I remember them vividly, performing at the Rockpile on the corner of Yonge and Davenport in Toronto. The venue had been the old Masonic Temple, transformed at that time into a grungy concert hall, complete with all sorts of "activities" which took place on the top floor -- or so dodgy rumour had it. (The building is still there, by the way.) It was Sunday, February 2, 1969. I was 22 and went with some guy or other. Had never heard of the group we were going to see and neither had hardly anyone else, but this guy was really "into" the British music scene, so I went.
I was completely blown away. It was Led Zeppelin's first Canadian appearance and they were like nothing I had ever heard. I guess they still are like nothing anyone has ever heard because they remain, 46 years later, one of the most played and venerated groups in the world. This all came back to me this morning when I was driving to the pool. "Hard to believe," said a local DJ, "but Jimmy Page turns 70 today." Nearly drove off the road. 70! When I saw him at the Rockpile he had just turned 25 and was as wild as his band mate, Robert Plant.
What a performance. It was rough and raw and unpolished, but the talent! It just screamed from the stage. Even I, completely clueless, knew they were going to be huge. They were electric. Of course, the rest is history. Just googled that performance, which is how I know the exact day and date, and there is a "YouTube" of the whole thing. Think I'll watch it. Who knows? Might even be able to pick up my own voice screaming from the audience.
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