Saw Robert Plant Friday night - Love Benefit concert

[KurtNYC]

A friend in California alerted me that this concert wass right down the street from me so I went poking around on Friday night. I got in free. The concert angels were with me one more time(a co-freebie person called it "peaking and sneakin' at the Beacon!"). Gotta love those exit doors. Wound up sitting 20 rows off the stage. Ryan Adams played a short smoking set with a kind of Bo Diddly thing in the middle of it. Very impressive. Just ripped through various styles of music: early Dylan, southern rock, Bo Diddley, psychedelia. Then they re-set and Nils Lofgren played 4 songs. He was good but seemed kind of rushed. Closed with " Shine Silently .

Then Ian Hunter came out and was just relaxed and casual about what he delivered. He played about 5 or 6 songs. Once bitten, Twice Shy, All the Young Dudes as a sing along. Closed with All the Way from Memphis as a piano pounding anthem. Pure fun.

They took the stage dark and started this mesmerizing hum. A nervous string instrument voice weaves a mystic pattern over that. Plant sneaks out onto the stage and the energy in the Beacon just goes to 10. You just barely hear him count off "1, 2, 3 " then:

"In EeeeVENING!...." Blam! the whole band comes in on the downbeat.

And it's on! The stage lights come up and Plant is in the middle of stage, knocking the mic stand back then picking the whole thing up. Wailing! That archetypal voice still intact. Plant, the Alpha Hippie, transported us all back to 1975 for the next hour or so. Kudos to whoever ran the PA because they acheived a great balance -- the bass was loud without being muddy and the high end was not shrill. It was a house band assembled by 104.3FM but they are all first rate and as Plant revealed later, they had rehearsed for 2 days.

Now Plant looks a little like that scottish comedian, Billy Connolly, but showing his age via lines in his face and his hair had the color put back in it but not much otherwise. The trippiest part of the concert was watching Plant just digging it, delivering and rocking (still wearing those tight jeans). Kind of kicking Father Time in the ass a little.

They did some "Love" songs (this was a benefit for Aurthur Lee of "Love" who has luekemia), I didn't really recognize most of those but one of them. Did some Zepplin which just electrified the crowd. Played until 1:30am and then there was an after party at BB Kings which was $1 admission with a ticket stub (but I didnt have a ticket stub). In the set was:

- In the Evening - Zepplin
- I Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis
- Hey Joe (an alternate rythm/trippy version)
- Ramble On (awesome)
bunch of other stuff, Ian Hunter came out for a duet

Encore: "Thank You" - from Zepplin II

He's still got it, he still brings it and he still loves doing it. I would see Plant again if he tours soon. I might even pay for it. ;-) Made a cash donation separately for Arthur Lee.

http://www.thelovesociety.com/

[catbert836]

1. Awesome!

I would have really like to see him. Maybe I will if he goes on tour.

I am going to see Roger Waters on his DSotM tour in September, which should be awesome.

[KurtNYC]

2. Would love to see Waters

I have seen Pink Floyd 3 times but all of those were post-Waters.