Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hey Deborah....nice to see you recovered enough to share with the forum here. Great pic's. I'd be pinching myself too being that close and looking Robert in the eye as he sang that sweet music. Glad you and Gigi had a great time. I am soooooo looking forward to my time which seems too long away now but patience must be the order of the day. Hello ledzepfvr!! Another friend that the music from these men has brought into my life. You are going to love the show!! Honestly, Robert on stage , still magnificent. That voice!!!! the presence. I am sure he will suprise us again down the road and I cannot wait! Can't wait for your review:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 A few more:-) This ones a little blurry but I was moving around (couldn't help myself!!) Buddy Millers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Robert Plant & The Band of Joy / opening song "Black Dog"@ Fox Theater, ATL 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 More:-) Robert Plant & The Band of Joy "Cindy, I'll Marry You Someday" @ Fox Theater, ATL 2011 Robert Plant & The Band of Joy "House of Cards" @ Fox Theater, ATL 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 North Mississippi Allstars @ Fox Theater, ATL 2011 ---Great opening band!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hello Steve! Glad you like the photos...bare chested, tight jeans, beautiful tresses... Yep. Patty I'll Marry You Someday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Yep. Patty I'll Marry You Someday! Patty for you, this for me ...uuummm Roberts..I had to I was so close Robert and Patty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justawoman Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hi Deb, God those photos are really amazing!!!!!!!!!! They are really professional looking. Being so close to Robert, I don't know how you were able to steady your hands to take such great pictures. And after making eye contact w/ him several times, my heart would have been beating out of my chest so badly, I would have just dropped the camera and it would have all been for naught. You have nerves of steel my friend. Kudos on some great shots. Thanks so much for sharing them. I knew you and Gigi would have a wonderful evening. Are you going to try to catch him at N.O. Jazz Fest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hi Deb, God those photos are really amazing!!!!!!!!!! They are really professional looking. Being so close to Robert, I don't know how you were able to steady your hands to take such great pictures. And after making eye contact w/ him several times, my heart would have been beating out of my chest so badly, I would have just dropped the camera and it would have all been for naught. You have nerves of steel my friend. Kudos on some great shots. Thanks so much for sharing them. I knew you and Gigi would have a wonderful evening. Are you going to try to catch him at N.O. Jazz Fest? Hi Kat!! I am on the floor laughing because I can picture you dropping the camara!! I do need to invest in a really good camara, but thank you:-) I did want to take good pictures to share with everyone and I knew Gigi had my back if I started to jump the stage (honestly I have to much respect, but the idea did cross my mind for a moment!!) I am only human. Then there's Jimmy who as he has aged is another one for me to show restrain The line up for Jazz Fest is amazing this year, I may try to make it and will let you know if I am able to. I am trying to get my travel schedule arranged so I am able to go to DC for Memorial Day weekend for the Zep fan weekend. Then if Mr. Page announces anything need to save my money or win the lottery!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Robert Plant & The Band of Joy–Live @ The Fox The opening act, the North Mississippi All-Star DUO, wasn't quite what I expected. I'd seen them some years ago also opening for another act, and they had left an impression of "Wow." For one, they were a more complete band with bassist and "marching fifes," but their performance was fresh, raw, and interactive. Lead singer/guitarist Luther Dickinson has an okay blues voice, but he spoke even more loudly with his exceptional "it looks so easy everyone should be able to do that" slide guitar work. It was a great introduction to the band. Here, with only brother (and drummer) Cody in tow, they still created an energetic set. Luther's hands roamed the frets filling in any sonic voids that might have occurred without band mates. But, the songs they chose felt hurried and didn't quite connect, even though the guitar work was, as expected, very good. This many years into their music, I would have expected a set of songs aimed at quickly making new fans. Still, there are tons of worse opening acts, as NMA qualified as an extra value to the ticket. And that ticket was for Robert Plant and the Band of Joy. Best known, and hopefully obviously best known to the reader, as the singer for Led Zeppelin, I've followed his solo career more closely over the past 10 years. His work has been more interesting as he has foregone work