Evolution In Real Time (2CD)

Led Zeppelin's 1973 North American Tour was the ninth concert tour of America by the band. Divided into two legs, performances commenced on 4 May and concluded on 29 July ‘73. Rehearsals took place at Old Street Film Studios in London. The tour started shortly after the release of Zeppelin's chart-topping fifth album, Houses of the Holy. Prior to its commencement, Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant hired PR consultant Danny Goldberg for promotion, and booked large stadium venues. The resulting jaunt broke box office records. On 5 May at Tampa Stadium, Florida, they played to 56,800 fans (breaking the record set by The Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965), and grossed $309,000. In total, the tour grossed over $4,000,000. Led Zeppelin's shows evolved from those on previous tours, with the introduction of dry ice, laser effects, backdrop mirrors, hanging mirror balls and Catherine wheel pyrotechnics. Zeppelin performed 30 dates in the US and one in Canada across the 2 months they were away, and the critical assessment was generally enormously positive. Numerous shows on the tour were recorded for radio broadcast and this new 2CD set features cuts from a variety of the concerts, all in the very best quality available. Making for a superb ’73 tour souvenir and a magical collection of Led Zep live at the very height of their career, this new title is certain to delight the millions of Zeppelin fans still flying the flag for this extraordinary group. Bonus cuts include a few tracks recorded in the UK prior to the US tour starting, all from January ’75, and all recorded at either Southampton University on 25th Jan, or at Oxford’s New Theatre on the 7th.