Acme Quaalude, 3cd (TCD-77-1,2,3) Bootleg License second edition
Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, California, USA - March 11, 1975
from the boxset: Bootleg License, 6cd by Tarantura (TCD-77-78) 1st edition
lineage: silvers>EAC>Flac
By the time Led Zeppelin hit California on their tenth tour of the US, they had also hit the pinnacle of their success as a viable rock band in the seventies. Their last masterwork Physical Graffiti hit the shelves two weeks before and by the middle of March became the fastest selling album in their history and entered number one on the charts. A residual effect was that their older albums also entered the charts. The two Long Beach shows were the second and third in southern California (following the March 10th show in San Diego) and the band loosen up considerably compared to earlier shows on the tour. Being both well advertised and (generally) well received, these two have been in almost constant circulation since the seventies seeing many different releases and have achieved status with Led Zeppelin collectors.
Bootleg License on Tarantura is the latest release of these tapes and in general is a nice improvement over older issues. The March 11th tape is excellent all by itself but Tarantura present a very natural and appealing version of the tape. March 12th is a two source mix and while the main tape is a rough listen, Tarantura’s work with it makes it a significant upgrade over older titles utilizing this source and actually makes the tape enjoyable. The two concerts are packaged in a thick tri-fold cardboard sleeves for each of the shows which fit in a thick glossy cardboard box with a magnet on the site to hold the upper flap down. It is a gorgeous production in limited quantities. The first edition has already sold out with a second edition on its way which also will most likely sell out.
The March 11th show comes from a Mike Millard tape. Many claim this is the first show he recorded on the Nakamichi stereo recorder with AKG Acoustics microphones for these shows. The jump in sound quality between this (and the Pink Floyd show the following month) compared to his tapes of the Yes Topographic shows the previous year is dramatic. The clarity and balance are remarkable for what is arguably the best sounding tape from the entire tour. An early vinyl release for this tape can be found on How Many More Times (Moby’s Dick LZ 31175 A-F D 21-26) with most of the recording but runs too fast. On compact disc it can be found on Long Beach Arena (Bad Girl CDJ1) on two discs and missing “Dazed And Confused,” released in 1991 from Italy. 462 Ocean Boulevard (American Concert Series ACS 037) and its clone California Sunset (American Concert Series PSCD 037) are two other early titles.
The tape was also used on Long Beach 1975 Parts 1&2&3 (Flying Disc Music CD 6 827-829), California 1975 (Post Script PSCD 2201), Pussy & Cock (Tarantura T3CD-6) (running too fast), Long Beach Arena Complete (Confusion Records Confuse 001) (speed corrected), Zeppelin L (Akashic AKA-7) in really nice packaging and California Graffiti (Masterport-233). California Sunshine (Badgeholder BH008-01-02-03) and In The Shadow Of Midnight (Empress Valley Supreme Disc) are the two latest releases of the show and both utilize the second, inferior sounding tape to fill in some of the cuts. Tarantura follow the same path to produce as complete a show as possible. The edits are very smoothly handled.
A review of this show written by Robert Hilburn in the Los Angeles Times really slammed the performance when he writes: “Besides setting box office records on this tour, the English group also may be setting some type of record for the most cliches in a single concert: a manlight show, steam from dry ice covering the stage (three different times), the band’s name spelled out in lights, a laser beam (something an opening act at the Troubadour did last year), an explosion at the rear of the stage and, of course, the obligatory 20-minute drum solo….But Zeppelin’s material is so lacking in both commentary and emotional challenge that the music ends up as an empty exercise in sound. While there are some soft moments (indeed the gentle ‘Stairway To Heaven’ has become the band’s anthem), the thrust of the evening is on heavy, pulsating assaults. The lyrics are often woeful, the themes unaffecting.” (”Led Zeppelin, Cliches And All” March 13th, 1975).
Normally when Zeppelin were loose they produced legendary performances. This show has it’s highlights but is plagued by equipment problems and issues with the PA which seem to distract them onstage. The first hint of problems occurs in the second song where the transition, normally several crashing chords on guitar, is rendered very weak and ineffective. “We must apologize for the slight delay but we couldn’t get into the building. We hadn’t got any tickets. It’s a fact” Plant brags before and excellent version of “Over The Hills And Far Away.”
“If you intend to sit still, well forget it” Plant promises before a monsterous version of “In My Time Of Dying.” Things fall apart in the following song when Page’s twelve string goes out of tune basically ruining the song. “The Rain Song” is played on the six string neck and comes off much better, but afterwards Plant get defensive when he says, “for the benefit of anybody who was making a bootleg then, the twelve-string was out of tune on ‘Song Remains The Same.’” After “Kashmir” Plant mentions Jones’ mellotron, calling it a “Pakistani orchestra, all in one pool player.” John Paul Jones’ showcase “No Quarter” follows. This is about two weeks into the new instrumentation, trading in the organ for the grand piano for the solo. The dark and somber intonations of the 1973 and early 1975 versions were gone as these tapes reveal Jones trying very hard to try all sort of different styles and motifs to find a new direction of the song. Some shows like the Seattle show five days later show that he was lost, but this version hold together well before Page come in with the “No Quarter” solo.
Before “Trampled Underfoot” Plant is speaking about Robert Johnson but is interrupted by the road crew fixing the equipment. “The drumming and the hammering is by courtesy of Acme Quaalude company, Ltd. This is a guy building a chicken pen. Can you hear it?” “Moby Dick” is only twenty minutes long. Page and Bonham try to outdo one another in the opening fanfare and by the end Bonzo lets out a mighty shout. ”Dazed And Confused” clocks in at just under a half hour. Plant includes Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” before the violin bow solo and Page tries some new improvisations during the piece. After the song Plant leads the obligitory ovations for Jimmy Page. “That was a combination of key signatures that just will never occur again. Amidst the rushing and screaming of cowboys. ‘Hello cowboy in the sand’ (singing Neil Young’s song but changing cowgirl to cowboy) and now there comes again a song we really dig.”
After “Stairway To Heaven” the band play the normal encores for this tour. “Whole Lotta Love” is played for a minute before segueing into the theremin histrionics of Page. Tarantura track this five minute piece as “medley” since it also includes an almost complete version of “The Crunge” from Houses Of The Holy. The song is Zeppelin’s uncomfortable take on James Brown funk, but is fun in a live context. The theremin cacophony mutates effortlessly into the riff to “Out On The Tiles” which leads into a heavy version of “Black Dog.” Maybe it’s a problem with the PA but Jones’ bass sounds very loud throughout. ”Ladies and gentlemen of Long Beach, goodnight. Sleep well. And half a Quaalude with water” are Plant’s parting words. Many collectors criticize this show and although it isn’t legendary there is a lot to enjoy on these discs.
Disc 1 (56:01):
01.Introduction (1:25)
02.Rock And Roll (3:43)
03.Sick Again (6:02)
04.Over The Hills And Far Away (8:02)
05.In My Time Of Dying (12:04)
06.The Song Remains The Same (5:23)
07.The Rain Song (9:11)
08.Kashmir (10:11)
Disc 2 (52:57):
01.No Quarter (21:39)
02.Trampled Underfoot (7:55)
03.Moby Dick (23:22)
Disc 3 (56:00):
01.Dazed And Confused (30:01)
02.Stairway To Heaven (12:11)
03.Whole Lotta Love (1:26)
04.Medley (5:43)
05.Black Dog (6:39)
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