america tour 1977

Led Zeppelin

Discography
London 12.10.07
Merchandise

April 1, 1977

Led Zeppelin's mammoth 1977 tour of America had been originally scheduled to start February 27th in Fort Worth, Texas, but was delayed due to Robert Plant contracting laryngitis. The tour would kick off on April 1, at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium. A luxurious a 45-seat Boeing 707, called Caesar's Chariot would provide their travel accommodations.

Video screens were utilized for two concerts: Pontiac Silverdome and Seattle Kingdome, though the professional video from the Pontiac show is not known to exist.

1977 American Tour Dates: (Click date for show info)

April 1, 1977 Dallas / United States / Memorial Auditorium (Dallas)
April 3, 1977 Oklahoma City / United States / The Myriad
April 6, 1977 Chicago / United States / Chicago Stadium
April 7, 1977 Chicago / United States / Chicago Stadium
April 9, 1977 Chicago / United States / Chicago Stadium
April 10, 1977 Chicago / United States / Chicago Stadium
April 12, 1977 Minneapolis / United States / Met Center
April 13, 1977 St. Paul / United States / Civic Center (St. Paul)
April 15, 1977 St. Louis / United States / Missouri Arena
April 17, 1977 Indianapolis / United States / Market Square Arena
April 19, 1977 Cincinnati / United States / Riverfront Coliseum
April 20, 1977 Cincinnati / United States / Riverfront Coliseum
April 23, 1977 Atlanta / United States / The Omni
April 25, 1977 Louisville / United States / Freedom Hall - Kentucky Fair & Expo Center
April 27, 1977 Cleveland / United States / Richfield Coliseum
April 28, 1977 Cleveland / United States / Richfield Coliseum
April 30, 1977 Pontiac / United States / Pontiac Silverdome
May 18, 1977 Birmingham / United States / Jefferson Memorial Coliseum
May 19, 1977 Baton Rouge / United States / LSU Assembly Center
May 21, 1977 Houston / United States / The Summit
May 22, 1977 Fort Worth / United States / Tarrant County Convention Center
May 25, 1977 Landover / United States / Capital Centre
May 26, 1977 Landover / United States / Capital Centre
May 28, 1977 Landover / United States / Capital Centre
May 30, 1977 Landover / United States / Capital Centre
May 31, 1977 Greensboro / United States / Coliseum (NC)
June 3, 1977 Tampa / United States / Tampa Stadium
June 7, 1977 New York / United States / Madison Square Garden
June 8, 1977 New York / United States / Madison Square Garden
June 10, 1977 New York / United States / Madison Square Garden
June 11, 1977 New York / United States / Madison Square Garden
June 13, 1977 New York / United States / Madison Square Garden
June 14, 1977 New York / United States / Madison Square Garden
June 19, 1977 San Diego / United States / Sports Arena
June 21, 1977 Los Angeles / United States / The Forum
June 22, 1977 Los Angeles / United States / The Forum
June 23, 1977 Los Angeles / United States / The Forum
June 25, 1977 Los Angeles / United States / The Forum
June 26, 1977 Los Angeles / United States / The Forum
June 27, 1977 Los Angeles / United States / The Forum
July 17, 1977 Seattle / United States / Kingdome
July 20, 1977 Tempe / United States / A.S.U. Activities Center Arena
July 23, 1977 Oakland / United States / Alameda County Coliseum
July 24, 1977 Oakland / United States / Alameda County Coliseum

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Dec 20, Chalk Farm Roundhouse, London, UK (with The Who, Elton John, Patto)

Jan 25, Lyceum Theatre, London, UK (with T. Rex) Apr 16, Top Rank Suite, Doncaster, UK (with Pink Floyd, Quiver, Forevermore) May 1, Chalk Farm Roundhouse London, UK (with The Family & Sam Apple Pie) May 7, Van Dike Club, Plymouth, UK Netherlands Tour May 28, Paradiso, Amsterdam May 29, Eland, Delft May 30, Moksha, Gorinchem Jun 2, ATSO, Tilburg Jun 3, Diogenes, Nijmegen Jun 4, De Toverbal, Maassluis Jun 5, Exit, Rotterdam Jun 6 (morning), Electric Centre, Haarlem Jun 6 (afternoon), Villa, Rotterdam Jun 12, Festival Doelen, Rotterdam Jun 21 (midday), Erve Noordik, Almelo Jun 21 (evening), AMVJ Basketball Hall, Rotterdam Jun 26, Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam, Netherlands (Amsterdam Free Concert with Pink Floyd & Pearls Before Swine) Sep 10, Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Sep 18, Oval Cricket Ground, Kennington, South London, England (Goodbye Summer Concert with The Who, The Faces, Lindisfarne, Quintessence, Mott The Hoople, Cochise, The Greaseband, Atomic Rooster, and Eugene Wallace -- over 31,000 people attended this charity concert in aid of the Bangladesh Relief Fund) Sep 21, Old Grey Whistle Test, London, UK (with Leslie Duncan) Oct 20, Marquee Club, London, UK (with Linda Lewis, National Head Band) Oct 21, The Marquee on Wardour Street, London, UK (with The National Head Band and Linda Lewis) Oct 23, Bradford University, Bradford, UK (with Stone the Crows) November, Padgate College, Warrington, England (with Linda Lewis) Nov 1, De Montfort Hall, Leicester, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 2, Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 4, St. George's Hall, Bradford, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 6, Imperial College, London, UK (with Hookfoot) Nov 7, Fairfield Hall, Croyden, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 9, Colston Hall, Briston UK (with The Family & Ladbrook Horns) Nov 12, Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 13, Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle, UK (with The Family, Jeff Dexter, & Ladbrook Horns) Nov 16, Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 17, Brighton Dome, Brighton, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 20, ABC Cinema, Hull, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 21, ABC Cinema, Stockton-on-Tees, UK (with The Family, Jeff Dexter) Nov 23, Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England (with The Family, Jeff Dexter, Ladbrook Horns) Nov 24, Liverpool Stadium, Liverpool, UK (with The Family & Jeff Dexter) Nov 26, Rainbow Theatre, London, UK (with The Family and Terry Reid) Nov 30, Capitol Theatre, Cardiff, UK (with The Family) Fall (Sep-Oct-Nov), Capitol Theater, Cardiff, Wales (with The Family) ? (1971 or 1972), Nuffield Theatre, Southampton, UK (with Linda Lewis) ?, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Jan 8, Harlow Tech Students Union, England Jan 22, Imperial College, London, UK (with Phillip Goodhand-Tait, Linda Lewis) Jan 24-27, Waterloo Lutheran University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Jan 31-Feb 5, The Cellar Door, Washington, DC (with The Everly Brothers) Feb 11-13, Lennie's on the Turnpike, Danvers, MA (with Jay Leno) Feb 12, WBCN-FM live broadcast, Boston, MA Feb 15-16, The Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA Feb 19, Farleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ (with J. Geils Band) Feb 20, University of Rhode Island, South Kingston, RI (with Harpo & Slapshot) Feb 21, Dick Cavett show (TV) Feb 22-28, The Bitter End, New York, NY (with Robert Klein, Megan McDonogh) Mar 1-5, Whisky A Go Go, West Hollywood, CA Mar 18, Royal Festival Hall, London, England (with Judee Sill) Mar 22, Preston Public Hall, Preston, UK (with Gallagher & Lyle) Mar 25, Belfry Hotel, Wishaw, UK Mar 29, Dunstable Civic Hall, Dunstable, UK (with Linda Lewis, Quiver) May 7, Bickershaw Festival , Wigan, Lancashire, England ( scheduled to play, but never did ) Oct 13, Portland, OR (moved to Jan 19) Oct 14, Seattle, WA (moved to Jan 20) Oct 15, Vancouver, Canada (moved to early 1973 or canceled) Oct 18, Denver, CO (moved to Jan 23) Oct 19 Kansas City, MO (moved to Jan 25) Oct 20, St Louis, MO (moved to Jan 28) Oct 22, Detroit, MI (moved to Jan 31) Oct 23, Chicago, IL (moved to Jan 26) Oct 24, Chicago, IL (moved to Jan 27) Oct 26, Cincinnati, OH (moved to Feb 8) Oct 27, Columbus, OH (moved to Feb 9) Oct 28, Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, OH (moved to Jan 30) Nov 1, Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA (moved to Feb 21) Nov 15, Whisky A Go-Go, Hollywood, CA canceled Dec 6-7, San Francisco, CA (moved to Mar 10-11) Dec 8-9, Santa Monica, CA (moved to Mar 12-13) Dec 15, Honolulu, Hawaii (moved to Mar 17) ?, Bushnell Memorial Theater, Hartford, CT

Jan 19, Paramount Northwest Theatre, Portland, OR (with JD Souther) Jan 20, Paramount Northwest Theatre, Seattle, WA (with JD Souther) Jan 23, Regis College, Denver, CO Jan 24, Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK Jan 25, Municipal Auditorium Music Hall, Kansas City, MO (with JD Souther) Jan 26, Kiel Opera House, St. Louis, MO Jan 27-28, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL (with JD Souther) Jan 30, Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, OH (with JD Souther) Jan 31, Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit, MI Feb 1, Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo, NY Feb 2, Massey Hall, Toronto, ON, Canada Feb 3, Rochester Auditorium Theatre, Rochester NY (with JD Souther) Feb 4, Penn State University Recreation Hall, State College, PA Feb 6, Northrup Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN (with JD Souther) Feb 7, Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, WI Feb 8, Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH (with JD Souther) Feb 9, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH (with JD Souther) Feb 11, Felt Forum, New York City, NY (with JD Souther) Feb 13, C. W. Post College, Brookville, NY Feb 15, Carnegie Hall, New York City, NY (with JD Souther) Feb 16, Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (with JD Souther) Feb 17, Palace Theatre, Providence, RI (with JD Souther) Feb 18, Bushnell memorial Theater, Hartford, CT Feb 21, Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA (with JD Souther) Feb 22, University of Maryland Richie Hall, College Park, MD Feb 23, American Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA (with JD Souther) Feb 24, Richmond Mosque, Richmond, VA (with JD Souther) Feb 25, Constitution Hall, Washington, DC (with JD Souther) Feb 27, Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, Charleston, SC (with JD Souther) Feb 28, Charlotte Park Center, Charlotte, NC (with JD Souther) Mar 1, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA (with JD Souther) Mar 4, Houston Music Hall, Houston, TX (with JD Souther) Mar 5, San Antonio Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX Mar 6, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX (with JD Souther) Mar 8, San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA (with JD Souther) Mar 10-11, Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA (with J. D. Souther) Mar 12-13, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA (with J. D. Souther) Mar 17, Honolulu International Center, Honolulu, HI (with David Blue and David Linley) Jul 31, Tanglewood Music Shed, Lenox, MA (with Jackson Browne) Aug 3, Schaefer Music Festival, Central Park, New York City, NY Aug 4, Palace Concert Theater, Providence, RI (with Jackson Browne) Aug 5, Capitol Theater, Passaic, NJ (with Jackson Browne and Stanky Browne) Aug 7, George Edge Music Park, Grove City, OH (with Jackson Browne) Aug 8, Edwardsville Campus SIU, Edwardsville, IL (with Jackson Browne) Aug 9, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI (with Jackson Browne) Aug 11, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (with Jackson Browne) Aug 13, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with Jackson Browne) Aug 14, Temple University Ambler, Ambler, PA (with Jackson Browne) Aug 15, Hampton Roads Coliseum, Hampton, VA (with Jackson Browne) Aug 17, Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, VA (with Jackson Browne) Aug 18, Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC (with Jackson Browne) Aug 19, Charleston Civic Center, Charleston, WV (with Jackson Browne) Aug 21-22, Arie Crown Theatre, Chicago, IL (with Jackson Browne) Aug 23, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (with Jackson Browne) Aug 24, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis, IN (with Jackson Browne) Aug 26, Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, CA (with Jackson Browne) Aug 29, Selland Arena, Fresno, CA (with Jackson Browne) Sep 14, Marriott Center, Provo, UT Oct 12, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT (with Ian Matthews) Oct 13, Edinboro State College, Edinboro, PA (with Ian Matthews) Oct 14, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (with Ian Matthews) Oct 17, SUNY Fredonia, Fredonia, NY (with Ian Matthews) Oct 19, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA (with Ian Matthews) Oct 20, St. John's University, Queens, NY (with Ian Matthews) Oct 21, American University, Washington, DC (with Ian Matthews) Oct 23, Saint Francis University, Loretto, PA (with Ian Matthews) Oct 25, Auburn University, Auburn, AL (with Ian Matthews) Oct 26, University of Georgia Coliseum, Athens, GA (with Ian Matthews) Oct 27, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA (with Ian Matthews) Nov 1, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI (with Ian Matthews) Nov 2, Michigan State University Auditorium, East Lansing, MI (with Ian Matthews) Nov 4, BSU Emens Auditorium, Muncie, IN (with Ian Matthews) Nov 8, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI (with Ian Matthews Nov 9, Bowen Field House, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI (with Ian Matthews) Nov 10, Purdue University Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, IN (with Ian Matthews) Nov 11, Read Field House, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI (with Ian Matthews) Nov 12, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL (with Ian Matthews)