that might receive airplay to music which either influenced him or inspires him now. Recently, Plant has moved towards reinterpreting older American music, as evidenced by Raising Sand, his collaboration with Alison Krauss, and his most recent release, Band of Joy. It can be said that Robert Plant enters the stage with a towering presence. For one, he's not just taller than his band mates, he's tall. His lengthy curled hair is no longer golden, but even the darker shades speak of authentic Rock legend. He commands the stage easily, inviting audience participation with simple gestures. While others stars of his generation may pause to legitimately soak up a crowd's celebrity acclaim (McCartney, for example), Plant clearly prefers living in the present and performing the music that his band is playing. It's impossible not to be aware of the history he brings, as he continues to sing with his familiar cross-legged delivery while grasping the entire microphone stand. That's not to say the he doesn't give more obvious tribute to the past. The opener, Led Zep's "Black Dog," let it be known that the band may be from Nashville, but Plant requires that they understand a rock attitude is possible, and not just in his back catalog. For those looking for them, there were a surprising number of Zeppelin songs, and while they clearly measured as crowd favorites, the band didn't get suckered into replaying them as they have been so often heard. Instead, they created a mood and tone around each song that fit in with most of the other songs of the evening. The most reminiscent was "Ramble On," which delivered Plant's full throated delivery, but the band gave it their own sound, with a pedal steel solo and guitarist Buddy Miller's more tonal licks. "Gallows Pole" and "Tangerine" are acoustic driven Led Zep songs that fit naturally into the overall mix of songs. If anyone in the audience was unaware of their place in Zeppelin's catalog, these songs might have been regarded as other unfamiliar treasures like others in the set. They were crafted with care by the band and were certainly highlights of the evening. When one thinks of roots music or Americana music, there may be an expectation of relatively low volume, acoustic, and slow songs. That was certainly not the case. Though there were rockers in the mix, a rock edge was found in many of the other songs as well. Even the spiritual songs were performed with a tonal weightiness about them. That tonal influence is largely from the contributions of guitarist Buddy Miller. He is known as an alt-country musician, playing music that sounds traditional or timeless but doesn't quite fit into commercial categories. Even when not playing the lead, his hands usually stayed low on the neck of the guitar, extending up to the middle during most of the solos. Other guitarists may have sought an emotional peak for the expected rock crescendos, but he kept the guitar to a lower, darker tone that was pervasive in most of the songs. This isn't to say that his guitar work was predictable or lacking in variety. Aside from a variety in guitars, he also doesn't limit himself to just a few guitar pedals. I would suspect that playing with Robert Plant was a stylistic challenge based on his past solo and session work, and it's one that paid off. Like all the other musicians here, he sings well, and I'd definitely catch one of his solo shows should he pass through. Darrell Scott played acoustic and electric guitars, pedal steel, and mandolin, lending much of the "roots music" feel to the evening. Adding a welcome blend to the vocals and the overall sound, singer Patty Griffin gave ample support of the roots genre, either while in backing or lead parts. Plant is also a very accommodating band leader. In addition to letting three band mates sing lead vocals, he steps to the rear, singing backup, or on "Somewhere Trouble Don't Go," adding a driving harmonica. The set list varies each night to some extent. Based on others I've seen, most of the variety comes from the songs they choose from their most recent CD. The only misfire to my ears was "In the Mood," one of his 80's radio "hits" that didn't lend itself well to the current band. Amongst all available songs (of Plant's or unknown to me), it was a disappointment. If keeping with a song from his solo releases, "Darkness, Darkness" would have been a stellar insertion. Lastly, for wondering about Plant's vocal quality, he's definitely worth seeing. At 63, his voice has aged, but he plies it to each song with nuances and affection that he either lacked or didn't find necessary all those years ago. The result is that many of the songs connect because of the intimacy of his somewhat raspier voice. He's an phenomenal performer, an experienced interpreter of music, and a distinctive voice in music. Set List: Black Dog Down to the Sea (much improved over original version) Angel Dance Houses of the Holy Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down Move Up (sung by Patty Griffin) Cindy, I'll Marry You Someday Life Has It's Little Ups and Downs Twelve Gates to the City/Wade in the Water/In My Time of Dying Satisfied Mind (sung by Darrell Scott) Tangerine House of Cards Somewhere Trouble Don't Go (sung by Buddy Miller) Monkey You Can't Buy My Love Ramble On Tall Cool One Gallows Pole Encores: In the Mood Rock & Roll And We Bid You Goodnight (a cappella) http://www.amusedtolife.com/2011/02/robert-plant-band-of-joylive-fox.