McIpedia

My Aunty Doreen & Led Zeppelin

My Aunty Doreen, whom God preserve, was a mature student at Manchester University in the 1970's. Knowing that her 15-year old nephew was mad keen on music she readily acceded to my request to buy 2 tickets to see Led Zeppelin at the university's Kings Hall in 1971.

Arriving on the night full of anticipation, I and my pal Roger were rather anxious at the sight of doormen checking people in at the main entrance. Rog went in first and being a truthful and well-brought up lad, replied honestly when asked his age. 'Seventeen'. 'Sorry son, you're not old enough, its over-18's only'. Roger, ashen-faced, graciously stepped aside as I went to try my luck. Doing the only decent thing in the circumstances, I lied about my age and got in.

The auditorium was already, with about an hour till showtime, very full and very hot. this situation worsened until people started fainting. At this point the then chairman of the N.U.S., one Jack Straw (later Home Secretary, of course) came on stage and in rather colourful language ordered the windows to be opened and that people at the back stop pushing to try and get in.

When the band came on they did not disappoint, playing for nearly 3 hours in a set which featured heavily the new material off 'Led Zeppelin III' but also featured long-standing favourites such as 'Whole Lotta Love', 'Communication Breakdown' and 'Dazed and Confused'. It was during the latter number that I witnessed for the first time a guitarist using a violin bow; (was it Eddie Phillips of The Creation who was the first axeman to use one on record?)

In order to give the audience a bit of a rest, Plant, Page and Jones sat in a line on-stage to give us a few acoustic numbers including 'Tangerine' and 'Bron-Y-Aur Stomp'. For a callow teenager such as me, it was a real night to remember.

If you have any particular memories of memorable gigs, do let me know and I can share your reminiscences with other visitors to the site.