May 19, L'Olympia, Paris, France May 30, Auditorium du Passage 44, Brussels, Belgium May 31, The Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland [Netherlands] Jun 3, The Royal Festival Hall, London, UK Jun 4, BBC Television Centre, London, UK (The Old Grey Whistle Test) Jun 5, Rainbow Theatre, London, UK (filmed for ABC In Concert) Jun 8, Sporthalle Boblingen, Boblingen, GER (with Bad Company, Uriah Heep, BOA) Jun 9, Festhalle, Frankfurt, GER (with Bad Company, Uriah Heep, BOA) Jun 28, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with Maria Muldaur) Jun 29, DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC (with Livingston Taylor) Jun 30, Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ (with Seals & Crofts, Maria Muldaur, and Souther, Hillman, Furay) [show was canceled] Jul 3, Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, TX Jul 4, Pan American Center, Las Cruces, NM (with Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) Jul 5, Albuquerque Civic Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM (with Brewer & Shipley) Jul 6, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (with Brewer & Shipley) Jul 9, Century II Convention Hall, Wichita, KS (with Brewer & Shipley) Jul 10, Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City, OK (with Brewer & Shipley) Jul 11, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX Jul 12, Austin Municipal Auditorium, Austin, TX (with Brewer & Shipley) Jul 13, University of Houston's Cullen Auditorium, Houston, TX (with Brewer & Shipley) Jul 14, University of Houston's Cullen Auditorium, Houston, TX (with Billy Joe Shaver) Jul 16, Casino Arena, Asbury Park, NJ (with Ian Matthews) Jul 17, Central Park, New York City, NY (with Ian Matthews) Jul 19, Palace Theatre, Providence, RI Jul 20, Music Inn, Lenox, MA (with Aztec Two-Step) Jul 21, Ozark Music Festival, Sedalia, MO (State Fairgrounds) Jul 24, Place des Nations, Montreal, Canada (with Le Match, Jean-Pierre Freland, & Priscilla) Jul 26, Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA (with James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt) Jul 27, Varsity Stadium, Toronto, ON (with James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt) Jul 28, Youngstown State University Gym, Youngstown, OH (with Wendy Waldman) Jul 30, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Detroit, MI (with Wendy Waldman) Jul 31, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 2, Arie Crown Theatre, Chicago, IL Aug 3, Ambassador Theatre, St. Louis, MO (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 6, Northern Alberta Jubiliee Auditorium, Edmonton, AB [canceled] Aug 7, Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, AB (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 9, Paramount Northwest Theatre, Portland, OR (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 10, Paramount Northwest Theatre, Seattle, WA (with Wendy Waldeman) Aug 13, University of Utah Special Events Center, Salt Lake City, UT (with Dave Loggins and Wendy Waldman) Aug 14, Nevada State Fairgrounds Pavilion, Reno, NV Aug 15, California Exposition, Sacramento, CA (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 16, Bakersfield Civic Auditorium, Bakersfield, CA (with Wendy Waldman, Skurow) Aug 17, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 18, San Diego Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA (with Wendy Waldman) Aug 25, Honolulu International Center, Honolulu, HI (with Wendy Waldman) Oct 16, Brown County Arena, Green Bay, WI (with Douglas Ross) Oct 17, Quincy College, Quincy, IL Oct 18, Hilton Coliseum, Ames, IA Oct 19, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO (with Douglas Ross) Oct 20, Mary E. Sawyer Auditorium, La Crosse, WI (with Douglas Ross) Oct 23, Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit, MI (with Douglas Ross) Oct 24, SUNY College at Cortland, Cortland, NY (with Douglas Ross) Oct 25, West Point Military Academy, Highland Falls, NY Oct 26, Madison College, Harrisonburg, VA (with Douglas Ross) Oct 28, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA Oct 29, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS Oct 30, Memorial Auditorium, Chattanooga, TN (sponsored by WGOW radio) Nov 1, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC (with Doug Ross) Nov 2, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Nov 3, Miami Marine Stadium, Miami Beach, FL (with Douglas Ross) Nov 5, University of North Alabama, Florence, AL (with Chad Stuart) Nov 6, Ole Miss Tad Smith Coliseum, Oxford, MS Nov 7, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY (with Chad Stuart) Nov 8, University of Kentucky Coliseum, Lexington, KY (with Chad Stuart) Nov 9, Richmond Mospue, Richmond, VA (with Chad Stuart) Nov 10, DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC (with Chad Stuart) Nov 12, Villanova University Fieldhouse, Villanova, PA (with Chad Stuart) Nov 13, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA Nov 14, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA Nov 15, Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore, MD (with Chad Stuart) Nov 16, Rensselaer Ploytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (with Chad Stuart) Nov 17, University of Maine at Portland-Gorham, Portland, ME (with Chad Stuart) Nov 18, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA Nov 19, Crete Memorial Civic Center, Plattsburgh, NY (with Chad Stuart) Nov 20, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA (with Chad Stuart) Nov 22, College of the Holy Cross Fieldhouse, Worcester, MA Nov 23, Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, NY Nov 24, Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, NY Nov 26, Civic Center Arena, St. Paul, MN (with Poco, Paul Davis) Nov 27, Pershing Municipal Auditorium, Lincoln, NE (with Chad Stuart) Nov 29, Tulsa Assembly Center, Tulsa, OK (with Chad Stuart) Nov 30, Hirsch Memorial Coliseum, Shreveport, LA (with Chad Stuart) Dec 1, Lake Charles Civic Center, Lake Charles, LA (with Dan Fogelberg)

Jan 27, Rochester Auditorium Theatre, Rochester, NY Apr 15, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN Apr 16, Illinois State University, Normal, IL (with Captain) Apr 17, Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, WI Apr 18, Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI Apr 19-20, Arie Crown Theatre, Chicago, IL Apr 21, Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit, MI Apr 23, ISU Hulman Civic University Center, Terre Haute, IN (with Captain) Apr 24, Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN (with Captain) Apr 25, Roberts Municipal Stadium, Evansville, IN (with Captain) Apr 26, Millet Hall, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio (with Captain) Apr 27, Kent State University Gym, Kent, OH (with Captain) Apr 28, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY (with Captain) Apr 30, Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA (with Captain) May 1, Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh, PA (with Captain) May 2, Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ (with Captain) May 3, New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT May 4, Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (with Captain) May 5, Felt Forum, New York City, NY (with Captain) May 6, Dome Arena, Henrietta, NY May 8, Commonwealth Convention Center, Louisville, KY (with Captain) May 9, Knoxville Coliseum, Knoxville, TN (with Captain) May 10, Freedom Hall, Johnson City, TN (with Captain) May 11, Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC May 13, Atlanta Municipal Auditorium, Atlanta, GA May 14, Nashville, TN, Municipal Auditorium (with Captain) May 15, Birmingham Municipal Auditorium, Birmingham, AL (with Captain) May 16, Mississippi Coliseum, Jackson, MS (with Captain) May 17, Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN (with Captain) May 18, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA (with Captain) May 20, Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, TX (with Captain) May 21, University of Houston's Hofheinz Pavilion, Houston, TX (with Captain) May 22, El Paso Civic Center, El Paso, TX (with Captain) May 23, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (with Captain) May 24, Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ (with Captain) May 26, San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (with Captain) May 27, Sahara Space Center, Las Vegas, NV May 28, Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT May 30, Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA (with Captain) May 31, Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR (with Captain) Jun 1, Spokane Coliseum, Spokane, WA (with Captain) Jun 4, Honolulu International Center, Honolulu, HI (with Captain) Aug 2, UC Berkeley Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA (with John Sebastian) Aug 3, Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA (with George Martin & the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra) Aug 7, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO (with J.D. Souther) Aug 8, Ravinia Park, Highland Park, IL (Ravinia Festival) Aug 9, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN (with The Captain & Tennille) Aug 10, Edwardsville Campus SIU, Edwardsville, IL (with John Sebastian) Aug 11, Illinois State Fairgrounds Springfield, IL Aug 13, Cumberland County Auditorium, Fayetteville, NC (with Poco) Aug 14, Memorial Auditorium, Greenville, SC (with Poco) Aug 15, Carolina Coliseum, Columbia, SC (with Poco) Aug 16, Miami Jai Alai Fronton, Miami, FL (with Poco) Aug 17, Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, FL (with Poco) Aug 20, Capital Centre, Largo, MD (with Pure Prarie League) Aug 21, Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ (with John Sebastian) Aug 22, CNE Stadium, Toronto, ON (with Captain and Tenille) Aug 23, Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA (with Poco) Aug 24, Central Park, New York City, NY (Schaefer Music Festival) Aug 25, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME (with John Sebastian) Aug 26, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with John Sebastian) Aug 27, Renziehausen Park, McKeesport, PA (with John Sebastian, Orleans) Aug 29, Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul, MN (with John Sebastian) Aug 30, Summer of Stars at Washington Park, Homewood, IL (with John Sebastian) Aug 31, Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Du Quoin, IL Sep 2, New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY (with the Beach Boys, Doobie Brothers, Jefferson Starship, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Stanley Brown Group) Sep 3, Erie County Fieldhouse, Erie, PA (with John Sebastian) Sep 4, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI (with John Sebastian) Sep 5, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI (with John Sebastian) Sep 6, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (with John Sebastian) Sep 7, Murray State University, Murray, KY (with John Sebastian) Sep 18, Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England (with Poco) Sep 20, Southport Theatre, Liverpool, England (with Poco) Sep 21, Newcastle Odeon, Newcastle,England (with Poco) Sep 22, Apollo Theater, Glasgow, Scotland (with Poco) Sep 23, Hippodrome, Birmingham, England (with Poco) Sep 24-25, New Victoria Theatre, London, England (with Poco) Sep 27, Pavillion De Paris, Porte De Pantin, Paris France (with Poco) Sep 28, Stadthalle, Offenbach, West Germany (with Poco) Sep 29, Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland (with Poco) Sep ?, Mannheim, West Germany

