No "unique collaborations" of note by Robert Plant onstage at the O2 arena in London tonight, but his solo set at the Rockwell charity gig was comprised of a pair of Led Zeppelin songs.
Twitter users said Plant's awesome set brought the house down with African-style renditions of the classics "Black Dog" and "Whole Lotta Love."
Between the two was another song, a similarly reworked version of the blues tune "Funny in My Mind (I Believe I'm Fixin' to Die)" Plant included on his 2002 album Dreamland. For this version, the singer pulled out a harmonica and took a solo between verses.
Onstage with Plant for his set was Justin Adams, a member of the Strange Sensation lineup that contributed to Dreamland and its 2005 followup, Mighty ReArranger.
Among the musicians with them onstage was Juldeh Camara, a Gambian instrumentalist and vocalist who released an album called Soul Science with Adams this May.
Camara and Adams have been touring far reaches of the world this year in support of their disc, and in April their headlining set at the WOMAD music festival in Abu Dhabi was boosted by a special guest appearance from Plant.
Singer Beverley Knight wrote on Twitter during the O2 Rockwell show, "Robert Plant is a total legend! My GOD, awesome. Xxxxxx." Afterward, she had her photo taken backstage with Plant, as seen at right. This prompted her to comment, "OMG! Me and the (wolves) legend Robert Plant!!!!"
Among entries from the LedZeppelinNews Twitter feed during the concert:
- RT @MikeSouthon Robert Plant doing a folk/african version of 'Black Dog'
- RT @MikeSouthon Robert Plant doing 'Whole Lotta Love, with his cracking folk/african band. bliss!
- RT @RyanQuadri Robert Plant's on!!! F***ing cool!!! Two Led Zeppelin classics including 'Whole Lotta Love' playing now!
- RT @andylopata Sanity restored thanks to Mr Plant and a whole lotta love!
- RT @paul_hide What a whole lotta love, Robert Plant brings the house down. Rockwell O2
- RT @pauldoussay ROBERT PLANT JUST PERFORMED WHOLE LOTTA LOVE :-D
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Robert has certainly done his part to keep classic Zep so fresh and alive with his song interpretations around the world... thank you Percy
ReplyDeleteMr. Lemon, I might not like everything Robert Plant did, and I might don't agree with everything you've written. But I just feel I have to applause for your courage to stick up for Robert Plant on some for bitching only list.
ReplyDeleteRobert will do what he wants, as he always do. It's hard to please all the people, so it's the best if he decides by himself.
Robert cashes in on Zep Material again, but still won't play with Zep.
ReplyDeleteWhat else is new?
Nuvo911
Nuvo, he's not exactly "cashing in" at a charity event, I don't think. I guess your premise is that he "cashes in" at his other shows when he's playing the same music with other musicians for profit. Yep, that's exactly what Peter Grant had in mind when he railed against people profiting from and exploiting the Led Zeppelin name: one of the main songwriters benefiting from it at all.
ReplyDeleteSteve,
ReplyDeleteThe term "Cashing in" is used here in reference to his song choice's at the show and not for monetary perposes.
If Robert is so confident of his own (solo) material, then why dosen't he use that to "bring the house down", instead of relying on the "dinosour material" that he so wants to distance himself from.
It would appear to me that, the only distance that he wants from Led Zep, is the distance from the other musicians in Led Zep.
Nuvo911