SteveAJones Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Music Review Offering a Range of Songs, While Prizing Spirit Over Style By Jon Pareles New York Times January 31, 2011 Revisiting musical roots, as maturing musicians often do, can lead to dutiful, preservationist renditions of old songs. But not for Robert Plant, 62, whose Band of Joy played on Sunday night at the Beacon Theater as if twanging and stomping were the route to revelation. The concert had nothing to do with period style and everything to do with spirit. Nearly four decades into a British-rock career perpetually fascinated by American music, Mr. Plant finally started working with American musicians, a choice that has set his music ablaze. He had American sidemen on "Raising Sand," his Grammy-winning 2007 duet album with Alison Krauss, which explored country's haunted undercurrents. And for his 2010 album, "Band of Joy" (Rounder) — named after the psychedelic 1960s band he sang with before Led Zeppelin — he and his producer and guitarist, Buddy Miller, assembled musicians based around Nashville who could work inside and far outside the country mainstream. The album places recent songs by Los Lobos, Richard Thompson and the band Low alongside traditional gospel and country tunes: songs about desire, mortality, angels and the Devil. But it only hints at what the band unleashed onstage. Band of Joy revisited Led Zeppelin songs like "Misty Mountain Hop," "Houses of the Holy," "Tangerine," "Ramble On" and "Rock and Roll," replacing the original choppy, warped blues riffs with smoother, more rolling country or old-fashioned rock 'n' roll, then pushing toward Mr. Plant's distinctive Anglo-Arabic wails. It gave gospel songs a rockabilly backbeat that only made them sound more fervent. It found the stoic fury of songs harking back to British and Appalachian ballad traditions like "Gallows Pole" and Mr. Thompson's "House of Cards." And it turned a Low song about ominous passion, "Monkey," into a howling maelstrom of reverb with an extended crescendo from Mr. Miller. "I think that was fantastic," Mr. Plant marveled afterward. Mr. Plant's voice was strong and supple, constantly transforming itself: playful short phrases and curving long ones, quietly spooked intimations and clarion shouts. Band of Joy also includes Patty Griffin, who sang with country-gospel zeal, and Darrell Scott, who played mandolin, pedal-steel guitar and other stringed instruments and sang in a honey-cured baritone. Both stepped forward for solo songs and shared harmony chorales with Mr. Plant, who also backed Mr. Miller, singing about the Devil's daughter, on harmonica. Band of Joy's chosen roots are in honky-tonk, mountain gospel and 1950s rock, none of which confined the group's music, particularly when Mr. Miller steered his solos into tremolo and drone. When Led Zeppelin was in full cry, it hinted at realms of ecstasy and madness just past the edge of the music. Band of Joy, with very different musical foundations, can do the same thing. After Mr. Plant's restrained studio albums, here's hoping Band of Joy is recording live. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/01/arts/music/01plant.html?src=me&ref=arts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Hoyland Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 As Ive posted before, Im just not that into this current album by BOJ. Now if Plant takes this group into the studeo and records something along the lines of that very fine peice of work "Mighty Rearranger" than I may actually give THAT a go (and would be able to pluck down my hard earned money to see it live). Otherwise I'll lay out hope that Page will put out something new in the coming year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Robert Plant and Patty Griffin at Schoolkids Records in Raleigh (courtesy of Schoolkids' Facebook page) Raleigh, NC News & Observer music writer David Menconi's review of the show at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh last night from his On the Beat blog. First Look: Band of Joy (News & Observer Photo Gallery) Links to some more photos, these from local photographer Jim McKelvey: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=12536068&size=lg http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=12538012&size=lg http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=12536066&size=lg More on Plant visiting Schoolkids here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Robert Plant Band of Joy Raleigh 2-2-11 Somewhere Trouble Don't Go (thanks comingandgoing) Robert Plant & Band of Joy : Rock n Roll - Goodnight 2-02-2011 Raleigh NC Tomorrow night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trombone hoota Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I"m sorry but these YouTube posted versions of Rock and Roll are BORING !!! Even some of the young like these, but they're tired and old. I don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojosdautr Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I have been waiting a week to put a thank you to Mr. Robert Plant in his own forum. The board administrators there are still determining whether I am a terrorist threat or not. So, no access has been granted. My ma taught me it is not polite to not offer a thank you for time well spent. I offended someone here the last time