Robert Plant
Roseland Ballroom, New York (June 1, 2001)
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Robert Plant
Roseland Ballroom, New York
June 1, 2001 |
Despite all that, I got a little giddy anticipating the show -- he is, after all, a giant of rock, and from what I heard, his setlists had become full of curiosities. Well, suffice to say that last note is a bit of an understatement. His band is called Strange Sensation, and it proceeded to give us about 100 minutes worth of ‘em.
The songs were classic rock tunes, for sure, but they surely weren’t all Plant’s. It was really a celebration of the music of the ‘60s, almost a revue of the psychedelic era, infused with songs written or made popular by the likes of the Grateful Dead, Donovan, Jimi Hendrix, Tim Buckley and Love.
Plant’s band -- including former members of the Cure and Portishead -- made each song a long rock exercise, drawing out tracks like Donovan’s “Season Of The Witch,” Love’s “A House Is Not A Motel” and encore “Whole Lotta Love” to epic length with meandering middle sections and extended chorus chants. “Hey Joe” was barely recognizable, in long dirge form with mutated lyrics and barely an audible hint of the song’s well-known chord progression.
Plant also attempted to take on-stage banter to new heights of absurdity with his confounding introductions. “Hey Joe” was announced as an “old folk song from before the days of rock and roll” that originated in “the foothills of the German Alps.” And he lurched through a soliloquy about “a song before my time, and probably before yours too,” before launching the Zep classic “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.”
What really won me over, though, was the inclusion of three songs by classic ‘60s band Love: the fiery “7 And 7 Is,” “Bummer In The Summer,” and “A House Is Not A Motel.” The latter opened Plant’s encore as a resplendent jam, at once evoking the haunting moods of the original version (from 1967’s Forever Changes) and expounding upon its potential as a loud rocker. What possessed Plant to so champion the long-defunct band (even so far as to suggest he would record some of their songs for an upcoming solo album) is unclear, but it’s indicative of a healthy musical outlook for someone of his stature.
In the mid-‘90s, Plant reached a point in his career when he could finally look back and embrace his Zeppelin legacy. However, in light of Friday’s gig, it seems he has lately been taking that a step further, using the stage to play music he simply loves, rather than just promoting a new solo disc or pounding out hits. Huzzah for the ol' shopkeep!
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.