Music

Led Zeppelin

At Olympia

This concert had all the makings of an EVENT. Sold out in four hours. The crowd was vibrant, powerful, even somewhat intimidating. And this is as it should be for Led Zeppelin in Detroit.But the boys in the band were tired and bored and apparently couldn’t give a flying fuck about about either their fans or their music. From the outset, Robert Plant was telling the audience about how his throat was infected and about how Jimmy Page had smashed the ring finger of his left hand in an elevator door. 

In Boston, their concert was cancelled by Mayor Kevin White when the 3.000 people waiting on an overnight line at the box office got too loose and broke into concession stands and liberated relatively large quantities of refreshments. In Cleveland, the sheriff refused to allow his deputies to direct traffic and security surrounding the Coliseum. He claimed he would not risk the lives of his people amongst hordes of helplessly drugged drivers. Not to be out done, the Detroit police cordoned off all four sidewalks surrounding Olympia and demanded to be shown a ticket before allowing you near the arena. Frisking and occasional skirmishes were reported as well. 

OK, so they may have been a bit bashed up from the rigors of an extended road tour, but 15,000 people paid an average of $7.50 a piece to get it on. Led Zeppelin made nearly $50,000  for two hours of “work.” I mean, it was obvious that to them this was only a job. It could have been a celebration. 

The set consisted of material from all of their albums, including two from their about-to-be-released double record entitled Physical Graffiti. Opening with “Rock and Roll,” the band moved at a smooth and even pace through lackluster performances of “Cash Me In” recession rock and roll from the new LP. Then “No Quarter,” which featured a solo by the keyboard player John Paul jones that resembled a six year old practicing scale. Honest. Next, another new one, a jumper this time, called “Trampled Under Foot.” Sounded like it’ll be very good on the new record, but it gets a C+ live. Next came “Mody Dick” a white whale as the legend has it, but most assuredly an albatross at Olympia. This one featured a 22 minute drum solo by John Bonham which was pretty clever in places, but just too Goddamn long. 

“How Many More Times” followed. THis is a personal favorite of mine which Howlin Wolf wore and for which he receives no credit from Led Zeppelin. But that’s another article. The recorded version of this song “Led Zeppelin I featured some genuinely imaginative and innovative bowed guitar. That is, an electric guitar played with a violin bow. Jimmy Page first developed this technique with the Yardbirds nearly ten years ago, and if his Olypmia rendition is a valid indication, it was happening ten years ago, not now. The set ended with a B- performance of Stairway to Heaven.”

After the mandatory 3-5 minute ovation, the band returned to deliver two solid encores which were the musical highpoints of the evening. Both “Black Dog” and “Communication Breakdown” showed how well Led Zeppelin could rock and roll.  With confidence, flash, and an acute sense of electric dynamics. But then it was over. And Led Zeppelin never really rose to the challenge of the Detroit rock and roll audience. I’ll bet they were scared. 

                                                                                 -Chris McCabe