I posted. I was reluctant to try it again. I thought it was better to start fresh on the other board. I didn't realize it existed when I registered for this one. ... the best of intentions... I was almost glad I forgot to go to the Boston show. I couldn't have asked for a better seat at Foxwoods. As much as I hate to witness the little girls in the too short dresses with all there business escaping from either end, duck walking in heels too high for them...tug. tug. and what is that strange buzzzing noise in a casino... I have wondered at the soulessness-if that is a word- of concrete ampitheatres. Between these and the the "art" that is casino carpetting-? one t two? One persons' hell is another's heaven I guess. This venue has tried its best to mimic the best of the old theatres and update it with all the bells and whistles of a contemporary one. Mr Plant and his fine company of musicians used the acoustic features of the theatre to their advantage. I am not sure the same would have been possible at the House of Blues. If I had my way I would be watching again this weekend. It sure was nice to see him play again. I wish he worked more over these past 30 odd years here. I guess he has has reasons. Maybe he did work and I just didn't know. Well, I am postsponing the purchase of some airline tickets. I am so afraid the price has changed since the last time I looked. I'm adding another city to vacation. Let's hope I can find a place to sleep and the ticketbroker I used for show tickets is on the up and up. Goddamned scalpers. Thank you again. It was a fine evening out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Rider Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I have been waiting a week to put a thank you to Mr. Robert Plant in his own forum. He has a forum? Where? Someone posted that he did not have a forum. So now I'm wondering again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Robert doesn't have a forum on his site. I'm sure he wouldn't want it, considering the bashing that goes on here about not wanting to do a Zep tour. As well as those who can't accept his new musical direction and don't like any of his music past Page and Plant or The Strange Sensation. Open your minds people!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfvr Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 He has a forum? Where? Someone posted that he did not have a forum. So now I'm wondering again. I believe the poster above you may be refering to The Robert Plant Homepage which has a message board, however it is an unofficial site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Review: Robert Plant still the showman By Devin Grant Special to The Post and CourierSaturday, February 5, 2011 Devin Grant/Special to The Post and Courier Robert Plant and the Band of Joy performed Friday night at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Photo by Devin Grant Robert Plant performs with Patty Griffin and Darrell Scott on Friday night. It had been a long time since Robert Plant rock and rolled in the Lowcountry, but on Friday night the legendary singer turned in a superb set of new songs and old hits at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. Plant last performed here in 1998 when he played the North Charleston Coliseum with his old Led Zeppelin band mate Jimmy Page. Friday night's sold-out show at the PAC was a more intimate affair, with Plant touring in support of his latest CD, "Band of Joy." While Plant's Led Zeppelin days found the singer focusing mostly on blues and rock, the singer shifted his interest to Americana music a few years ago. That new path resulted in "Raising Sand," Plant's 2007 Grammy-winning collaboration with bluegrass superstar Alison Krauss, and then the resurrection of Band of Joy. Plant originally formed Band of Joy in 1966 with the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham as an original member. He has reformed Band of Joy a few times over the years, but this most recent incarnation is proving to be the most successful version. Although there are hints of silver winding through Plant's trademark golden curls these days, he nonetheless showed he was still a showman, prowling the stage in much the same way he did with Led Zeppelin. Throughout the Band of Joy tour, Plant has varied his set list each night, guaranteeing no two shows are alike. Friday's show concentrated primarily on material from his new album, but Plant wowed the crowd early, opening with a triple shot of Zeppelin: "Down by the Seaside," "Black Dog" and "Houses of the Holy." Songs performed from the "Band of Joy" CD included "Angel Dance," "Central Two-O-Nine," and "Cindy, I'll Marry You Someday." Plant dipped back into the Zeppelin catalog again later in the show with each song lovingly reworked to fit the roots music flavor of the "Band of Joy" album. http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/feb/05/review-robert-plant-still-showman/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Robert Plant Salutes The South JOHN ROTTET - jrottet@newsobserver.com Robert Plant, left, and Band of Joy perform at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh. Patty Griffin, right, was among those singing with Plant at Wednesday's show. BY DAVID MENCONI - Staff Writer February 3, 2011 RALEIGH -- All musical roads lead South. And