Comments: After the Linda Lovelace introduction (which probably isn't complete), the extraordnarily long and heavy performance gets underway. The band is energetic and powerful at the beginning, though Robert's voice is typically a bit hoarse. It is remarkable how his voice remained "broken" for virtually all of 1975 (including Earl's Court), even with periods of rest and long instrumental passages during the shows. Plant has plenty of energy here, but he isn't quite as good as in Seattle the week before.

Mr. Page seems to be in a weird mood, and indulges in a very dissonant solo in Over The Hills And Far Away, definitely the strangest ever. Things recover a bit with a nice delivery of the brand-new In My Time Of Dying, including a You Shook Me reference at the end.

Since it is the tour finale, the band plays Since I've Been Loving You for only the third time in 1975, but Jimmy's mistakes lessen the emotional impact.

Before No Quarter, Robert announces that "we're gonna play our balls out", and the first set piece of the night is like a 1977 version, ominous, drawn out with very long guitar and piano solos. Though Jones and Bonham sound good, Page again resorts to a bizarre style of playing, employing Eastern vibrato one moment and choppy, dissonant staccato bursts of notes the next.

Bonham stomps through Trampled Underfoot with Plant adding some lines from Gallows Pole at the end.

Fourty-three minutes of Dazed And Confused find Page willing to try anything to get an improvisation going, but the results are mixed, and not as inspired as the previous versions in Vancouver and Seattle. Robert sings a lyric that has been given the title 'Feel Like I've Been Loving You' which shares the same melody line and arrangement as 'San Fransisco', 'For What It's Worth' and 'Woodstock'.

The end of the show is fairly standard. Contrary to the track listing in Luis Rey's latest edition of 'Led Zeppelin Live', the boys don't get into The Crunge, but there is a nice theremin workout.

All and all, the band tries hard, but the strain of five three-and-half hour concerts in a week shows. Still, this is an excellent release, with tasteful black and white photos throughout and an insert with commentary based on Rey's review from 'Led Zeppelin Live'.

Note: The second excellent Zep release on Rabbit.

David Anderson (7/8/97)

The review for "Tour De Force" is ©1997 David Anderson, and may not be reproduced in any media, electronic or otherwise, without the express permission of the author.