Led Zeppelin/TX,USA 1969

Among the many soundboard recordings of ZEP live performances, the sound source capturing the Texas Pop Festival on August 31, 1969 boasts the best sound quality. When this soundboard appeared on “PLAYS PURE BLUES” at the end of 1991, the impact was tremendous. Until then, the only stereo soundboard recordings that were leaked were a few songs from 72 Long Beach glimpsed in “STUDIO DAZE”, which were different from those broadcast by BBC, but this recording is almost a complete recording of ZEP’s stage, even though it was a short festival appearance. Not only is the band’s performance divided into left and right by mixing, but the balance of the realism is exquisite, with a good sense of presence and cheers firmly included. That is what sets this apart from the many PA-out soundboard recordings that have existed since 1973 at ZEP live performances. It seems that if you apply effects to this or adjust the balance of the bass by mixing, you could release it as an official live album. Until then, the Fillmore, which was the standard soundboard for ZEP in 1969, had failed to record the beginning of the opening song “The Train Kept A Rollin'”, but this one properly recorded the band introduction by the MC and the start of the performance with a single hit from Bonzo, which is impressive. Most of the 1969 ZEP live performances started with this song, so it is worth listening to the best stereo soundboard recording. For a while, the long-term reign of “PLAYS PURE BLUES” continued because of the soundboard recordings that were so good in sound quality and content. Even in the late 1990s, when the existence of audience recordings with surprisingly good sound quality became clear, the presence of the Texas Pop soundboard was still enormous. To tell the truth, Texas Pop audience recordings had already been released on LPs such as “NEVER HEALED”, but it was “PLAYS PURE BLUES” that made enthusiasts aware of ZEP’s performance at the Texas Pop Festival. In the past decade, items have appeared that compensate for the shortcomings of the soundboard, which were cuts that occurred in two long songs, with audience recording, and our shop has a track record of releasing “TEXAS INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL”, which covers all existing sources in the past. However, this time we have released a version that respects only the soundboard recording part. It is a state that boasts the best sound quality ever. The high-quality sound items that lined up in the past, including “PLAYS PURE BLUES”, were of superb quality, but this time it boasts the quality unique to the master, without any sense of generation deterioration or thinness of sound due to analog equipment as they were. The presence of Johnsy’s bass line, which has a natural fullness, is probably the best example of this. And yet, the clarity stands out because of the master quality, which is completely different from equalization, such as the separation of the stunning stereo image. Of course, the pitch is also accurate. And there is no complaint about ZEP’s performance at the Texas Pop Festival, which can be listened to with the best sound quality. Considering that other performers were waiting to appear at the festival, they played the long repertoire of “Dazed And Confused”, “You Shook Me”, and “How Many More Times” in succession, which was quite impressive. And Paige’s playing is really great in every song. He is here, playing elegant phrases as if it were a matter of course. The stage action orientation and narcissistic appearance of Paige in later years are good, but Paige’s persuasive playing as a technical guitarist is truly impressive. Texas Pop can be inferred from the existence of stereo soundboard recordings of other performers, but the stereo recording was probably made with the assumption of radio broadcast or something. The call and response with the audience that occurred in the middle of “How Many More Times”, where Paige’s best play and Plant’s scream collide, is a vividness that cannot be experienced with a PA-out soundboard. Similarly, the voices requesting “Communication Breakdown” before the encore are flying around, and at the same time, you can feel how their popularity in the United States is finally starting to grow. Texas Pop with a real stereo soundboard, more representative of the 1969 ZEP live than the BBC or Fillmore, now and in the past. The best version is not only for ZEP enthusiasts, but for all rock fans! Texas International Pop Festival, Lewisville, TX. USA 31st August 1969 BEST SBD EVER (63:12) 1. Intro. 2. The Train Kept A Rollin’ 3. I Can’t Quit You Baby 4. Dazed And Confused 5. You Shook Me 6. How Many More Times 7. Communication Breakdown STEREO SOUNDBOARD RECORDING