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigzepfan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm on the floor in stitches after reading the posts from yesterday/last night. Great way to start the day!!! With Led Zeppelin stories. Absolutely love the guy clearing the way for you and the pic of roberts backside just dropped me straight to the floor! Love LedZeppelin.com!!!! Here's Robert closing with Gallows Pole from Boston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justawoman Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hi Kat!! I am on the floor laughing because I can picture you dropping the camara!! I do need to invest in a really good camara, but thank you:-) I did want to take good pictures to share with everyone and I knew Gigi had my back if I started to jump the stage (honestly I have to much respect, but the idea did cross my mind for a moment!!) I am only human. Then there's Jimmy who as he has aged is another one for me to show restrain The line up for Jazz Fest is amazing this year, I may try to make it and will let you know if I am able to. I am trying to get my travel schedule arranged so I am able to go to DC for Memorial Day weekend for the Zep fan weekend. Then if Mr. Page announces anything need to save my money or win the lottery!! "I knew Gigi had my back if I started to jump the stage (honestly I have to much respect, but the idea did cross my mind for a moment!!) I am only human." LOL - I know where ya' coming from sista. Being southern ladies does require a lot of restraint and respect for not crossing boundries. But . . . . . . in the case of Plant and Page, well . . . . . . . it would be terribly hard not to turn into a drooling, babbling, do something silly fool. The line up for Jazz Fest is amazing and I am tempted to try to go. I haven't been in years, it's gotten so big and expensive!!!!! And the artists play like 4 maybe 5 songs, such a tease. In the beginning is was so much more laid back and not so commercial. I could probably talk hubby into going though, we do love going to N.O. It's really home after all! And the jury is still out on the Zep Fest in DC. I don't know if he would be up for that - he can handle 3 hours of Zeppelin, but 3 days????? He would have to do the DC tourist thing while I get my Led fix! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigi Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm loving all these comments, photos and videos! Thanks for the article too, Steve. I'm still on Cloud 9 even though it was back to the real world this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Great photos and videos Deb. Great work. So glad that you had such a good time at the show. Not that there was any doubt you wouldn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargroves Tangie Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Hi Deborah! Love the pics you took at the show & I'm so happy you got to see Robert up close too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I'm on the floor in stitches after reading the posts from yesterday/last night. Great way to start the day!!! With Led Zeppelin stories. Absolutely love the guy clearing the way for you and the pic of roberts backside just dropped me straight to the floor! Love LedZeppelin.com!!!! Here's Robert closing with Gallows Pole from Boston. Glad you enjoyed the photo of the "backside" of Robert..and our conversation could bring laughter to you I love reading the stories that are here as well :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Hi Deborah! Love the pics you took at the show & I'm so happy you got to see Robert up close too! Thank you and SuperDave for the kind comments. It was a fantastic event, shared with people who love his music. I wished I could do it all over again!! Steve, thank you for the article, great read!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxie Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Believe me it took every ounce of restraint in me to behave as a lady!!! Fantastic pics Deb!! And I completely understand THIS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Byron House With Robert Plant's Band Of Joy By Bryan Beller bassplayer.com There's an old saying in the music business: You get points for sticking around. There may be no greater example of the adage's underlying truth than master acoustic/electric doubler and Nashville mainstay Byron House, whose long and winding professional career as a highly respected folk/country/rock bassist has led him to one of the most prestigious gigs available today - touring with legendary Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant in support of the album they recorded together, the Americana-flavored Band Of Joy. "It was really neat that I've got all this history of enjoying his awesome, mighty singing, and then I've seen him