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On this day, 2 April 1969, legendary rock band Led Zeppelin played Cardiff’s Top Rank. Support was provided by Kimla Taz and Eyes of Blue for what was promoted as a ‘Progessive Blues Night’.
Review: It all went a bit pear-shaped when Led Zeppelin did a benefit gig in Cardiff back in 1969.
The Progressive Blues Night at the Top Rank was in aid of the Biafran Relief Organisation. Unfortunately only 450 people turned up to watch and the charity event actually lost money to the tune of £100.
However, those who did go were treated to a technically brilliant performance. Opening number Communication Breakdown demonstrated why Led Zep's debut album was riding so high in both the US and UK charts.
Robert Plant's vocal virtuosity and Jimmy Page's nimble fingers whipped up the faithful into a tumult.
The show continued in the same pompous rock-god vein until How Many More Times.
This 15-minute epic was meant to be the evening's highpoint showcasing Page's incredible guitar skills. However, an engineer accidentally activated the revolving stage causing jack plugs to be wrenched from their sockets whilst others were snapped off completely.
The gig ended at that precise moment. For several seconds afterwards though arguably the greatest rock band in history stood on a revolving stage in Cardiff mutely playing to a bemused and constantly shifting crowd. (by Anthony Brockway)
Zep fan John Hughes recalls the gig ( taken from Zep fan site)
I was at that show too, having seen Led Zep in Mothers Club in Birmingham a few days before this show. Memories of the night are spot on, and not romantically tinged, as I vividly remember the stage turning and the PA starting to get dragged over.
I knew someone organising the show and he told me afterwards that Peter Grant had run-up to the balcony where the stage control box was and very nearly threw the poor engineer out of the window down to the dance floor!
I have to say however that I believe there were far more there than 450 there, as mentioned in the original review, but maybe the passage of time.
And strangely enough, I moved to the Midlands a few years later and in something like 1990 I was queueing at my local W H Smith and I thought the guy in front of me looked familiar ... it was Robert Plant, who lived not far away from me (ie his village wasn't too far away from my village).
Never one not to seize the moment, I mentioned to him that the last time I as close as this was in 1969, at that Cardiff show.
He became suddenly cautious, obviously thinking "I've got a right one here", and I mentioned the infamous PA incident - and a bit to my surprise, he sort of paused - looked like he was giving it some thought - and said, "yeah, I remember that."
I like to think he wasn't humouring me ; - )
