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The former Led Zeppelin singer could still fill stadiums, but at 76, he prefers more intimate venues to unveil his acoustic-accented projects.
Two years ago, Robert Plant cancelled his visit to the Cactus Festival in Bruges at the last minute because Alison Krauss had lost her voice. The American country singer who accompanied him in the wake of their duet recordings (including the excellent “Raising Sand” in 2007) thus withdrew from their last performances together. Already well into his seventies, Robert Plant was in good shape. Of course, with age, the English singer is taking it easy. He only goes on stage once every two or three nights but clearly still enjoys being in front of an audience that is already won over in advance.
Currently on a European tour, he chooses the intimacy of theaters as natural settings for his essentially acoustic project Saving Grace. Accompanied by a group in which the mandolin responds to the accordion, Plant enjoys delving into the history of folk and rock. Alternating between electric bass and accordion, his sidekick Suzi Dian pleasantly gives him the cue and even takes the lead for “For The Turnstiles” by Neil Young. Far from stealing the show, on the very electric “Move Along Train” (a cover of Levon Helm), he offers the microphone to the impressive multi-instrumentalist Matt Worley.
Alongside quotes from his eclectic repertoire (such as “Let The Four Wind Blows” from 2005), carefully selected covers (Los Lobos or Richard & Linda Thompson), traditional folk songs by forgotten authors (“The Cuckoo”), lesser-known relics of Led Zeppelin (“The Rain Song” from 1973 or “Friends” from 1970), Robert Plant sometimes also combines the best of both worlds since “Gallows Pole”, borrowed from folklore, already appeared in an energetic version on the album “Led Zeppelin III” in 1970.
So it seems that it is indeed in old pots that the tastiest soups are concocted. If you will allow me the somewhat daring comparison…
