Press Review: Individualism Seems Invading Zeppelin

"If you've got it, flaunt it" ran the theme of a major airline's ad campaign a while back. Those who could, did, and presumably continue to.

The English rock group Led Zeppelin had it and flaunted it, but whether they still have it to flaunt is another question. To be sure, a lot of the old, tight, visceral, electric-hot Zeppelin came through in the group's concert last Friday in Dallas Memorial Auditorium.

And the mega-decibel barrage of wailing sound that has become Zeppelin's trademark couldn't be mistaken.

Lead singer, Robert Plant, bass guitarist John Paul Jones, incomparable lead guitarist Jimmy Page and drummer John Bonham all gave the 12,000-or-so audience members a highly representative dose of patented Zeppelin contemporary blues.

But the group, each tending to take his turn in the spotlight as the show rolled on, seemed to leave the audience with just the impression that Zeppelin has become a showcase for individual stars.

Hip-swinging Plant and electric guitar magician Page were the concert's focal points, except for one extended drum solo by Bonham. Under a continually changing rainbow of spotlights, the drummer pounded out a sensational set which included turns on kettle drum and gong. The audience loved it.

In fact, the audience loved each member of Zeppelin, but the group as a whole had problems rousing its listeners to their feet the entire evening.

Perhaps best received of Zeppelin's pieces Friday night was a carefully arranged presentation of the smooth and melodic Stairway to Heaven, featuring Plant at center stage under a halo of blue light. Similarly smooth and even was the Rain Song, from the group's newest album.

The fiery and sensual Zeppelin of yesterday was rekindled at show's end with Whole Lotta Love, the group's pre-eminently  popular hit of a couple of years ago.  Almost as much electricity shot through the audience at the familiar song as pulsed through the monstrous banks of speakers on stage.

As it turned out, though, that song closed the program but for a very brief encore.

One left the show pleased at having seen one of rock's premier attractions but vaguely uneasy that Zeppelin's four artists are overshadowing their group identity and that rock music may have lost something in the process. [Dallas  News | May 1973]

Newspaper report: Zeppelin Record -- Led Zeppelin, well on their way to the most successful rock tour in history, showed once again that they are the most popular group since the Beatles. In Dallas May 18, Led Zeppelin drew 10,000 fans to Memorial Hall and then came back the very next night with a standing-room-only concert in Ft. Worth that drew 13,500. With back-to-back dates in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, Led Zeppelin has set yet another record by selling out both arenas on successive nights. (May 1973)