Community News
November 2021
Suffolk’s Greatest Gig! 50 years after the legendary Led Zeppelin concert at St. Matthew’s Baths in Ipswich, often described as “Suffolk’s Greatest Gig” a limited-edition poster featuring photographs taken at the concert has been published, with the profits going to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. The pictures were taken by Nigel Rea, who at the time was working as a director/cameraman for BoultonHawker Films based at Hadleigh. “I remember smuggling my camera in because there were rumours that Led Zeppelin’s manager had been confiscating cameras and putting them in a bucket of water. The negatives remained in my attic for nearly 30 years until a bootleg of the concert was discovered which put the gig in the spotlight. Some of the pictures have never been published before.” The band had just returned from touring Japan and the USA and came to Ipswich to fulfil a long-standing booking in support of their 4th album. Described as a very intimate gig, the swimming pool had been boarded over and the pictures show just how small the stage was for one of the world’s biggest bands. The band are depicted at various stages during the concert with Jimmy Page playing a double-necked Gibson guitar and later playing his guitar with a violin bow. There is also an acoustic set with the band members sitting at the front of the stage with the audience standing within touching distance of the rock legends. The poster also has the set list from the night which changed from gig to gig. The 15 songs promoting their 4th album included the first outings of Stairway to Heaven, two very rare encore performances of Weekend and Gallows Pole. This limited-edition poster costs £20 and will be available from Keith Avis in Hadleigh from 5th November with profits donated to EACH.
MANUFACTURER & INSTALLER OF THE LATEST WINDOW, DOOR AND CONSERVATORY SYSTEMS Showrooms in Hadleigh, Colchester or Ipswich
01473 822415 www.hadleighglass.co.uk