Convention Arena (HemisFair) - August 27, 1971

Submitted by srapallo on
August 27, 1971
San Antonio
TX
United States
us
Setlist

Includes: Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love (medley incl. Blueberry Hill, You Shook Me), Communication Breakdown.

Note

Originally scheduled for Aug. 26th at the HemisFair Arena.

Press Review excerpt: Zeppelin Concert Adequate

Led Zeppelin, Britain’s most popular quartet, laid down their heavy style of rock and introduced the crowd last week to some familiar and a few unfamiliar sound.

After the usual 30-minute wait, comprised of Frisbee throwing and stomping, the lights were blacked out. From the dark, a British accent wished the crowd “Good Evening”, which was followed by a crash of cymbals, and the powerful guitar of Jimmy Page and the throbbing bass of (JPJ) began to grind out the sounds of the Thursday night appearance.

With the Tarzanic screams of vocalist Robert Plant, the group broke into “The Immigrant Song”. Blue, green and orange strobes flashed as Page pounded out several lengthy guitar riffs, while Plant, looking like a scrawny English magistrate, whirled madly about the stage.

Led Zep followed with Heartbreaker, as Page showed his Yardbird heritage. British blues came next in the form of Since I’ve Been Loving You. With Plant sounding amazingly like a male Janis Joplin, Page had down pure clean guitar licks. After Plant criticized the Texas heat and mentioned throat problems, Page used a bow on his guitar which was matched vocally by Plant, thereby creating a sound like giant bees.

After an unimaginative chaotic riff of pure noise, Plant introduced a song from the new “Led Zeppelin IV” (to be out in three weeks) which, according to Plant, is the “best one yet”.

Plant interrupted the acoustical ‘Goin’ To California’ to criticize the noise and shuffling of the crowd.
As the group broke into Whole Lotta Love , the masses moved forward to take communion from their gods. Rock and roll revival followed in a particularly good rendition of Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill, You Shook Me, and a speeded Whole Lotta Love concluded the concert.

With inflamed groupies stretching out their little white arms to touch the idols, the group did an encore in ‘Breakdown’.
Zeppelin put on an adequate concert. The quality musicianship is obvious. Yet they are only musicians and not entertainers like The Who and Alice Cooper. They do not share themselves with their audience. There also seems to be some competition between Plant and Page for the spotlight.

The Zeppelin lived up to their vaunted reputation as great musicians, but they failed to establish the important communications with the audience and they also did not create an inventive act. So much for our ‘superstars’. [-M. Myers, August 1971, The Review]

Notes

Originally scheduled for Aug. 26th at the HemisFair Arena.

Press Review excerpt: Zeppelin Concert Adequate

Led Zeppelin, Britain’s most popular quartet, laid down their heavy style of rock and introduced the crowd last week to some familiar and a few unfamiliar sound.

After the usual 30-minute wait, comprised of Frisbee throwing and stomping, the lights were blacked out. From the dark, a British accent wished the crowd “Good Evening”, which was followed by a crash of cymbals, and the powerful guitar of Jimmy Page and the throbbing bass of (JPJ) began to grind out the sounds of the Thursday night appearance.

With the Tarzanic screams of vocalist Robert Plant, the group broke into “The Immigrant Song”. Blue, green and orange strobes flashed as Page pounded out several lengthy guitar riffs, while Plant, looking like a scrawny English magistrate, whirled madly about the stage.

Led Zep followed with Heartbreaker, as Page showed his Yardbird heritage. British blues came next in the form of Since I’ve Been Loving You. With Plant sounding amazingly like a male Janis Joplin, Page had down pure clean guitar licks. After Plant criticized the Texas heat and mentioned throat problems, Page used a bow on his guitar which was matched vocally by Plant, thereby creating a sound like giant bees.

After an unimaginative chaotic riff of pure noise, Plant introduced a song from the new “Led Zeppelin IV” (to be out in three weeks) which, according to Plant, is the “best one yet”.

Plant interrupted the acoustical ‘Goin’ To California’ to criticize the noise and shuffling of the crowd.
As the group broke into Whole Lotta Love , the masses moved forward to take communion from their gods. Rock and roll revival followed in a particularly good rendition of Fats Domino’s Blueberry Hill, You Shook Me, and a speeded Whole Lotta Love concluded the concert.

With inflamed groupies stretching out their little white arms to touch the idols, the group did an encore in ‘Breakdown’.
Zeppelin put on an adequate concert. The quality musicianship is obvious. Yet they are only musicians and not entertainers like The Who and Alice Cooper. They do not share themselves with their audience. There also seems to be some competition between Plant and Page for the spotlight.

The Zeppelin lived up to their vaunted reputation as great musicians, but they failed to establish the important communications with the audience and they also did not create an inventive act. So much for our ‘superstars’. [-M. Myers, August 1971, The Review]

Setlists

Includes: Immigrant Song, Heartbreaker, Since I've Been Loving You, Black Dog, Dazed and Confused, Stairway to Heaven, Celebration Day, That's the Way, Going to California, What Is and What Should Never Be, Moby Dick, Whole Lotta Love (medley incl. Blueberry Hill, You Shook Me), Communication Breakdown.

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Average: 4.5 (31 votes)

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