Although this year wasn't too active for me in terms of uploading bootlegs, i bet i should finish up 2013 in top form! On wich way? Uploading one of my all time favourite Led Zeppelin shows. This is the band's last night of the 1971 Japanese Tour. It's a very popular concert between fans, and it's one of the band's most bootlegged gigs overrall. However, the most known source of it is a backstage recording wich although not bad, features some tape hiss, plus Plant's vocals are quite buried on the mix (by the end of the show he becomes nearly inaudible). I'm going to upload the ultimate audience recording of the show, wich is in fairly decent quality (though i wouldn't recommend headphones for this one) and has just a few cuts between songs. Even though it's their last show of a 5 nights run in Japan, the band doesn't show any sign of fatigue. Quite the opposite, Jimmy tears up the ears of the japanese audience with his awesome guitar work, Bonzo is at the edge of trashing his drum kit, and Jonesy's bass-playing is spot on! Plant has some roughness here and there (possibly due going all through the five concerts) but he noticiably warms up as the set progresses, and has his moments of brillance troghout. The band interplaying on the improv sections is nothing short of spetacular, making for a awesome listening experience in several points. Now, i gotta "Ramble On" through the show.. Immigrant Song starts off the night with Plant having trouble with the higher notes, so he alternates between studio phrasing and conservative singing throghout the rendition; Heartbreaker features amazing guitar playing from Page (plus the crowd seems to love it) and Plant sings the song well; Since I've Been Loving You is highly dramatic and powerful (Plant embellishes the lines awesomely and Page nails the guitars), being a version wich ranks very high on my list, and Black Dog wich is another excellent performance with Plant using conservative phrasing wich is sounds very effective but it doesn't stops him of doing embellishments, plus the guitar playing is superb. The next song deserves his own spot: Dazed And Confused is in my honest opinion the definitive live version of the song as the band's interaction is absolutely mind-blowing during the instrumental section, plus Plant hits lots and lots of high notes throghout. If it wasn't enough, a segment of Pennies From Heaven is included close to the end of the performance, and it works simply perfectly. This performance will possibly bring you tears! Stairway To Heaven features nice ad-libs from Plant (he seems to experiment different stuff every show) plus Page's guitar solo is one of the best in the year; Celebration Day is flying fast and energetic, but still can't top some versions of the same year (especially that damn New York version); That's The Way is a typical faultless performance; Going To California is one of my personal favourite versions; Tangerine sounds solid, and the only performance of Friends sounds great (wish they had played this more often!). What Is And What Should Never Be sounds beyound fantastic, and it's once again one of my favourite performances of the tune; Moby Dick features one of Bonzo's best solos ever, plus the instrumental section is solid; Whole Lotta Love is a noisy and explosive rendition with a medley wich features Boogie Cildren, Tossin' n' Turnin', Twist And Shout, Fortune Teller, Good Times Bad Times and You Shook Me, plus the band interplay amazes any average listener; Communication Breakdown wich has a awesome intro plus the performance itself is brillant with a great improv section; Thank You is preceded by a flawless organ solo (gotta love John Paul Jones) and the proper rendition is one of the best thus far (finally Plant's voice can be heard, and it sounds great, plus Page's guitar work is breathtaking), and the show closing Rock And Roll is pretty good. Enjoy this fantastic show, and have you a happy new year! - Plant jokes with the quiet audience during the acoustic set (aka "1,2,3...Mr. Bonham!!!). Our beloved drummer seems a bit bored throghout the show, since he goes backstage before Friends and makes some strange (and amusing) banter with Plant throghout the whole evening! - Plant sings a bit of Smoke Gets In Your Eyes before WIAWSNB! - I'd like to dedicate this upload to all the people who made of my 2013 such awesome! Names such as Zeppelins Presence, Randy Nutternubs and LedZepBootlegs are worhty of mention! Thank you all guys, i love you!

• published: 27 Dec 2013
• views: 39