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Led Zeppelin's last concert in the United States in 1977

What it was like...

About Led Zeppelin's last concert in the US

This is about the band's 11th tour of the American continent, which took place in 1977. Almost two years had passed since the last tour - the reason for that was the injury of the lead singer Robert Plant. And now the moment has come when the public favourites once again delighted their American fans.

John Paul Jones, bass guitarist, keyboardist ... Led Zeppelin multi-instrumentalist
John Paul Jones, bass guitarist, keyboardist ... multi-instrumentalist for Led Zeppelin

About the tour itself

The idea of the tour was characterised by its scope. The programme included 51 concert performances at the most recognised and crowded venues. Fans rushed to the box office to buy all the tickets at the speed of sound. Ticket prices skyrocketed at resellers. In New York's Madison Square Garden hall with a capacity of 20 thousand people there was an absolute full house, and at each of the six announced concerts, which took place over an 8-day period. Led Zeppelin's popularity went ahead of the band. The demand for performances was off the charts. The legendary and demonic manager Peter Grant channelled 90% of profits into the band's development, and handed the rest 10% to the advertisers. The latter were forced to take a blatantly predatory attitude: there was a 100%-per-cent guarantee of payment, with no potential risks. The very minimum was enough: as soon as it was announced that a concert of the band was planned there and at such and such stadium, the ticket offices were bursting with an influx of those who wanted to get to the performance at any cost. Filling of halls and stadiums was absolute, without a single free seat.

Taking the stage. Robert Plant and behind him John Bonham (in white trousers):
Taking the stage. Robert Plant and behind him John Bonham (in white trousers):

What was that time?

Of course, this was the peak of the zeppelins' popularity. But as for the condition and form of its representatives, the matter was more complicated. Alcohol and drug intake had an impact. It was already at the level of a stable habitual tradition. The greatest degree of addiction was in guitarist Jimmy Page, a heroin addict, and in the "fifth representative", the permanent manager, known for his sinister image, Peter Grant, who actively took cocaine. Drummer John Bonham drank heavily and occasionally dabbled in drugs. The security guards and members of the accompanying band (technicians and assistants) were also not notable for their unspectacular behaviour and took drugs just as much, and sometimes more, than the band members.

John Bonham with Plant's "squire" Benji Le Fevre. Peter Grant (a bald fat man with a beard) follows behind them.
John Bonham with Plant's "squire" Benji Le Fevre. Peter Grant (a bald fat man with a beard) follows behind them.

A recognised leader in this sense was the chief escort Richard Cole, who successfully combined organisational work and drug delivery. It is difficult to state unequivocally what exactly triggered the mechanism of collective addiction. Maybe it was a form of stress relief, maybe it was individual problems or a desire to reduce adrenaline and compensate for the energy power of packed halls after performances, which often lasted 3-4 hours. Or all of these together. Or variations of factors. But the band was clearly "sitting" on mind-altering substances.

Led Zeppelin, Oakland California. Photo by Stephen Crozier 24 July 1977
Led Zeppelin, Oakland California. Photo by Stephen Crozier 24 July 1977

Incidents at the concert

It was drug use that led to the incidents that occurred shortly before the 44th performance, which took place on 24 July 1977 at Auckland's Coliseum Stadium. It turned out to be the last of the band's American performances.

Led Zeppelin, Oakland California. Photo by Stephen Crozier 24 July 1977
Led Zeppelin, Oakland California. Photo by Stephen Crozier 24 July 1977

According to Stephen Davis, author of the once popular bestseller "Led Zeppelin: Hammer of the Gods", the following happened. At the end of the day on 22 July, Bill Graham, a regional advertising man, received a call from the band demanding $25,000 in advance (cash). He took the required amount and drove to the hotel where the band was staying. Graham's surprise was unlimited: this money, it turns out, was needed to buy a huge amount of drugs. Naturally, this angered the promoter. However, the matter did not stop there. The day before the 43rd performance, a team of Led Zeppelin security guards, together with the in-house doctor, went to a pharmacy to buy a whole list of barbiturates according to a prescription. The pharmacist wouldn't sell them, rejecting the prescription, which was written according to British regulations. As a result, the youths began to smash the pharmacy, prompting the pharmacist to sell the substance after all.

The stage was decorated in the style of Stonehenge.
The stage was decorated in the style of Stonehenge.

And then everything started to escalate. By the beginning of the show on 23 July, all the attendants and security guards were in serious inadequacy. One of them, John Bindon, a bulky and desperate guy, hit a stagehand, who was a member of Bill Graham's crew. The foreman threatened to smash a stool over the offender's head. The conflict was escalating, and the two camps began to prepare for a fight.

The Oakland Coliseum Stadium is packed to capacity.
The Oakland Coliseum Stadium is packed to capacity.

The final straw was the laughable blunder of Peter Grant's son, Warren, quietly ripping a Led Zeppelin sticker off one of the trailers, just for his own collection. Graham's employee, Jim Matsorkis, took the sticker away, claiming he'd still need it. There's an additional version that says he also punched the teenager. The scene was seen by John Bonham, the drummer, who came out for a short while behind the curtain, and kicked Matsorkis in the groin. He then returned to his seat. The performance went on as usual, but a war was brewing backstage. Bill Graham showed up to calm Grant Sr. who was outraged by what had happened and was having a bad time because of a number of drugs he had taken. Grant Sr. forced him to demand an apology from the employee. To that end, all three came to Matsorkis' trailer, and then the Grahams actively pushed him outside and began pushing and kicking him. Cries for help attracted attention, but Richard Cole was the first to arrive and, without realising what was going on, took a heavy rebar and began waving it around, keeping the others away from the scene of the altercation. Graham's indignation and anger were off the charts. Matsorkis was hospitalised, while Graham's team still wanted to get even....

The day before the concert started, the far-sighted Grant, though constantly out of sorts due to drugs, steered the Lead Blimp firmly on the trajectory that had been planned. He also got Graham to sign a waiver for a monetary reward. In other words, Graham didn't have to go to the police to have the instigators of the altercation punished.

However, the revenge still took place, and it was insidious and cruel. When the morning after the concert the band was about to leave for New Orleans, it became clear that the hotel was cordoned off by a police cordon, who came to arrest the instigators of the clash. Richard Cole, who had seen enough, sent everyone to their room and locked them in there, then quickly flushed the total supply of cocaine and barbiturates down the toilet. The police still managed to identify and arrest the offenders: Bonham, Grant, Cole and Bindon. Yes, of course, they were later released, and even on a conditional bail of $250 each, but journalists, informed in advance by Graham, were able to film the four Englishmen in handcuffs and show the story on the news. Matsorkis subsequently filed a lawsuit for $2 million, but how that ended is not exactly known. Did he receive that amount? There is no definite answer.

How did it end?

It turned out that, using the short break before the next show in New Orleans, the band split up for a while. Everyone wanted to spend time in their own way. Robert Plant, John Bonham and Richard Cole went straight to the site of the new gig. There, Plant learned that his son, who was 4 years old at the time, had died due to an intestinal infection. A completely shattered father recovered home for the funeral. The American tour was effectively cancelled. And it turned out to be the last one for Led Zeppelin: they never performed on the American continent since then.

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