It wasn’t until he led the way into ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and ‘Trampled Underfoot’ that roars of appreciation began to echo around Knebworth. Robert Plant seemed perplexed at the silence between songs, when you could practically hear a pin drop in that vast, cold field. Audience reaction at Knebworth had not been overwhelming and many seemed content to stand and stare, like mesmerised spectators at an alien ritual, a far cry from the hysteria of earlier shows. Journalist Chris Welch, fifteen years afterwards, observed: “Fans were still supporting the band, but there was definitely a feeling days were numbered. It was good, but only because everybody made it good. We maimed the beast for life, but we didn’t kill it. There was so much expectation there and the least we could have done was to have been confident enough to kill. It felt like I was cheating myself because I wasn’t as relaxed as I could have been. It was no good because we weren’t ready to do it, the whole thing was a management decision. The two warm up shows in Copenhagen revealed a band who were not quite ready to headline such massive events, a point that Robert Plant stated shortly after the two when he said: “Knebworth was useless.

The first show in particular, with so much riding on it, was perhaps the most important they ever played.” (Led Zeppelin: Celebration II: The ‘Tight But Loose’ Files). For that reason alone it holds a special affection in their live history. For many it would be the only time that they would get to see Zeppelin perform live. The importance of these shows is best summed up by author Dave Lewis, who wrote: “For many in attendance it was their first ever concert experience.

This was the only way they could possible accommodate the demand for tickets. When they chose to play their first concerts in two years, and their first in England in four, they planned it in the most spectacular way imaginable by headlining not just one but two massive Knebworth festivals. Led Zeppelin disappeared after the tragic events in 1977 and remained hidden from the public eye for two years, an eternity in the world of music. Knebworth Festival, Stevenage, England – August 4th, 1979ĭisc 1 (63:28): Introduction, The Song Remains The Same, Celebration Day, Black Dog, Nobody’s Fault But Mine, Over The Hills And Far Away, Misty Mountain Hop, Since I’ve Been Loving You, No Quarterĭisc 2 (65:05): Ten Years Gone, Hot Dog, The Rain Song, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Trampled Underfoot, Sick Again, Achilles Last Standĭisc 3 (69:06): guitar solo, In The Evening, Stairway To Heaven, Rock And Roll, Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker Led Zeppelin Welcome To The 1979 Knebworth Festival 4th Of August

Led zeppelin 1979