A Muddy Riot: Remembering When a Led Zeppelin Concert Cancellation Led to 100 Injuries and 8 Arrests

A rainy summer concert ended in a riot. On June 3, 1977, Led Zeppelin took the stage in Tampa, Florida, and likely had no idea the chaos that would ensue later that evening.

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According to LedZepNews, who obtained dozens of police reports from the incident, the day started off uneventful. Attendees were let into the venue at 11:30 a.m., at a time when it was sunny outside.

That afternoon, several arrests were made for drug offenses, but no violence was reported. Around 7:30 p.m. clouds began to appear in the sky, spelling trouble for the band, who was slated to perform rain or shine.

With the impending weather, Led Zeppelin decided to take the stage 15 minutes early. They performed “The Song Remains The Same” and “The Rover/Sick Again,” as rain began to come down.

When Led Zeppelin began playing “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” the rain picked up in earnest, with wind blowing and water gathering on the tarp covering the stage.

At that point, the band‘s manager, Peter Grant, decided to pull his group off the stage. Robert Plant told the crowd that they planned to step away for 15 minutes and would be back. Those 15 minutes passed, though, and the band did not return, prompting audience members to chant, “We want Zeppelin!”

A Riot Begins at Led Zeppelin’s Show

Attendees did not get their wish, and the band left the venue at 9 p.m. When people realized what was happening, a riot broke out, with people piling on cars, knocking over police bikes, and swarming the area.

The band was able to get away thanks to a police escort, but some fans followed them to the airport and tried to break down fences.

At the same time, inside the stadium, fans tried to break down barriers and storm the stage.

Cops dressed in riot gear soon arrived, trying to empty the stadium with clubs and sticks. Amid the mayhem, multiple police officers and civilians were struck by bottles, prompting several arrests.

One angry concert attendee was arrested after using his martial arts training on a cop. Backstage, the Led Zeppelin crew was advised to hide behind cabinets and cover their heads amid the melee.

The situation started to stabilized around 9:30 p.m., and the rain finished pouring half an hour later.

After the unforgettable scene, promoter Concerts West took out a full-page ad apologizing to the band for the ordeal.

“Led Zeppelin … Concerts West apologizes, and is so sorry for the humiliation and inconvenience to you and your faithful fans at Tampa Stadium, June 3, 1977,” the ad read. “You did everything that you could and wanted to do so much more. You are the best and deserve the best, not the worst treatment.”

Led Zeppelin never played in Tampa again.

Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images