Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesFifty years ago today, December 26, 1968, Led Zeppelin played its first ever concert in the U.S., opening a show for Vanilla Fudge at Colorado’s Denver Auditorium Arena. In honor of the milestone, the Mayor’s Office of the City and County of Denver has proclaimed today “Led Zeppelin Day.”
To commemorate the show, a plaque and a sculpture depicting Led Zeppelin’s Denver performance has been created by a local artist. It’ll be presented to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame at a special event next year and will go on permanent display at the institution in Morrison, Colorado. The event may also feature an exhibit of Led Zeppelin memorabilia and guest appearances.
As the Hall of Fame’s executive director, Chris Daniels, explains, Vanilla Fudge had to convince local promoter Barry Fey to include Led Zeppelin on the concert bill by offering to pay half of Zeppelin’s requested $1,500 fee out of their own proceeds from the show.
“Thanks to the mayor for helping to promote the long history of music in Colorado and to the family of Barry Fey, who had the vision to bring a young British band to Colorado for their debut concert in the U.S.,” Daniels says in a statement.
According to LedZeppelin.com, the songs that the band played at its first U.S. show were “Train Kept a Rollin’,” “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” “As Long as I Have You,” “Dazed and Confused,” “White Summer/Black Mountainside” and “How Many More Times.”
Interestingly, the Denver concert also featured a set by Spirit, the band whose song “Taurus” Led Zeppelin has been accused of ripping off to create “Stairway to Heaven.”
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