LED ZEPPELIN - DVD
THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

LABEL:
Empress Valley Supreme Disc EVSDVD-018
SOURCE:
The Kingdome, Seattle, Washington - July 17, 1977
FORMAT:
Dual-Layer DVD
RUNNING TIME:
Approximately 210 minutes
SOUND/SOURCE:
Mono Soundboard
PACKAGING:
Clear DVD Clamshell with Color Insert Artwork
 

The Year Of The Dragon DVD front

***image2***

SOUND 9.5 / PACKAGING 10 / PERFORMANCE 8.5

 
TRACK LIST:
  1.  The Song Remains The Same
  2. Sick Again
  3. Nobody's Fault But Mine
  4. Over The Hills And Far Away
  5. Since I've Been Loving You
  6. No Quarter
  7. Ten Years Gone
  8. The Battle Of Evermore
  9. Going To California
  10. Black Country Woman
  11. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
  12. White Summer/Black Mountain Side
  13. Kashmir
  14. Moby Dick
  15. Guitar Solo
  16. Achilles Last Stand
  17. Stairway To Heaven
  18. Whole Lotta Love
  19. Rock And Roll
 
REVIEW:

The speculation is over and so, what is the verdict on this umpteenth attempt to call this closed circuit proshot Zep concert 'definitive'? All things considered, you have to give Empress Valley the nod, again.

It took about 25 minutes to get to the core of a decision on the source utilized here but by the time the band launches into "Since I've Been Loving You", the truth emerges that this is truly a transfer from Jimmy's master tape - or, the version leveraged for the MTV specials we have seen where they use clips of "Achilles Last Stand" and "Whole Lotta Love/Rock And Roll" - as well as "Over The Hills And Far Away" for the 1990 Box Set promo video.  The video here is rich and has that extra depth that sets it apart from anything to come before it.  Other than some oversaturation of color due to the lighting technics employed, and the shadowy angle of the head-on camera during the acoustic set, this seems to be the real deal.  A DVD sourced from a master video tape.  *An additional note, I neglected to mention initially that there is an EV burn-in logo intermittently in the bottom right corner of the screen. It appears for about 15 seconds at the start of every tune. 

Unfortunately, this is still a mono soundboard and that being one of the reasons none of this footage was used in the official DVD compilation from 2003 - no multi-track tapes to support the performance. The story and results here are exactly the same as the Hercules, Genuine Masters and Scorpio efforts over the last few years so there are no revelations there.  It's also unfortunate for this collector again that Empress Valley opted to go with the 5.1 channel audio track route rather than 2.0 stereo.  I just don't think it bolsters the mono soundboard track here at all, Scorpio's Over The Top also lacks because of this. That all being said, the audio is strong and crystal clear.

So, why is this considered the definitive?  The source used for one, it's the first-time appearance of this print.  The complete show on a single dual-layer disc for two -yes, Scorpio's title was also mastered to one DVD but a different higher gen source.  And, it's the complete tape in a commercial quality package number 3.  Yes, the complete tape has been in circulation for years - but not this print in this quality.  Does this warrant you to go and purchase this one even though you have 2 or 3 other versions?  Probably, but to be honest it just isn't enough of a payoff given the audio track is the same and the video itself isn't leaps and bounds greater than the next best - Scorpio, GM and Hercules.  That's not going to stop the fanatics from wanting the 'best' though.  So, enjoy.  As, it really is what it is and the master didn't magically upgrade the performance or expand the rather monotone audio spectrum.


I agree with all the above but would add that this version is much better. the WATCH TOWER version tried to suppress a buzzing feedback that constantly ran through several of the first songs. GM i understand, left the buzzing in and tried to improve all the sound around it. The buzzing is not on this version!!! the video is brighter although the colored lights make the video very blurry at times. Play this on a surround with the live house mix on and this show ROCKS! A MUST HAVE!
Comment by backlash43 wrote on 2008-10-15 01:46:21

Agreed the mistracking on the audio in articular during ALS is now gone
Comment by Anonymous wrote on 2008-10-18 14:54:23

I admit that when I first saw the announcement concerning this release I was scratching my head wondering why would EV release this?? I took a chance and was pleasantly surprised with the results. The sound and picture quality are indeed an upgrade.
Comment by LedMan wrote on 2008-10-18 21:31:44

I have just watched this again on a Blu Ray machine and the audio slays! This is a really incredible upgrade on that front, indeed. Seek this one out. And the new Knebworth double DVD from EV too! The master tapes have been presented.
Comment by Anonymous wrote on 2008-11-02 00:31:00

The best toys are the ones that are both educational and multi-purposeful.
Great Toys For Tots

 

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Oct 12, 2008 - 10:34:17 PM


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