In the days of my youth
I was told what it was to be a man
Now I’ve reached the age
I’ve tried to do all those things the best I can
No matter how I try
I find my way to do the same old jam
The traditional vacation allowance at LICtalk is one fixed week a year. All the employees are cool with that because they understand how important the mission is to keep the residents of Long Island City informed with quality news. It’s also why our small (but hard-punching) website keeps a corporate jet on call – so our writers can pack it all in somewhere exotic over the weekend and be back on Mondays. For you, always for you readers.
This week is that week, and in light of the end-of-summer dearth of local news we have some really big local history to share: 50 years ago today Led Zeppelin performed live in Queens! Actually they played two nights, August 29 & 30 1969, at the New York State Pavilion in Flushing Corona Park. Despite being a newly formed band the group’s reputation was already big enough to play large venues like this one (capacity 10,500) and from all accounts the concerts were amazing and the group’s hype completely deserved. Jazz guitarist Larry Coryell opened the first night and blues guitarist Buddy Guy the second. There are some great reminiscences from people who were at these shows in the comments section of the links below, as well as some semi-professional reviews, photos and memorabilia. They hearken back to an era when live rock music was in its infancy and the business was still being figured out. As well as to a time when things were rawer – don’t even ask about security and crowd control – and the separation between fans and rock stars wasn’t so vast. Ahh those were some good times, and bad times, here’s a taste:
Hot, humid NYC summer nite; crushing standing only venue with mixed aroma of pot & b.o.; was up in the front and consider this one of if not the best live show I ever saw….
Led Zeppelin @ Singer Bowl Music Festival/NYS Pavilion August 29, 1969
Led Zeppelin @ Singer Bowl Music Festival/NYS Pavilion August 30, 1969
The Missing Piece of Amazon’s LIC Debacle – it kept a “burn book”
Derek Ian Firth says
September 16, 2020 at 2:15 pmI was there too; fantastic gig even form outside the venue; (I didn’t have a ticket) someone climbed on the globe outside the venue; everyone shouting to him, “come down”then next day i found he lived near me near Columbia uni
Allen Ward says
January 24, 2021 at 1:53 amYou won’t find it in the tour logs of LZ, as it was a kind of one-off situation. The story was that the band found itself in NYC with a hole in its schedule. They called Bill Graham and told him to find a venue…they just wanted to play! Bill tried to rebuff them, everything was booked, etc. Then Bill found this venue.
The 1964 fairgrounds for the New York World Fair.
The Pavilions were next door to the iconic Atlas statue. Tickets went on sale ($6.95?) in mid August.
I heard about this via WABC-FM, in the middle of the night. I then borrowed my dads Oldsmobile 442the next morning, went to the ticket outlet in Valley Stream.
Long line…why? Ice-Capades tickets were on sale, with Moms yelling at the ticket seller to get the family seats together. After on hour of this neurotic torture, I get to the head of the line to order 1 ticket. The guy is excited to see me. I’m the first rational human he has seen all morning. He tells me I can buy 4 tickets, and scalp the other 3. I tell him I’m not interested, he sells me my one ticket, and says “see you there”. I really think I made his day.
Day of the August 29 concert, I take the train to the Woodside station, a short walk to the Worlds Fairgrounds. You may have a hard time believing this…but they were still selling tickets! So, I got in a little early, close to the stage. I may have been one of the few people who even knew who Larry Coryell was, and enjoyed it, but it was not a great match for what was about to happen.
It was 51 years ago, but the best memory of the night was “Dazed & Confused”. I had been a long time fan of the Yardbirds (thank you, editors of teen fanzine Hit Parader), and knew about the violin bow, and at this time in rock history it was still a mystery.
When the band went into the break, and Jimmy reached behind his Marshall stack for the violin bow and sawed into the first two notes of the instrumental break…well…the crowd went wild. They gasped. They were amazed. Gobsmacked. Awe struck. It was wonderful, and it gave us all an insight into what this band would mean to us for our whole lives.
Anonymous says
September 25, 2022 at 4:22 pmAwesome Awesome Awesome. Was there and many more for the ” Greatest Live Band” ever . Central Park, Fillmore East, Carnegie Hall , MS Garden ,Nassau Coll. 3 nts. In a row Ended those shows with Bring It On Home and They Certainly Did !!!! Gary S.
John says
August 18, 2024 at 9:33 amI was assistant to Howard Stein and took care the band back stage walking them up on stage . It was amazing.
