Words by Riley Fitzgerald
Graphic by Press

When Led Zeppelin played Albert Hall in 1970 it was a homecoming.

Having returned from their second US tour the previous year, the band were now ready to prove themselves to the English public that hadn’t embraced them with open arms.

Zep’s UK tour kicked off with a show at London’s Albert Hall and, imbued with confidence, the band gave one of the finest performances of their career.

The concert was captured on film for an unused documentary, then later collected on 2004’s Led Zeppelin DVD.

“Every member of the band was nervous and for good reason,” former Zep guitarist Jimmy Page writes via Instagram. “We had played the Albert Hall previously on the Pop Proms, but today in 1970 we were to headline our own show at the most prestigious venue at that time.”

“During the previous year,” he continues, “we had been putting in a lot of time in America and recorded the second album, released on 22nd October 1969. It was going to be a critical test of our ability; not only to our fans, but to the press and our families and all in attendance that evening.”

Page also adds that it was the evening he met french model Charlotte Martin, the mother of daughter Scarlet.⠀

He also provides the band’s setlist for the night, a combination of Led Zeppelin I and II tracks as well as ‘We’re Gonna Groove’ which was later collected on Coda and a closing medley of rock ‘n’ roll staples ‘C’Mon Everybody’,⠀’Something Else’ and ‘Long Tall Sally’. ⠀

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On this day in 1970, I played the Albert Hall with @ledzeppelin ⠀ Every member of the band was nervous and for good reason. We had played the Albert Hall previously on the Pop Proms, but today in 1970 we were to headline our own show at the most prestigious venue at that time. During the previous year we had been putting in a lot of time in America and recorded the second album, released on 22nd October 1969. It was going to be a critical test of our ability; not only to our fans, but to the press and our families and all in attendance that evening. That evening I met Charlotte, my daughter Scarlet's mother.⠀ ⠀ Also on this day in 1969 was the first night at The Fillmore in San Francisco; my birthday and a historic night for Led Zeppelin.⠀ ⠀ Setlist⠀ We're Gonna Groove⠀ I Can't Quit You Baby⠀ Heartbreaker⠀ Dazed and Confused⠀ White Summer / Black Mountainside⠀ Since I've Been Loving You⠀ What Is and What Should Never Be⠀ Moby Dick⠀ How Many More Times⠀ Whole Lotta Love⠀ Communication Breakdown⠀ Organ solo / Thank You⠀ Bring It On Home⠀ C'Mon Everybody⠀ Something Else⠀ Long Tall Sally⠀ ⠀ Photo 1 © Robert Ellis⠀ Photo 2 © Ross Halfin

A post shared by Jimmy Page (@jimmypage) on Jan 9, 2020 at 9:12am PST

Albert Hall Setlist⠀
We’re Gonna Groove⠀
I Can’t Quit You Baby⠀
Heartbreaker⠀
Dazed and Confused⠀
White Summer / Black Mountainside⠀
Since I’ve Been Loving You⠀
What Is and What Should Never Be⠀
Moby Dick⠀
How Many More Times⠀
Whole Lotta Love⠀
Communication Breakdown⠀
Organ solo / Thank You⠀
Bring It On Home⠀
C’Mon Everybody⠀
Something Else⠀
Long Tall Sally⠀⠀