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SALT LAKE CITY — An international team of journalists is summoning the people of Salt Lake City to help them in their search for video or images of Led Zeppelin's last performance in Utah in 1973.
On May 26, 1973, the Salt Palace Convention Center was packed with 11,000 fans, according to independent music writer David Proctor. He wrote that the sold-out show in Salt Lake City was part of a $3 million U.S. tour, and it was "probably" the smallest crowd they'd see.
"But it didn't seem to affect Zeppelin in the least. In fact, they seemed to enjoy the audience contact — something you don't encounter before 58,000 people in a baseball stadium," he wrote, before detailing the stage's impressive sound and lighting capabilities — for the time.
Proctor detailed a 20-minute showcase at the end of his review, where he said the song "Dazed and Confused" was stretched out "for Jimmy Page and the special effects staff."
"Using a violin bow on his guitar and a delayed-echo effects system, Page had the sound bouncing from one side of the stage to the other," he wrote.
The Salt Lake Tribune also covered the event, but mostly focused on the containment of the crowd. Staff writer Brian Nutting wrote that the event was a test for new security arrangements because the Salt Lake City police chief at the time said conduct at rock concerts had gotten "completely out of hand."
Ahead of the show's 51st anniversary, James Cook and Eric Levy are searching for people who were at the concert, or perhaps have a family member or friend who photographed the band on stage.
Cook is a U.K.-based journalist who runs a Led Zeppelin news site that he said has more than five million views. His partner, Levy, is a researcher in the U.S. who runs a YouTube channel that has also racked up sizeable views. The two of them work to collect hours of video and hundreds of photos for super fans to enjoy.
"We're pretty confident that someone took photos but none have ever become public," Cook said.
He said that an audio recording that was made by a fan at the show exists on YouTube, but in over 50 years, no photos or videos have surfaced.
Cook said anyone with information can contact them at ledzepnews@gmail.com.
"We're just letting people know," Cook said, "'Hey this is a really significant thing if you've got it.'"
Contributing: Garna Mejia
