Robert Plant resumes tour with Alison Krauss

Nine more concerts remain on the shared touring itinerary of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. The first takes place tonight at the Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, with the final scheduled appearance two weekends away.

The Raising Sand 2008 tour began in April and included Krauss's first tour dates outside North America. The band traveled to perform in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe as well as throughout the United States and a few selected cities in Canada.

On their album Raising Sand, released last October and produced by T Bone Burnett, the two singers harmonize and take turns on lead vocals, all the while delving into an array of cover songs rich in Americana and styles of music altogether previously unexplored by the Led Zeppelin singer. Many of the studio musicians, already rich in their own musicianship, reprise their roles onstage this year and reliably provided the kind of support required to adapt to Plant's vocal improvisations on Led Zeppelin numbers and other songs he essentially made his own.

Plant returned to England during his time off to accept an award in London on Sept. 2 alongside his Led Zeppelin bandmates, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. As this appearance narrowly followed Jason Bonham's revelation that he had been rehearsing new material with Page and Jones, Plant's presence sparked a bit of hope that the bandmates would once again reunite just as they had for a one-off show last December. So far this month, Plant's only publicly disclosed comment on the prospect of any further Led Zeppelin reunion was a comment to GQ magazine that he would inevitably be required to sign a great deal of paperwork.

But on Sept. 9, Alison Krauss was at Plant's side when they attended the London ceremony for the Nationwide Mercury Prize. Their album, Raising Sand, had made it to the shortlist of 12 of the best albums of the past year. Elbow's new album won the prize.

Plant was back in the United States by Sept. 17, when he and Krauss met up again in Nashville to pay tribute to Levon Helm of The Band. The all-star concert was affiliated the the Americana Music Association, which gave its top honors to Plant and Krauss the following night at an awards ceremony at the Ryman Auditorium. Sept. 18 also saw Plant join touring partner Buddy Miller onstage for a rendition of a song CMT says will be included on Miller's upcoming album.

The nine remaining Plant-Krauss concerts, beginning tonight, are as follows:

• Tuesday, Sept. 23 -- Kansas City, Mo. -- Starlight Theatre
• Wednesday, Sept. 24 -- St. Louis, Mo. -- Fox Theatre
• Friday, Sept. 26 -- Zoo Amphitheatre, Oklahoma City, Okla. (recently announced; this concert replaces one originally scheduled on this date at Houston's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, which was canceled due to damages from Hurricane Ike)
• Saturday, Sept. 27 -- Austin, Texas -- Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park
• Tuesday, Sept. 30 -- Portland, Ore. -- Theatre of the Clouds
• Wednesday, Oct. 1 -- Seattle, Wash. -- WaMu Theater
• Friday, Oct. 3 -- San Francisco, Calif. -- Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fest
• Saturday, Oct. 4 -- Kelseyville, Calif. -- Konocti Field Amphitheatre
• Sunday, Oct. 5 -- Saratoga, Calif. -- The Mountain Winery

Plant, Krauss make front-page news in Nashville

So glad to see Jae S. Lee's photo of Robert Plant smiling onstage at the Sommet Center on the front page of The Tennessean this morning.

Beverly Keel was the reporter who two years ago broke the news that Plant and Alison Krauss were in Nashville collaborating on an album produced by T Bone Burnett. She even predicted a Grammy award without hearing one note!

It's Keel who now brings them to the front page of this Sunday edition with a story reviewing the critical acclaim and Grammy award success these musicians have now earned together. The piece, available here, delves deep into Plant's background for a reading audience already quite familiar with Krauss from her years fronting Union Station.

That group isn't mentioned in the article, but Keel writes extensively about the current state of affairs with regard to a potential Led Zeppelin reunion, even posing the question to both singers as whether or not Krauss ought to be regarded as "the new Yoko Ono," as was suggested in print by The Guardian newspaper back in England.

Krauss was level-headed in her response: "Oh, whatever. I don't think about it. I didn't cause anybody to do anything." Plant also fielded the question: "What a cheap shot. These guys, they should dare to do better than that."