Jan 1, Diamond Head Festival of Life, Honolulu, HI (with Sly Stone, Billy Preston, Herbie Hancock, Jessie Colin Young, Country Joe & the Fish, Cheech and Chong, Stever Ferguson, Ox) Apr 11, Warnors Theatre, Fresno, CA (with Steve Ferguson) Apr 16, Arie Crown Theater, Chicago, IL (with Eric Carmen) Apr 17, Masonic Temple Auditorium, Detroit, MI (with Eric Carmen) Apr 18, St. John Arena, Columbus, OH (with Eric Carmen) Apr 20, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (with Eric Carmen) Apr 21, Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA (with Eric Carmen) Apr 22, Capital Centre Largo, MD (with Eric Carmen) Apr 23, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (with Eric Carmen) Apr 24, Boston Gardens, Boston, MA (with Eric Carmen, Boz Scaggs) Apr 25, Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI (with Eric Carmen) Apr 27, New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT (with Eric Carmen) Apr 28, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (with Eric Carmen) Apr 29, Rochester Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY (with Eric Carmen) Apr 30, The Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA (with Eric Carmen) May 2, Sunday Break, Austin, TX (with Peter Frampton, Santana, Gary Wright, Cecilio & Kapono) Jun 30, Special Events Center, Salt Lake City, UT (with John Sebastian and Silver) Jul 2, Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA (with the Beach Boys, Elvin Bishop, and John Sebastian) Jul 3, Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, CA (with the Beach Boys, Santana, and Gerard) Jul 5, Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI (with Cecilio & Kaponi, Flash Cadillac) Jul 11, Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch, NZ Jul 12, Wellington Town Hall, Wellington, NZ Jul 14-15, Hordern Pavilion (Sydney Showground), Sydney, Australia (with The Ray Burton Band) Jul 16, Festival Hall, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (2 shows) Jul 20, Budokan, Tokyo, Japan Jul 21, Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan Jul 22, Festival Hall, Osaka, Japan Jul 23, Fukuoka Sports Center, Fukuoka, Japan Aug 5, Great Allentown Fairgrounds, Allentown, PA canceled Aug 7, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne, IN canceled Aug 12, Fairgrounds, Milwaukee, WI canceled Aug 23-24, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (with John Sebastian and Silver) Aug 25, Riverfront Coliseum Cincinnatti, OH (with John Sebastian and Silver) Aug 26, Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN (with John Sebastian and Silver) Aug 27, New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT Aug 28, CNE Stadium Toronto, Ontario, Canada (with John Sebastian) Aug 30, Robin Hood Dell West, Philadelphia, PA (with John Sebastian and Silver) Aug 31, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with John Sebastian and Silver) Sep 1, Onondaga War Memorial, Syracuse, NY (with John Sebastian and Silver) Sep 3, Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, MO (with John Sebastian) Gerry became ill and the remaining September shows were canceled Sep 4-5, Red Rocks Amphitheatre Denver, CO canceled Sep 6, Central States Fairgrounds, Rapid City, SD canceled Sep 7, Omaha Civic Auditorium, Omaha, NE canceled Sep 9, Milwaukee Arena, Milwaukee, WI canceled Sep 10, St. Paul Civic Center, Minneapolis, MN (with John Sebastian) canceled Sep 11, Washington Park (Summer of Stars), Homewood, IL canceled Sep 14-16, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI canceled Sep 17, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL canceled Sep 18, University of Notre Dame, Sount Bend, IN canceled Sep 19, Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI canceled

Feb 18-21, Sahara Tahoe Hotel & Casino, Stateline, NV (with Silver) Feb 24, BYU Marriott Center, Provo, UT Feb 26, Taylor County Coliseum, Abilene, TX (with Silver) Feb 27, Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK (with Silver) Mar 1, Amarillo Civic Center, Amarillo, TX (with Silver) Mar 2, Century II Convention Hall, Wichita, KS (with Silver) Mar 4, Utah State University, Logan, UT Mar 5, McNichols Sports Arena Denver, CO (with Silver) Mar 7, Metra Arena, Billings, MT (with Silver) Mar 09, Arizona State University Activities Center, Tempe, AZ (with Silver) Mar 10, Tucson Arena, Tucson, AZ (with Silver) Mar 11, San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (with Silver) Mar 12, UCLA Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA (with Silver) Mar 14, San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego, CA (with Silver) Apr 2, Aladdin Hotel, Las Vegas, NV April 8, Hollywood Sportatorium, Hollywood, FL (with Burton Cummings) Apr 09, Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, FL (with Burton Cummings) Apr 12, The Omni, Atlanta, GA (with Burton Cummings) Apr 14, Scope Arena, Norfolk, VA (Burton Cummings opened) Apr 15, Capital Centre Largo, MD (with Burton Cummings) Apr 16, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA (with Burton Cummings) Apr 18, Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pa (with Burton Cummings) Apr 20, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (with Burton Cummings) Apr 21, Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT (with Burton Cummings) Apr 22, Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI (with Burton Cummings) Apr 23, Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (with Pousette-Dart Band) Jun 24, Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with Poco) Jun 25-26, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (with Poco) Jun 28-30, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI (with Poco) Jul 1, Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI (with Poco) Jul 2, Coliseum, Ft. Wayne, IN (with Poco) Jul 3, Centennial Hall, Toledo, OH (with Poco) Jul 5-6, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (with Poco) Jul 7, Arie Crown, Chicago, IL (with Poco) Jul 8, Summerfest Main Stage, Milwaukee, WI (with Poco) Jul 9, St. Paul Civic Center, St. Paul, MN (with Poco) Jul 10, Civic Center, Omaha, NE (with Poco) Jul 17-18, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (with Poco) Jul 21-24, Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA (with Stephen Bishop) Jul 26, Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT (with Poco) Jul 27, Aladdin Theatre, Las Vegas, NV (with Poco) Jul 29, Armory, Salem, OR (with Poco) Jul 30, Expo Park, Central Point, OR (with Poco) Jul 31, Concord Pavilion, Concord, CA (with Poco and Little River Band) September 18, Neil S. Blaisdell Center Arena, Honolulu, HI (with Jimmy Webb) Sep 23, Towson State University, Towson, MD (with Jimmy Webb) Sep 25, Westchester Premier Theatre, Tarrytown, NY Sep 27, SUNY College at Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY (with Jimmy Webb) Sep 28, Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY (with Jimmy Webb) Sep 29, Clarkson University Walker Arena, Potsdam, NY (with Jimmy Webb) Fall (Sep/Oct), West Point, NY Oct 2, St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY (with Jimmy Webb) Nov 7, Roxy benefit for the Tarzana Psychiatric Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (with Jimmy Webb) Nov 11-13, Sahara Tahoe Hotel & Casino, Stateline, NV (with Jimmy Webb) Nov 16, Marquette Lakeview Arena, Marquette MI Nov 17, Saginaw Civic Center, Saginaw, MI (with Jimmy Webb) Nov 19, Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, MI (with Jimmy Webb) Nov 20, Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI (with Jimmy Webb) Nov 23, Arie Crown Theatre, Chicago, IL (with Jimmy Webb)

Feb 16, Selland Arena, Fresno, CA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Feb 18, Paramount Theatre, Portland, OR (with Michael Martin Murphey) Feb 20, Seattle Center Arena, Seattle, WA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Feb 21, Spokane Coliseum, Spokane, WA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Feb 23, Anchorage Sports Arena, Anchorage, AK (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 1, Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, Rapid City, SD (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 3, Kansas State University Fieldhouse, Manhattan, KS (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 4, Pershing Auditorium, Lincoln, NE (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 5, MSU Hammons Center, Springfield, MO (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 8, Assembly Hall, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL Mar 9, Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 10, Beegley Center, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH canceled Mar 11, County Fieldhouse, Erie, PA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 12, West Chester State College, West Chester, PA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 13, Shea's Buffalo Theatre, Buffalo, NY (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 14, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 15, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 16, Rider College, Lawrenceville, NJ (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 18, Johnstown War Memorial, Johnstown, PA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 19, Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY Mar 21, Blackham Coliseum, University of Southwestern Louisiana, Lafayette, LA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 22, Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, OK (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 23, The Summit, Houston, TX (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 24, Convention Center, Dallas, TX (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 25, Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 27, McNichols Arena, Denver, CO (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 28, Civic Center, Amarillo, TX (with Michael Martin Murphey) Mar 30, Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, AZ (with Michael Martin Murphey) Apr 1, Frost Theatre, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Apr 2, Aladdin Hotel, Las Vegas, NV (with Michael Martin Murphey) Apr 4, Centennial Coliseum, Reno, NV (with Michael Martin Murphey) Apr 8, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Jun 2-3, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 4, Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA (with Kate Taylor) Jun 6-7, Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA (with Kate Taylor) Jun 8, Broome County Arena, Binghamton, NY (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 9, Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA (with Aztec Two-Step) Jun 12, Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, OH (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 14, New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT (with Aztec Two-Step) Jun 15, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 16, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 17, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 18, Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME (with Livingston Taylor) Jun 19-20 Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 22, Edwardsville Campus SIU, Edwardsville, IL (with Pure Prairie League) Jun 23, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, NY Jun 25, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (with Pure Prairie League) Jul 2, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Jul 3-4, Universal Amphitheatre, Hollywood, CA (with Michael Martin Murphey) Jul 7-8, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Aug 25, Cincinnati, OH Aug 26, Indianapolis, IN Aug 28, Toronto, Canada Aug 30, Philadelphia, PA Aug 31, Saratoga Springs, NY Sep 1, Syracuse, NY Sep 3, Kansas City, MO Sep 7, Omaha, NE Sep 9, Milwaukee, WI Sep 10, Minneapolis, MN Sep 11, Homewood, IL Sep 17, St. Louis, MO Sep 19, Madison, WI -->

Jun 1, Riverside Centroplex, Baton Rouge, LA (with Bob Welch) Jun 2, The Summit, Houston, TX (with Bob Welch and LeRoux) Jun 6, Lake Charles Civic Center, Lake Charles, LA (with Badfinger) Jun 8, Memorial Hall, Kansas City, KS (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 9, Five Seasons Center, Cedar Rapids, IA (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 10, Parade Stadium, Minneapolis, MN (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 14, Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 15, Auditorium Theater, Chicago, IL (with The Faith Band) Jun 16, Edwardsville Campus SIU, Edwardsville, IL (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 17, Omaha Civic Auditorium, Omaha, NE (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 19, Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 20, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 21, Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 22, Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI (with Kate Taylor) Jun 23, Pinecrest Country Club, Shelton, CT (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 24, Robin Hood Dell West, Philadelphia, PA (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 26, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 27, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD (with McGuinn, Clark & Hillman) Jun 29-30, Wollman Rink, Central Park Wollman Rink, Yew York City, NY (with Chris de Burgh) Jul 3, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO (with Willie Tyler) Sep 15, Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA (with Alan Thornhill) Sep 16, Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA (no opening act) Sep 18-19, Universal Amphitheatre, Universal City Los Angeles, CA Sep 25, MSU Humphrey Coliseum, Starkville, MS (with Hotel) Sep 25, Dan Peek at the Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA Sep 30, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN Oct 1, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN Oct 2, Front Row Theatre, Mayfield Heights, OH Oct 3, University of Michigan Dearborn, Dearborn, MI (with Larry Coryell) Oct 5, Kingston Armory, Kingston, PA (with New Riders of the Purple Sage) Oct 6, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV Oct 14, State University of New York, Oneonta, NY Oct 16, Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY (with Danny Douma) Oct 19, Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, VA Oct 21, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA Oct 28, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (with Bob Goldstein) Oct 30-31, Valley Forge Music Fair, King of Prussia, PA Nov 1, Westbury Music Fair, Westbury, NY Nov 2, Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, ME Nov 06, SUNY College at Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY (with The Pousette-Dart Band) Nov 9, SUNY Oswego Laker Hall, Oswego, NY (with Dean Friedman) Nov 11, University of Bridgeport, Bridgeport, CT

This list is always being updated thanks to America fans like you. If you are aware of a concert date that is not on this list, please send the information to Steve Lowry, the America Fans Webmaster , and he will get it added the next time he updates the page.

America (The Band)

A photo posted by America (@americaband) on Sep 27, 2015 at 8:58pm PDT

LATEST NEWS

AMERICA RETURNS TO THE ROAD!

Legendary Band America Set to Return to the Stage This Summer

Los Angeles, CA - March 16, 2024 - America, the iconic band known for their timeless hits and harmonious sound, is thrilled to announce their highly anticipated return to the stage this summer. Along with this exciting news, the band is delighted to welcome back guitarist Andy Barr, adding another layer of musical excellence to their live performances.

America has been captivating audiences worldwide for decades with their signature folk-rock sound and heartfelt lyrics. Their biggest hit songs have become anthems for generations of music lovers, including:

"A Horse with No Name"
"Ventura Highway"
"Sister Golden Hair"
"Lonely People"
"You Can Do Magic"

Fans can look forward to experiencing these classics and more as America takes to the stage once again, bringing their unparalleled musical talent and infectious energy to audiences across the country.

"We are incredibly excited to announce our return to performing live and to have Andy Barr back with us," said Dewey Bunnell, founding member of America. "It's been too long since we've been able to connect with our fans in person, and we can't wait to share the stage again and bring our music to life."

The upcoming tour promises to be a memorable experience, combining nostalgia with the timeless appeal of America's music. Audiences can expect a journey through the band's extensive catalog, featuring chart-topping hits and beloved fan favorites.

