Led Zeppelin United Kingdom Tour 1968

Last updated
United Kingdom 1968
Tour by Led Zeppelin
UK68.jpg
Poster for Led Zeppelin's concert at the University of Surrey (billed as "The New Yardbirds featuring Jimmy Page"), used to help promote its 1968 U.K. tour
LocationEngland
Associated album Led Zeppelin
Start date4 October 1968
End date20 December 1968
No. of shows16
Led Zeppelin concert chronology

Led Zeppelin's 1968 tour of the United Kingdom was the first concert tour of the United Kingdom by the English rock band. It commenced on 4 October and concluded on 20 December 1968.

Contents

For some of these early shows, the band were billed as the "New Yardbirds". Press releases eventually announced that they would make their debut under the name 'Led Zeppelin' on 25 October at the University of Surrey (although posters advertising this concert erroneously continued to bill them as the 'New Yardbirds'). [1]

There was very little press reaction to this tour. [2]

The band's second London concert (18 October, billed as 'New Yardbirds'; 9 November, billed as 'Led Zeppelin') at the Roundhouse on 9 November doubled as singer Robert Plant's wedding reception. [3]

Jeff Beck attended the Canterbury show on 13 December. "Things went slightly wrong!" he recalled to Jimmy Page. "Your fucking amp blew up and I went, 'What's up with that, Jim?' And then I realised it was my amp, because my roadie had moonlighted and rented Jimmy my equipment! And he'd changed the impedance on the back so it sounded like a pile of shit! But I could see the potential. It was just amazing – blew the house down, blew everybody away." [4]

Tour set list

Exact set lists during this tour are sketchy, due partly to the lack of early live Led Zeppelin bootleg recordings. Old Yardbirds' live staples such as "Train Kept A-Rollin'", "Dazed and Confused", "White Summer" and possibly "For Your Love" were performed, in addition to material from the then unfinished debut album, such as "Communication Breakdown", I Can't Quit You Baby, "You Shook Me", "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You", and "How Many More Times". The band also likely performed a Garnet Mimms cover, "As Long as I Have You". [5]

A likely 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. "White Summer" (Page)
  6. "For Your Love" (Gouldman)
  7. "You Shook Me" (Dixon, Lenoir)
  8. "Pat's Delight" (Bonham)
  9. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" (Bredon, Page, Plant)
  10. "How Many More Times" (Bonham, Jones, Page)
  11. "Communication Breakdown" (Bonham, John Paul Jones, Page)

Tour dates

DateCityCountryVenue
4 October 1968 Newcastle upon Tyne England Mayfair Ballroom
15 October 1968 Surrey University of Surrey
17 October 1968 Wolverhampton Lafayette Club
18 October 1968 London Marquee Club
19 October 1968 Liverpool Liverpool University
25 October 1968 Guildford University of Surrey
26 October 1968 Ewell Ewell Technical College
9 November 1968London Roundhouse
16 November 1968 Manchester College of Technology
23 November 1968 Sheffield Sheffield University
29 November 1968 Richmond Crawdaddy Club
10 December 1968LondonMarquee Club
13 December 1968 Canterbury Bridge Place Country Club
16 December 1968 Bath Bath Pavilion
19 December 1968 Exeter Civic Hall
20 December 1968LondonWood Green Fishmongers Hall

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References

  1. ↑ Led Zeppelin official website: concert summary
  2. ↑ Liner notes by Cameron Crowe for The Complete Studio Recordings
  3. ↑ Nigel Williamson, "Good Times...Bad Times", Uncut , May 2005, p. 54.
  4. ↑ Murray, Charles Shaar (August 2004). "The Guv'nors". Mojo . No. 129. p. 74.
  5. ↑ Led Zeppelin official website

Sources

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