-
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. -
Soundboard 9.3 - I love this lively mix, sure it’s a close mic’d slightly compressed board but it’s very kinetic (a lot of that is probably the band). Oh, the band…yeah, they are on fire! Get this. -
Audience 7.2 - Yes a little rough here, but this is so historically important as it represents some of the earliest thundering by the fledgling Led Zeppelin live in the United States. The tape seems to improve in spots, and the re-mastering on it has really helped immensely. * Bonus DVD-A is a real plus, and those with higher end systems will be able to take advantage of the higher resolution audio. -
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. -
Soundboard 8.8 - Deep and rich lows, and nicely detailed highs are the hallmarks of what I consider to be one of the better 1980 shows the band performed. -
Audience 8.7 - Pretty crisp and clear especially Page, who shines in this performance. -
Audience 7.0–7.4 - Muddled, distant and lacking in separation of instruments, this is for completists only. To be fair, the mud does clear somewhat and some remastering has allowed us to hear reasonably clear lead guitar and higher frequencies that are not residing down where the tape distortion is, so for instance songs like Stairway To Heaven are like sun rays peaking through, so I gave this a spread rating which is more realistic. -
Soundboard 9.0 - Crunchy and clear, with super duper guitar tone right up in your face. Spectacular but sometimes so much power all occupying the middle frequency makes you want more low end, so add it with Equalizer and you are good to go mate. -
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 9.2 - This one deserves a high rating for not only having great sound quality (with some minor taper adjustment in the beginning) but also because, quite simply, this gig is off the charts cool. Plant makes reference to "the vibes" during the show and it's just obvious that the crowd knows they are witnessing something magic, and the best part is - so does the band. When they realize they are all four "in the zone", the show takes off to levels unprecedented heretofore. A stellar No Quarter and perhaps the best Dazed and Confused of the whole tour...you get that and more. One tiny blemish, during the end of The Rain Song, an equipment malfunction destroys what would have been the penultimate version, and Plant himself recognized the disaster. To me, it's not a deal breaker at all, it lasts a couple seconds, but I understand Plant's frustration completely. Get this now! -
Audience 8.6 - A fantastic early recording of the band during their summer rock festival circuit tour. These are some of their most fiery performances, playing in front of huge festival crowds where there is palpable kinetic energy, and this show really delivers! At times, taper seems to move to different spots and so the sound occasionally fades but then comes back strong again. -
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 7.4 - A little cluttered in the middle, volume pushed to max – but not that bad and quite historical given the fact it’s the first show in Osaka which was a legendary stand of concerts back in ’71. (first night 9-28-71) -
Both Shows: Early Show - Audience 7.2 - The lesser of the two shows, but the performance is strong, you’ll know they mean business after the first 30 seconds of Immigrant Song! Late Show - Audience 7.7 - Several notches cleaner and stronger than the early show, but both are worth your time.