The story focuses almost entirely on Plant's personality, his attitude and his ever-changing musical influences. Both he and Krauss comment at length on these topics, and the article concludes with Plant quoting a song called "Rejoice for the Song Has No Ending." He says, "That is basically what it is: The song has no ending if you can turn the song and keep it real and beautiful."

Plant says he has several personas -- at least "six or seven" of them -- which resulted in the diversity of his singing styles and his lyrics even in the Led Zeppelin days. He cites the words in "The Rain Song" and then says, "There were so many different guys in that group singing and writing. That was why the group was so good. Everybody could go into different characters -- the raucous one, the sort of braggadocio, the kind of back-door man."

But reliving the Led Zeppelin days? He answers this a few different ways in the article.

First: "I appreciate what people feel, and in a way they might be justified ..."

With this comment, Plant acknowledges an argument often made that he wouldn't be as successful as he is today without having been in Led Zeppelin, whose other members seem ready to reunite. But is the argument really that because they can, they should? Does Plant owe it to the fans, or to Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham?

Plant continues: "... but how does one go about giving everybody everywhere what they want? Because everybody wants a different angle of it all. So I think what I'm doing now is the best way for people to know who I am. I think that the six or seven other Robert Plants are going to have to wait."

He is also quoted as saying: "But if you're thinking about whether there will be another Indiana Jones? Well, gee, there is. Could Led Zeppelin play together? Of course they could, but why? And for what? That is the question."

Wow. That's exactly the way John Paul Jones saw it when I interviewed him in December 2001. He sees it differently now.

Plant says, "So my ideal is that I go with my heart."

He is the feather in the wind, changing directions constantly.

Krauss likens him to a snake winding around on an unpredictable path: "He's going to go around this curve over here, and maybe he got a CD in Seattle and that made him turn this other way. Or maybe he shook somebody's hand in Istanbul and that's why he's turned to the right now."

Krauss then sums it up in one sentence: "He's constantly on the move to find inspiration."

So when I say to those hoping for a Led Zeppelin reunion, "Just wait and see," I guess I ought to clarify the position and add on, "Just hope Robert Plant can be inspired enough to participate."

Thoughts from the Plant/Krauss show in Nashville

A few thoughts occur to me as I sit in the back of the Sommet Center tonight for my fifth show of the Raising Sand 2008 tour.

One is that the band is being somewhat adventurous with the set list, continually tweaking it: adding songs, substituting others. The medley of Plant's "I'm in the Mood" and the traditional "Matty Groves" (familiar to Fairport Convention fans) is still a crowd favorite, having entered the set midway through the tour. And "When the Levee Breaks"/"Girl from the North Country" returned to the encore set tonight.

Plant remarked afterward that they try to play it differently every night, to the point that they don't always finish together. Tongue firmly in cheek, he asked the crowd if they ever have that experience.

Further set alterations: "Green Pastures" has been sacrificed, and tonight they debuted a Carter Family tune with Alison on vocals. She proclaimed it was only yesterday that T Bone Burnett suggested they play "Wildwood Flower" and she was nervous about performing it for the first time to her home audience. Well, she really needn't worry, with that overly capable band behind her. Stuart Duncan in particular shines on this number, playing the mandolin.

Robert Plant also has a new solo song now. It was my first time hearing him cover "Nervous Breakdown" by Eddie Cochran, and his imitation of the singer was perfect. It wasn't a crowd pleaser for some reason though. I'm wondering if they "got it." Some suspect this song was a lyrical and possibly musical influence on Led Zeppelin when writing "Communication Breakdown" for their first album.

Plant's vocal improvisations are taking center stage on the bluesy Led Zeppelin original "Black Country Woman" and the Townes Van Zandt album closer "Nothin'," which Robert remarkably makes his own with every performance.

For Plant, performance-wise, the highlights of the show still seem to be those two tunes and his fitting duet with Alison, "The Battle of Evermore." These are truly incredible numbers, and it's great to hear the Nashville audience recognize them too.

