Oakland 7/23/77

["DAVID BORGONOVO" <BORGBLIMP@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

After a cocktail, my memory's back!

I was fourteen at the time I saw Zeppelin in 1977.  I was turned on to them
by a good friend several months earlier, and only really new the Led
Zeppelin 1, 4 and Presence albums, and loved them.  Then there was a June
issue of Circus magazine that came out with a close-up of Jimmy with a
smoke in his mouth on the cover (my first rock magazine purchase), and a
mention about the Zeppelin tour.  Getting the picture?  I'm young, innocent
and clueless.  

Anyway, one day on the back page of the front section of the San Francisco
Chronicle there's a small 2 x 5 picture of Jimmy in the white dragon suit,
and below the picture says that Led Zeppelin tickets are going on sale on
Thursday (I believe).  My best friend, who turned me on to Zeppelin, is in
Europe on vacation.  Anyhow, on the sale day I go down to Bill Graham's
Rock Shop to get a ticket.  In those days, Graham's Rock Shop was located
at the foot of Columbus Avenue across the street from the Cannery (for
those familiar with San Francisco). The store sold posters, t-shirts,
stickers, and always had some cool memorabilia on display.  So,  I arrived
early in the morning to get in line.  Tickets went on sale at 11am, were
$11.50, general admission, and a person was limited to 6 tickets.  After
waiting 4 hours, I bought one (again, clueless).  The shows were billed as
A Day on The Green #6 and #7 (July 23 & 24).  

When my friend returned, I told him that I purchased my Zeppelin ticket and
didn't get him one.  Disbelief, on my friend's part, was at the least what
was said to me.  Naturally, the shows were sold out.  In fact, the ad for
the shows appeared in the following Sunday Pink Page (main weekly
entertainment section of the Chronicle) and was the same image of the
poster.  However, a week or so prior to the shows, additional tickets were
made available, and my friend got one.  Next problem, was how do we get to
Oakland?  We're only 14.  Well, my friend knew this 17 year old, who was
taking his girlfriend.  So we bummed a ride in the family wagon.  We
arrived at the Oakland Coliseum at around 6:30am along with thousands of
others.  I couldn't believe it.  The lines snaked around the parking lot. 
Security (BGP) walked around and passed out (threw out) bubble gum to the
masses.  Finally, 11am and the doors opened.  We found seats that were
center stage and about 20 rows up from the lawn.  Needless, to say, the
people on stage look quite small.  

Judas Priest (not listed) opened the show and played for about 30 minutes,
followed by Rick Derringer, who kicked ass.  Then the moment arrived, a
hugh blimp was lifted above the stage and out they came.  The roar was
thunderous as was the first chord struck.  I never heard anything so loud
and distorted in my life.  I couldn't tell at first what the hell was being
played, but I didn't care, I was seeing Led Zeppelin. As the show
progressed, Page had some trouble keeping his pants up, which Plant
humorously commented on (exact words I can't remember).  

Being at my first concert, I was just in a tizzy between the music and the
crowd, and therefore the specifics of the show are a blur.  The shows were
panned by the local press, and I found myself afterward on the defensive in
explaining the performance to others.  Especially, after the backstage
antics that resulted the following day.  

Yet, that experience catapulted me into the Zeppelin world which still
stands strong today, as some of you collectors out there know.  Thanks for
reading.  I can't believe it's been 22 years.