Tickets for America's summer tour will go on sale soon, with dates and venues to be announced shortly. Stay tuned for updates and get ready to experience the magic of America live on stage once again.

About America:

America is a Grammy Award-winning band formed in London in 1970 by Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek. With a string of chart-topping hits and a legacy of musical excellence, America has solidified its place as one of the most iconic bands in music history.

GERRY TO RETIRE

For Immediate Release:

Transport yourself back to 1975, when America graced the iconic Hollywood Bowl stage with this epic performance featuring Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. Now, we are thrilled to announce the release of a special recording of that historic event. Join us as we revisit the enchanting melodies and soulful rhythms that captivated audiences under the stars. Accompanied by full symphony orchestra, conducted by the esteemed Sir George Martin, this never-before-released album promises to evoke nostalgia and celebrate the timeless music of America in a unique and unforgettable way. Prepare to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of sound that defined an era and experience the magic of America Live From The Hollywood Bowl 1975, including hits "Sister Golden Hair," "Horse With No Name," "Ventura Highway," and more. This 2 LP set is pressed on translucent milky clear vinyl with a printed insert of the setlist signed by the band, exclusively for Record Store Day 2024.

THAT'S A WRAP!

The cameras have stopped rolling, and our AMERICA documentary film is officially in the can! We're thrilled to see what Highway West Entertainment conjures up for this captivating project, slated for a grand unveiling in 2024. Buckle up, folks, because this cinematic masterpiece is about to take you on a thrilling ride through the heart and soul of AMERICA!

Who better to speak for nameless wild horses than our own Dewey Bunnell! Check out www.LoveWildHorses.org for more info on this important cause.

LIVE IN CONCERT

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Sign up for AMERICA's email newsletter and receive latest release news, concert specials, merch at clearance prices, and other exciting details from our webteam at VenturaHighway.com. We never share or spam our fan's email addresses, and you can easily unsubscribe right here anytime you like. Be the first to the know! And thanks for all your love and support.

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GEAR WE PLAY

As America, the perennial classic-rock favorite, hits the road in 2024, they're celebrating their 54th Anniversary with their powerful performances. America met in high school in London in the late 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song "A Horse With No Name." America became a global household name and paved the way with an impressive string of hits following the success of their first #1 single. Fifty plus years later, these friends are still making music, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound.

America's journey has found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes, which also include "I Need You," "Ventura Highway," "Don't Cross The River," "Tin Man," "Lonely People," and "Sister Golden Hair" were cornerstones of 1970's Top 40 and FM rock radio. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners would discover there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of melodic pop rock and folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with other more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.

America's albums--six certified gold and/or platinum, with their first greatest hits collection, History, hitting four plus million in sales--displayed a fuller range of the trio's talents than did their singles. Their material encompassed an ambitious artistic swath; from effects-laden rockers to oddball medleys to soul-bearing ballads, America displayed a flawless blend of disparate genres and styles as wide-open as the great American plains.

Enjoying massive success early in their career, America earned their stripes as musical soldiers on the battlefield amidst the excess, craziness and chaos of the 70's. The trio won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1972 and began working with George Martin and Geoff Emerick in 1974. This successful team went on to record seven albums and several Top Ten hits, including "Tin Man," "Sister Golden Hair" and "Lonely People."

By the mid-70s, inter-band conflicts combined with an exhaustive touring and recording schedule exacted its toll on the group. With Peek's departure from the fold in 1977, the band rose to the challenge and carried ono. Shifts in sound and direction, changes in producers and managers, and a renewed dedication to the craft of songwriting helped rocket America to the upper reaches of the pop charts in 1982 with their smash single, "You Can Do Magic." During this tumultuous time in their career, the band immersed themselves in their craft, infusing a newfound maturity into their rich body of work. Their growth as singers, songwriters and musicians has continued into the present day as illustrated by landmark releases such as 2000's Highway 3-disc box set, 2002's Holiday Harmony, an album comprised of seasonal classics and live showcases, 2007's Here & Now, 2009's Live In Concert: Wildwood Springs, 2011's Back Pages, and 2015's Lost And Found and America: Archives Vol. 1.

In 2020, the band released their ultimate 8-disc anniversary box set, Half Century (America Records), and streamed their concert special America--Live at the London Palladium for the very first time (it is commercially available as a DVD and CD). 2020 also saw the release of the book America, the Band, An Authorized Biography by journalist Jude Warne. She weaves original interviews with the band and many others into a dynamic cultural history of America, the band, and America, the nation. Billy Bob Thornton wrote the foreword.

From their formative years, America has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America's audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group's enduring appeal.

America Discography

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Listen To This Eddie: Inside The Tour That Grounded Led Zeppelin With Drugs, Violence, And Tragedy

Listen To This Eddie is a bi-weekly column that examines the important people and events in the classic rock canon and how they continue to impact the world of popular music.

Throughout the late 1960s and into the 1970s, Led Zeppelin earned a reputation for being the biggest, and heaviest band in rock and roll. Their genre-defining records set the template for brutal, blues-based rock that thousands, maybe even millions of bands have tried to adopt in their wake. But for as crucial as their recorded output was, it was on the road that they really burnished their standings as the wildest, most sonically adventurous band in a decade overflowing with groups who made names for themselves by redefining the very definition of the word debauchery.

Even for as wild as the stories about mud sharks and racing motorcycles up and down the halls of hotels are, it was onstage where the real fireworks happened. “The records were just a starting point,” bassist John Paul Jones once explained. “The most important thing was always the stage show… at our worst we were still better than most. At our best we could just wipe the floor with the lot of them.” For almost ten years that statement was almost indisputably true, until suddenly it wasn’t.

Exactly 40 years ago, in the Spring and Summer of 1977, Led Zeppelin embarked on what would be their final tour through the country that made them superstars. The British group’s run through America that year was supposed to mark their return as the biggest rock band on the planet, after a future rendered uncertain by a catastrophic car accident that involved singer Robert Plant the year before. As it turned out, their presumptive moment of triumph was marked by bad vibes, lingering illnesses, heavy drug use, messy performances, violence, and even riots, that all ended in a tragedy that nearly derailed the group entirely. Here’s the story of how it all went down.

On August 5, 1975, Plant and his family were vacationing in the Greek Island of Rhodes. Led Zeppelin were less than five months removed from some of the greatest performances they’d ever staged at London’s Earls Court arena, and had scattered to the wind in order to avoid England’s more severe tax laws. Plant was behind the wheel of a car, navigating the hilly countryside when his vehicle went over a cliff. His wife Maureen nearly died — actually her heart stopped for a moment in the hospital — and the Plant himself suffered a severely broken ankle that left him confined to a wheelchair for months.

All immediate plans within the band were put on hold to allow Plant time to recover. In the meantime, the band put finishing touches on their concert film The Song Remains The Same , that had been recorded across three shows at Madison Square Garden in 1973, and released it in theaters in October 1976. After a few months, Plant apparently felt well enough to re-enter the studio and begin work on the band’s seventh album Presence . They rehearsed it in Los Angeles before recording the entire thing in just 18 days at Musicland Studios in Munich, West Germany.

Plant, who was now on crutches, suffered another medical setback when he fell while laying down the vocals to the album’s centerpiece song “Achilles Last Stand.” As he told Rolling Stone , “Enthusiasm got the better of me. I was running to the vocal booth with this orthopedic crutch when down I went, straight on the bad foot. There was an almighty crack and a great flash of pain and I folded up in agony.”

Beyond the obvious physical pain, Plant was also beginning to question internally whether the costs of recording and continuing the machine that was Led Zeppelin was even worth it any more. “I was really frustrated,” he said in Chris Welch’s book Led Zeppelin . “I was furious with [Jimmy] Page and [band manager] Peter Grant. I was just furious that I couldn’t get back to the woman and the children that I loved. And I was thinking, is all this rock and roll worth anything at all?”

Around the same time Plant was experiencing existential doubts about continuing with Led Zeppelin, the group’s leader Jimmy Page was indulging in a pretty significant love affair with heroin. Page had dabbled with the opiate going all the way back to 1973, but lately, it had taken a noticeable toll. His already slender frame grew even more gaunt, and his already pale skin turned translucent. He could still play, and perform, but he’d grown far more withdrawn. People within the band’s orbit genuinely feared for his health.

Despite their many ailments, reservations and burgeoning love of narcotics — or booze as was the case for drummer John Bonham — the monster that was Led Zeppelin continued lurching forward. The band bunkered down for two months’ worth of rehearsals at Manticore Studios in London, and as soon as Plant proved that he could perform onstage once again for their mammoth three-hour extravaganzas, their manager booked a full-scale tour in the US that was scheduled to kick off on February 27, 1977 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Before they could even depart for their transatlantic excursion however, Plant contracted a severe case of laryngitis that pushed the entire run back four days, so that the tour officially began on April Fool’s Day in nearby Dallas. LA Times critic Robert Hilburn was on hand that evening and described the show as containing “rough spots,” and that “there was only jubilation on the faces of Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham after the three-hour show as they raced to limousines for the ride to the airport.”

After that first gig, Plant told Hilburn that the experience was “emotional” and that, “We had just cleared the biggest hurdle of our career. It was a chapter in my life that I never really knew if I’d be able to see.” Adding that, “The whole show possessed an element of emotionalism that I’ve never known before. I could just as easily have knelt on the stage and cried. I was so happy.”

Just like their last outing in America in 1975, this jaunt was the pinnacle of excess. The band stayed in only the finest luxury hotels and moved between gigs on a private 707 jet airliner named Caesar’s Chariot. 51 shows had been booked in some of the biggest venues America had to offer. Over 1.3 million tickets had been sold. At the Pontiac Silverdome just outside of Detroit, they broke the world’s indoor attendance record by performing in front of 76,229 screaming Zeppelin fanatics.

To help burnish their reputation, the notoriously press-averse band even allowed a handful of reporters — like Hilburn — to see their shows and ask them questions, though the rules, as outlined by journalist publicist Steven Rosen were strict.

1. Never talk to anyone in the band unless they first talk to you. 1A. Do not make any sort of eye contact with John Bonham. This is for your own safety. 2. Do not talk to Peter Grant or [Tour Manager] Richard Cole — for any reason. 3. Keep your cassette player turned off at all times unless conducting an interview. 4. Never ask questions about anything other than music. 5. Most importantly, understand this — the band will read what is written about them. The band does not like the press nor do they trust them.”

Those first few days out on the road were pretty positive, but the feeling didn’t last for long. Page in particular seemed to be in a foul mood, whether because of his drug use, his liquid-only diet, or general malaise. Jack Kalmes, the head of Showco, the production company running the tour remembered in the oral history Trampled Underfoot that, “I showed up on the third date at the start of the tour. The mood was ugly and there had been a buzz in the PA and Jimmy had come over and thrown a trash can over one of the main techs.” Another Showco employee recalled the time that Page got up and spit in the face of tech during the middle of the band’s acoustic showcase in front of 50,000 people.

Still, for as surly as Page was, his behavior paled in comparison to the rage that poured out of the man everyone called, “The Beast.” The experience of being out on the road and away from his family was a miserable one for drummer John Bonham. He used heavy doses of vodka to drown his melancholy, which turned him into an absolute animal. “Bonzo was a sweet, cuddly, goofy fella until he got drunk and then you wanted to avoid him,” Queen of the groupies Pamela Des Barres said. “I saw him slug my friend Michelle Myer right in the jaw just for being in the doorway with him at the Rainbow.”

Richard Cole, the tour manager said that, “The last American tour was f*cking horrible. There was no camaraderie between anyone.” All the frivolity and partying that marked their earlier excursions through America was gone, as Zeppelin was cocooned into their own insular world through an outsized security apparatus. “There were bodyguards everywhere, and that was a real big sea change from ’75 to ’77,” journalist Jaan Uhelski remembered in Trampled Underfoot . “There was just a cloud that seemed to hang over everybody.”