One final note about the show, since this is my fifth time seeing it, is that the band is really improving with each performance. The rhythm section, drummer Jay Bellerose and bassist Dennis Crouch, proves its worth night after night responding to Plant's vocal improvisations. This was most evident at the end of "Nothin'" tonight when Robert let out a litany of "come on, come on, come on" and Crouch followed. Bellerose was adding rhythmic emphasis on the verses, accentuating Plant's singing. Don't hate me for saying this is tight but loose! It really is!

Hey you! You on the West Coast! You have the chance to "Boogie with Stu" and the rest this autumn! Go! I'm telling you!

Additions to Robert Plant's U.S. tour with Alison Krauss no cause for alarm

A fresh set of tour dates was unveiled this week, keeping Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on the road together through the first weekend of October.

Those hoping Plant will take part in some Led Zeppelin activity in the coming months should take note that this latest development ought not be construed as a real hindrance toward that end.

The reality of the situation is we already knew Plant and Krauss would still be on the road at the end of September, supporting their year-old album with a revue including T Bone Burnett and some of Nashville's most talented musicians. Now, they're going to be on the road for all of a week (gasp!) longer than before.

Seriously, this shouldn't greatly jeopardize any projects that may or may not take place next year.

Here are the facts:

1. The Plant/Krauss show in Saratoga, Calif., planned for Sunday, Oct. 5, is currently the latest scheduled and one of only five West Coast gigs scheduled after a previously announced Sept. 27 appearance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
2. Another newly announced date -- Sept. 23 in Kansas City, Mo. -- precedes the previously announced Sept. 24 billing in St. Louis, and a planned second show in that location was recently scrapped (as was the DVD filming once arranged to take place on the stage of the Fox Theatre during that stay).
3. The four shows in between are to take place Sept. 30 in Portland, Ore.; Oct. 1 in Seattle, Wash.; Oct. 3 at San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fest; and Oct. 4 in Kelseyville, Calif.

So, the question as to what Robert Plant has up his sleeve for October and beyond now becomes a question of what his plans will be beginning Oct. 5, when his touring commitments subside. Is it a question Plant is willing to answer today?

No, it's not. At least it wasn't when the question of a Led Zeppelin reunion was posed to him on Monday of this week. Jason Gregory, reporting for Gigwise, says the mention of that topic to Plant during a press conference made the singer feign snoring.

This reported response, which signals his boredom with a frequently broached line of questioning his publicity contacts specifically caution against, is not unlike responses Plant gave last autumn, while he and Krauss hit the road on a publicity tour in the United States and England. Even when the media were counting down the days until Led Zeppelin's one-off reunion concert, Plant welcomed journalists' obsession with that band with bouts of on-air coughing and asking for a blanket. Does anybody remember WNYC?

If Plant is indeed considering any further activity with his willing and able musical partners back in England -- Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham -- committing to it and publicly admitting it is understandably not his top priority these days. His current band is.

The second North American leg of the Plant-Krauss tour returns from a Canadian stop this week and hits Cleveland on Thursday and Lexington on Friday before winding up in Nashville on Saturday.

Those wondering what Plant has on his mind when he's not sharing stages with Krauss, Burnett and the rest, will have plenty of time to speculate on that very soon: Plant has no scheduled appearances for the rest of this month, nor any in August, nor any in three-quarters of September. Lots of time off! How shall he ever spend it?

As for the other guys in Led Zeppelin:

1. Jimmy Page recently said he has several irons in the fire and will see which project pans out first.
2. He and John Paul Jones looked and sounded great on June 7 when they surprised the Foo Fighters' Wembley Stadium audience by showing up for Led Zeppelin songs "Ramble On" and "Rock and Roll" in the encore set.
3. Jason Bonham just showed his continued willingness to play Zep tunes in a concert setting this weekend; he took part in an all-star onstage jam July 5 in Las Vegas, drumming on "Bring It On Home" and "Whole Lotta Love" among other classic and standard blues-rock numbers.