Robert Plant, of all people, stands as living proof of that. Onstage Wednesday night at Memorial Auditorium, the former Led Zeppelin frontman offered up a 21-song salute featuring covers by English folk-rock guitar deity Richard Thompson, Minnesota rock band Low, Chicano-rock band Los Lobos and, of course, his old band. And it all came out sounding like spooky Old Testament gospel from deepest Appalachia. None of that feel-good New Testament stuff for this bunch, no sir. Plant is touring nowadays with an ensemble dubbed Band of Joy (named after his pre-Zeppelin band, circa 1967). It's sort of an Americana version of Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band, led by the iconic Nashville guitarist and all-around good guy Buddy Miller. Everyone got individual star turns, during which Plant would graciously slip out of the spotlight and contribute discrete backup vocals from the rear of the stage. Stepping into the Alison Krauss role as Plant's female vocal foil, Patty Griffin acquitted herself well, especially with a house-shaking solo turn on "Move Up." But the true show-stealer was Darrell Scott, who gave Miller a run for his money on electric guitar as well as contributing mandolin, pedal steel, banjo and other acoustic instruments, plus outstanding vocals. His reading of "Satisfied Mind" was a highlight. So was the opening act, North Mississippi Allstars, lately a duo of guitarist Luther Dickenson and his drummer brother Cody. They kicked the evening off with 40 minutes of terrific down-home swamp rock, highlighted by Bob Dylan's "Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again" and a closing "Will the Circle Be Unbroken"/"Amazing Grace" gospel medley. They got a very full sound for just two players, especially when Cody completely filled the room with spirals of skittery rhythms on an electric washboard. As for the headliner's set, the best part was seeing what Plant and band would do with Led Zeppelin songs. They wasted no time getting right to that, opening with "Black Dog" rendered as a sort of sledgehammer glide (complete with audience sing-along). "Houses of the Holy" came soon after. But it wasn't all just hits. Plant also dipped into the obscure corners of his old band's catalog with "Tangerine" and "Gallows Pole" from "Led Zeppelin III," a strange and folksy album nobody quite knew what to make of back in 1970. By now, "III" sounds like a forerunner to modern-day freak-folk, and those songs fit right in Wednesday night. So did the encore version of "Rock and Roll," in a sort of rockabilly arrangement that Chuck Berry might have appreciated, and most of all "Ramble On" - which Scott took from Middle Earth to the Middle East with some fascinatingly strange modal droning. Plant's rambling days are far from finished, and that's a good thing. http://www.newsobser...l#ixzz1D57gFqQl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 WUNC 91.5 FM (Chapel Hill, NC) Friday, February 04 2011 by Eric Hodge A rock n' roll legend, former lead singer of Led Zeppelin Robert Plant has stayed busy as of late. His latest release is called "Band of Joy" and his current tour brought him through Raleigh recently. WUNC's Eric Hodge sat down with Plant to talk about the new album. Click "Listen Now" (at link below) to hear the interview. http://wunc.org/prog...020411.mp3/view Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 MUSIC REVIEW Music review: Robert Plant's Band of Joy at DAR Constitution Hall By Dave McKenna Thursday, February 3, 2011 Robert Plant got famous exploiting a traditional form of American music - the blues. At a Led Zeppelin show in Laurel in 1969, Washington Post pop-music critic Carl Bernstein (yeah, him) found Plant's performance so derivative he labeled it "latter-day blackface." Plant survived the slur, and he and Zeppelin went on to do all right for themselves. In fact, had Plant wanted to play that same stuff the same way with the same band all these years later, he'd be playing stadiums now. Turns out Plant still wants to hit the road paying tribute to American music, just a different sort. He came to DAR Constitution Hall on Tuesday with the group that caused him to reject a Led Zeppelin reunion, his new Band of Joy, and in a daring and fabulous 100-minute set, paid tribute to domestic country and folk. Plant's set featured oodles of Page/Plant material, but the songs didn't remain the same. The Band of Joy versions, in fact, weren't easily recognizable as their old selves. "Black Dog" was plodding and moody, carried by the leaden notes Buddy Miller plucked on his baritone guitar. "Rock and Roll" was done in swampy, New Orleans-rock style, with drummer Marco Giovino tapping on his kit, not pummeling it the way John Bonham (a member of Plant's original Band of Joy in the mid-1960s) would have. "Ramble On" was done as loud as country rock can be. For the coda of "Gallows Pole," a traditional folk number that appeared on "Led Zeppelin III," Plant let loose with the night's one and only shriek. But Plant used most of his time onstage showcasing songs that most of his regular audience had never heard before, and while doing so freed up members of his all-American band to flaunt their skills. On "Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down," a traditional gospel tune recorded by, among others, Uncle Tupelo, everybody onstage