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Press Review: "I tell you we were as nervous as hell before going out there," Robert Plant, confident looking sleeker than he's done for ages, talks backstage after the opening night of Zeppelin's first British tour for -- 'Well, it's hard to remember back that far.

 It's nearly a full thirty minutes since the final encore, their fourth, which the audience had simply screamed, clapped, stood, stamped and begged for. Honestly the scenes after John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, John Bonham and Robert Plant left the stage were amazing. The crowd was like starving rats who'd have done anything for another slice of rock. 

And even as Plant was talking, fans were still pounding away at the stage door. No Britain hasn't forgotten what the real heavy metal actually feels like. Those thudding, brain wrenching riffs when "Whole Lotta Love" bursts between the eyes. 

A lot of people 'Were doing it during the concert ‘cause that's how Zeppelin get you. Simply gripping the inside of the elbow hard with the palm of one hand then bringing the forearm up dead straight.  So it was warm-up night, getting into stride before British audiences again for Zeppelin. All you can say is Aberystwyth City Hall and Stoke Trentham Gardens had better look to their guns. For four years Zeppelin have been playing America and the 50,000-dollar band always knock the place out. Now, at long last, they're back - and they truly do shake you down.  Plant now is in more control of his vocals; much of the wild excesses has been ironed out. Page pulled guitar tricks throughout the concert until you'd thought he'd never stop. John Paul Jones-he just stood and laid it down. And Bonham crashed and bashed the night away. 

Zeppelin have trimmed their act down now, it's tighter and somehow more thorough And always they work so damned hard at every number as though their whole career depended on it. Yes, they're massive but no well-oiled machine going through those old, old motions.  The concert lasted well over two hours. There was no supporting act and the band delivered right from the beginning, breaking in with "Rock-n-Roll" from their last album and then a new rough edged rocker titled "Over The Hill", from their next album due out January.  The latter soared into what's perhaps one of their finest songs. "Since I've Been Loving You," with Plant's voice riding mature and forceful and Page filling in with some beautiful light phrases. By the end of the number the atmosphere had grown electric and the crowd were literally stunned into applause.  Another number off the forthcoming album followed. "Dancing Days," starting with some intricate guitar from Page and developing into a wondrous climax. 

After Zep had launched through "Dazed and Confused",  then the tender "Stairway To Heaven," you simply knew you were seeing a completely ultimate band. The songs - and they really are powerful with their anthem, "Whole Lotta Love," extended out to include snatches of "Boogie Chillun" and "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love," did most of the damage. The audience felt it, everyone felt it.  Zep were superb. [-R. BRINTON / Disc / 12-72]