draw near to this Nashville contingency," says House, who just turned 51. "Robert is a wealth of knowledge about American roots music, blues, rockabilly, original rock and roll, R&B, and all kinds of different things. He's an absolute fountain of enthusiasm." A Bowling Green, KY native who played mainly banjo as a teenager, Byron House met Sam Bush (in the New Grass Revival years) when he was only 11, and it didn't take much to get him going. Hearing Jaco Pastorius on Joni Mitchell's Hejira [1976, Asylum] got him hooked on bass as a principal instrument. A dormant upright laying around a military school led him to years of college-age study on acoustic, both in America and in Europe. He was a Fairlight programmer in a famous Nashville studio throughout his twenties, all the while studying recording techniques of the session masters of the day. This crazy amalgam of experience slowly and steadily led to recording and live dates on both upright and electric with Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Jerry Douglas, Jorma Kaukonen, and Nickel Creek, all while he was playing on and off with the guy he met back in Bowling Green, Sam Bush. When Robert Plant called, House and Bush had been playing together in some form or another for 30 years. His influences range from Jaco, Jamerson, Paul McCartney and Phil Lesh on electric, to Ray Brown and Paul Chambers on upright, and he brings every ounce of his hard-won experience to the table in anchoring Plant's new album, a joyous celebration of distinctly American music. "My bass playing career in the studio has been kind of a slow burn. I just landed with some great songwriters and talent. I've been really blessed in the type of folks that have taken a liking to what I do." How did you land the Robert Plant gig in the first place? God bless [band Of Joy producer] Buddy Miller! I met Buddy when he moved to Nashville. I'm on every record that he's done under his name, and I've done numerous production projects with him as well. We did a gig called Classical Americana at the Schermerhorn Center in Nashville. We were all sitting backstage and Buddy's like, "I've been telling Robert about you. He wants to do a project with me." He said, "I'm not sure what he has in mind but some of the ways he likes things to go on stage, to have a spontaneous element about them, and your background with upright and electric and different things, I hope this could work out." I said, "I hope so too. That would be fantastic." Buddy asked me to hold a couple of weeks in December. He called a few days before the sessions and said, "You know, this could all be over in a day or two. We're going to just test it out. Robert wants to see what everything sounds like." So it was to my great delight about halfway through day two that we started recording instantly. We cut two of the songs on the record that first day. What was the atmosphere like that first day? I think it was full of expectation on everybody's part—a little bit like a first date. I read something later that Robert said the first four hours when you meet a musician are the most crucial. So I guess we passed the audition and it was just a wonderful pairing. But during the initial getting-to-knoweach- other, of course, we're all going, "I hope he likes it!" To have him come in midway that second day and go, "Looks like we're making a record"—you know?! Within days, Buddy was saying "Robert really hopes that everybody would like to go out and play this stuff on the road." I said, "Well, we'll see. I'd love nothing more. I hope that can happen." Of course I was with Sam [bush], so I had to get that worked out. I actually ended up departing Sam's band because he needed somebody there. This is after how many years with Sam? Nearly 30. We'll still play - but it was time for me to move on, really. A door was opened that I feel like was just an opportunity like no other. I had this prayer in my mind that if I was supposed to leave Sam, just let it be like a skillet dropping on my head [laughs], because we had a great many wonderful musical experiences together, and I look forward to more. But as far as now, I couldn't imagine a better situation to be in. Robert is the ultimate great guy to work for. He treats us really, really well, and it's all so collaborative. It was his idea to make it a band. For him to give it the name Band of Joy just blew me away. I think that he really felt that in the studio. We had a little band dinner after the first round of tracking, and he was like, "I feel it. I know that this is not some financial venture. There is music and I feel what you guys are putting into this." There was a lot of joy in those sessions. What's that really aggressive distorted sound in the beginning of "You Can't Buy My Love"? It's the Novak Replitar through the Tech 21 SansAmp through the 65amps preamp through the Eden, with the Bassman driving the 1x15 cab. I had come up with the chorus line and Robert goes, "That's a good bass line," so I kept that. And then we decided to attack this other little thing I was doing and make that the intro. I hadn't yet added the SansAmp, and [engineer] Mike Poole chimed in