As for the audiences that turned out in droves to see them, most came away from the experience pretty well pleased, while also acknowledging that the band wasn’t as good as they had been in year’s past. Plant’s voice was a little deeper, a little more ragged than it had been before. Page’s solos, especially on “Dazed And Confused,” tended to fly right past transcendence and land squarely in the realm of self-indulgent, but the same could be said for John Paul Jones’ moment bathed in dry ice on “No Quarter” and John Bonham’s drum clinic “Moby Dick.” In other words, there were plentiful bathroom break opportunities.

A show in Chicago on April 9 ended two hours early because of Page’s “stomach cramps.” Another show in Cincinnati resulted in 70 arrests after 1,000 ticketless fans rushed the gates. A similar scenario played out in Tampa Bay after lightning storms ended the concert early and police used tear gas to try and disperse the crowd.

Still, for all the shoddy concerts — the stops in Tempe, Arizona, Greensboro, North Carolina and San Diego, California from this tour rank as probably one, two and three on the list of worst shows Zeppelin ever performed — they still had the ability to pull it together on occasion and offer the crowd their best. Their six-night residency at the Los Angeles Forum that began on June 21, 1977 and ended on June 27 ranks as among the finest moments in the band’s history. That first night was actually recorded by an intrepid bootlegger and was released onto the black market as Listen To This Eddie , the namesake of this very column. The Eddie in question refers to producer/engineer Eddie Kramer, who recorded the band for The Song Remains The Same .

As Elizabeth Iannaci, a rep from Atlantic Records, recalled in Trampled Underfoot , “They were at the fabulous Forum on that ’77 tour. I was standing at the edge of the stage watching. During ‘Going To California,’ someone threw a bouquet of flowers on to the stage and Robert picked it up. And as he sang the line about the girl with flowers in her hair, he walked over and presented the bouquet to me. Twenty thousand fans went f*cking wild, and I thought to myself, ‘This is why they do cocaine.’ Until you have that kind of energy directed toward you, there really isn’t any way to get it or to understand it.”

All of the bad vibes finally came to a head at the band’s show at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Led Zeppelin’s two-night residency at the large outdoor venue was being promoted by concert impresario Bill Graham, who they already had had some rough dealings with them in the past. The trouble began when Peter Grant’s 11-year-old son Warren tried to take down a dressing room sign bearing the band’s name and was assaulted by a member of Graham’s staff, Jim Matzorkis. This was a huge no-no. Peter Grant was a mountain of a man; a former professional wrestler who carried with him an extremely short temper.

Bonham saw the whole thing and went after the worker. Eventually, Grant himself, along with John Bindon, a member of Zeppelin’s crew and a well-known London gangster, cornered Matzorkis in a trailer and savagely beat him down, while Cole guarded the door, refusing to let anyone in. Obviously, Graham was furious about the whole thing, but with another show the next night still on the books, he signed a letter of indemnification, absolving the band from any wrongdoing in order to get them back on the stage. Nevertheless, charges were eventually filed against Grant, Bindon and Bonham who all later pled no contest and paid a small fine to make the whole thing disappear.

As it turned out, Zeppelin’s second show in Oakland on July 24 would be the final time they ever played in America. Two days later, the band was in New Orleans prepping for their next performance when Plant received a phone call from back home informing him that his five-year-old son Karac died from a stomach infection. The entire tour was immediately cancelled as Plant flew home to be with his family.

More than just emotionally devastating, which, of course it was, the loss of his son drove a wedge between Plant and the rest of the band, specifically Jimmy Page, and made him once again question whether or not he wanted to continue. “During the absolute darkest times of my life when I lost my boy and my family was in disarray, it was Bonzo who came to me,” Plant said in a 2005 interview. “The other guys were [from] the South [of England] and didn’t have the same type of social etiquette that we have up here in the North that could actually bridge that uncomfortable chasm with all the sensitivities required… to console.” Page and Jones both failed to show up to Karac’s funeral, and it’s pretty easy to draw a line between Plant’s latter day blasé attitude about his band to this singular traumatic experience.

Of course, Led Zeppelin weren’t quite done by then. Two years later, in 1979, they got back together and released another album In Through The Out Door , played two monumental shows in Knebworth, England , before embarking on a tour through Europe in 1980. They had planned another trip through America shortly thereafter, but sadly it was not to be. John Bonham died of asphyxiation in his sleep after a night of heavy drinking in Page’s home on September 25. Led Zeppelin were no more.

“The 1977 tour ended because I lost my boy, but it had also ended before it ended, really,” Plant said in Trampled Underfoot . “It was just a mess. Where was the actual axis of all this stuff? Who do I go to if it’s really bad for me? There was nobody. Everybody was insular, developing their own worlds.”

The Bootleg Bin

Up until last week, Bob Seger remained the last big holdout from releasing his music on streaming services. Though you still can’t listen to a lot of his earlier work with the Seger System — for the love of God, can we please just have Mongrel ? — you can finally easily access some of his biggest records with the Silver Bullet Band like Night Moves and Against The Wind .

In what should come as a small surprise to anyone who follows along to this column, my favorite Seger release is his monster double-LP Live Bullet , that was recorded at Cobo Hall in his hometown of Detroit in September 1975. Beyond that spectacular album, there really isn’t much out there to document what a tremendous live performer Seger was at the peak of his powers. As far as I can tell, some of the best video footage that exists comes from a show he performed in San Diego in 1978. The footage shows the Detroit rocker at his rambling, gambling best, belting out hits like “Hollywood Nights” alongside crowd favorites like “Still The Same.” It’s not hard to see why people were so eager to stack him against the likes of Bruce Springsteen so frequently early on in their respective careers.

All The Best New Pop Music From This Week

Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1977

Led Zeppelin 's 1977 North American Tour was the eleventh and final concert tour of North America by the English rock band . The tour was divided into three legs, with performances commencing on 1 April and concluding on 24 July 1977. The tour was originally intended to finish on 13 August, but was cut short following the death of Robert Plant 's son.

Problems experienced

Cancelled dates, box office score data, external links.

This was the first tour embarked on by the band following their enforced lay-off caused by Plant's car accident in Greece in 1975. During this sabbatical, the band had recorded their seventh studio album, Presence . Rehearsals for the tour eventually took place at Manticore Studios, Fulham in early 1977, where the band worked for two months on a new set list. [1]

Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant conceived this series of concerts as an effort that would reassert Led Zeppelin as the dominant band of the decade. [2] Fifty-one concerts were scheduled over a three-leg period, for 1.3 million ticket holders. It was Led Zeppelin's biggest ever tour, and tickets sold at a rate of 72,000 a day. [3]

The tour was scheduled to commence on 27 February at Fort Worth, Texas , but Plant contracted laryngitis and the schedule was postponed for a month. [4] It eventually kicked off on 1 April, at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium in Dallas . [5] The delay reduced the amount of time the band had available to rehearse, since all their equipment had already been airlifted to the United States. As guitarist Jimmy Page explained:

We didn't have any instruments for a month. All the equipment was shipped over there five days before we were due to go. I didn't play a guitar for a month. I was terrified at the prospect of the first few shows. [4]

Led Zeppelin's 1977 North American Tour was a massive financial success, as the band sold out large arenas and stadiums. On 30 April they performed to 76,229 people at the Pontiac Silverdome , a new world record attendance for a solo indoor attraction, beating the 75,962 that The Who attracted there on 6 December 1975 for Opening Night, and grossed $792,361.50 (also a record breaker). [4] [6] [7] Lengthy stints were spent in New York City and Los Angeles, where the band performed six sold-out shows each at Madison Square Garden and the Los Angeles Forum . In New York, the band did not advertise the concerts, relying solely on street demand to sell out the shows; enough ticket applications were received to sell out a further two nights had time permitted.

Dave Lewis, an expert on the band, considers that this tour,

with its staggered itinerary and massive arena and stadium venues, became the blueprint for which the likes of Bruce Springsteen and U2 would base their multimillion-dollar tours during the Eighties and Nineties. Back then, though, Grant and Zeppelin were making their own rules as they went along. The unwieldy scale of just how big the Zeppelin experience had become was encapsulated over those forty-four 1977 shows. [4]

For the tour, the band chartered Caesar's Chariot , a 45-seat Boeing 707 owned by the Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas , to shuttle them between cities. This plane should not be confused with the more famous Starship , which had been used by the band on its previous two concert stints in North America, but which was permanently grounded in 1977 due to engine problems. [8] The set list played on this tour included an acoustic section, which had originally been revived by the band at their previous concerts at Earls Court Arena in 1975 and was retained for the 1977 concerts due to the lingering effects of Plant's injuries. Technically, only two songs from their most recent album, Presence (1976), were performed: " Nobody's Fault but Mine " and " Achilles Last Stand ", although parts of the solo from " Tea for One " would be incorporated by Page during the solo of " Since I've Been Loving You ".

For many of the concerts on this tour, Jimmy Page chose to wear a striking custom-made white silk dragon suit known as the "Poppy White Dragon Suit", as is captured in several famous photographs of the band. It was also on this tour that John Paul Jones introduced a custom triple-necked acoustic instrument which contained a mandolin , twelve-string guitar and six-string guitar . He used this instrument on " Ten Years Gone " and the acoustic portion of the setlist.

Keith Moon sat in with the band on 23 June 1977, at the Los Angeles Forum. [9]

Though profitable financially, the tour was beset with difficulties. On 19 April, over 70 people were arrested as about 1,000 ticketless fans tried to gatecrash Cincinnati Riverfront Coliseum for two sold out festival seating / general admission concerts, while some gained entry by throwing rocks and beer bottles through glass entrance doors and some wall height, all-glass panes surrounding the outermost perimeter of the arena. On 3 June, after an open-air concert at Tampa Stadium was cut short because of a severe thunderstorm, a riot broke out in the audience, resulting in 19 arrests and 50 fans being injured. [4] Police ultimately resorted to using tear gas to break up the crowd. [10] [11]

Guitarist Jimmy Page 's ongoing heroin addiction also caused him to lose a noticeable amount of weight on this tour, and arguably began to hamper his performances. [2] [4] [12] During a performance in Chicago on 9 April, Page fell ill and needed to sit in a chair to play " Ten Years Gone " before leaving the stage with severe stomach cramps. The show was concluded after only sixty-five minutes, with Page's illness later being attributed to a case of food poisoning ; shortly thereafter, a makeup concert was scheduled for 3 August on the final leg of the tour. [12] [13] The Greensboro, North Carolina show began one hour late, with Plant stating, "Sorry, we left somebody in New York."

