Led Zeppelin, at The Whisky A Go - Go Reaction 

The immediate impact LZ had on audiences was Robert Plant. His voice was absolutely unique, incredibly powerful and full of soul. The band was not otherwise that different from others playing hard electric blues. There were no limits on a band with Plant on vocals and Page knew it. He first fully exploited it on LZII. Whole Lotta Love to Ramble On to Lemon Song to What Is and What Should Never Be. No band before had gone in so many directions at once and so early. Every song was classic. The genius and imagination of Page could flow free, backed by a dazzling rhythm section that in any other band would overshadow the front men. It would not have happened with Terry Reid, Page's first choice or Daltry or Stewart or any other the great vocalists in the late 1960s. That is why it is really is impossible to say who was key person in the band. They all were.

My friend I worked with in 80's saw them here and at Fillmore West. He said Zeppelin was the best band he ever saw. And this guy saw everyone from 1960 on.

Anyone who was in that crowd was either a music industry insider, a friend of the band, bar staff, or really lucky bastards. Damn.

Regarding"who was rocking as hard in 1969", the answer is nobody. But, other fine music with great depth from this moment in time include, in no particular order: The Who, Chicago, Santana, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa , Jeff Beck, Janis Joplin, Sly and the Family Stone, The Allman Brothers Band, Others... Also, regarding John Sample's comment on the Berkeley bootleg (September 14, 1971) is indeed a very fine performance AND excellent audience recording. My favorite time period for Led Zeppelin is from early 1970 through 1973 with a particular nod to the summer of 1972 in America and the March-April tour of Europe in early 1973. These performances from Germany and Austria are simply astonishing; in particular, March 16 and 17, 1973. Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck played on the Yardbirds recording "Happenings Ten Years Ago". It's a fantastic tune that foreshadows Zeppelin. Other Led Zeppelin shows from 1969 that stand out on my mind are 6/27/1969 at the BBC. The bootleg version includes a full-length "Communications Breakdown" containing an extra funky Isley Bros. "It's Your Thing"; 7/21/1969 at Central Park, NYC; 8/31/1969, Texas International Pop Festival (soundboard!); and 10/30/1969 at Buffalo NY, an excellent audience recording.

Wayne! Have you ever reacted to the 1971 Berkley show? It's sometimes titled "Going to California" A new very clean copy just got released. I'll send a follow up message with the link. Many people, including me, think it's their favorite Led Zeppelin performance.

The shock waves this must have caused!

Dam that was. Great..you could hear the raw power of the mighty ZEP

Live at the Royal Albert Hall I can’t quit you baby! It will blow your mind Man!

Many were rockin hard...but none as great as Zeppelin!

As far as jamming, Cream was about to give its farewell concert in Alpert Hall. That would be the closest comparison for fans looking for open discourses in improvisation between bandmates but nothing like Led Zeppelin. And as commented below, Robert Plant gave the band something no one else really had as a front man. Bonham's drumming immediately gave him mad respect among his peers. Jimi Hendrix went out of his way to compliment his bass drumming, I believe he told him he had a rabbit foot. They were the whole package and Jimmy Page said he wanted to make sure that LZ I would present the band's versatility. Then to follow up with a live version of the album in concept as LZ II (recorded 1969 throughout touring) that is cited as the start of the heavy metal sound. And it was still 1969! To me, similar to Nirvana crashing onto the glam rock that preceded it. Not sugar-coated and in your face. :)

Bonzo always sounds so amazing. He steels the show IMAO. Thanks for the reaction and sharing this amazing live performance.

STB, gotta say I’ve been loving all these deep dives you’ve been doing into Led Zeppelin over the years. You truly have become the Doctor of Led Zeppelinology. Of course I’ve appreciated the way you deep dive and deconstruct all the classic bands when you get your radar on them.

Train Kept A-rollin was the first song they did together to see how they gel'd as a group, and reportedly it took off like like an instant thunder rocket. This version evokes for me what it must've felt like to be in that room at that time

It’s not the only recorded performance of “for your love” . They performed it 5 days later at the filmore west in San Francisco.

It’s cool to hear what would become the Lemon song off of Zeppelin II.

Thank You Wayne ... it’s Great to Hear the Early Stuff. Just Sitting Back and Listening I Can’t Help but to Smile, Knowing Where and How High They Would GO.

Early 69 shows feature the best vocals ever. You should really listen to more from that period even on your own if you want. Another legendary 69 show is boston tea party on the 25th but the sound ain't the best

It's said that Train Kept A Rollin was the very first song Zeppelin played when they first got together. Can you imagine being there and heating that? I wonder what might be the first words out their mouths after that?

robert mentioned this concert in james corden's talk show a year or two back. he said if he could back somewhere for 10 seconds, he would go back to this specific concert.

Thank you. This was a magnificent experience✨

I would love to see your reactions to the Boston Tea Party shows

Maybe Hendrix was rocking as hard. He had already done the Monterrey Pops fest where he lit his guitar on fire before a stunned crowd. You should react to that show if you haven’t already. Otherwise, it’s tough to out rock Zeppelin... even at this young age.

I'd recommend the two Copenhagen shows from 1979. They blew the Knebworth shoes out of the water. The whole band was on fire.

If you want to see an early Zeppelin performance, check out there show in Demark. I think it's their very first and it's totally cool✌

This version of for your love is soooooooo fucking heavy!!!!

Rocking thunder in '69, I think of Deep Purple, "Live in Belgium" and "Royal Albert Hall",1969.

What would be most interesting is comparing what they said after this show, and what they said after LZ became LZ that we know and love..

Yeah ....Let’s do this 🤘

In my opinion, only Cream and the Who were that rocking at that point.

sweet as sugar cane rum

Cool...didn't know this existed.

In 69 bands rocking hard? Janis Joplin with Big Brother, Little Richard, Hendrix Velvet Underground and Cream were some that had my attention in the mid to lats 60's. If you listen to those its obvious Zeppelin is a bigger more complex sound. There's also the Who and Pink Floyd if you're into them

Keith Relf date of death, May 14, 1976. Electrocuted in his basement by his guitar. Godspeed, Keith Relf.

This is a question for the oracle that is Soul Train Brother. Is there any particular reason why black communities in the late 60s and 70s weren't listening to this type of music, if that's a fair question. You mention your dad a lot and how he loves the blues so I'm just interested in the societal dynamics. If you don't mind. No worries otherwise! Thank you as always!

Guess the whole room got the flu after Plant sang that set!

Is there supposed to be video?

Hope you get a chance to watch this Susanne Bass! Hope you like 😊👍🎵 Let's chat

Wayne if you read this theres a track you said youd pick for zeppelin against anybody else in history. I THINK its the live version of as long as i have you but its driv9ng me nuts because i cant quite reeber. Could you confirm this or correct me please ps in from the get

Here is the link to the 1971 Berkeley show: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YbalNBzdEM4.html

There's no arguing Page is a great player, but, if you would like to see Alvin Lee smirk at and then proceed to out play God watch this: Ten Years After- I Can't Keep From Crying- 1975-Winterland.

That's why L.Z. fired G.F.R. they didn't want to follow them

Where did you find this?????................AMAZING!!...............Greatness in the making!!!!!