harmonized, with bassist and native Kentuckian Byron House swinging lowest. Plant moved to the back of the stage to sing backup while multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott (another Bluegrass Stater) handled lead vocals on "A Satisfied Mind," most famously covered by Gram Parsons. There was a whole lot of Texas in the set. With Austin-based songstress Patty Griffin by his side, Plant covered "Harm's Swift Way" by Townes Van Zandt and Barbara Lynn's "You Can't Buy My Love," both songs as obscure as they are wondrous. And when Plant reprised his own "Tall Cool One," a song from the late 1980s revived years later in Coca-Cola commercials, he and the band rocked it as the Fabulous Thunderbirds might. Before ending the show with an a cappella version of another traditional folk number, "And We Bid You Goodnight," brought into the hippie scene in the late 1960s by the godfathers of psychedelic folk, the Grateful Dead, Plant announced his agenda for the tour: "It's all an experiment!" Everybody in the ad hoc laboratory voiced their approval. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/02/AR2011020205910.html?wprss=rss_print/style Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 WUNC 91.5 FM (Chapel Hill, NC) Friday, February 04 2011 by Eric Hodge A rock n' roll legend, former lead singer of Led Zeppelin Robert Plant has stayed busy as of late. His latest release is called "Band of Joy" and his current tour brought him through Raleigh recently. WUNC's Eric Hodge sat down with Plant to talk about the new album. Click "Listen Now" (at link below) to hear the interview. http://wunc.org/prog...020411.mp3/view Thanks for posting this. Great listen!! I cannot wait until tonight.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 DAR Constitution Hall Washington, D.C. February 1, 2011 You Can't Buy My Love: Tangerine: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazedjeffy Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Raleigh Promotional Poster by Zeb Love of Outback Concerts Poster Design | 14x20 Full Color Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy perform a song called 'Central Two-O-Nine'. This poster is based on that song. Zeb Love took the original photograph at a train yard near his hometown of Dixon, IL. http://www.theorganmedia.com/robert-plant-train/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Raleigh Promotional Poster by Zeb Love of Outback Concerts Poster Design | 14x20 Full Color Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy perform a song called 'Central Two-O-Nine'. This poster is based on that song. Zeb Love took the original photograph at a train yard near his hometown of Dixon, IL. http://www.theorganmedia.com/robert-plant-train/ Strange, this poster wasn't on display at the concert. If it was, I never saw it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jahfin Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Robert Plant Salutes The South JOHN ROTTET - jrottet@newsobserver.com Robert Plant, left, and Band of Joy perform at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh. Patty Griffin, right, was among those singing with Plant at Wednesday's show. BY DAVID MENCONI - Staff Writer February 3, 2011 RALEIGH -- All musical roads lead South. And Robert Plant, of all people, stands as living proof of that. I posted a link to this review above. The reason I don't post entire articles here is because folks like David Menconi (the writer of the article) need all the internet hits they can get at their respective websites because it helps keep them and the publications they work for in business. Even though you provided a link, the majority of people aren't going to click on it, they're just going to read the entire article here. The News & Observer has been subject to several layoff in recent years at the hands of McClatchy Newspapers so anything I can do to help David (as well as other writers) keep their jobs, I will do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUCK'EYE' DOC Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I love this photo! Thanks for posting it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA February 5th, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigzepfan Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Here's Down to the Sea from the Beacon Theatre, Sunday Night 1-30-11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigzepfan Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Here's Angel Dance from the Beacon 1-30-11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigzepfan Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Here's the North Mississippi Allstars Rocking Away at the House of Blues in Boston on 1-25-11. They were the opening act for Robert and the Band of Joy. Here's Psychedelic Sex Machine. This is the one with the washboard!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 ^^^They were great as the opening band! The show was so wonderful last night. Arrived, parked and took these two of the tour buses. Met up with Gigi at the Livingston just accross the street from the Fox. So great to meet another great person from the forum. After a great hour of conversation we walked accross the street to The Fox. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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