and said, "It's great, but its teeth aren't glistening." So I said, "Ok, give me a second," and I dialed up the little SansAmp pedal. There's a little section at the end, and Robert said, "Now go into something on the end here—a part. Lock down on something." I based it on the chorus part, but he said, "A little bit like Entwistle, or Jonesy [John Paul Jones] on the Alembic." So that rang my bell— I had the Who's Live At Leeds album as a kid. I'm just really at a loss for words to describe the feeling of being in there with Robert helping me craft a bass line, paying tribute to some of his favorites. What's it like performing some of the classic Plant songs live? Robert didn't want any of it to really resemble the Zeppelin sound. "Houses of the Holy" was the first one we worked up, and once we got that it was kind of like, "phew." You could just see him relieved that we would have a sound of our own, which is kind of a daunting task and I know it was on his mind. It wasn't possible to just learn material, come in, and okay—the band's ready. It was all about having a general idea of the chords in the song. We kind of fragmented some riffs and stuff and took different things from the Zeppelin era and simplified them. We took a lot of pushes out of different things, and we put keys where they were very good for him to be singing. We're playing "Rock and Roll" and we're doing it in E, which is a fourth down from the original key. But he sounds amazing doing it. He's delivering the original melody and it sounds right for where he is at 61. I play upright bass on it, and it's a slap bass kind of a thing, and it's got steel guitar on it. Having the upright and the steel is obviously different, but it's totally walking in the sound of the music that it may have been derived from. If you listen to the intro on "Rock and Roll" that Bonham played, it's got Little Richard all over it. What are your thoughts on the role of bass in folk music and Americana today? It's been very exciting for me to see that upright bass has returned. It's been a little bit of a double-edged sword in that I think there were years in town that people who would call me [for gigs and sessions] didn't know I played electric bass. I love the resurgence of the upright, but I also love electric bass as well. I like to look at it for the song and the timbre, the tone that the artist is envisioning. I like to employ a variety of tones in folk music, because I think people make the mistake of thinking that upright bass should only be played with acoustic guitar, or an electric bass is for this kind of music. The tone is really in the mind of the player and in the hands. If you could track bass for a major artist in a completely different genre, who would it be and why? The person that comes to mind without even thinking about it is Joni Mitchell. It goes back to what I said is my opinion on the finest hour of the bass player who inspired me to choose the instrument—Jaco—and he's gone. I really admire her Court And Spark record. I love what Max Bennett did on that. So I'm a rock'n'soul-funky-jazz'n'country- Americana-bluegrass-y kind of guy! [Laughs.] I just love it all. If somebody is really delivering the goods with heart, and lyrically it's not something that I just can't stomach, then I'm honored to be there every time. ON MAKING BAND OF JOY IN GENERAL "My goal is to be as supportive to the singing as I possibly can, because that's what the song is. Everything else can go away, and a great song will be carried just by the melody and the lyric with a great singer. But I feel like it's a kind of tapestry - something that's woven together. It's fun to lock up with things in the right circumstance, but more intriguing to me is doing some of that and then intertwining lyrical elements, but ideally in a way that won't detract from the vocal but to only enhance. So that's what I was thinking." ON "HOUSE OF CARDS" "The last verse has some things that point to Jack Casady and Paul McCartney. I enjoy those moments when you have a chance to do something lyrical but that still has a little shine on it, and then there's a drop down in the end of that verse. It's painting a lyrical picture as well, because it's the house of cards tumbling down." ON "CENTRAL 209" "Funky gutbucket-type upright bass. I enjoy incorporating a little bit of that Stax thing you might hear in the bass and drums. The place I first noticed it was John R. Robinson's playing on Michael Jackson's "Rock With You." There's this great little bass drum thing he does halfway through the back half of the solo. I've looked for ways to apply that one, two, three and four kind of thing. It's putting it in pretty technical terms, I guess, but that song is a lot of fun. ON "SILVER RIDER" "That's the only tune where I got to use my old '56 P-Bass. It's got flatwound strings, but the treble is just maxed out. I was reminded of Phil Lesh and the tones he had on "American Beauty" and "Friend of the Devil"—beautiful, a little bit crispy, but full, and with some distortion, really supporting the verses, and then branching out with some kind of lyricism in the bass. I believe I asked