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Stockholm 1968 - Audience 8.7 / London 1968 - Audience 8.2 Both fantastic considering the time period, and the significance cannot be understated. That being said, the London material suffers from some artifacts present either in the master or in the transfer to digital. My guess is that it probably originated from an acetate or from an AM Radio Broadcast taped onto a cheap cassette deck but it is still decent enough to get into. -
Audience 9.0 - This is a brilliant live document, captured during Zep’s “Back To The Clubs” Tour of 1971. A sort of intimate atmosphere and a very jovial and chatty Robert Plant. The band sounds loose and genuinely having a great time. -
Audience 7.5 - Kind of middle of the road as far as dynamics in the recording, but the big plus is that every instrument is heard, with nothing rising above or falling underneath the mid-range ceiling. Pushing volume up really high will bring some of the inherent sonic limitation into the picture, which is lurking about but not intruding until you push it. What you can really get into here is the absolutely packed set list, and a more extended Good Times Bad Times than was typical at the time. Really, this is something even the average Zep fan might find interesting. -
Audience 8.7 - Pretty crisp and clear especially Page, who shines in this performance. -
Audience 7.3 - Starting off rough, this EXPLOSIVE concert gets clearer until it is mildly satisfactory but that isn’t the real story here – the band is only on their 2nd show of the new year and they are roaring like hungry lions. Earthshaking intensity, which the poor taper struggles to capture properly. Should be in your collection for posterity. Remastered and upgraded! -
Audience 8.6 - With the exception of a little bit of mid range distortion (probably due to taper being right in front of the PA on Jimmy’s side of the stage), this recording can best be summed up as “explosive” - this is an over the top electric and completely wild unhinged show by a lean and hungry band. Essential! -
Audience 7.7 - This show does not overwhelm the listener in any dynamic range but what it does is capture in relatively good quality all the way through with no surprises. It’s very good, but does not call to your attention that much. Still if you are collecting them all, this one will be a great addition! -
Audience 8.8 - Outstanding in most of the ways you need it to be. Captures incredible manic energy in a very respectable way, so is it perfect? Nope. Does it matter? Not for this gig it doesn’t. This is a must have! -
Audience 7.3 - A newer tape source here, still average but features much better definition so there’s much to be gained by upgrading. Page seems to tune up frequently so I wonder if there were temperature problems or other? Interesting beginning to Heartbreaker here, never heard that intro before. -
Soundboard 9.3 -
Audience 8.1 -
Audience 7.9 - A very bright, brassy tape. Kind of really captures the “realness” of the live PA sound at the gig. Very much one of those recordings that puts you at the show. -
Audience 8.3 - Just a hint of distortion in the tape but that is a minor quibble because this is a fantastic document. A very powerful sound, an earthshaking depth due to a rich and full bottom end and a crisp attack on the guitars. Plant sounds great, his voice rising above all others, wow what a tape! -
Pro Studio 9.2-9.8 -
Audience 7.0-8.0 - Muffled sounding, but this tape has been cleaned up a lot since I heard it oh about 30 years ago! Once your ears adjust it sounds a heck of a lot better than the first minute, the tape does improve some, in fact by the second song it’s a whole point better! -
Audience 8.6 - This is what I would consider a must have. The recording progressively gets better, the show does too. The show! Man oh man! This is what collecting Zep is all about. Get this!