Expert: Mike Caldwell - 11/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: Just how big was that concert in 1970 at the Royal Albert Hall? What happen at the show was there any special stories or turning events?

ANSWER: It was a big show in the sense that nobody but the true British elite played the Hall.  Once they were allowed into that venue, that arguably put them into the category with the "Big Two", being the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the other rock bands who had been allowed to play there.  It gave them a ton of press coverage, validation, and an unspoken promotion to the level of the other two legendary British rock bands.  Plant was in great voice, and only now (since the release of the performance on DVD) can the general public appreciate how powerful the band was in its prime.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Is it true that Eric Capton and John Lennon attended the Royal Albert Hall show? Any other celebraties and Rock stars?

Answer
According to the press at the time, Clapton, Lennon, and Jeff Beck had "requested tickets", but I never saw definitive proof (pictures) that they were there.  I have to assume that they were, since Page often admitted the band was rather nervous about performing in front of these legends.