Robert Plant w/ Saving Grace to perform at Albert Hall for Teenage Cancer Trust

[Zep Hed]

[zeplz71]

I'd have loved to attend this if I was in the UK.

[LP54]

Fantastic line up! 

 

[LesPaulPlayer]

Managed to get tickets to this, looks like it'll be a great show! Mad to think it's almost twenty years ago that I first saw Robert there in 2005 when I was 13! 

I wonder what the makeup of the show will be, whether it'll be Roger, Pete & special guests doing some songs with them like the Who's 2000 show there or shorter sets by each artists. Really happy that Robert is continuing with Saving Grace, loved both the shows I saw last year. 

 

[LP54]

Ah so jealous man! I saw some Saving Grace shows as well last year and they were awesome!  Would be amazing to see them all on stage together 

 

[zeplz71]

 

[dave2007]

nice surprise to see Doug Boyle in the house band

[tenyearsgone21]

55 minutes ago, dave2007 said:

nice surprise to see Doug Boyle in the house band

He's been in Roger's band touring for a bit now. 

[LesPaulPlayer]

Went to the show on Sunday and it was incredible! Started at 7 and ended at around half 11 - chock full of music with one heck of a lineup! Was bizarre to see Paul Weller as the first support act at 7pm before most gigs start! Eddie Vedder was a real highlight for me, never thought I'd hear Society live! Kelly Jones was amazing as well. 

In terms of Robert, he did a sort of redux of the current Saving Grace set and whilst I imagine for most of the audience most of the material wouldn't have been familiar he went down a storm. Loved hearing the band's version of Everybody's Song again - really hope they put out some studio versions of the songs. Friends went down a treat. They were pushed time wise so did a sped up version of And We Bid You Goodnight with everyone clapping along which was a hoot. Was fun to see Robert back on a bigger stage and he owned it - strutting around and playing with the mic lead. This is my third time seeing Saving Grace and this is the best they've sounded (and they sounded absolutely incredible the other times!) - the acoustics of the Albert Hall really suit the sound. Wouldn't mind a slightly changed up setlist for the next tour though! 

Roger Daltrey's headline set was a lot of fun and having seen the Who twice, it was fun to see him in a different context with a more stripped back sound. Wasn't familiar with Simon Townshend's solo stuff beforehand and I really want to check it out having loved the solo songs he played during the evening. Roger made a lighthearted joke which made everyone laugh - "Simon's a great songwriter, shame about his brother!" 

All in all an utterly phenomenal experience for such a great cause. It kind of felt full-circle having Robert there at Roger's last time curating it because my first big show aged thirteen was Robert with Strange Sensation at the Teenage Cancer Trust shows back in 2005. Would be fun if he was one of the guest curators in the coming years. 

 

 

 

[zeplz71]

ROGER DALTREY - "I’ve Been Friends With ROBERT PLANT For 50 Years And To Have Him On Stage With Me – Two Old Farts Having A Good Time – It Was Heaven!"

The Who legend, Roger Daltrey, spoke to Music Week to reflect on his 24-year stint organizing fundraising concerts for Teenage Cancer Trust at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall.

This year’s series, held between March 18-24, not only attracted the likes of Noel Gallagher, Chemical Brothers, Young Fathers, Eddie Vedder, Paul Weller, Robert Plant, Kelly Jones to join The Who in performing, but was also significant for two other important reasons. First, it is the final run of shows to be curated by Daltrey, with new musicians set to be taking the reins in the future. Secondly, and crucially, for the first time in its history, the charity raised over £2 million – its highest ever amount.

Since 2000, audiences at Teenage Cancer Trust’s annual gigs have witnessed a host of once-in-a-lifetime shows, from Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn performing together for the first time ever in 2013, to Sir Paul McCartney, Oasis, Muse, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Ed Sheeran, Florence + The Machine, Rudimental and many more.

In the new interview, Daltrey reflects on his journey with the concert series, teases who might be taking over from him, and tells the industry why it needs to get involved. A couple of excerpts from the chat follows...

Music Week: How do you reflect upon the journey you’ve been on with the Teenage Cancer Trust?