The tour also experienced some unsavory backstage problems, exacerbated by the hiring of London gangster John Bindon as Led Zeppelin's security coordinator. After a 23 July show [14] at the " Day on the Green " festival at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California , Bindon, band manager Peter Grant, tour manager Richard Cole and drummer John Bonham were arrested when a member of promoter Bill Graham 's staff was beaten after the performance. Graham's security man Jim Matzorkis had allegedly assaulted Peter Grant's 11-year-old son Warren for allegedly taking a dressing room sign. [15] This was seen by Bonham, who then walked over and kicked the man; later, when Grant was informed of this incident, he went into the trailer, along with Bindon and assaulted the man with tour manager Richard Cole guarding the door; Bindon had stated he was provoked by members of Graham's crew prior to the incident. [16]

Led Zeppelin's second Oakland show took place only after Bill Graham signed a letter of indemnification absolving Led Zeppelin from responsibility for the previous night's incident, but Graham refused to honour the letter and assault charges were laid against Grant, Cole, Bindon, and Bonham when the band arrived back at their hotel. The four received bail, and a suit was filed against them by Graham for $2 million. [3] [17] All four pleaded nolo contendere , receiving suspended sentences and fines. [3]

The following day's second Oakland concert [18] would prove to be the band's final live appearance in the United States. After the performance, news came that Plant's five-year-old son, Karac, had died from a stomach virus. The rest of the tour (including the Chicago Stadium makeup show, a second concert at the venue, and five additional concerts at the Louisiana Superdome , Rich Stadium , the Pittsburgh Civic Arena and John F. Kennedy Stadium ) was immediately cancelled. [19]

In recent years, Plant has reflected on the negative dynamics which increasingly became evident as the 1977 tour progressed:

By 1977, I was 29, just prior to Karac's passing, and that sort of wild energy that was there in the beginning had come to the point where we were showboating a bit. Unfortunately, we had no choice. We were on tours where places were going ape-shit. There was no way of containing the energy in those buildings. It was insane. And we became more and more victims of our own success. And the whole deal about the goldfish bowl and living in it, that kicked in. [20]

According to Jack Calmes, the head of Showco (the company that had provided lights, sound, staging, and logistics for the band's American tours since 1973):

There was an extraordinary amount of tension at the start of that tour ... It just got off to a negative start. It was definitely much darker than any [Led] Zeppelin tour ever before that time ... The kind of people they had around them had deepened into some really criminal types. I think Richard Cole and perhaps some of the band and everybody around the band was so far into drugs at that point, that the drugs turned on them. They still had their moments of greatness (but) some of the shows were grinding and not very inspired ... The Bindon brothers were the thugs that were friends of Peter Grant's and were on this whole tour as security guards. And they kind of brought an element of darkness into this thing. [7]

At least three indoor concerts from this tour (at Pontiac on 30 April, Houston on 21 May and Seattle on 17 July) were professionally shot by the TV International company for the band and projected live on to a giant video screen. [4] None of these performances have been officially released, and to date, only the Seattle video and audio of the Houston show have been made available on unofficial Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings . Producer Jimmy Page was unable to locate multi-track sound recordings from any 1977 shows, and it is unknown if any exist. However, portions of the Seattle video (minus audio) were used to promote the Led Zeppelin Remasters release in 1990 and some were aired as part of the special MTV Led Zeppelin documentary. In addition, parts were included in the 1997 " Whole Lotta Love " promo. [4]

Audio recordings from many of the tour's shows have been preserved on unofficial bootleg recordings. Notable bootlegs from this tour include Destroyer (the soundboard recording from Cleveland on 27 April), Listen to This Eddie (an audience recording from Los Angeles on 21 June) and For Badgeholders Only (an audience recording from Los Angeles on 23 June).

The second disc of the Led Zeppelin DVD contains semi-hidden bootleg footage from the show at the Los Angeles Forum (under the promos menu). The menu background audio features the complete opening number from the 21 June 1977 show (" The Song Remains the Same ") with visuals bootlegged from various shows on the 1977 tour. [21]

" The Song Remains the Same "
" The Rover " (interlude)
" Sick Again "
" Nobody's Fault but Mine "
" In My Time of Dying "
" Since I've Been Loving You " / " Tea for One "
" No Quarter "
" Ten Years Gone "
" The Battle of Evermore "
" Going to California "
" Black Country Woman " / " Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp "
" White Summer " / " Black Mountain Side "
" Kashmir "
" Out on the Tiles " (interlude)
" Over the Top " / " Moby Dick "
" The Star-Spangled Banner "
" Achilles Last Stand "
" Stairway to Heaven " Encore
" Rock and Roll "
" Trampled Under Foot "
Starting on 10 June, "In My Time of Dying" was permanently replaced by " Over the Hills and Far Away ".
On 10-11, 13 and 21 June, " Heartbreaker " was performed as an encore.
" Black Dog " was performed on 13 and 19 April, 31 May, 13 June, and 23 July.
Jerry Lee Lewis ' " It'll Be Me " was performed during the Fort Worth show and the fifth Inglewood concert.
On 25 June, " Communication Breakdown " was performed during the encore.
" Dancing Days " was performed during the second Landover show and the last show in Inglewood.
Starting on 18 May, a musical interlude of " Whole Lotta Love " was played before "Rock and Roll" and "Trampled Under Foot" was cut rom the setlist.

All Setlists

All setlist songs ( 520 )

Years on tour

2007 ( 1 )
1995 ( 1 )
1990 ( 1 )
1988 ( 1 )
1985 ( 1 )
1980 ( 14 )
1979 ( 4 )
1977 ( 44 )
1975 ( 43 )
1973 ( 61 )
1972 ( 46 )
1971 ( 61 )
1970 ( 70 )
1969 ( 155 )
1968 ( 17 )

Show all tours

Australasian Tour 1972 ( 6 )
Earls Court 1975 ( 5 )
European Tour 1970 ( 10 )
European Tour 1971 ( 6 )
European Tour 1973 ( 15 )
European Tour Autumn 1969 ( 6 )
Iceland, Bath & Germany Summer 1970 ( 6 )
Japanese Tour 1971 ( 5 )
Japanese Tour 1972 ( 6 )
North America Autumn 1969 ( 16 )
North America Spring 1970 ( 25 )
North America Summer 1969 ( 40 )
North American Tour 1968-1969 ( 31 )
North American Tour 1971 ( 21 )
North American Tour 1972 ( 17 )
North American Tour 1973 ( 34 )
North American Tour 1975 ( 35 )
North American Tour 1977 ( 44 )
North American Tour Summer 1970 ( 20 )
Spring 1969 North American Tour ( 26 )
Tour Over Europe 1980 ( 14 )
U.K. & Scandinavia 1969 ( 26 )
UK & Ireland Spring 1971 ( 13 )
UK Summer 1969 ( 11 )
UK Tour 1968 ( 13 )
UK Tour 1970 ( 8 )
UK Tour 1972-73 ( 25 )
UK Tour Winter 1971 ( 16 )
Avg Setlist
Concert Map

Average setlist for tour: North American Tour 1977

Note: only considered 42 of 44 setlists (ignored empty and strikingly short setlists)

The Song Remains the Same Play Video
Sick Again Play Video
Nobody's Fault but Mine ( Blind Willie Johnson cover) Play Video
In My Time of Dying ( Blind Willie Johnson cover) Play Video
Since I've Been Loving You Play Video
No Quarter Play Video
Ten Years Gone Play Video
The Battle of Evermore Play Video
Going to California Play Video
Black Country Woman Play Video
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp Play Video
White Summer/Black Mountain Side Play Video
Kashmir Play Video
Moby Dick Play Video
Guitar Solo Play Video
Achilles Last Stand Play Video
Stairway to Heaven Play Video
Whole Lotta Love Play Video
Rock and Roll Play Video

Show Openers

Main set closers, show closers, encores played.

This feature is not that experimental anymore. Nevertheless, please give feedback if the results don't make any sense to you.

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Music of Interest

Led zeppelin’s 1977 tour of america.

Prohibited from touring for nearly two years due to Robert Plant’s physical rehabilitation and recovery, which led to the release of both Presence and The Song Remains the Same in 1976, Led Zeppelin embarked upon what at the time stood as the largest (in terms of financial success and attendance) tour ever undertaken in April of 1977. Segmented into three legs, the tour comprised 51 dates with 1.3 million attendees and ticket sales averaging a rate of 72,000 per day. Following a one-month postponement attributed to Plant contracting laryngitis, during which the band reportedly did not rehearse as all of the instruments had been shipped ahead in accordance with the original schedule, the four men reconvened officially at Dallas Memorial Stadium on April 1 for the most significant undertaking in the group’s history.

More so even than the “American Return” in 1975 that saw the band weather illness and injury after an eighteen month absence from touring, the 1977 North American Tour heralded a reassertion of the band’s dominance after considerable developments in popular music and the ascension of rock acts such as Aerosmith , Queen , Heart , ZZ Top , Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Swan Song signee Bad Company to stardom. Thoroughly documented and visually immortalized (due in no small part to Page’s white “poppy” suit), the tour remains one of the better-represented chapters in Led Zeppelin’s history thanks to the enormity of the concerts. The vast majority of shows 1 , accordingly, are available on unofficial formats and occasionally augmented by amateur footage. However, remarks and write-ups from individuals unfamiliar with any shows considered even mediocre in quality have marred the tour’s reputation 2 to such an extent that it is often dismissed before a single second of tape has been played. Not aided by the generally dry, dull soundboard recordings 3 that pale in comparison to the official release-caliber 1975 tapes or the cursory approach that overlooks worthy shows 4 , the tour seems to incur most of the denigration levelled at the band with little cause. Though this entry is by no means meant to be historically comprehensive or inclined to devote full evaluations to each show (as done graciously in Luis Rey’s Led Zeppelin Live: An Illustrated Exploration of Underground Tapes print releases and The Year of Led Zeppelin ), it presents an overview of the tour musically, and the shows discussed should convince anyone courting the idea of a slightly better informed (or revised) perspective of Led Zeppelin’s unscathed force.

Most glaring, however, is the reintegration of a full acoustic set (absent, outside of Earl’s Court, since 1972), which allows a seated reprieve for Plant and coaxes spirited contributions from all involved on “The Battle of Evermore”, “Going to California”, and “Black Country Woman/Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”; some of Page’s most beautifully constructed and well-executed solos from the tour can be found in these performances of “Stomp”. To his dismay, John Paul Jones receives the daunting obligation of fulfilling Sandy Denny’s role on “Evermore” but orients to the vocal demands over time. While not the musician’s favorite moment of the concerts, it does hark to Jones’ unprecedented visibility during the 1977 shows, which perhaps brings to fruition the collaborative, group aesthetic more readily than the multiple solo spots would suggest. Broadly, the acoustic set lends some necessary “light” to what is otherwise the most consistently heavy, unrelenting standard setlist in the band’s career. On less substantial but equally pleasant notes, the main riff of “Out on the Tiles” returns as the introduction to Bonham’s drum solo (rechristened “Over the Top”), while the never-before-attempted “Ten Years Gone” induces Page to bring out the brown Telecaster 5 affixed for twang purposes with a B-Bender (a pulley-based device attached to the guitar strap that allows the user to bend the B-string up a full tone by exerting pressure on the guitar’s body).

APRIL — Fully bearing out the group’s almost two-year absence from the stage, the first leg of the tour opens (on tape) with the rather bleak Oklahoma City run-through but improves, reaching inarguable heights at Cleveland (4/28) and Pontiac (4/30). As expected, the band takes several performances to warm completely to the very involving “Ten Years Gone” (ostensibly filling the poignant-themed spot of “The Rain Song”) and “Achilles Last Stand”, while the performances on the whole remain a bit loose even after the Chicago shows. Plant, though traumatized into a more cautious approach to wailing and still suffering leg pain, requires no motivation to embarrass his afflicted 1975 outings and exhibits such stability and control not heard since 1972. The band, meanwhile, provides enthralling versions of “The Battle of Evermore” and “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” from the outset; Plant shines on both, flaunting his reclaimed sustain and power. Page progresses considerably throughout April as he acclimates to the set list and the demands of performing three-hour shows four or five nights a week while refusing to consume solids and weighing-in at well below advisable human standards. His enthusiasm for electronic and discordant tones gradually settles in as a hallmark of his sound, directing his ambitions toward an attempt to translate his recent studio experimentation to the live setting. Naturally, the opening stretch does feature a performance of both artistic and photographic accomplishment in the last night at Chicago ( 4/10 ). Clad in “Stormtrooper” garb, Page atones for the stomach cramps that had necessitated a suspension 6 of the previous night’s effort after only “Ten Years Gone”, and the group treats the crowd to a phenomenal display of might. Regrettably consigned to a rough, occasionally distorted tape, the show still entertains on the whole. Incidentally, Page’s playing on April 9 is actually quite impressive even without considering the agony element.

Following the seldom-discussed, rather erratic pair of Cincinnati shows , the group settles into a more comfortable approach to the new material and begins to reclaim some of its improvisatory fervor. The hideously taped 4/23 Atlanta show represents the strongest overall effort, with riveting versions of the epics , cohesion, and consistency making it a standout in Led Zeppelin’s touring history. Even this is matched (if not eclipsed) in quick succession by the perennial fan favorite second Cleveland show and the Pontiac Silverdome summit , which tends to garner more attention for its elusive professionally-shot footage than its exhibition of musical supremacy. Plant pushes himself beyond any expectation in the latter show–his vocal command is remarkable throughout (see “The Battle of Evermore”). He looses two eviscerating screams during “Kashmir”, electronically harmonized sirens over “Trampled Under Foot”, and a painfully protracted final yell on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” that outdoes even his spectacular work on the 4/27 rendition . For all that it may be Page, however, who provides the definitive performance on the night, surpassing all of his previous efforts on the tour and pulling out evocative phrases on each number. His playing on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”, “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You”, “No Quarter”, “Achilles Last Stand”, and “Stairway to Heaven” stands among his best on the tour, while he belies any health issues with almost studio-worthy clarity. In fact, the night’s “Achilles Last Stand” may rank as the song’s greatest live airing, with every aspect coalescing. Deservedly, the group coasts off into vacation in the aftermath, with the tour resuming on May 18 in Birmingham, Alabama for another oft-unheralded, all-time great.

