Review of the Malta Wine and Blues Festival Show, July 18, 2007

Originally appeared on di-ve.com

by Alan Fenech

Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant rocked the crowd gathered at the Valletta Waterfront on Wednesday as he sang to a set which alternated between old Zeppelin classics and the new psychedelic feel of his latest album.

The Robert Plant concert brought an end to the three day wine and blues festival which also included performances by John Mayall and Smokie amongst others.

Coming on stage sporting a t-shirt with crossbones printed on it, the Rock legend made the crowd sway and mesh to the likes of “Black Dog”, “Strange Sensation” and “Whole Lotta Love”.

The sound of Plant’s music has shifted from the classic metal sounds to a newer feel with the introductions of mandolins and Far Eastern cadences as well as a re-arrangement of Whole Lotta Love which kept the riff and yet saw a gypsy-punk tinge added it. This however rocked the crowd nevertheless.

What the audience seemed to expect unsatisfactorily was a rendition of “Stairway to Heaven”, although if one had to have a close look at the set lists of the Plant concerts in the past years he would certainly notice that the rock classic was never present.

The Band led by Robert Plant on vocals also featured Billy Fuller on bass, Clive Deamer on drums, John Baggott on keyboards and synths, Justin Adams and Skin Tyson on guitars.

The concert given by Plant at the waterfront will definitely go down as one of the alltime greats on the island and this is also thanks to the way the Rockstar managed to revisit old favourites and nevertheless move ahead into new territory. This is undoubtedly no little feat and a clear sign of a living legend whose musical geniality lives on.

The impression left by Plant is that while still not denying his former days, which after showered him with successes and led him to stardom, he has managed to move on evolving along the way.

originally published at nineoclock.ro

by Rodica Pricop

Bucharest - One of the living Gods of music, Robert Plant performed in Bucharest on Sunday night alongside his band, The Strange Sensation.

The brilliant show, for which the quintessential rock front man came from ‘somewhere’ far away, as to quote him, ended the Live Earth series of concerts in Bucharest.

The ultra-charismatic former Led Zeppelin lead singer charmed the audience with his brilliant, inimitable artistry, stage persona, literally hypnotising his fans ranking from teens to people in their late 40s and 50s.

Going to a Robert Plant concert is like entering a temple where the musician performs a ritual. His incredible ability to perform an eclectic range of sounds in a refined and powerful fashion and to transmit to the public the vibration of music creating an exhilarating atmosphere makes him one of a kind artist.

The band opened the show with songs from the latest album, “Mighty ReArranger” (2005), after which Plant warmed up the crowd with the Led Zeppelin cult song “Black Dog.” The song was introduced by the artist’s biting remarks targeting the former British Premier, “the President of the United Kingdom of America,” likened to an old animal which can hardly do its duty and whose immediate plan is to be the next Pope.

In one hour, the public watched more recent tunes, such as “Freedom Fries,” “The Enchanter” or “Takamba” (rock incorporating Buddha bar sounds) and older ones, such as “Gallow’s Pole,” “Misty Mountain Hop” and “Baby I’m gonna leave you,” which sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The band’s first stage exit marked the only break in the concert, which only lasted for three minutes, during which the public kept asking for more. Then came a fresh demonstration of power and talent, concluded with “Whole lotta love,” also from the Led Zeppelin’s golden age, and sung by the public jointly with the rock idol. Robert Plant thanked the 3,000-strong crowd at the end of the show, telling them “see you next time, if there is a next time,” once again in the public’s ovations. He left the stage urging for “Peace and Love.”

originally appeared in Venue Magazine, 22 June-1 July

by Campbell Stevenson

Imagine you’re in your 40s (it’s easy if you try…), but all anyone wanted to talk to you about was what you did at school. In detail. Excruciating detail. ||Continue reading||