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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 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 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 7.2 - 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. -
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. -
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 8.2 - This is a good recording, clear and pretty strong when the levels are right, but there’s the rub. The sound levels occasionally drop a notch lower throughout the course of the set, ultimately they do settle into a predictable place which is fine, think of it like listening along when suddenly they hit the overdrive pedal. When that happens, it gets VERY good for a while. Well worth having this despite that. -
Audience 8.1 - A very decent and clear recording from maybe midway back of the hall. Show is fantastic, and the recording sufficiently documents this event. -
Audience 8.4 - This is a special recording, mainly because it reveals another element to the live experience – a really rocking band with a rocking bassist. What do I mean? Well, you actually hear John Paul Jones CLEARLY defined notes, and I don’t mean it is a bass heavy recording. It’s actually more mid range, but man, what a revelation to actually hear every note from the bass and very raunchy, dirty guitar tone from Jimmy Page. A clear and strong, but a little crispy in the upper mid to high frequencies, recording. Still, everyone should really get this one. Total electric excitement! -
Audience 8.3 - A good and clear tape for the time period. Might be struggling to get the separation of instruments during really intense moments but you can really get into this one for sure. -
Audience 7.5 - This tape is not nearly as bad as what it used to sound like before we had high end re-mastering tools. So, it’s got some noise issues that kind of keep it from really opening up but the amazing thing now is you really can hear the whole band, and Jimmy is just on fire. Collectors really praise the band performance from this show, and it is obviously much improved now, so yeah, I recommend it. (3-27-70) -
Audience 8.8 - What is a rating anyway? When it comes to a gig like this, it’s almost irrelevant. Look, just get this and you will know what I mean. Even the band would probably direct you to grab this one. -
Audience 7.5 - Sounds like this was remastered because there’s a lot more music now to sink your teeth into. Is it great? No, it’s average with a welcomed lean towards upper mid-range allowing for guitars to be prominent and even bass is heard, as if it was a second guitar almost. A good one for 1977 tour completists because quite frankly the band is really playing well here. -
Soundboard 9.6 - A legendary, and I mean indispensable recording of the mighty Zep in their prime. This particular version of this well-traveled show is actually a matrix of the newly surfaced soundboard and the excellent audience tape. How sweet it is! (Second night 9-29-71) -
Audience 7.8 - Bonham is the star of this show, he sounds great. The recording, while not offering too much in the way of dynamics, does present enough separation of instruments to appreciate the performance. -
Audience 8.3 - Good and clear.