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Can You Name The Greatest Concert You Ever Attended in Your Life?

robslob · 2025-07-12T15:36:34Z

Since I'm 70 years old and started going when I was 16, this was a tough one to narrow down. After a lot of thought, I had to pick one that stood out above all the others. It was close. My number one: Led Zeppelin, The Forum, L.A., 1971. Maybe the most interesting aspect of this selection is that I didn't even know who Led Zeppelin was. This was my second concert ever. I was 16. My first was Grand Funk, same venue, The Forum, same year, 1971. I was talking about Grand Funk's incredible and powerful performance on the quad at my high school. I became a serious rocker that night! Some dude overheard me going nuts about Grand Funk, was instantly impressed, and we immediately became close friends. He was a guitar player. He said, "Hey, we need to go see this band, Led Zeppelin. This dude Jimmy Page, Oh Man!! We have GOT to go see these guys!!" How could I argue? I knew he was a good guitar player, so he must know SOMETHING. Zeppelin's latest was Led Zeppelin III. They had not exploded yet. Led Zep IV with Black Dog and Stairway To Heaven was not yet released, although they were already doing tunes off of it. I may have only been 16, but I did have an inkling of what I was hearing, and some little bell rang in my young head, that man, these guys are REALLY, REALLY good. Truly, it was a historic performance. I looked on Wikipedia just now: Robert Plant was 23 years old, John Bonham was 23 years old, John Paul Jones was 25, Jimmy Page 27. I am not joking folks: THREE AND 1/2 HOURS, including FIVE ENCORES. I remember Plant walking back out for the last encore and saying, "You don't even give a bloke a chance to have a smoke." One of the encores was Woolly Bully by Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs, Jones on Hammond organ. What CAN'T these guys play?? The did a 1/2 hour acoustic set in the middle, including all of side 2 of Led Zeppelin III. I remember thinking, man, that dude was just playing bass, and also playing keyboards.....and NOW he's playing a mandolin?? I couldn't believe it. Of course that was John Paul Jones. Just the overall level of musicianship, both in the electric and acoustic sets, and Robert Plant's incredible voice.........Oh My God. Maybe the greatest rock and roll singer ever. And the material.........from hard core blues, to jumpin' rock and roll, to the most beautiful acoustic country blues. And Jimmy Page at one point playing the guitar with a violin bow?? I just could not believe that the same band could really do all of that. I saw Zep two more times my senior year in high school when I was 18. Some buddies and I spent the night in the parking lot at The Forum to get those tickets (talk about a PARTY!! I may have gotten two hours of sleep before the ticket lines started). It was two years after the first show, and in those two years, Zep had exploded. They were now up from one night @ The Forum to four nights. I took a girl the first night and went with three buddies the final night. They were just INCREDIBLE all over again. Houses Of The Holy was their latest and they did the entire record. It was more of a straight rock and roll show, they had eliminated the acoustic set. Although I had many more chances, I never bothered seeing Led Zeppelin again, although I had all the records. I just knew in my heart that nothing they did could ever top those three incredible performances. Honestly, I feel sorry for anyone who missed seeing Led Zeppelin in the early days. I'm curious: What was your greatest show ever??

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Lana

(@lana)

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Not my show, but today is the 51st anniversary of Knebworth in England. Colin Harvey was there. 🙂 There's a lot of info about it in the ABBase. Oh, I did see The Beatles. 🙂

Posted : July 20, 2025 6:42 pm

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harvey

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I was indeed there, and what a memorable day it was ... I am currently busy entertaining my grandson who is having a mini vacation with us, but when I get a chance I will post some photos of my memorabilia from that day ...

Thanks very much, Lana, for the Happy Anniversary! Love Kiss

Posted : July 20, 2025 6:57 pm

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robertdee

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Here is Blue Sky from the Knebworth show.

Posted : July 21, 2025 4:18 pm

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harvey

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As promised, here are some photos of my Knebworth memorabilia ...

Posted : July 21, 2025 6:22 pm

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robslob

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@robertdee: That has got to be the most lovely Blue Sky I ever heard in my life!! Dickey's extremely long, extended solo was off the charts! Not to mention the interplay with the esteemed Mr. Chuck Leavell on piano. I went into it thinking that at 12:25 running time, I'd get bored. Boy, was I wrong! Fortunately I saw this band with Chuck and Lamar Williams on bass the following year at The Forum in L.A. THANKS FOR POSTING........

Posted : July 22, 2025 8:50 am

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oldcoot

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Very cool memorabilia Colin!Thanks for sharing!

"There is no mechanical problem so difficult that it cannot be solved by brute force and ignorance"

Posted : July 22, 2025 4:42 pm

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Lana

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Thank you, Colin!! Much love to you and Jan!

Posted : July 23, 2025 11:18 am

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PhotoRon286

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@oldcoot Glad to see you are still on the up side of the dirt considering your advanced age!

Posted : July 23, 2025 11:15 pm

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oldcoot

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Posted by: @photoron286

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@oldcoot Glad to see you are still on the up side of the dirt considering your advanced age!

Still on the correct side Ron. Laughing Out Loud

"There is no mechanical problem so difficult that it cannot be solved by brute force and ignorance"

Posted : July 25, 2025 1:46 pm

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