remember it being on a Sunday night and my mate Dave having to drive back to Dudley in real thick fog all the way up the motorway in his Hillman Avenger.
Fantastic memories that will live forever..even Wolves were doing great then !!
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Three in a row
November 23, 2007 3:17pm Colin Lott
The final of three successive nights of LZ. What a week! The tickets are framed on my wall to this day.
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Scarf that reads LED ZEPPLIN seen at the Earls Court Footage?
September 10, 2010 12:33am cesar
There is a young lady holding a scarf that read LED ZEPPLIN at the opening of the Earls Court footage on the 2003 LZ DVD. Do you remember seing this being sold inside at the suvenier stations a the Earls Court Stadium? Why as it misspelled? Please ........................................., thank you.
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Earls Court 25/5/75
December 25, 2014 5:17pm Bearcatt
The gig that set the standard, after nearly four hours the only thing that could top it was meeting the band, which we did, i still have the autographs, first,last and always .
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I think the Record Mirror
May 8, 2020 9:30am Zep Hed
I think the Record Mirror review pertains to the second show on the 18th.
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I've read reviews of these
July 9, 2020 7:16pm Timothy Matthew
I've read reviews of these shows for years. YEARS...In college I had decent Cassette copies of, I think, the performances on the 23rd, and 25th. But, being bootlegs, and multigenerational copies, their quality was still far from what it could be. You guys have the tapes. Please, please, please put together a box set of these shows. I'd be the first in line to buy an official release! I'm going to keep bugging you abou this.
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Grew up with Led Zeppelin had
August 2, 2021 6:52pm Donald J Smith
Grew up with Led Zeppelin had every Album. Was trying to got a concert that was canceled because Jon Bonham died. The best drummer ever no body can play like him.
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