Final
Rehearsals
June - September 1980
JUNE 2, 1980
- NEW VICTORIA THEATRE, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Some sources say the band rehearsed at Rainbow Theatre between April
29 and May 4 first and then moved to New Victoria Theatre between May
5 and May 12.
Recording
Includes: The Train
Kept A Rollin', Out On The Tiles Intro >> Black Dog, [ cut
], In The Evening, The Rain Song [ cut ], [ cut ],
Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot [ cut ], [ cut
], Since I've Been Loving You, [ cut ], White Summer, White Summer
(<< Black Mountain Side..) >> Kashmir, [ cut ],
Achilles Last Stand (take 1) [ cut ], [ cut ], Achilles
Last Stand (take 2) [ cut ], [ cut ], Stairway To
Heaven.
Source: Incomplete excellent soundboard
recording. 85 minutes.
Bootleg
LP Reference(s): Bonzo's
Last Stand: The Last Rehearsal Sept 80 (Oznob Records UK & US issue),
Out Through The Back Door (Amazing Stork Records, Atlantic Recording
Corporation, & White Box), Strange Tales From The Road (Rock Solid),
& Tangible Vandalism (Tangible Song Records & White Box)
Bootleg
CD Reference(s): 1980
Rehearsal (Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Bonzo's Last Stand (Empress
Valley Supreme Disc), Eternal Magic (Empress Valley Supreme Disc, 5CD
box reissue 2019), Evolution Is Timing 2 (Empress Valley Supreme Disc
box), The Last Rehearsal (Missing Link), The Lost Sessions Volume 11
(Empress Valley Supreme Disc), Sessions (Antrabata Reference Master
box), Strange Tales From The Road (no label), Studio Magik - Sessions
1968-1980 (Godfatherecords box), Studio Sessions Ultimate (Scorpio box),
& Tour Over Zurich (Wendy Records)
This
is one of the most interesting positions in the entire catalogue, more
than eighty minute long rehearsal tape for the upcoming tour that would
eventually to be their last ever. The opening salvo of The Train Kept
A Rollin' sounds aggressive, very similar to the live versions from
the tour. Jimmy treats his guitar like the man possessed. Black Dog
is heavy, but you can feel it lacks the live atmosphere, as it just
sounds kinda dry in the mix. In The Evening is played with much enthusiasm,
it sounds very fresh and powerful. The gorgeous Rain Song features Page
in his prime, as he focuses on several guitar passages with such subtlety
and passion. One may hate the fact Jones' switched from the Mellotron
to the synthetizer, but yet this is still a really good version. All
My Love is played in a correct tempo, the middle fanfares are much dedicated
in the middle. The whole band is on fire during a fiery Trampled Underfoot,
where Jimmy blazes throughout the solo, and they deliver an emotional
rendition of Since I've Been Loving You. Then four epic numbers follows.
White Summer, which by the second half of the tour would sound wandering
and incoherent, sounds about the same here. However, Jimmy still manages
to play more coherent yet. The bombastic Kashmir marks the return to
the good form. Both takes of Achilles Last Stand sound a bit raw, and
Page shares some sticky fingers' syndrome here and there, as his playing
is inconsistent in places. Obviously, he already experiences some issues
with a fluidity. This is continued with Stairway To Heaven that sounds
stale, and which Plant hated by this point already. He said they used
to do a reggae version in rehearsals, which would be great to someday
hear. A real gem!