But it is unknown what else these guys are doing with their time, or when they will reveal what else they have already been doing together. The same inside source that is said to have tipped off the Foo Fighters encore to a Led Zeppelin discussion group online is also said to have tipped off the occasion of Page-Jones-Bonham rehearsals of new material a few months ago, while Plant's tour with Krauss was in its earliest days. When will Page, Jones and Bonham own up to that, or deny it having taken place, whichever is accurate?

Or is this the kind of unfinished work that need not be mentioned publicly until it is completed, perhaps by Plant contributing his lyrics and vocals? And isn't there plenty of time over the next several weeks for an otherwise-unoccupied Plant to make this happen?

While Plant evades inquiries about Zeppelin activity by snoring, coughing and asking for a blanket, the rest of the guys aren't saying much on the topic either. They only ask fans just to wait. And the one time a distorted remark from Page was viewed as confirming a Led Zeppelin tour in 2009, Jones came out and quashed the rumor.

A quotation referred to in a Daily Telegraph report in early June was widely misinterpreted, distorted and taken out of context. In the article detailing the partial Zeppelin reunion with the Foo Fighters in London, a comment attributed to Page came not from that weekend but from the moments after the full reunion concert last December.

Page's statement that further Led Zeppelin activity was likely was about six months old. And because the rumor mill took this to be a new quote and a first-hand confirmation of a world tour in 2009, Jones made a point of telling BBC Radio 6 on June 18: "Nobody spoke to the Daily Telegraph after the Foo Fighters' show, sorry Daily Telegraph."

Technically, all Jones did in saying this was refute the misinterpretation of the Daily Telegraph story. He didn't expressly deny Led Zeppelin activity, just that Page had alluded to Led Zeppelin activity in the past two weeks. So, nobody's denying -- or admitting to -- anything!

But the same BBC interview, which also involved Page, only provided more fodder for misinterpretation. In it, the two Zeppelin members present in London to pick up the band's Mojo award for best live show allude to the possible release of that December reunion concert on DVD someday: Page said, "I hope so one day, yeah," and Jones said, "Yeah, I should think one day the DVD will come out, but there is no hurry to do it."

It all sounds very speculative and distant, unless the only words you heard him say were, "The DVD will come out."

And apparently, that's all Gigwise heard when, on the same day, its editors ran their own version of the same comments from Page and Jones but attached the deceptively authoritative headline, "Led Zeppelin Reunion Show To Get DVD Release."

In his article, Gigwise reporter Jason Gregory leads off with a paragraph that says, in full, "Members of Led Zeppelin have confirmed that their recent reunion show in London will eventually be released on DVD." So, it's a done deal? His following paragraphs don't support it.

It's time to conclude this long diatribe about the current state of affairs with regard to Led Zeppelin news. And my conclusion now is still the same as it has been for almost a whole year: Just wait and see.

Gee, I don't know if I needed all the room above just to say that again. Oh well. As long as I didn't distort or misinterpret anything!

LedZeppelinNews.com review of Plant-Krauss show in Knoxville, Tenn.

Photo from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
concert in Knoxville, Tenn.,
courtesy of Bruce "The Buckeye"

8:57 lights out. A soft musical intro rich with fiddles is cued onstage. The band members take their instruments, with T Bone. Taking center stage for ampment. The golden god steps on from stage left. The dazzling bluegrass angel steps on from the opposite side. "Rich Woman" has started, and we're underway in Knoxville.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss both have long, flowing, curly blond hair. Alison's ruffles are sweetly swaying. She's checking out the action between lines. Plant, on the other hand'is just snapping his fingers and moving his body from the waist up. To me, that's what cool is. He's smiling, they're looking back and forth at each other, and he's right on for every musical cue.

They're even gesturing to one another for the lyrics 'She's got the money, and I've got the honey." Plant seems to be amused by this. Plant owns the song a few different times too' after choruses when he adds a few ad libbed lines and at the song's end when he moves with the final note.

"Leave My Woman Alone" is a faster number that wouldn't have been out of place on the album. Alison's got a fiddle with her for this one. Plant's taking care of the verses here, the country star he is these days. That black button-down shirt and graying beard of his don't seem very out of place in this setting. On this third show of the tour, and having already picked up a CMT award last week, he's fitting in quite well into this new role. Which may be why the next song also works in this act.