Robert if he wanted something more locked down and solid in the outro because I had ventured pretty well, and he said, "This is great." ON "MONKEY" It was synth bass on the original. At that time I think I was using the MXR into the SansAmp. We put that MXR on the front end, so it's masked by the whole distortion vibe. It's very appealing to me that way. ON "SATAN, YOUR KINGDOM MUST COME DOWN" That was the second song we cut. It was the first MP3 Robert sent me, reaching back into some really ancient gospel stuff. I think it's a powerful song. It's become kind of the centerpiece of the show in a way. At the time we cut it, of course, I didn't know it was going to end up sounding like that, and we were just in our first day together. So I was like, "Well, that first tune turned out pretty good, I think. Let's see what happens here." HEAR HIM ON Robert Plant, Band Of Joy [2010, Rounder], Sam Bush, Circles Around Me [2009, Sugarhill], Mark O'Connor, Jam Session [2010, OMAC], Jorma Kaukonen, Stars In My Crown [2007, Red House], Nickel Creek, This Side [2002, Sugarhill] GEAR Basses Novak Replitar, fretless Fender Precision Bass (modded to P/J setup with Bartolini pickups), '56 Fender Precision Bass, 5-string Fender Jazz Bass (with Novak pickups), Epiphone Jack Casady Signature, 1880s Czech flatback 3/4"- size upright with C extension and Barcus Berry pickup, Clevinger electric upright Rig 65amps Apollo Head (preamp only) into Eden Highwayman WT-500 (first effects return input), Trace Elliot 2x10 cabinet, 65amps 1x15 cabinet, Analysis Plus Pro Audio Cables Effects Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI, MXR Envelope Filter, Chunk Systems Agent00Funk Mark II, Chunk Systems Brown Dog distortion, Loop-Master A/B w/Effects Loop Strings D'Addario Chrome flatwounds, D'Addario XL Nickel roundwounds; Corelli rope-core bass strings (upright) Studio signal chain Direct: 65amps Apollo head into Eden Highwayman WT-500, DI out of Eden head; Fender Bassman head with Trace Elliot or 65amps cabinet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 This from Band of Joy bassist Byron House: Amazing night at Atlanta's beautiful Fox Theatre! Charlotte, NC on Monday... I must say, Atlanta has definitely thrown down the gauntlet, Charlotte, and (especially) Nashville -- 4,600 seats, sold out! C'mon Nashville, let's show RP some real hometown love! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Thanks Steve^^ great article!! Hello Charlotte....who was there?!! Robert Plant "Down To The Sea" Charlotte, NC Robert Plant "Black Dog" Charlotte, NC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotplant Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Lovely pics and stories all, I am living it through you so thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Robert Plant and company leave true imprint on songs By Courtney Devores Special to the Observer Posted: Wednesday, Feb. 09, 2011 Robert Plant hinted that he'll be at Bonnaroo this summer. Rock legend Robert Plant brought his all-star Band of Joy to Ovens Auditorium on Monday to perform new renditions of classics from his solo and Led Zeppelin catalogs as well as tracks from Band of Joy's 2010 album. Things kicked off subtly with Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog," but the busy psychedelic folk version didn't ring with instant familiarity. The theme of what Plant called this "reincarnation" of the band (which is named for his and John Bonham's late '60s pre-Zeppelin blues and soul act) was reinterpreting, sometimes even rebuilding songs, whether a cover of Los Lobos' "Angel Dance" (which also opened the new disc) or completely reworking "Houses of the Holy." Plant surrounds himself with Nashville's elite. Guitarist Buddy Miller (who played on Plant and Alison Krauss' "Raising Sand" tour and co-produced "BoJ"), vocalist Patty Griffin and multi-instrumentalist Darrell Scott all have critically acclaimed careers as singer-songwriters and a few hits under their belts. Each artist left his own imprint on the performance, and Plant treated the musicians like a true ensemble. Each took lead vocals - with Plant even stepping to the side to sing backup. Rich harmonies, especially between Plant, Griffin and Scott, were often the centerpiece. Miller's guitar helped provide the psychedelic feel of many tunes. His meaty tone oozes with the angry spirit and expansiveness of old Westerns, which was the feeling the arrangements conjured - combined with gospel and touches of world music. "Tangerine" and "Rock 'n' Roll" remained truest to the originals. Others, such as the '80s MTV staple "Tall Cool One," had slower, thoughtful arrangements. Unfortunately, clarity was sometimes at the mercy of volume when the entire band kicked in on vocals and instruments. It was as if the dynamics had nowhere to go, but would have been perfect for an outdoor show. Songs like "Monkey" (originally by Low) and "Tangerine" benefited from quieter, less busy arrangements. The North Mississippi Allstars, aka second-generation blues-rock brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson, played as a guitar-and-drums "Duo Loco" (without bassist Chris Chew). Their set consisted of cuts from their new album "Keys to the Kingdom," which pays tribute to their late father, famed producer Jim Dickinson. Their set had a soulful gospel-blues spirit. Their last song, "Lay My Burden Down" was met with a standing ovation from most of the crowd, a rarity for an opening act. That churchlike atmosphere concluded Plant's portion of the concert as well - with a fabulous a cappella performance of "And We Bid You Good Night," which featured harmony from all six band members. "See you at Bonnaroo," Plant said as he left the stage, feeding the presumably true rumors that Band of Joy will be part of the Tennessee summer festival's as-yet-unannounced lineup. