On July 29, 1973, Led Zeppelin brought down the house at Madison Square Garden for the third night in a row, capping off their monumental 33-show North American tour. The energy in New York City was electric — Zeppelin was at the height of their powers, delivering explosive performances that blurred the line between music and myth. Unbeknownst to fans roaring in the arena, however, a real-life rock ‘n’ roll mystery was unfolding behind the scenes.
That very night, \$203,000 in cash — the band’s earnings from two of the Madison Square Garden shows — vanished from a hotel safe at the luxurious Drake Hotel, where the band was staying. Tour manager Richard Cole discovered the theft and immediately reported it. To his shock, he was arrested as a suspect, a twist that only deepened the intrigue. Though he was later released without charges, the mystery of the missing money became as legendary as the concerts themselves.
Despite the backstage chaos, the performance on July 29 — and the two nights before — would go on to live forever in rock history. The footage from the three MSG shows became the foundation of *The Song Remains the Same*, Led Zeppelin’s iconic concert film released in 1976. With surreal fantasy sequences intercut with blistering live performances, the film offered fans a larger-than-life glimpse into Zeppelin’s world, both onstage and off.
The tour may have ended with a crime and controversy, but it also marked a peak in Zeppelin’s career: three sold-out nights in the world’s most famous arena, captured on film, and immortalized in music lore. Decades later, the mystery of the missing money still lingers — a fitting footnote to one of rock’s most storied cha
pters.
