Robert Plant
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Without any new material to promote, Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant brought some new band mates out on a cross country summer tour that made a pit stop at The Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday, July 24. The tour is entitled “Robert Plant Presents Sensational Space Shifters.” This is definitely a tour for Plant and band to just get out on the road and play as the stage was very minimal in terms of production with few lights and just a big backdrop
The show opened with one of the two guitarist Plant brought along, playing an acoustic intro to the Joan Baez/Led Zeppelin classic Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You. This was a perfect start to an evening spanning Plant’s entire career. Plant proceeded to ask the crowd “Are you in the mood tonight?” before breaking into one of his solo hits, In the Mood and following that up with Tin Pan Alley.
Staying true to his blues roots, a soulful cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s Spoonful showed Plant still has great vocal range and a great stage presence. Six songs in and the crowd finally gets a Zeppelin original, Black Dog. The band, joined by African guitarist Juldeh Camara, played a somewhat slower but funkier version that really hit hard and loud with every other verse in the song.
The remainder of the set list satisfied even the pickiest of Led Zeppelin fans. After the song Another Tribe played out, a beautiful version of Zeppelin’s Going to California gave the crowd a reason to get off their seats and show their respect for a living legend. Other Zeppelin songs included, Four Sticks, When the Levee Breaks, and finishing off the set with a rawkin’ Whole Lotta Love. This one had a little Bo Diddley’s Who Do You Love mixed in to add a new dimension to the song.
For the encore Plant and company played one of his solo songs, Shine it All Around, before leaving the crowd with a full blown RAWK version of Rock and Roll. That was great song to finish the night with.
Overall, this show had a great set list (of course everyone would love to hear more Zeppelin) and great performance from Plant and his Space Shifter band.
I am not sure if it was because the summer season or there wasn’t new material to promote, but the Mohegan Sun arena was only half filled and frankly I find that rather insulting. Plant is performing phenomenally at age 64 and how many more years can we expect him to perform and tour? I am glad I can say I have seen him live and appreciate he is still willing to perform and tour… a true rock god.
