''Led Zeppelin Played Here'' is a 2014

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

directed by

Jeff Krulik Jeff Krulik is a director of independent films and a former Discovery Channel producer. Krulik's work frequently explores the fringes of popular culture from an enthusiastic and appreciative point of view. He is best known for his 1986 document ...

. The film centers around the Wheaton Youth Center, in Silver Spring, Maryland, where on January 20, 1969,

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

supposedly performed on its first US tour. There are no known recordings, photographs, or any other physical evidence that the concert took place. Because of Krulik's inability to secure the

music rights Music licensing is the licensed use of copyrighted music. Music licensing is intended to ensure that the owners of copyrights on musical works are compensated for certain uses of their work. A purchaser has limited rights to use the work without ...

, the film has never been formally released. Krulik brings the film to whatever film festival will allow him to screen the documentary.

Background

On the day of Richard Nixon's inauguration in 1969, radio DJ

Barry Richards Barry Anderson Richards (born 21 July 1945) is a former South African first-class cricketer. A right-handed "talent of such enormous stature", Richards is considered one of South Africa's most successful batsmen. He was able to play only four ...

organized a

concert, one of their first North American concerts, in

Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 censu ...

. While there is no proof that the concert occurred, Richards and the small audience of approximately 50 people say the concert happened that night. Montgomery County Executive

Marc Elrich Marc Elrich (born November 2, 1949) is an American politician serving as the county executive of Montgomery County, Maryland. He is a former member of the Montgomery County Council and the Takoma Park City Council. He became the Democratic nomin ...

is among those who say to have been in the audience. In 1969, there were few music venues in Montgomery County, and fewer that hosted rock acts. The Wheaton Youth Center became a popular venue for many rock acts of the time. Led Zeppelin was touring in the area, and played the Laurel Pop Festival the following month. No tickets or flyers from the Wheaton Youth Center have been found, although this may be due to the fact that the center sold tickets at the door and stamped the hands of attendees, and the show could have been promoted by Richards on his radio program. Band guitarist and founder

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Page is prolific in creating guitar riffs. His style involves various alternative ...

does not remember the event. In 2009, Krulik hosted a 40th anniversary event at the Wheaton Youth Center to gather documents and memories of the concert. In the end, Krulik concludes that the concert did likely happen, and the band includes the concert on its official timeline on its website.

References

External links

* * * * *
Led Zeppelin Played Here

vimeo Vimeo, Inc. () is an American video hosting, sharing, and services platform provider headquartered in New York City. Vimeo focuses on the delivery of high-definition video across a range of devices. Vimeo's business model is through software as ...

{{Led Zeppelin 2014 films Documentary films about heavy metal music and musicians Led Zeppelin Montgomery County, Maryland Films shot in Maryland Films set in Maryland American documentary films 2014 documentary films Films set in 1969 Documentary films about Maryland 2010s English-language films 2010s American films

Background

See also

References

External links