Renata says
August 29, 2024 at 7:13 pmThank you for sharing your captivating recollection. I thoroughly enjoyed it. ❤️
Larry Boulanger says
May 13, 2022 at 7:25 pmThat was the last time we took Crazy Alfred along with us to a concert. It was after the second night’s show (we’d all camped out overnight there) that Alferd got it in his head (along with speed and acid) to climb the Unisphere with thousands of people cheering and coaxing him on. Cops were waiting for him when he came down but the crowd surged around him and he got away. It took quite a while for his cut-up hands to heal.
Both night amounted to the best concert weekend I ever had, and there’s been many.
Edward Gonczy says
September 1, 2024 at 2:24 pmI have tried to tell this story many times and never been able to have it published or have anyone else remember it. I have tried to no avail. Yes, I was there. There was a wading pool around the Unisphere. My friend was walking with me and stepped on a piece of broken glass. His foot was cut but on the heal, very nonvascular. People kept yelling: “Don’t jump Alfred” and when the police and EMT arrived, everyone coalesced at the base of the Unisphere so Alfred could escape arrest. If you would like to contact me, you may.
Richard says
March 15, 2021 at 10:45 pmI was up front I saw a hot chick we made out in front of the band the whole show. Richard Hydell and Wrecked.
Mark Cherrington says
January 7, 2022 at 8:25 pmI was at the Friday night show and I have most vivid memory of it. The band Raven was first up—killer band from Buffalo with a really good guitarist—then Larry Cornell, and then Led Zeppelin. I was maybe 30 feet from the band, and I was transfixed by John Bonham (I’m a drummer). It was absolutely one of the best shows I ever saw.
Anonymous says
November 29, 2022 at 5:11 pmI was there too. What I’m really amazed by was how easy it was to drive from LI
I was disappointed when I didn’t hear any songs I knew from the first album
The crush of 9,000 people towards the stage during the (barehanded!) drum solo was exhilarating.
Ken Lee says
February 12, 2023 at 9:27 pmI got to carry Bonzo offstage after he fell asleep at the end. Nice entry level job in Rock & Roll.
Stephe Addison says
July 8, 2023 at 9:13 amI remember that vividly.The Raven,and Larry Coriel
Remember the people sitting on the pipe along the wall and they begging them to get those pipes.!!
Steven W. Zaluski says
January 12, 2022 at 1:17 pmI was there Sat. night, most intense show ever with the violin bow and Plant’s howling like a madman, we dropped a tab and managed to take the train there and back again from Babylon, good times
John says
March 13, 2022 at 7:13 pmI was there with my group of music / pot lovers… camped outside underneath a tree – blanket, wine, hot chicks, pot, and a tree we could climb!
What a night! Loved it… great summer!!!
Mark says
May 28, 2022 at 10:01 pmI worked backstage for the producer Stein as a gofer for no pay,every weekend( with the exception Woodstock weekend).
Friday night’s performance by the Zep absolutely blew me away and became an instant fan.
Saturday night, was wild, unfortunately John Bonham was barely coherent, don’t know how he lasted, and it showed as the nights act wasn’t nearly as great( actually stunk for Zeps standards) as the previous night.
RP’s performance’s was the best that I have ever seen( and I’ve seen quite a few).
Memorable to say the least.
John says
August 18, 2024 at 9:37 amDo you remember me John Stavros worked there at all the shows Howard’s go to guy.
Stu Reben says
July 24, 2022 at 10:12 amI was in charge of security that summer. Actually Bonham fell over passed out on his drum set on Saturday night during the show. The stage hands had to carry him back to the dressing room(actually a concrete room with no furniture) and the guys finished the set without him. At the end of the summer Iron Butterfly played so loud they cracked the concrete wall and that ended concerts there. Howard Stein then moved his concert promotions to the Capitol Theater in Portchester.
Ken Lee says
February 12, 2023 at 9:29 pmDefinitely! I’m so glad someone else mentioned the wall cracking. I Watched it happening during the PA playing sympathy for the Devil.
Stan says
February 13, 2024 at 10:17 pmI was at the Saturday show Buddy Guy, MC5 then Zeppelin. No one mentioned they did one oncore song then Bonham broke his drums on stage the only time I’m aware he did this. The reason Plant gave was he was very sick that night & couldn’t continue playing I believe he was taken to the hospital possible flu. It was a great show the first note & everyone rushed the stage we were maybe 20 feet from stage real power.
Thom L says
April 24, 2024 at 10:28 pmSorry. No MC 5 at the Zep weekend.
They played with Iggy a different night.
Gaspare M says
August 1, 2024 at 11:14 amI was there. My first concert. I believe I was 16. Took the train to Woodside with my friends. I remember distinctly paying $3:50 for a ticket. I remember they were so loud but sounded exactly like the album. They played 1 St and 2nd album. I believe the 2nd album hadn’t be released yet. I’ll never forget that show.