MAY — The wanting acclaim for the Birmingham show, which features one of Plant’s most impressive performances since 1973 and a tremendous group effort, necessarily makes it the most underrated of the tour. Of only fair audio quality, the recording cannot compare to the Forum tapes, but it is certainly listenable without disturbance. Similar qualms detract from the standing of the superb 4/10 Chicago, Atlanta, Pontiac, 6/8 New York, and 6/22 L.A. shows, but the lack of notoriety proves particularly unjust in this instance. Page delivers scintillating, possibly year-best contributions to “In My Time of Dying”, a smoldering “ Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You “, and “ Stairway to Heaven “, while “No Quarter”, “Kashmir”, and “Rock and Roll” come across with even more vigor than usual. “Since” and “No Quarter” seem to excite Plant on this evening and elicit some of his finest work on the tour; that “No Quarter”, with only two verses, astounds should suggest uniqueness, and Plant’s final, excoriating scream alone should have cemented the show’s reputation. May 18 also marks the unveiling of John Paul Jones’ triple-neck acoustic guitar (giving access to six-string and twelve-string guitar and mandolin) affectionately dubbed “turkey” by Plant.

Settling in at Landover ‘s Capitol Centre for the second residency of the tour, the group delivers four shows, each of which has been released on soundboard format in recent years. Unusually uneven, especially given the Birmingham triumph only a week earlier, the first two shows vary severely in quality from song to song and lack distinction as performances (save the welcome addition of “ Dancing Days ” to the second night’s acoustic set). Fortunately, it doesn’t take too long for things to tighten up on the third night, which sees impeccable renditions of “Ten Years Gone” and “Achilles Last Stand” and one of Page’s most spirited variations on “Stairway to Heaven” from the tour. For all that, it is the fourth night (see “Notes”) which ultimately comes to rival the Atlanta, Cleveland (4/28), and Pontiac concerts for supremacy this far into the tour, sporting benchmark interpretations of “Since I’ve Been Loving You”, “No Quarter”, and “Achilles Last Stand” as well as great takes on “In My Time of Dying” and “Ten Years Gone” and a customarily-riotous “ Rock and Roll ” extended for the sole purpose of allowing Plant to break himself. Fresh off the the Maryland finale and the “Rain or Shine” debacle in Tampa on June 3, the group actually finds itself in its best form yet heading to its favorite East Coast venue and the first “mythical” stretch of 1977.

JUNE — Often neglected in favor of its better-preserved Los Angeles counterpart, the six-night run at Madison Square Garden (June 7,8,10,11,13, and 14) more than compensates for the erratic Chicago and Landover stints with absolute highlights of the band’s touring career. The first night, released on soundboard, admittedly does not quite warrant inclusion in the company of the other five shows, fluctuating sharply in quality despite the band’s enthusiasm and the phenomenal “Since I’ve Been Loving You”, “ Ten Years Gone “, “No Quarter”, and “Going to California”. The following night swiftly dispels any concern, however, supplying a complete event with an insatiable opening run, a typically arresting “No Quarter”, one of the strongest “ Achilles Last Stand ” takes of the tour and, as Luis Rey can confirm, an appropriately “festive” “Rock and Roll”. Coupled with performances from Page and Plant to rival Pontiac and Birmingham, the second New York show can hold its own alongside any in the band’s history. The third night , granted the warmest recording of the bunch, outdoes it still and matches any show from the L.A. series for excellence individually and collectively and emotional depth. By this juncture, even the most inattentive listener can discern Page has worked his way into a stride that will persist for the rest of the leg, as he has reconciled his more abrasive inclinations with fluid, confident playing. A startling “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You” and “No Quarter” likely represent pinnacles of the tour thus far, and “ Kashmir “, more so perhaps than in any other concert between 1975 and 2007, comes across as truly “majestic”. Alongside the no-less-distinguished “Ten Years Gone” and “Stairway to Heaven”, the June 10 acoustic set delivers on the promise of each previous performance as a faithful display of the band’s dynamics and discipline. Distinctions also arise in the first 1977 performances of “ Heartbreaker ” and “Over the Hills and Far Away” (both absent since May 25, 1975), which earn impassioned work from Plant and maniacal yet clean runs from Page, whose playing throughout the show outdoes that of Pontiac for flawlessness. Plant, similarly, exceeds himself with absolute control and stunning clarity in his strongest overall showing since April 30 (or maybe even 1972). The band is as tight and heavy as ever in this show, blazing through each number without ever letting up.

June 19 marks Led Zeppelin’s first appearance out west since March 27, 1975 with one of the more unusual entries in the group’s touring career. Best known for Bonham’s uncharacteristically erratic and generally sluggish play and John Paul Jones’ back injury (dutifully lamented by Plant), the show nevertheless does not upset the groove established in New York and, buttressed by a terrific, full recording, suggests that Plant and Page gave no thought to conserving strength for the impending L.A. run. Page retains all of his creativity here, building on the breakthroughs in New York, and Plant just continues to push himself, covering admirably for the addled Bonham. The high-spirited inclusion of Plant favorite “Mystery Train” during the acoustic set, featuring the singer in flawless, warm voice, does a nice job of elevating the performance as well.

Unscathed by the San Diego episode, Led Zeppelin sojourns toward yet another home away from home–the Los Angeles Forum–for six nights of lunacy in late June. Invariably praised as the culmination of the 1977 North American Tour (if not Led Zeppelin’s entire live career), the L.A. dates epitomize the group’s technical and artistic reformation and mark the most consistently spectacular events of 1977. Though varying slightly in quality and cohesiveness due (as always) in part to technical conditions, the stay lacks a weak entry and, graced in some instances by the legendary Mike Millard’s recording acumen, supplies listenable, entertaining odysseys. Fittingly, the run commences with the most renowned documents of Led Zeppelin in concert. Immortalized under the title of Listen to This Eddie , the June 21 opener merits its acclaim. A fully engaging, ardent effort, the show delivers contender after contender for the “best performance” of each respective song. “Over the Hills and Far Away”, “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You”, “No Quarter”, “Kashmir”, “Achilles Last Stand”, “Stairway to Heaven”, and even “Rock and Roll” bear distinction. Penitent apparently for his difficulties in San Diego, Bonham gives arguably his scariest performance committed to tape; his contributions propel the songs almost distractingly so (see “The Song Remains the Same”), while at times it would not seem unreasonable to question whether the tape has been tampered with due to Bonham’s ridiculous speed, power, and range. Gifted the fourth and last shot at “Heartbreaker” on the year, possibly by request 7 , the Los Angeles debut transcends any expectation. Bookended by inestimably famous gigs, the June 22 show (discussed further in “Notes”) wants in recognition but not in quality and threatens to outshine the previous night in terms of aggression and emotional upheaval. Page’s playing is tighter than in the previous two shows but just as daring, and Bonham, meanwhile, has yet to let up and arguably matches the previous night’s showing.

Led Zeppelin and Keith Moon, June 23, 1977

The third night, afforded the same adoration as the Eddie show, has passed perhaps further into lore under the title of For Badgeholders Only. Another weighty undertaking in its own right, the performance sees the unprovoked guest appearance of Keith Moon during “Over the Top” and the encore. With an unimpeachable opening stretch–“Over the Hills and Far Away”, “ Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You “, and “Ten Years Gone” are nearly too perfect, while “No Quarter” regularly receives “best ever” honors–and particularly accomplished playing, the show nonetheless inspires favor more for its sound quality and historical import than consistency. A solid but unremarkable acoustic set provides the first indication of mere excellence, while communication and equipment failures mar “Kashmir” and “Trampled Under Foot”, respectively. The standout “Achilles Last Stand” livens things up quite a bit before a tender “Stairway to Heaven” closes things out perfectly. Most conspicuous however is the encore, which provides one of the least musically interesting renditions of “Rock and Roll” on record as Plant and Page were ostensibly (and understandably) more concerned with monitoring Moon’s whereabouts and attempts at involvement than pushing themselves.

As the fourth night commences, any doubt as to the band’s ability to sustain its pace quickly disappears. Blazing through the opening numbers, the group pulls off an implacable “In My Time of Dying” (treated to a stab at Little Richard’s “Rip It Up”) for the song’s final appearance until 2007. An extended “Trampled Under Foot”–the most adventurous of the year for Page and a precursor to the expansive 1980 versions –also distinguishes the show from the other masterful displays of the week. It is the only known performance of “ Communication Breakdown ” on the year that tends to steal attention, finishing the show with no semblance of rust or lack of ideas. Page flaunts the fruits of his winning streak, while Plant employs his harmonizing vocal effect nicely during the funk interlude (featuring the”It’s Your Thing” rhythm this time). Technical clarity abounds in the following performance as Page and the rhythm section turn in impeccable work and Plant does not falter for a second. Technically and creatively, the instrumentation here matches that of any of the 1971-75 marathon shows. “That’s All Right”, augmented by hints of “I Can’t Be Satisfied”, finds its only appearance in 1977 as the (now obligatory) exceptional moment from the acoustic set, and each song layers on the intensity. Just minutes later Page turns in a terrifically-executed, 1970-worthy “White Summer/Black Mountainside” and sends the band into yet another colossal “Kashmir. By now, the “Achilles Last Stand”/”Stairway to Heaven” conclusion would seem to have met its potential as a climax, and this show bears that out in full. Unrivalled, it could reasonably be claimed, in rock history as a set-closer, this pairing sees the group’s two greatest epics receive proper treatment night after night without ever dulling their impact. Jerry Lee Lewis’ “ It’ll Be Me ” earns a second, much cleaner airing as an encore (Mick Ralphs of Bad Company joined the band for it in Fort Worth on May 22) that exceeds even L.A. standards, with Page mustering a well structured, terse solo and Plant running the vocal spectrum with smooth sustain. This rarity adds yet another point of pride to what is, overall, the “most perfect” L.A. concert and one that ranks alongside any other show between 1968 and 1980. The last night at the Forum, aptly the final Led Zeppelin performance to clock-in at over three-and-a-half hours, overcomes any noticeable effects of consecutive marathons to thrillingly close out the group’s relationship with Los Angeles. Justly, the acoustic set nearly puts the rest of the proceedings to shame. A quick run at Muddy Waters’ “I Can’t Be Satisfied” fulfills the previous night’s promise, only to be surpassed as Page’s “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” solo segues into a lilting version of “ Dancing Days ” in which Plant sounds sufficiently boisterous and full-voiced to suggest he could have easily hit the high notes attempted back when the song regularly figured in the set list (as found on the 1972 electric rendition from How the West Was Won ). A summation of the band’s triumphant return to the live setting, the final Los Angeles concert braves well-earned weariness to close out the second leg of the 1977 tour and one of the more storied chapters in rock history.

Led Zeppelin "Stairway to Heaven", Seattle 1977

JULY — After a three week holiday, the group resumes touring at Seattle’s Kingdome (inaugurated by Paul McCartney and Wings in a 1976 show that would later appear, excerpted, in the Rockshow concert film) on July 17 for a stirring exercise in inconsistency (see “Notes”). Dogged by Page’s intermittently detrimental “sleeping sickness” and Plant’s truly afflicted, cracking voice, the Kingdome performance edges on calamity on several occasions. Nevertheless, as is precedent even for Led Zeppelin’s least accomplished outings, the show generally entertains and even manages to spawn an undying contender for the best rendition of “Stairway to Heaven” on record. Page’s exquisitely paced, rending phrases vindicate the concept of “improvisational composition” and nearly compensate for any earlier lapses. This would not be the case three nights later. The ensuing show, imposed upon the unsuspecting audience at Arizona State University, represents the nadir for Plant and Page and (despite only being partially taped) unfortunately accounts for much of the derision levied upon the tour. Plant’s voice collapses completely here despite his comeback in the final moments of the Seattle show, and Page (further discouraged after being blasted by pyrotechnics) fares no better. Remarkably, though not a single chord that Page plays during “Achilles Last Stand” actually belongs in the song, he nails the solo and survives “Stairway to Heaven”–evidently just for the sake of outrage.

