Led Zeppelin/UK 11.16.1971

In 1971, Zeppelin was on tour almost throughout the year. After a break of about six months from September of the previous year, a new tour began in Belfast in March. What was significantly different from previous tours was that the fourth album was added to the set list many times, with the first day in Belfast as the premiere, and the concert became more substantial. And the band was in the best condition in every sense. And sadly, this year will be remembered as the last year when Plant’s singing, which has been on a downward trend since then, showed its last brilliance. A performance in Japan was also scheduled for September of the same year, and it can be said that Japanese fans who were able to see Zeppelin in their best condition were lucky. They spent March on a UK tour, performed only six shows in Europe in early spring, followed by a large-scale North American tour in August and September. Many of the great performances that were performed here are still standard items for many collectors today. And as mentioned above, there were performances in Japan in September, all of which were highly acclaimed as great performances. Following on from these successes, the band was scheduled to perform in the UK again in November and December as the final show of 1971. The November and December 1971 UK Winter Tour kicked off in Newcastle on November 11th. Zeppelin was not well-received in the UK when they first debuted, but their success in the US spread as a kind of reverse import, and by this time their popularity was already solid. The band was so pleased with the high ticket sales that they added several additional shows, solidifying their position on this tour. And this tour was very significant in that it showed more than just their popularity and reputation. The highlight of the tour was the series of shows at Wembley entitled “ELECTRIC MAGIC SHOW”. Unfortunately, only poor quality recordings remain, but the enthusiasm of both the band and the audience is fully conveyed. This work is a complete recording of the Ipswich performance on November 16, 1971, which was held on the fourth day of the tour and on a date similar to that of Wembley. The Ipswich performance is characterized by the fact that it is the only live take of “Gallows Pole” played on the tour. It is known that the song was played on the UK tour in the spring, but since then, it is a very rare live take that has not been played in Japan, let alone the United States. There is no way to know why it was played only on this day, but it must have been a nice gift for the Ipswich fans. Another song, “Weekend”, is also noteworthy. Compared to the really rare “Gallows Pole”, “Weekend” is a song that has been played relatively many times, but it is a rare number that was only played at this performance and the previous performance in Dandy on this tour. The fact that such a song that is not usually played in the encore shows that the concert itself is very good and adds a special feeling to the day. The band was very satisfied with the performance, so they performed these rare songs to satisfy both their desire to play a little more and their gratitude to the warm atmosphere of the audience. The rest of the set list was the same as before, but the set list starting with a medley of “Immigrant Song” and “Heartbreaker” will be the last of this tour. “Black Dog” with “Out On The Tiles” added to get the first note, and “Rock And Roll” which was omitted except for the last day of the Japanese performance were also revived. In addition, the old set list was added to the latest 4th album, and the end was a fiery “Communication Breakdown”. It was a flawless ironclad set list, with the encore being free to do as they pleased, taking into account the conditions of the day and the state of the audience. There are many already released versions of this performance because it is a sound source with excellent content and sound quality, but the difference between this work and the already released versions is the unparalleled accuracy of the pitch. The unstable pitch drop that is inherent to old tapes is perfectly adjusted to zero in this work. In addition, the unpleasant high-pitched “ringing” that resonates in the brain stem rather than the ears has been softened, and sound quality processing has been applied for better listening. The Ipswich performance on November 16, 1971 was recorded in perfect pitch with high sound quality. This is a valuable record of the 1971 UK tour, with the rare “Weekend” and “Gallows Pole” being played as encores. St. Matthew’s Baths Hall Ipswich, UK November 16, 1971 DISC ONE 01. Immigrant Song 02. Heartbreaker 03. Black Dog 04. Since I’ve Been Loving You 05. Rock And Roll 06. Stairway To Heaven 07. Going To California 08. That’s The Way 09. Tangerine DISC TWO 01. Dazed And Confused 02. What Is And What Should Never Be 03. Celebration Day 04. Whole Lotta Love 05. Weekend 06. Gallow’s Pole