"Black Dog" isn't the pounding thumper it was in 1971. Now it's arranged quietly, with a banjo picking the riff. Thank goodness that riff's not lost! Robert and Alison grace us with the opening line, and folks recognizing it are appreciative. The guy next to me is laughing with amusement. Each line of the song is greeted with loud screams. The place loves it! Robert beckons the crowd to echo back the "ahh ahh"s -- I would really prefer to listen to the band during those parts though! This arrangement is brooding and it cooks. A violin solo takes the place of a guitar solo, filling the place well.

For "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us," Robert takes his seat on a stool behind Alison where no spotlight is on him. He's oohing and ahhing behind her on this tune from the Sam Philips catalog, which she is nailing on both vocals and that set of strings she loves to wield. Robert's intent gaze is on her during her instrumental interludes. The tempo is a tad lower than on the album, which is a welcome fact. Alison remains the center of attention for "Through the Morning, Through the Night." Three-part harmony gets us through portions of this tune, courtesy of Plant and Stuart Duncan, who has already established himself as a multi-instrumentalist.

The logical thing to do after a two-song Alison spotlight is to do the same for Robert. Well, he gets that for the next song, "Fortune Teller," which is delivered with amazing conviction. Then even better is a two-song hit of Led Zeppelin material. Plant says "Black Country Woman" was very Tennessee. For the later verses, he and Krauss are singing their hearts out, and the PA is at max volume as it was for the choruses of "Through the Morning, Through the Night." The next song is the best-received so far, "Hey Hey What Can I Do." Toward the end of it, he's singing like he did back in Zeppelin days, and it really shows how much he is into this. Give this man a break!

And he gets one. A long one. T Bone Burnett leads the band in a few, "The Rat Age" and "Levez les Bons Temps Rouler." Alison's take on "Trampled Rose" follows, with "Green Pastures" next. Finally, Plant is back to sing with Stuart Duncan and Buddy Miller in a three-man harmony part backing Alison on "Down to the River to Pray." I'll have to listen again tomorrow because I couldn't identify which part -- low, medium or high -- Robert was singing.

The next song was all his. "Nothin'" featured a slightly different arrangement compared to the one on their album. To me, the album version works better, but this one still maintained a measure of light and shade, which is what the song demands.

Plant and Krauss return to duo mode now for a soft "Killing the Blues." Alison absolutely shines on the solo piece "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson," which Robert watches from the side of the stage with a can of something in hand.

"When the Levee Breaks" sounds like it has been combined with another song. For another assignment, I'll have to figure out what those additional lyrics are from. Anyway, the tune works. This is really hot. After this is "The Battle of Evermore" in probably the best live arrangment it's ever been in. Alison weaves in and out of it in fine fashion, although I must admit it seemed she was not completely sure of her parts and Robert was coaching her through it. They sounded great together again on "Please Read the Letter," the third song in a row that Jimmy Page helped Plant to introduce to audiences through the years.

A glimmering backdrop is revealed behind the stage for "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)" to make it look like their CMT award-winning video. And it sounds just like it too!

Never forget: Nurses do it better.

That's about all I'm posting now. More from Chattanooga after tomorrow's show!

Fan details first Plant-Krauss show

The following is posted with permission of its author, Tim Druck:

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Louisville, Kentucky
The Palace
April 18, 2008

Lineup:

• Robert Plant - Vocals
• Alison Krauss - Vocals and fiddles
• T Bone Burnett - Guitars and vocals
• Stuart Duncan - Guitars and mandolins
• Buddy Miller - Guitars, mandolins, pedal steel and autoharp
• Dennis Crouch - Bass and banjo
• Jay Bellerose - Drums and percussion

