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Audience 7.8 - Too bad this is not better quality because certainly it demands the attention of music collectors being one of the few times Jeff Beck jammed live on stage with John McLaughlin. I mean, you have to believe Jeff was pushed to try things he hadn’t even thought of yet, so to get to hear all that is a real treat regardless of the average audio quality. I should be specific and tell you that indeed you will hear all the guitars reasonably clear as those instruments thankfully come through the best.
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CD 1 - London 1975 - Audience 7.2 - Sound is a little muffled but vocals and guitar cut through the murkiness, taper seems to also be moving to find a better spot and sometimes he catches a sweet spot and the sound clears a little. Overall I think fans will appreciate this recording for what it is, a good solid performance. CD 2 - Salisbury 1975 - Audience 8.0 (solid) - Sounds a lot cleaner and brighter than disc 1, so enjoy!
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!