As the New Year dawned, a treasure trove for rock music fans emerged on YouTube—a 23-minute-long lost footage of Led Zeppelin's iconic performance from April 30th, 1977, at the Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit. This rare find was filmed in eight-millimeter by the late Jim "Speedy" Kelly, a photographer known for capturing the essence of rock history.
Though the quality reflects its bootleg origins, with both visual and audio elements bearing the marks of time, the footage has been meticulously synced with the original audio, offering fans a raw and authentic glimpse into the past. The concert itself was a historic event, drawing a staggering crowd of 76,200, setting a world record for a single act show at the time. Remarkably, the tickets were priced at a mere $10.50 each, a testament to the era and the band's connection with their audience.
The digitization of the film was undertaken by the Genesis Museum, renowned for their recent 4K remaster of Genesis's 1973 Shepperton Studios set. In a collaborative effort, two dedicated Zeppelin collectors worked to sync the audio, ensuring that the spirit of the performance was preserved.
For fans old and new, this unearthed footage is a reminder of the band's enduring legacy.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]