1977.07.17 Led Zeppelin Kingdome, Seattle, WA (SoundBoard)

1977.07.17
Led Zeppelin
 Kingdome, Seattle, WA
(SoundBoard)

Here is the link
https://mega.nz/#!G0dWwIhQ!QWZfpsG81Yn5OlGx3OWgityZ3Ufjdxkd9nib7IH6uCc

A very good show in a huge, echoey venue. The recording is distant but quite listenable, and the show is very good considering the 2-week layoff between the LA Forum gigs and this one. Monitor problems plagued some of their acoustic set. Also, Page broke a string during Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp and Jones filled in with jazz improvisation (Plant: "At least we know we can play in the hotel bar afterwards"). Stairway To Heaven has the most beautiful Page solo ever performed, and the show as a whole is strong and full of energy, even though it may not be the most technically perfect one.

Following a three week hiatus, the band returns to the states to begin the ill-fated third leg of the 1977 North American tour. The break has left everyone a bit rusty and it shows as The Song Remains the Same gets underway. The spark of energy present in some of the earlier performances has died down and the result is a band that sounds tired, despite Bonzo's efforts to inject some excitement into the proceedings. Plant's vocal troubles have returned and Page's fingers become hopelessly entangled in the strings of his guitar at the end of Sick Again. As the song ends, Plant mentions "Jimmy's got a touch of sleepin' sickness" before telling the crowd "what we're gonna try and do is play, and play, and play... nonstop."

Over the Hills and Far Away is introduced as a song "about some part of the holy land." Page gets lost during a disastrous, out of tune guitar solo. Jones wanders off track during the transition back to the main theme. Page stumbles during the intro to Since I've Been Loving You. Bonzo thrashes wildly at his drums as the song reaches its frenzied peak. Jones's piano solo develops into a laid-back boogie shuffle as Page and Bonzo join in during No Quarter. Page shreds wildly through an erratic guitar solo. The band fumbles through a lackluster Ten Years Gone. Plant completely loses control of his voice near the end of The Battle of Evermore. He can be heard coughing off-mic as the song comes to a close.

Going to California is dedicated to "anybody who's come from Alaska." As the song ends, Plant tells the crowd "I think it's about the lousiest thing that you can possibly do, to throw firecrackers." Page once again breaks a string during Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, leaving Jones to improvise a short bass solo, which transforms into a tongue-in-cheek rendition of It's All Right With Me as Plant and Bonzo join in. Kashmir is dull and uninspired. Equipment troubles force Page to abandon the electronic noise section during the experimental guitar solo. The band is all over the place during a disjointed Achilles Last Stand. Page blazes through an epic guitar solo during Stairway to Heaven. The band closes the show with a quick and dirty Rock and Roll.

Review: 62,000 Led Zeppelin Fans Jam Kingdome

They came at night by the thousands, some waiting for two days in the rain and cold for a chance to have their ears assaulted and nerves numbed and to say they saw Led Zeppelin.

It was a night of pot, pills and popcorn with the popcorn coming in a close third to the other two.

But overall, the Led Zeppelin concert at the Kingdome came off without too much trouble. There were several arrests, lots of dope and booze smuggled in – either under coats or inside bodies – and some very sick kids from drinking too much.

“It's not a bad bunch considering the number of people here”, one Seattle police officer said of the 62,000 people, “and considering the reputation of the group.”

Led Zeppelin has earned a reputation for attracting surly crowds which generally fight and riot. But the most damage was to the ears and there is a possibility 62,000 people will spend today saying, “Huh?”

What attracted these people, generally hard-core rock fans, was the experience.

It was appreciated by some when the lead singer, Robert Plant, told the crowd he was deaf in one ear. It was a miracle the whole band wasn’t stone deaf. Later, Plant said his hearing came back during one number.

The concert started shortly after 8 p.m. amid fireworks and people holding up lighted matches, the moment everybody had been waiting for.

Throughout the long Sunday, the huge crowd remained orderly as it waited to get through the gates and have the experience.

At 4:30 yesterday afternoon, the 20,000 or so Zeppelin fans waiting at the Kingdome started to chant, “We want in, we want in.” Suddenly a movement rippled through the crowd like a wave pushing the front-line troops into the fence.

Plant promised that the 1977 tour would be “blood, thunder and the hammer of the gods”. A squad of paramedics was geared up for the blood and everybody else was geared up for the thunder and hammer part. (Post-Intellengencer - July 1977)