Hannover Ver. 2004 (Tarantura, 1980 – 11, 12)
Messehalle, Hannover, Germany – June 24th, 1980
Disc 1: Train Kept A Rollin’/Nobody’s Fault But Mine, Black Dog, In The Evening, The Rain Song, Hot Dog, All My Love, Trampled Underfoot.
Disc 2: Since I’ve Been Loving You, Achilles Last Stand, White Summer/Black Mountainside/Kashmir, Stairway To Heaven, Rock and Roll, Communication Breakdown
Hannover Ver. 2004 is the second Tarantura release of this show. By the artwork layout and packaging it appears to be aimed for the binder they were producing covering Zeppelin’s complete European 1980 tour. The project was abandoned when they ceased operation in 1997 but has been revived in the past couple of years both by Tarantura2000 and the Flagge label. This soundboard recording first surfaced in 1991 as Messehalle Echos Part 1 (CD 6-813) and Messehalle Echoes Part 2(CD 6-814) on the Flying Disc label. The Flying Disc, like many early soundboards, ran noticeably too fast.
Tarantura first released this in 1996 as Hannover (1980-11,12) with the correct speed. The same year Antrabata paired it with the Zurich soundboard on Gracias (ARM 290680) and the excess discs were released as Spitfireon the Theramin label. Finally Forever Standard Series copied this under the title Last Tour (FSS 98-001).
1980 was the big comeback year for Zeppelin, touring for the first time in three years and touring Europe for the first time in seven. The early dates were quite erratic. Zeppelin improved and peaked by the time they hit Zurich and Frankfurt, and tiring by the end in Berlin. Hannover is closer to the beginning of the tour and has some really effective moments like the Jimmy Page solo in “Trampled Underfoot” and “Since I’ve Been Loving You”. But in general this is a rather pedestrian performance by the band. The problem is with the actual performance.
I really dislike this concert because of Plant. Usually he is very charming on stage and the Plantations really can carry a show. In Hannover he comes across as a big jerk. Before “Black Dog” he remarks “Nice echo” and says “Fookin’ ‘orrible place” off mic (he probably didn’t know that was picked up), he spits out “danke schoen” after “The Rain Song” and in general just reeks of a bad attitude. If a band isn’t exciting an audience then they should blame themselves, not paying customers. If I were at this show I would have asked for my money back. This tape is recommended for Zeppelin completists.
1 Comment
Indeed…the 1980 Plantations generally make it seem so obvious that Robert really didn’t want to be there.
IIRC Hannover is the show where Page is so out of it, during the solo in “Trampled Under Foot” he just gets carried away and Jonesy and Bonham simply stop playing and let him do his thing…I’d agree, this show’s really for the completists and diehards only!