Tag Archives: Robert Plant

Concert Queen Strikes Again…and Again…and Again…

For me, summertime means concert time! One of my favorite things to do is see live music and I recently had two weeks of one great show after the other.  It started with U2 and ended with Dr. Dog.  Here are a few highlights and my most loved moments from each show.

My whirlwind of concerts started with U2.  It was a nice treat to see them at the Wells Fargo Center after seeing them outdoors last year for the Joshua Tree tour.  Their outdoor shows are epic but I prefer the intimateness of their indoor shows.  The production, as always, was incredible.  The band was tight and Bono’s voice was beautiful. They played a lot of new material from Songs of Experience which I happen to love, especially the danceable “The Blackout” and the rockin’ “American Soul,” but they threw in a few gems like “I Will Follow” and “Gloria” for the old-timers too.  Overall, it was an incredible show especially for long-time fans like me who continue to follow them and keep up with their latest releases.

Two days later, I made the trek up to Toronto to see one of my all-time favorites – Robert Plant. He didn’t stop in Philly this tour so I planned a road trip to see him at the outdoor waterfront Budweiser Stage. Sheryl Crow opened the show with lots of energy and many of her hits then Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters hit the ground running, opening with “The Lemon Song.”  It was a Zep fan-heavy crowd, so this song was a huge hit with everyone. They went on to play a really nice mix of new songs from Carry Fire, some Zeppelin songs and even “In the Mood” from The Principle of Moments, which pleasantly surprised me.  He rarely plays 80’s material so it was a real treat to hear that one.

A few days later I was back in Philly and at the Mann Music Center to see Roger Daltrey perform Tommy with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra.  Tommy has always been one of my favorite Who albums so I was happy to see Roger perform these great songs once again.  I felt that the rock opera really came alive with the addition of the orchestra.  The overall sound was so rich and the violinist who played at the end of the “Baba O’Riley” finale was amazing! Roger was pretty amazing too!

Capping off this stretch of concerts was hometown rockers, Dr. Dog.  This is one band that gives an incredible live performance!  I never tire of seeing them live. Touring in support of their new album, Critical Equation, the guys performed a nice mix of old and new songs and kicked off the set with a crowd favorite, “Shadow People.” Festival Pier was a nice venue choice for the group too as their music has a cool party vibe.

Next up, I’ll be seeing Foo Fighters then I’m sure I’ll hit a few more shows over the summer – Xponential Festival, possibly Jethro Tull at the Mann in September, maybe a 104.5 Summer Block Party.  There are so many good concerts.  I hope that my pocketbook can handle it!

Robert Plant Bowled Me Over

lullaby and...THE CEASELESS ROAR

lullaby and…THE CEASELESS ROAR

I’ve had a love affair with Robert Plant for as long as I can remember.  From the first time I heard his voice on a Led Zeppelin record, I’ve been a devoted fan, following his career post-Zep in each and every re-incarnation, whether he’s playing solo, with Jimmy Page or Alison Krauss, or with one of his talented bands, “Strange Sensation,” “Band of Joy,” or “Sensational Space Shifters.”  I’ve seen him play all over Philly:  The Spectrum, The Electric Factory, The Tower, The Mann, and at every Philly show since 1983.  So it was such a huge thrill for me to see him play last night at a pop up concert at the Brooklyn Bowl, a very cool music venue/bar/restaurant/bowling alley in Brooklyn.  With only 850 or so tickets available for sale, this show would put me up close and intimate with Plant like I’d never been before.

The doors opened at 10:30 p.m. and we took our place as close to the stage as possible (3-4 rows of people back.) While we waited for Plant, who was scheduled to come on around midnight, we were treated to an opening dj set by Philly’s own, Questlove, of The Roots.  He spins there every Thursday and seemed comfortable and very approachable in the dj booth.  He got the growing crowd moving with a mix of funky songs until Robert Plant and the “Sensational Space Shifters” took the stage.  The band opened the show with a Howlin’ Wolf cover, “Spoonful,” and they did a killer version of Bukka White’s “Fixin’ to Die.” They played “Rainbow,” “Poor Howard,”” Turn it Up,” (one of my faves) and “Little Maggie,” all off their new album, lullaby and…THE CEASELESS ROAR.  I honestly thought they’d play more songs off the new album (which I love) and I was looking forward to hearing some of the other new stuff live, but there were some “folk” songs (Plant jokingly remarked that they were old enough to be considered folk songs)  that they performed instead.  These songs included “Thank You,” a gorgeous rendition of “Going to California,”  “Black Dog,” “Rock and Roll,” ”Nobody’s Fault but Mine,” and a kick ass version of “Whole Lotta Love/Who Do You Love” as the finale. Plant encouraged audience participation and we did not disappoint!  I feel bad for the people in front of me who had to listen to my constant singing and super loud yays and whoo hoos.

The show featured about 13 songs in all, and overall, it was really a great mix of blues, African rhythms, Celtic/English traditions, and good old rock and roll. The band was true to their name, sensational, and included Billy Fuller, Dave Smith, Liam “Skin” Tyson, John Baggott, and most notably, Juldeh Camara on a single-string fiddle, and Justin Adams, who co-wrote Mighty Rearranger, and really got the crowd in a frenzy with his dizzying guitar playing.

All in all, it was well worth the ride to Brooklyn. Even though the ride home at 2:30 a.m. this morning didn’t leave me much time for sleep, I would definitely do it all over again if I could.  Robert Plant can be my rainbow and bring a song for me anytime!