Led Zeppelin North American Tour 1968/1969

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North America 1968/1969

Poster for Led Zeppelin's concerts at the Fillmore West , used to help promote its 1968/1969 tour of North America
Concert tour by Led Zeppelin
Locations North America
Start date December 26, 1968
End date February 15, 1969
Legs 1
Shows 34
Led Zeppelin tour chronology
United Kingdom 1968
 North America 1968/1969
 United Kingdom & Scandinavia Spring 1969

Led Zeppelin's 1968/1969 tour of North America was the first concert tour of North America by the English rock band. The tour commenced on December 26, 1968 and concluded on February 15, 1969.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The genesis of this tour was the cancellation of a concert tour by the Jeff Beck Group, which happened to be managed out of the same office as that occupied by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant. Grant contacted the promoters and convinced them to take on Led Zeppelin instead.[1]

To help publicise the band in America before the tour, Grant had sent white label advance copies of the band's debut album to key FM radio stations. The album itself was issued on January 17, mid-way though the tour.

For this stint of concerts, Led Zeppelin played as the support act for bands such as Vanilla Fudge and Iron Butterfly, both of which were also contracted to Atlantic Records. However, as the tour progressed, it became apparent that Led Zeppelin was easily outshining the headline acts.[2] As guitarist Jimmy Page explained:

“ [B]y the time we reached San Francisco, the other groups on the bill just weren't turning up. Country Joe & the Fish backed out of playing with us on the West Coast and Iron Butterfly didn't turn up on the East.[3] ”

It was during this tour that Led Zeppelin's drummer, John Bonham, developed a close friendship with the drummer of Vanilla Fudge, Carmine Appice.

The average fee charged by Led Zeppelin for a concert during this tour was around $1,500. It has been stated that for one show they performed for a mere $320.[2] Figures like these would soon be dwarfed by the six figure sums routinely demanded, and received, by Led Zeppelin on subsequent tours as their popularity skyrocketed. Peter Grant recalled:

“ The Yardbirds had been getting $2,500 a night but people like Bill Graham had faith in us and so did the kids who saw it.[2] ”

[edit] Tour set list

The fairly typical set list for the tour was:

  1. "Train Kept A-Rollin' " (Bradshaw, Kay, Mann)
  2. "I Can't Quit You Baby" (Dixon)
  3. "As Long As I Have You" (Mimms)
  4. "Dazed and Confused" (Page)
  5. "Communication Breakdown" (Bonham, John Paul Jones, Page)
  6. "You Shook Me" (Dixon, Lenoir)
  7. "White Summer"/"Black Mountain Side" (Page)
  8. "Pat's Delight" (Bonham)
  9. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" (Bredon, Page, Plant)
  10. "How Many More Times" (Bonham, Jones, Page)

There were some set list substitutions, variations, and order switches during the tour.

[edit] Tour dates

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Liner notes by Cameron Crowe for The Complete Studio Recordings
  2. ^ a b c Lewis, Dave and Pallett, Simon (1997) Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-5307-4, p. 15.
  3. ^ Nick Kent, "Bring It On Home", Q Magazine, Special Led Zeppelin edition, 2003

[edit] Sources

  • Lewis, Dave and Pallett, Simon (1997) Led Zeppelin: The Concert File, London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-5307-4.
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