Concert Review by Ralph Greco, Jr.
Mary, sweet Mary, the sands dey are a-burnin’! I caught up with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on the road in support of their Raising Sand album at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in big, bad New York City. It was glorious. Because of the inerrant buzz of Led Zeppelin’s reunion concert last year, it’s been implied that the popularity of Raising Sand and this tour are, in some ways, hindering Plant from agreeing to a full-on Zeppelin world tour. I love Raising Sand, but I wasn’t sure how this quiet little collection was going to play out live.
As it turned out, I needn’t worry about the hype, the suspicions, the rumors — it was a great, great show. With what amounted to a tight-knit old-time country unit behind them (including Dennis Crouch on upright bass; Stuart Duncan on vocals, fiddle, mandolin and guitar; Jay Bellerose on drums; Buddy Miller on pedal steel, guitar and vocals; and T-Bone Burnett on guitar), Plant and Krauss grinded out two hours of music from Raising Sand, time-honored country classics, and some ‘reworked’ surprises from the Zeppelin catalog.
They opened with “Rich Woman” from Raising Sand. By the third song, we were well under way with a slower, amazingly revamped (almost swamp style) version of “Black Dog.” The crowd was with them all the way — as was I. As Plant and Krauss sang such an infectious double lead vocal, one couldn’t help but smile with this reworked this Zeppelin classic.
As I have always said about cover tunes, I hope the musicians will strive for something different to make the classic (or even if it’s not a classic) tune their own, and have fun with restructuring it. If it’s a complete copy then I’m prompted to want to listen to the original. But if it’s like the Plant/Krauss arrangement with a complete revamping of the tempo and melody, then I’m all in.
“Black Dog” was all this and more. I have a pretty discernable ear and even I wasn’t completely sure it was what it was when it started. But man this version fit in with the entire show so perfectly the way it was structured around bluegrass. If it got any better than this, I was a goner for sure.
Plant then welcomed the crowd to “the Raising Sand revue,” introducing his good friend, Alison Krauss. Here’s where the ex-Zep frontman’s modesty really showed. Mr. Former Golden Rock God, Bare-Chested 70’s Visigoth simply walked to the back of the stage, sat down near the drummer and sang backing vocals as Krauss ran through some nice , mellow tunes, showing off her incredible voice as well as her fiddle playing. Let’s face it, a NYC crowd is going to be heavy with Plant fans — it was quite evident from every move he made, every dulcet tone from his solo stuff to the Zep covers — but the singer amicably exited the stage or faded into the background when it was Krauss’ turn to take the lead.
Krauss got more chances to show off some amazing fiddle playing on “Fortune Teller.” Plant covered Townes Van Zandt’s “Nothin” and even Burnett took center stage for two numbers. Krauss took over for three songs, complete with an a cappella version of “Down to the River To Pray.” One of the truly great surprises of the night was a weird, flumpy version of Plant’s “I’m In The Mood” mixed with the traditional English folk ballad “Mattie Groves.”
And then, of course, the crowd erupted over “The Battle of Evermore.” Even though I knew it was coming — I had read ‘other’ reviews of the tour — I was still blown away. Not that anyone could copy Sandy Denny’s haunting vocal on the original, but Krauss added something of herself to the song, while the band took full advantage of the highs and lows. Plant especially shone (as did the mandolin playing of Duncan) vocally, running around the tune like the master he is.
I have heard all about how Robert Plant can’t hit those notes anymore, and to this I say: So what? I think he might be a better vocalist now then he was way back when he was making his daily bread warbling for the mighty Led Zeppelin. A couple more from Raising Sand — “Please Read The Letter” and Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” — and the group was off, then back on for a three-song encore of “Don’t Knock,” “I’m A One Woman Man” and “Your Long Journey.”
I really don’t know how to describe a show performed this proficiently, a set list this tight, or an overall vibe this cool and focused. This was a masterful two hours played by a group of gifted musicians, not just a crack country band behind two stars…or worse yet, an ex-rock God, breathing life into a handpicked group of players he uses to fulfill his own vanity project!
What came across to me, beyond the fact that the price of the ticket was worth it (and how many times can we say that these days?), is that Robert Plant is a humble guy at the top of his game, Alison Krauss is every bit the talent I always heard her to be, and T-Bone Burnett is a genius for putting it all together. Mary, sweet Mary, it was a great night to be young alive and alive in NYC. I only wish I was younger.