Robert Plant is alive and well, and what a show. This evening saw the triumphant return of a golden god, accompanied by the voice of an angel, who held her own even in the glare of one of rock's brightest stars.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss took the stage with a roar of approval from the crowd – Robert particularly drawing cheers but gracefully diverting attention to Alison and T Bone Burnett. Robert enters wearing a grey-on-grey suit coat embroidered with flowers over a black/purple iridescent vest, white ruffled shirt and worn, faded jeans – he's playing every bit the old codger, moving slowly and shuffling hump-backed around the stage, eyeing Alison up and down as she faces away, then he looks away when she notices and grins. No funny business here – this is a professional relationship. Alison is gorgeous in a spaghetti-strap red-and-white checkered dress that strikes her just below the knee – a simple country-girl cotton dress that seems to suit Robert just fine. T Bone is resplendent in a charcoal blazer over a bright blue Nehru-collared vest with about 15 buttons and gray slacks cut like 1890s pants – what a star. The rest of the band is appropriately subdued and watching just like the rest of us as the magic unfolds.

The ensemble tears through a gorgeous rendition of "Rich Woman" and a very naughty-looking Alison singing straight through "Leave My Woman Alone" without ever changing a lyric – Robert notices and approves. Robert is still doing the stiff codger thing, snapping his fingers and looking very Tony Bennett. Off comes Robert's jacket at the end of the song, just as a very familiar tune comes from the banjo – the crowd erupts in recognition, and a very different "Black Dog" pleases the jam-packed and very fired-up Louisville crowd.

Alison treats us to a ghostly "Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us" with Robert singing backup, and Robert stays in backup mode for a simply crackling "Through the Morning, Through the Night," Alison at her best, the heartbreak dripping from her adorable twang and Robert soaking up her tears with a very good baritone. Robert steps out front for "Fortune Teller" and thrills us by just being Robert, telling us at the end that "Now I gets my fortune read for free."

What? Surely not! A Physical Graffiti appearance – Alison really into it as the crowd explodes at recognition of "Black Country Woman." It's everything you would think it is, Alison and Robert shouting soul at each other and the outstanding band bringing wonderful rhythms out of the percussion section.

Here's an oddity – a sudden, unexplained appearance of "29 Palms" and the first time all night that Robert and Alison seem uncomfortable. I don't think Alison likes this one. Sung well, but a bit of a flat spot.

Here Robert introduces "the mastermind of this whole project," T Bone Burnett, and he and Alison leave the stage while T Bone and band blast through an expert set with a dirty, Keith Richards feel ... "Waiting for a Long Time," and "Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler ("Let the Good Times Roll" in French)" – the music is good but the crowd is getting restless.

Alison returns for a simply spot-on perfect, soaring vocal on "Trampled Rose." Angelic under white light, this amazing voice just seems to pour from her whenever she opens her mouth, effortlessly. The band is ghostly behind her, the dark aura of the music returning and the audience silent, spellbound, erupting for a standing ovation after the song.

The crowd is silent again for a truly amazing Alison vocal (does she ever tire?) on the legendary Emmylou Harris' "Green Pastures." Robert on very close harmony backup, with just bassist Dennis Crouch and guitarist Stuart Duncan accompanying them, and again a very appreciative crowd erupting at the end – Alison interrupts the crowd by starting the spiritual "Down in the River to Pray," a cappella, as Robert gathers guitarists Stuart Duncan and Buddy Miller to hum tenor background, then full background, the singers sounding like an old-time church choir and the audience not sure how to act, wanting to cheer but right now they're in church and they know they better not act up.

Robert leads us through Townes Van Zandt's "Nothin'." Introduces the band.

Alison joins up for what's become a parade of very pretty songs – who'd have thought? "Killing the Blues" is an interesting twist for a lady you almost didn't believe a few songs ago when she told you she wasn't capable of killing a man. Robert's mostly in backup mode again, and deflecting attention to Alison, who's polite to him and not quite sure what to make of this superstar attention and rock-and-roll crowd.

The crowd knows what to do though, and cheers them on. Robert and the band start playing and singing about old Rosie ... my girl ... the mournful fiddles foreshadowing what's next ... can it be? "If it keeps on raining, the levee's gonna break ..." Only this is a funeral dirge, slow and nasty with Alison's wail over Robert's apparition and the thunderous drums of Jay Bellerose.

