Robert Plant’s Saving Grace
AS PARTING lines go, Robert Plant’s sign-off goes straight to the top: “See you again. We’ll be everywhere, forever.”
Now 74, but as well preserved as ever, Plant seems to have been musically rejuvenated by his incredible Saving Grace band and intent of creating his own version of Bob Dylan’s Never Ending Tour.
In unshowy jeans and black T-shirt, he seemed totally immersed in the set, watching everything and everyone like some well-intentioned hawk.
It would be easy for a leonine rock star to bask in the adulation and recreate his former glories. Plant has never wanted to take that path. Despite being probably the biggest star to grace a York stage this year, he clearly wanted to cut the full-house adoration short to focus on the songs.
“I love you Robert,” someone piped up towards the end, to be met with a good-natured “It’s far too late for that!”
Support act Burr Island were also good natured, their four-part harmonies impressing. Coming across like the better-off West Country cousins of Dexys Midnight Runners, the group are still in their thrall of their influences (Simon and Garfunkel, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Harvest Moon-era Neil Young) but have the talent – if not the rough edges – to reach their own audience.
Saving Grace’s set of what might loosely be called Americana comprised a mix of traditional tunes, West Coast classics, more contemporary covers, Plant originals and four Zeppelin numbers in acoustic form.
Musically scintillating, Plant has assembled an absolutely cracking band. Happy to step aside, the spotlight was often somewhere other than him. This underlined with light what was blindingly obvious: this is a band performance, not a frontman and some hired guns.
Singing harmonies and co-lead was Suzi Dian, whose voice was totally simpatico with Plant’s but giving a depth and richness that recalled two of country music’s finest: Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris.
Dian sang lead on Orphan Girl, written by Gillian Welch but better known for Harris’s cover. Dian’s voice has some of the thin steel that characterises Harris’s voice, but has a richer palette to draw on. Plant and Dian rarely took their eye off the other while singing.
Each of the band had numerous standout moments, for example Barney Morse-Brown’s cello acted like the bass, but also created a wonderfully unexpected segment of the radical reworking of Neil Young’s For The Turnstiles.
Matt Worley on banjo and strings was a cut above and also took on a vocal on the traditional What Is The Soul Of A Man. On drums, Oli Jefferson never went anywhere near a four-on-the-floor beat as he wove a rich sound tapestry on his 1930s’ vintage kit.
This is Plant’s Black Country Grand Union Station (with Alison Krauss of course, Plant’s former singing partner). On this form, no other band could touch them, the dynamics, the imagination and the prowess on show (but never overplayed).
The music was full of twists and turns, often evoking a powerful Spanish, Middle Eastern sound. Plant exemplified this, using that big voice of his with the care of a maestro, often cruising with power in reserve.
It was a treat to hear Moby Grape’s West Coast gem It’s a Beautiful Day Today, which sounded fresh and full of promise (sadly no room in the set for Naked If I Want To, but I can dream).
Occasionally Plant let loose and showed us his Zepp chops, with the band seemingly pinching themselves. The Led Zeppelin covers (Ramble On, Four Sticks, Friends and The Rain Song) were tastefully done and arranged to fit into the style of the set, not stand out. Each was treated to a warm welcome and The Rain Song particularly glistened with mystery.
To be critical, a third of the songs were the same as his April 2022 performance at the Grand Opera House, York, and the encores added nothing new musically. The band appear to be playing a very similar set each night on this tour, so there is none of the jeopardy you might get seeing Dylan.
Instead, you get a supremely well-executed set of songs that seem to have been worked through down to the last intake of breath. The 95-minute set flew by: the rich cherry on a fine year for live music in York.
Review by Paul Rhodes