Roger Daltrey: “From the moment my GP – who started the whole thing – Adrian Whiteson [OBE, founding member and chairman of TCT until 2010], mentioned what they were trying to achieve, it had an impact on me. From that day on, I was trying to work out how to help them, and myself, Pete Townshend and The Who did fundraisers for them for the first 10 years before the Royal Albert Hall shows. When I went to visit the first [TCT] unit, that only cemented the idea of what needed to be done, and what’s happened in the years since has been remarkable. There was the first year, in 2000, with The Who doing two nights at the Royal Albert Hall, recorded as a live album and DVD, which enabled us to replace two hospital wards. And that opened it up to the media and the public. To be honest, no one does anything alone, so to have the media on our side, recognising the issue, has been great. I love working for the charity – I’m not going away from it. In the space of 12 years, we’re in 65 hospitals and hoping to be at 100 hospitals by the end of next year, which is astonishing.”

Music Week: You have a close fraternity of artists who’ve supported the shows from the start, with Paul Weller, Eddie Vedder and Kelly Jones among them. Do you already know the people who will curate in the future, and will any of those names be among them in the future?

Daltrey: “I know who will be there for me in 2026, but I haven’t got a clue for next year. The Royal Albert Hall is run as a charity, and to guarantee the week when we have our shows -– which are positioned at the time of the year when most bands are getting ready to go out touring in the summer – then the new contracts with the Albert Hall are going to be a five-year period. So we’ve got to make sure we’ve got someone to sign up for the next five years.”

Music Week: What are your reflections on this year’s line up, featuring the likes of Noel Gallagher and Robert Plant, which was the first time TCT raised £2m from the shows?

Daltrey: “Yes, just £2m net in a week, which is remarkable. It’s only when you go out there and rattle a box that you find out how hard it is to raise money for a charity! This year’s lineup was brilliant, because it’s great to be around my old mates. Noel has been there from day one. When I had to have a year off because [The Who] were on tour, Noel did a year for me. And I’ve been friends with Robert [Plant] for 50 years and to have him on stage with me – two old farts having a good time – it was heaven!”

Daltrey will be returning to North America on a special solo tour this June, presenting a mostly acoustic set of Who gems, rarities, solo nuggets and other surprises with an intimate rock-based band and setting as well as answering questions from the audience, kicking off this very exclusive set of shows on 12 June at Virginia’s renowned Wolf Trap at Filene Center. The nine-city run will continue throughout the month of June (see dates below), wrapping on 29 June at The Pavilion at Ravinia in Highland Park, Illinois.

Special guests for the much-anticipated performances include Grammy-nominated Scottish singer/songwriter KT Tunstall and acclaimed, offbeat singer/songwriter Dan Bern.  The unique venues and amphitheaters Daltrey has chosen for his summer run will showcase Roger’s acoustic interpretations of his extraordinary canon of Who songs and solo work, supported by a hand-picked ensemble of musicians. Simon Townshend: Guitar and backing vocals; Billy Nicholls: Mandolin and backing vocals; Jody Linscott: Percussion; Doug Boyle: Guitar; John Hogg : Bass and backing vocals; Katie Jacoby: Violin and backing vocals; Steve Weston: Harmonica; Geraint Watkins: Keyboards/accordion; Scott Devours: Drums.

Daltrey’s return to the States follows The Who’s incredibly successful The Who Hits Back! US tour of 2022, with the band’s incomparable frontman drawing praise from all media platforms. The charismatic singer also brought a highly successful solo tour to the States in 2018 via a 10-city run that showcased The Who’s legendary rock opera Tommy, supported by full orchestral backing.  Never content to rest on his laurels, the adventurous artist will continue to peel back the layers on his upcoming June tour, excited about expressing more musical shades of his solo palette, which he has generously shared with audiences in the US and beyond throughout his career.

Also known to be one of rock’s more candid, straight-shooters, the working-class Daltrey (originally from London’s Shepherd’s Bush) will answer questions from the audience during the shows, sharing anecdotes and offering up uniquely tailored renditions of songs seldom performed live either by The Who or Daltrey.

In crafting this completely new show set to kick off in June 2024, Daltrey looks forward to unveiling one of his more intimate and unique stage shows, an up close and personal gift to his fans that highlights Who rarities, solo hits, and other songs from his incredible near 60-year career.

https://bravewords.com/news/roger-daltrey-ive-been-friends-with-robert-plant-for-50-years-and-to-have-him-on-stage-with-me-two-old-farts-having-a-good-time-it-was-heaven