Well aware it would seem of the Tempe aberration, the group resolves to fight its way through ailment and rust for the opening date in Oakland . Part of the not-quite-annual “Day on the Green” concert series staged by Bill Graham, the Oakland afternoon spots have suffered undue criticism based in part on the principle of guilt by association with both the other July shows and non-musical developments. Though undoubtedly average at times, the shows represent a reclamation of vigor and some (musical) stability. Page infamously disorients himself at the beginning of the “Ten Years Gone” solo, providing a five-second flub that has managed to discredit an otherwise exceptional rendition; Plant may in fact contribute his finest delivery of the song here, and Page exhibits no such difficulties elsewhere. Indisputably strong versions of “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You”, “ No Quarter “, “Trampled Under Foot”, and “Achilles Last Stand” provide emotionally arduous showcases for Page and feature commendable group interplay, while “Black Dog” is brought out one last time as an encore.

Jimmy Page "Ten Years Gone", Oakland 1977

The July 24 appearance, solid as well and seeing less tentative work from Plant, garners its own noteworthy addition with another acoustic “Mystery Train”. Despite Page’s displeasure with backstage events, he puts in a decent account of himself, while Plant and Bonham excel on “ Kashmir ” and could have sustained interest just as a duo. A healthy visual record of the shows endures, readily identifiable from both the sunlit hordes subsuming the Oakland Coliseum and Plant’s iconic “Nurses Do it Better! ” t-shirt. Most intriguing though is the seventeen-minute audience footage compiling moments from the pre-show anticipation in the stands (set to a nice selection of Cream material playing over the speakers) to the rapturous encore at dusk. Lean on actual band footage, the video compels mainly due to its engrossing (if not wholly flattering) representation of a crowd that for once amounts to more than just indiscernible blurs supposedly portraying 70,000 faces. One concertgoer laments the absence of “Dazed and Confused”, a common sentiment among fans throughout the tour especially given the release of The Song Remains the Same less than a year prior, while the bootlegger captures a nose-bleed crowd that is wildly variant in appearance as well as fandom.

“As the Sun sets in the West” on July 24, 1977, so too does it on Led Zeppelin’s touring presence in North America. Peter Grant’s grand conception for “The Eighties, Part One” in fall 1980 would have represented yet another return for the group and its greatest triumph over physical and psychological adversity thus far, but the Live Aid, Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction reunions have provided the only performances on American soil in forty years. However misconstrued historically, the aborted forty-four date visit has outlasted all the misfortune set upon it and continues to engage listeners. Ideally, exposure to the recommended tapes should reclaim some faith and interest in the year’s work and, maybe, lend some justification to the (personal) belief that the finest moments of the 1977 North American Tour also happen to stand as the greatest, most affecting shows Led Zeppelin ever gave.

Standard Tour Set List:

“The Song Remains the Same”

“The Rover” (intro)/Sick Again”

“Nobody’s Fault But Mine”

“In My Time of Dying” (rotated with “Over the Hills and Far Away” after 6/10)

“Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You”

“No Quarter” (often interpolating classical music and, occasionally, ELP’s “Nutrocker” 8 )

“Ten Years Gone”

“The Battle of Evermore” (featuring John Paul Jones and, rarely , John Bonham on second vocal)

“Going to California”

“Black Country Woman”

“Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”

“White Summer/Black Mountainside”

“Kashmir”

“Over the Top”

“Heartbreaker” (only played 6/10, 6/13, and 6/21; encore on 6/11)

“Guitar/Effects Solo”

“Achilles Last Stand”

“Stairway to Heaven”

“Whole Lotta Love” (abridged, beginning 5/22)

“Rock and Roll”

“Trampled Under Foot” (played following acoustic set after June 23)

“Communication Breakdown” (6/25)

“Black Dog” (4/13, 6/13, 7/23, and possibly 5/31)

“It’ll Be Me” (5/22 with Mick Ralphs and 6/26)

Acoustic Set Additions:

“Dancing Days” (5/26 and 6/27 during “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”)

“That’s All Right” (6/26)

“I Can’t Be Satisfied” (6/27)

“Mystery Train” (6/19 and 7/24)

Audio recordings of any have kind have yet to surface for the April 1 (Dallas), April 12 (Bloomington), April 13 (St. Paul), April 15 (St. Louis), April 17 (Indianapolis), May 19 (Baton Rouge), and May 31 (Greensboro) appearances, though color footage from the last two circulates; as always, several shows (such as the Cincinnati dates) exist on incomplete recordings.

Unjustly maligned in subsequent decades and forever accorded an air of ill repute due to events largely unrelated to the performances, the tour languishes under the cloud of tragedy given its cancellation in late July following the death of Plant’s son, Karac, back in England. The degree of disdain exuded toward the tour persists, in part, as a result of the staunchly held misconception that punk had effaced the band’s relevance, musical prowess, and popularity overnight in 1977 despite never attaining commercial viability in the U.S. and lacking significant recognition until years later. This attitude of course endured through the 1980s until the group’s endurance proved sufficiently aggravating, at which point even Led Zeppelin’s most fervent detractors (including Rolling Stone ) adopted backhanded praise and passivity as a form of spiritual resistance that continued the musical liberation movement. In the wake of Plant’s mourning and the band’s silence, however, those who had taken offense to the group’s existence since 1968, as well as the self-anointed Samaritans of punk, seized the opportunity to indulge in spiteful remarks with no fear of reprisal. Ignored almost institutionally in recent years, 1977-80 saw the rock and general press engage in unprecedented (even for discussion of Led Zeppelin) vitriol that flouted any notion of professional or moral constitution. That paid adults found it acceptable to publicly attribute the death of a child to karmic retribution or Page’s fondness for occult history transcended the inanity to which the band had been subjected since 1969 yet evidently did not warrant censure. Remarkably, these efforts only established a precedent later exploited following Bonham’s death and the band’s dissolution in blaming Page for any misfortune that befell the members and casting the group’s final years as some deserved collapse. Notably, New Musical Express declared Led Zeppelin “the worst group in the world” following the Knebworth concerts in August of 1979 and, earlier in the year, had referred to the group in preface as the “most reviled of the old superfart bands” in what to this day is considered one of the more tempered pieces of journalism from the era. Rolling Stone, despite the layoff, had no trouble reclaiming its former glory and under the headline of “Sad Zep” panned In Through the Out Door with a (somehow) factually flawed review that holds its own among the magazine’s prior exercises in vindictiveness. Rock criticism had, by the end of the decade, reached the verdict that not only did the members of Led Zeppelin have nothing to offer musically and had accomplished nothing in eleven years but no one on the face of the Earth could stomach the band’s existence. Incidentally, none of these publications got around to mentioning that the brown paper bag-cloaked album topped the charts in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada, sold three million copies in the U.S. within one month, and was actually regarded as having “saved” a record market that had stalled with the declining popularity of disco and select appeal of punk. More vindicating, however, was the fact that Led Zeppelin’s entire catalogue–nine albums (eleven discs)–charted in the Billboard Top 200 at once, a feat that conceivably did little to mend relations.
5/30 remains by far the strongest performance captured on soundboard, with the renditions of “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You”, “No Quarter”, “Achilles Last Stand”, “Stairway to Heaven”, and “Rock and Roll” ranking among the best from the tour, while 5/28 and 5/22, the most recent unearthing, stand a satisfying second and third (in which ever order you prefer) ahead of the flawed but enjoyable (and at times unearthly) 4/27 Cleveland show to be forever known as Destroyer , with the Garden opener trailing slightly and the first two Landover shows vying for last. Fortune also happened to bestow upon fans fine documentation of two more of the tour’s least successful outings, with the impossibly inconsistent, video-sourced Seattle show and the truly unnecessary but (naturally) pristinely-preserved Houston misery. The reputedly-filmed May 21 Houston appearance (preceding Bad Company’s officially-released stop by two days) has inexplicably garnered devotees for its sound quality and Bonham’s inspired displays, but the show as a whole offers nothing memorable or particularly listenable aside from a sterling “Going to California” and a surprisingly convincing “Rock and Roll” redeemed after Page audibly trips over wires in the opening seconds. Seattle, alternatively, is almost impressive as an exercise in erraticism. For all the detractors, Plant is legitimately ailing–his voice breaks even during the stage banter and song introductions–while Page exacts retribution on bootleggers with several notable slip-ups among an otherwise decent performance. Miscommunication (or daring) results in an off-key solo during “Over the Hills and Far Away”, while “Achilles Last Stand” inherits a flare-up in the guitarist’s reported “sleeping sickness”. Contrarily, he turns out entertaining and technically solid solos during “Sick Again” and the note-perfect “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and meanders through a memorable, at times scintillating “No Quarter” (with a stinging “boogie woogie” solo) that happens to feature commensurately strong work from John Paul Jones. Jones, Bonham, and Plant subsequently wander through the longest recorded airing of “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp” after Page breaks a string, while Bonham exceeds himself during his final drum solo with Led Zeppelin–a superb event fortunately immortalized on film. Despite Plant’s cracks, “Kashmir” manages to remain enjoyable, while the band pulls itself together for a harrowingly delicate “Stairway to Heaven” that supplies a contender for Page’s finest recorded solo on the piece. The mood carries over into the riotous “Whole Lotta Love”/”Rock and Roll” encore, with the band putting to shame any rival for sheer intensity and perseverance in the show’s closing moments. Led Zeppelin’s 1977 Seattle stop, though not technically found on soundboard, nonetheless represents a legitimately unique affair.
Honors for the most misunderstood or unfairly criticized performances likely go to the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum “Day on the Green” shows that mark Led Zeppelin’s final U.S. appearances, the Louisville show, and the second night at the Los Angeles Forum, the last of which proves exceptional even for June. Largely derided for its subpar sound quality (not provided by Mike Millard) and placement between the unassailable Listen to This Eddie and For Badgeholders Only shows, the second night in L.A. compares favorably with any other Led Zeppelin performance at the venue. Augmented by some incomplete yet engrossing footage , the show features ruthless work throughout, especially for “No Quarter”, “Achilles”, and “Stairway”, but reaches the greatest heights with Page’s tempestuous solo in “Over the Hills and Far Away” and likely the best, most outlandish performance of “ In My Time of Dying ” on record (those two songs being included in the same set list only this once on the tour).
Page subsequently employed the B-Bender-outfitted Telecaster for live performances of “All My Love” and “Hot Dog” and continued to use the rig after his time with Led Zeppelin (most notably on the Chopin adaptation “Prelude” from the Death Wish II soundtrack and in concert with The Firm).
Page wanders into “Since I’ve Been Lovin’ You” without the band before composing himself, but by “Ten Years Gone” he suffers pain so severe that he resorts to sitting on Bonham’s drum riser (all the while playing, of course). After Plant’s announcement of a brief delay to accommodate this bout of “gastroenteritis”, Richard Cole informs the audience that Page cannot continue but implores the audience to hang onto their ticket stubs for a rescheduled, compensatory show (later slated for August 3). Ultimately attributed to food poisoning (likely not aided by a banana daiquiri-based diet), Page’s ailment is traditionally albeit speculatively blamed on drug and/or alcohol abuse. Plant gallantly addressed the insinuations from a local radio station, The Loop, that Page had been drinking an “alcohol substance all day” the following night, stating, “It’s fair to say that Mr. Page neither smokes, drinks, takes women or does anything like that, so we’d like an apology from The Loop tomorrow and another crate of the same alcohol, please”.
A member of the crowd screams his request for “Heartbreaker” after nearly every song and, memorably, lets out an unsettling (audible over the other 19,000 people losing their minds) but appropriate shriek after Page assents. Presumably, his name is not Eddie as well.
A thrashing interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker , the ELP arrangement was performed by the band on April 25 (Louisville), April 28 (Cleveland), May 22 (Fort Worth), and June 7 (New York); the last two are available on soundboard.