Saturday, January 15, 2011

"Tous en Scène," red pants and orchestra horror

The second-funniest thing about LED ZEPPELIN'S June 19, 1969 performance on the TOUS EN SCÈNE television show in Paris is the sight of ROBERT PLANT and JIMMY PAGE in matching red pants.
That's only the second-funniest, because the funniest thing concerns the SALVATION ARMY ORCHESTRA sitting in the orchestra.

One woman member of the orchestra views the band with a mixture of disdain, horror and rapt fascination on her face.

The French television performance was broadcast on Sept. 5, 1969 and repeated on Nov. 28, 1970. It also appears as one of the bonus clips on the Led Zeppelin DVD.

The band play "Communication Breakdown" and "Dazed and Confused," and many people in the audience appear to be the latter, as they watch perplexed. Some people in the audience turn to their mates and exchange words during Led Zeppelin's performance.

I watched last night and wondered what the audience members were thinking.

Were they disgusted? Were they amused? Were they converted to this revolutionary brand of rock 'n' roll Led Zeppelin were unleashing on the unsuspecting?

What did they make of the bowed guitar opening to "Dazed?"

What did they think about those matching red pants?