Still reeling in Chicago

On this day in 1980, Led Zeppelin would have performed the last of four concerts at the Chicago Stadium as part of a North American tour, a fate that was no longer possible.

The tour had officially been canceled on Sept. 27, two days after John Bonham died in his sleep following an all-day drinking binge.

Thousands of fans hoping to see Led Zeppelin play in Chicago were lined up on Sept. 25 to purchase that day's edition of the Chicago Tribune, which included mail order ticket request forms for the band's four planned concerts in the city.


At around the same time fans in Chicago were filling out their ticket request forms, Bonham's body was found at Jimmy Page's Windsor home in England.

The subsequent cancellation of the 1980 tour prompted the promoter to send letters to would-be ticket buyers, refunding the money submitted.


The Chicago Stadium was only one planned location for Led Zeppelin concerts in North America that year, along with:

• the Forum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• the Capital Centre in Landover, Md.
• the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pa.
• Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio
• Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich.
• the War Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, N.Y.
• the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
• the Saint Paul Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota

Plans were also under development for continued touring in 1981 including outside North America. The group had been eyeing a return to Japan for the first time since 1972 as well as its first-ever dates in South America and parts of the Far East.