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/02/08/2046645/robert-plant-and-company-leave.html Robert Plant's arrival at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Robert Plant and Zep get countrified with Band of Joy A review and images of Band of Joy at the PAC by T. Ballard Lesemann February 5, 2011 Robert Plant and the Band of Joy conjured more than a few spirited and joyful moments during their concert at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center on Fri. Feb. 4. A sold-out crowd danced, clapped, and occasionally sang along with the six-piece ensemble. Many were simply amazed to be standing in the presence of Led Zeppelin's legendary lead singer. Opening act North Mississippi Allstars strolled out right on time. Unexpectedly, they were a mere duo of guitarist/vocalist Luther Dickinson and drummer Cody Dickinson (there was no sign of bassist Chris Chew). Luther casually greeted the audience, cranked up his vintage six-string through two small amps, and jumped into a swingin' groove. With no other accompaniment and all the sonic room he could use, Cody took advantage of the setting, filling space with an extra tom rolls, cymbal accents, and flourishes. Highlights of the Dickinsons' set included nasty-toned renditions of boogie tunes penned by R.L. Burnside, several edgy numbers from their latest album Keys to the Kingdom, and a few Hendrix-styled bursts of psychedelic riffery. Cody's punctuated slide work was quite impressive, but Luther's brief, Bonham-esque drum solo and effects-laden washboard solo provided the trippiest moments and nearly stole the show. Under a handsome set decorated with low-hanging lamps, spotlights, and a tall banner featuring the artwork from Plant's recent Band of Joy album, the band took their places in tight formation. They opened with "Down to the Sea," a song from Plant's 1993 solo album Fate of Nations (re-released in 2007). Heavy, twangy, and a little bit spooky, it turned out to be one of the most thumping tunes of the set, with guitarists Buddy Miller and Darrell Scott driving things at a high volume with twangy tones. Drummer Marco Giovino demonstrated his flexible approach on an array of extra percussion instruments. Plant looked genuinely at ease and happy to be singing as a he casually sauntered around center stage. His delivery was emotive and crisp. Zep fans were delighted to hear the next two songs — mellowed-out, slowed-down reworkings of "Black Dog" and "Houses of the Holy." Vocalist/guitarist Patty Griffin added soaring harmonies with Miller and Scott occasionally pitching in as well. "Gallows Pole" and "Tangerine" also received the Band of Joy treatment later in the set. They hit several from the Band of Joy album, including "Central Two-O-Nine," which lumbered at a cool pace with the banjo at the lead, "Angel Dance" (originally by Los Lobos), and the harmony-laden cover of Richard Thompson's "House of Cards." Miller and Scott navigated some low notes and gnarly tones on the dark and stormy "Monkey" (originally performed by Low). Plant handed the main mic over to Scott to lead the band through the strummy traditional "Satisfied Mind." The slow "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down" provided a spiritual moment as well. A laid-back revision of "Tall Cool One" sounded far better than the fancy original. The ensemble started out with a full sound, but the mix tilted out of balance as the set progressed. Through the second half of the show, bassist Byron House was inaudible and Giovino's kick drum was barely present. On the other hand, the guitar work of Miller and Scott became increasingly and almost distractingly dominant. Maybe the point was to heavily emphasize Plant's vocals, the group's harmonies, and the countrified string work. In the lobby after the show, some musicians in attendance argued that there was "too much Nashville" going on with Plant's new band. Maybe Plant's unusual assemblage of honky-tonk riffs, Appalachian stylings, and Southern brogues isn't so much about copping a Nashville style as it is about digging deeper into a new vein of authentic roots music. Either way, he looked overjoyed to be in the middle of it. Photo Gallery: http://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/charleston/robert-plant-and-zep-get-countrified-with-band-of-joy/Content?oid=3078948 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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