Page on the Road: Scandinavia, 1968

This is the first entry into a new series I'm introducing called "Page on the Road"

Led Zeppelin in Denmark 1968

Out of the ashes of the Yardbirds came the New Yardbirds. When the band broke up, Jimmy was given the rights to the name and all of the commitments that came along with it, one of these was a tour of Scandinavia to take place in September of 1968. Jimmy assembled all the pieces of his new outfit in time for the tour the four men out for the great white north. Touring under the guise of the Yardbirds had its drawbacks of course, which Jimmy Page later noted, "We realised we were working under false pretences, the thing had gone quickly beyond where The Yardbirds had left off. We all agreed there was no point in retaining the New Yardbirds tag so when we got back from Scandinavia we decided to change the name [of the band]. It was a fresh beginning for us all."

The tour itself was made up of nine dates in cities throughout Denmark and Sweden over ten days from September 7-17:

• 07/09/1968 Gladsaxe Teen Club, Egegård Skole - Gladsaxe, Denmark (first evening show)
• 07/09/1968 Brøndby Pop Club, Nørregårdsskolen - Brøndby, Denmark (second evening show)
• 08/09/1968 Reventlowparken - Lolland, Denmark (afternoon show)
• 08/09/1968 Fjordvilla Club - Roskilde, Denmark (evening show)
• 12/09/1968 Stora Scenen - Stockholm, Sweden
• 13/09/1968 Inside Club - Stockholm, Sweden
• 14/09/1968 Angby Park - Knivsta, Sweden
• 15/09/1968 Liseberg Amusement Park - Gothenburg, Sweden
• 17/09/1968 Klub Bongo - Malmö, Sweden

Poster for Led Zeppelin's first concert

The tour itself is remembered by all as being a trans-formative experience, Jimmy commented, "the tour went fantastically for us, we left them stomping the floors after every show." Robert Plant noted the lack of funds the tour produced, "We made no money on the first tour. Nothing at all. Jimmy [Page] put in every penny that he'd gotten from the Yardbirds and that wasn't much. Until Peter Grant took them over, they didn't make the money they should have made. So we made the album and took off on a tour with a road crew of one." Peter Grant, the band's manager came away thoroughly impressed with his act, "Standing by the side of the stage, it was obvious that there was special chemistry."

The New Yardbirds first tour didn't make them any money to speak of, and it didn't break the band open, it wasn't glamorous at all, but it did draw the four members of the band together, and marked the beginning of Led Zeppelin's reputation as one of the greatest live acts of all time.