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Pete Clark's rating
, Plant's exotic flowering
By
Pete Clark
23 May 2008
Robert Plant took the stage with his latest collaborator Alison Krauss. The contrast between them was so extreme as to be almost shocking.
Plant has still not troubled the barber shop after all these years, although the still plentiful locks surround a face that is a palimpsest of a life lived in the fast lane.
He sports a loosefitting black shirt and red, rock 'n' roll pants (as they are known in the business). She radiates a sweetly innocent air and wears an almost demure light blue dress. One wonders where on earth the two of them could ever have bumped into each other.
After a matters of moments, one is glad that they did. What the pair of them have cooked up is a glorious mish-mash of American and British roots music of every persuasion.
There is country & western and gospel, folk songs and old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. And they are not too precious to play swooning pop songs.
The backing band, under T-Bone Burnett, is one of the finest I have ever heard, sounding like they have been together for many years.
Particularly noteworthy are guitar player Buddy Miller, drummer Jay Bellerose and Dennis Crouch on double bass, bald head and jacket and tie.
The highlights are many and various. Fortune Teller and Please Read The Letter are sublime adult pop, while Burnett's tour de force on Bon Temps Roulez captures the unquenchable spirit of Old New Orleans.
Krauss takes a lovely solo turn on Down In The River To Pray, eventually joined by three grizzled males on backing harmonies.
A song called Nothing by Townes Van Zandt gets the full Plant treatment, including a muezzin-like howl that comes from nowhere and raises hairs from fine to coarse.
Plant makes the occasional introduction, playing compliments hither and thither, particularly to the late Sandy Denny who is duly remembered with a burst of Matty Groves.
A strong male voice makes itself heard from the audience: "Hey Robert, I love you." The response is immediate: "You waited a long time to tell me!"
When The Levee Breaks duly arrives as an encore, as does a bouquet of flowers. Plant graciously accepts the applause. And the flowers.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (7)
On paper it should never have worked - the pure voiced country songstress and the power house lyrical talents of probably the biggest and best known rock voice of all time, but it did and how!
I arrived not knowing what to expect (and to be honest, not expecting much at all) and left craving more. Fantastic! Can't wait to see them again.
- Graham, Pinner, UK, 29/05/2008 07:34
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A terrific show - a really well paced and varied set. Excellent sound quality and musicianship - really glad and fortunate to have been there.
- Jeremy Evans, South Woodford, 24/05/2008 00:00
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A truly wonderful show, two utterly different yet wholly sympathetic voices and one of the most talented bands you are ever likely to see on a stage. Not many current acts if any could match the sonic range on show, from the beautiful Down To The River sung unaccompanied by Krauss to the full-on power of a brilliantly reworked When The Levee breaks. A real feel-good evening.
- Ian, Southend Essex, 23/05/2008 20:21
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I felt as though Alison and Robert were mediums for the divine, last night. They demonstrated the right combination of courageous emotional exposure and technical formidableness: magic happened! I feel changed from being there...for the better.
- Sarah, Surrey, UK, 23/05/2008 17:11
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Difficult to understand why this didn't get 5 stars, I can't think of any realistic way of improving on it , save say for wheeling out Dr.John for a guest spot on Bon Temps Roulez.
- Oscillator, London UK, 23/05/2008 14:23
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Awesome show and perfect clarity of sound quality. "When the Levee Breaks" was very powerful and Plant's voice was at its strongest on this and on "Nothing". Krauss was angelic especially on the haunting "Trampled Rose".
A great night.
- Andrew T, Hockley Essex, 23/05/2008 12:51
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A brilliant performance from both Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
my highlight was black country woman.
- Graham Bland, southend, 23/05/2008 12:36
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