The Maximum Destroyer (Empress Valley EVSDVD -A 007/1 & 2 & EVSD 503/504/505)
April 27, 1977 Richfield Coliseum,Richfield/Cleveland, Ohio USA
2 DVD-A’s are 96khz/24bit DVD-Audio:5.1 Channel Surround Music & 3 CD’s from 1st generation reels (Maxell XlII) of Bill Bratton the Seattle Kingdome Video Director
DVD-A Disc 1: The Song Remains The Same, The Rover Introduction : Sick Again, Nobody’s Fault But Mine, In My Time Of Dying, Since I’ve Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going To California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Yr-Stomp
DVD-A Disc 2: White Summer, Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Out On The Tiles : Moby Dick, Guitar Solo (Includes Star Spangled Banner), Achilles Last Stand, Stairway To Heaven, Rock And Roll, Trampled Underfoot
CD 1: The Song Remains The Same, The Rover Introduction : Sick Again, Nobody’s Fault But Mine, In My Time Of Dying, Since I’ve Been Loving You, No Quarter
CD 2: Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going To California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Yr-Stomp, White Summer, Black Mountain Side, Kashmir
CD 3: Out On The Tiles : Moby Dick, Guitar Solo(Includes Star Spangled Banner), Achilles Last Stand, Stairway To Heaven, Rock And Roll, Trampled Underfoot
Just got my copy of Maximum Destroyer the 2DVD-A/3CD set of the April 27, 1977 gig. People are saying how many times can 1 show be released!!! It has been released almost as many times and in as many formats as Live On Blueberry Hill starting with the original DESTROYER (DRGM 505) the European 4 LP set followed by the US edition in a plastic carrying case which actually didn’t come from the same master plates, SWEET JELLY ROLL (RSR 42777) released in ’77 a direct US copy of the European version in Deluxe Color Fold Out Cover and Swingin Pigs 3LP set which had the nicest LP packaging released in 1990, but all were incomplete missing the Out On The Tiles: Moby Dick portion of the show and songs were out of order some were even pressed on Psychedelic Colored Vinyl. Then came the CD versions starting with Archive Production version in 1989 a 2 CD set that again was incomplete, which was then followed by many other versions from a ton of different European and Japanese Productions such as Swingin Pig, Tarantura and EV just to name a few.
The versions coming out of Japan had the nicest packaging but were extremely expensive and didn’t have much of a sound quality upgrade. Well let me just tell you that this is by far the definitive edition as far as completeness & sound quality goes. This comes directly from Bill Bratton’s Master (who was the Video Director @ The Seattle Kingdome back in the day) cassettes which were transferred directly to his Maxell XLII reels. So the beginning of The Song Remains The Same is lost forever and the cut in No Quarter @ 5:07, as well as the beginning of the encore to Rock ‘N Roll will also always be lost. All the Plantations between songs are there and the sound is so CLEAN & CRISP my jaw dropped especially when listening to the DVD-A’s on my Surround Sound Theater. The DVD-A menus are very basic with Play, Song and Audio Choices. You have 2 audio choices to work with either the DVD-Audio 5.1 Channel Surround 96khz or the Dolby Digital 5.1 Channel surround and all work well. You really get to hear the surround sound effects during the Moby Dick drum solo as well as Jimmy Page’s Guitar Solo gets your head spinning round, JUST FANTASTIC. The video for the DVD-A are different full color still pictures of the band with different pictures of the tape sources along with them for each song. It comes in a very sturdy & nice hinged box with very glossy cover and picture from the 1977 tour.
I have no complaints about this set at all except for the missing parts which will never be found and that maybe the discs could have been pressed on GOLD DISC’S and some nicer packaging instead of the generic sleeves for each individual disc. Maybe a insert or copy of tickets from the show…..Ok I’m just saying the presentation could have been a bit better, but considering the price which is very affordable for the amount of discs your getting and the quality of sound…..THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL PICK-UP for any LED ZEPPELIN fan.
5 Comments
I too have the 2nd edition jewelcase, and I must concur– amazing AND affordable. I’ve seen this lately going for less than $10 a disc. The ultimate release of this tape. The DVD-A’s include photos of the original reel-to-reel tapes that these recordings come from– THE original source for every release of the soundboards for this show. If you don’t have it yet, get it while you can!
This show lives up to its “Legendary” status: this was the bootleg that Rolling Stone magazine intimated in 1978 was better-sounding than “Song Remains The Same.” It does here, too.
Amazing AND Affordable!!!
Can’t beat that.
Get it if you can.
This set absolutely rocks!!! Don’t let anyone tell you different.
I just got the jewelcase version. 3cd’s and 2 DVD-A’s for less then the price of a regualar 2cd set. Considering the qualiy of the SB alone it is an amzing bargain. This is the set to get if you don’t already have this well traveled show
I have to agree that this is the best silver release for this soundboard source and I have no less than 10 other silver releases including the SODD and no label. I honestly don’t think it can get any better unless the songs with the cuts surface complete. EVSD also released this in a jewel case edition.