BOTM# 6 conclusion

[tytlane@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

 It's not exactly easy to dissect a 24 minute drum solo so I really 
won't. well, not completely... It starts off with the studio version 
intro of Moby Dick and Pgae Jones and Bonzo rip thru it with ease.
 The first 5-6 minutes are essentially him playing the exact same thing 
with the high hats/ tambourine combo either going ...or 
not....essentially a snare roll with a bass drum kick inserted ad hock. 
It's not until 11 minutes into it that it gets picked up a bit, a gong 
hit, or bong for bored audience members Or if I was listening to this 2 
decades ago ; )
It would make the next 6 minutes of flanged tympanies sound cooler, but 
listening to it now, what can I say, it pretty cool at times, but thats 
about it. A good amount of it sounds like me smacking the side of my old 
Univox PA head with the reverb set on 11 on all channels. Ok at 20:06 
there's one cool tympany roll that sounds like a WW1 biplane coming in 
for a strike before Bonzo picks up the sticks again and at 22 minutes 
into it the band comes back for the grande finale. IMO, not an 
interesting MD at all. There are some that are actually quiet enjoyable.
 I think the audience agrees as the applause or lack of it shows.

 I wonder what Plant means when he says " I just had a wonderful 
experience during the drum solo" Hmm it was after introducing  'Panama' 
Peter Grant and you know what Plant once thanked him for !!! ; )

Moving on

 " As soon as we rolled our first joint, this was it......"

Dazed & Confused....ay karamba indexed here as 39:56!!! My it's grown. 
like a weed. Plant's voice, considering he just had a 25 minute rest is 
sounding rather peaked. I love how he turned mesmerized into just 
mamamamamamamamammammmmmm mm mm m m mmm  Pretty cool how the echoe 
effect is cut in and out on his vocal to neato effect. Luis Rey actually 
does a pretty good dissection in his LZ Live book of the various parts 
of this song that evolved.  As I'm expecting the "achilles riff" and San 
Fran to get going, instead Jimmy seems to be noodling about with a bit 
of a flamenco number. It seems almost as if he can't figure out how to 
get out of it. So just ends it and starts the familiar precursor to 
...wait.... It's not If your going...Plant's singing Spanish Harlem 
instead!!! Well, that took me by surprise!! And then throws out We are 
stardust and we're in Woodstock!! As Plant gets us back to the Garden 
some cool interplay between JP and Bonzo.... Plant takes us on a strange 
journey through an echo chamber as it seems to take forever to get to 
the bow solo. A bow solo is a bow solo is a bow solo but a very strange 
beginning to the fast section after Mars. Very strange solo arangment 
from Jimmy as well. Seems almost as if he's not sure where to go with it 
 . The familiar pieces are all there, but just not quite strung 
together "right" . Hmmf, as if there's a right way to do it eh ? At the 
25:10 mark it just stops and Page launches into what's one of my 
favorites sections of the later years dazed. But this particular night 
it just isn't right again and it just stops again and Page and Plant 
begin the guitar vs ahhhhh war. The faster parts come and go with some 
brilliant work intersperced with litterally what sounds like like Page 
doing parts backwards. The sound fluctuating as if it's going thru 
multpiple source changes don't help matters much!! Was the PA system 
doing strange strange things or a switch going bad in Jimmy's LP ? You 
gotta check out what Plant's doing at the 35 minute mark...I can't 
explain it but with what does sound like something flaky in the PA it's 
just creepy. The whole ending of the song is a bizarre affair, almost 
sounding like a sci fi movie. A very strange and dazed and confused 
number indeed tonite!!!
That must have been some joint!

 "Jimmy Page MASTER Guitarist."  I like that.

 " Dedicated to the  sweeter and more gentler moments in life that can 
occasionaly be experienced in this year of 1975...this is for you" And 
the audience whoopeee for it's STAIRWAY!!

The mellotron sounds amazingly nice in the beginning actually 
cooperating with JPJ! But you can hear it start getting quirky within 
the first verses.  Either way, Jonesy's adding some extras with it with 
some very nice improvisations before switching over to the plain keys on 
which he also continues to add more than usual. Daes anyone remember 
laughter doesn't get much reaction so Plant bellows out "Keep Smiling 
BAbY!!!!! yes yes....!! Don'tcha listen to me nowww".... You wouldn't 
think an LA crowd would need motivation!!
Bonzo joins the fold and the momentum starts building and dammit, if 
it's not the PA doing strange things its an original tape flaw or I got 
a strange burn. I'd appreciate some feedback from someone with this set.
I've had it for ages, gathering dust for the longest time till today. 
And it's a shame because this Stairway is just fabulous in the solo... A 
brilliant performance by Page and it even has Plant shouting out 
Join...Join!!!
You gotta get a listen to Jonesy's keys too right as the solo comes to 
an end...they seem to be glistening!!! Plant gives it his all!!! Only 
one more show in the US damm the torpedoes!!
A really great Stairway...

 Whew....it's not over yet...