More? Stuart Duncan strolls around behind Robert and Alison and, out of nowhere, those ethereal first chords of "The Battle of Evermore" and those who ever suggested they do this one are proven right in an instant, as the spare arrangement and Alison Krauss turn this into a treat not heard since Sandy Denny herself – listen to this, Najma!

Here comes "Please Read the Letter." I'm so wrung out after this night that I just can't write anymore. "Gone Gone Gone." Lots of crowd noise calling for encores. Encores. Good God, go see this show. Beg, borrow, steal.

Set list:

• Rich Woman
• Leave My Woman Alone
• Black Dog
• Sister
• Rosetta Goes Before Us
• Through the Morning, Through the Night
• Fortune Teller
• Black Country Woman
• 29 Palms
• Waiting for a Long Time
• Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler
• Trampled Rose
• Green Pastures
• Down in the River to Pray
• Nothin'
• Killing the Blues
• When the Levee Breaks
• The Battle of Evermore
• Please Read the Letter
• Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)

Encores:

• Stick With Me Baby
• One Woman Man
• Your Long Journey

I also want to talk about the opener. This young lady from Philly was introduced as "CBS recording artist Sharon Little." A few songs later you discover she was a waitress a few months ago ... between songs she seems almost embarassed, but when the music starts, she gives a sultry-voiced, hip-grinding, basement juke-joint, down and dirty set that stunned the enthusiastic crowd and earned a hearty standing ovation at the end. This girl is the real deal, and if there's any justice in the world, she'll be huge. If I had to describe her, I'd say if Chris Robinson impregnated Gwen Stefani and she was raised by Alannah Miles, that would be pretty close. Her name is Sharon Little, her CD drops May 27, and you should listen. Let's get behind this young lady and make sure we hear from her for a long, long time.

Set list:

• Follow That Sound
• Set You Free
• Holdin' On
• Ooh Wee
• What Gets in the Way
• Try

Robert Plant begins U.S. tour with Alison Krauss

Here is the first professional review I've seen from the tour by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, reprinted from the Louisville Courier.

Palace concert was fit for royalty
By Jeffrey Lee Puckett
April 19, 2008

As their impeccable band swung into "Rich Woman" with an easy flourish, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss took the stage Saturday night at the Louisville Palace to the first of several standing ovations.

Plant, still the god king of rock 'n' roll, strolled out with a quietly confident swagger, his hair in that tangle of curls so familiar to Led Zeppelin fans. Krauss looked like she was headed to a prom in her pink dress, maybe one with "Stairway to Heaven" as its theme.

And when they began singing, it was clear they still felt the chemistry so evident on their "Raising Sand" album, his well-traveled yowl blending perfectly with her pristine voice. There were a few goose bumps, and not the last.

This was the first night of the "Raising Sand" tour but both the singers and the band sounded fully warmed up. Krauss didn't hit a bad note all night, almost flaunting her perfect pitch, and the band, led by T Bone Burnett, was nearly flawless. Plant was Plant, and that was plenty.

Krauss and Plant performed nearly all of "Raising Sand," a handful of Led Zeppelin classics and a couple of songs associated with Krauss' solo career. They also threw in a George Jones cover just because they could.

As expected, the Zeppelin songs drew a huge response -- one guy screamed "Led Zeppelin rules!" barely five minutes into the show -- but they weren't the highlights (although "Black Dog," with the world's spookiest banjo, was pretty amazing).

"Fortune Teller" was better, with drummer Jay Bellerose exploding the song from the inside out, and Krauss broke every heart in the place with "Through the Morning, Through the Night." "Killing the Blues" and "Trampled Rose" were also contenders.

But the most unexpected song might have also been the night's finest. Krauss, backed by Plant, Buddy Miller and Stuart Duncan, soared through an a capella version of "Down to the River to Pray," from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," that was so beautiful it sucked the air out of the room.

Everyone who went back for Sunday's second sold-out show should be so lucky.