Photo gallery and concert review: Robert Plant and The Band of Joy at the Meyerson (July 23)

by Ron Dempesmeier, Daniel Work of Pretty Cool Images

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Robert Plant and his Band of Joy certainly brought joy to fans at the Meyerson.

What does a living legend do to follow a multi-Grammy Award winning album (Raising Sand) and successful world tour with Bluegrass thrush Alison Krauss? How about revive an over 40-year-old band name from the Midlands of England, start out fresh with an almost completely new set of Americana/country musicians, and tour the U.S. before the new album is even in the stores? Robert Plant can’t be accused of playing it safe.

The excellent Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center was a cozy place to see and hear Plant and his band of Nashville/Austin stalwarts. The Band of Joy consisted of Buddy Miller (vocals, electric guitar), Patty Griffin (vocals, guitar), Darrell Scott (vocals, banjo, mandolin, pedal steel, and acoustic guitars), Byron House (electric and acoustic bass, vocals), and Marco Giovino (drums, accordion, vocals). Griffin, Scott, and Miller each performed a song apiece over the course of the evening to showcase their impressive singing skills as well.

There is no doubt that Plant’s fixation with traditional American music (folk, gospel, country, and rockabilly) has made him follow his muse instead of reuniting with Led Zeppelin and wringing stadiums out of mounds of money. However, over the evening a number of Zeppelin numbers were re-invented with the shimmering, atmospheric (but still powerful) sound of the Band of Joy.

The concert started with snake-like Middle Eastern melody of “Down to the Sea” from Plant’s Fate of Nations album. Soon, a number of songs from his later solo albums -- the unreleased Band of Joy (coming out in September) and Raising Sand -- were performed. None of his Top 40 hits (save one) were done. So there was definitely a call to the audience to appreciate the music for music’s sake and as Plant mentioned later in the show, “I know there is a lot of new, weird stuff, but be patient – it’s worth it!”

A lovely “All the King’s Horses” from Mighty Rearranger led to “Please Read the Letter” where Patty Griffin stepped into Krauss’ role with great aplomb. One of the first of a generous number of Led Zeppelin numbers was a scuffling take on “Misty Mountain Hop.”

The group’s gospel leanings were featured in an arresting medley consisting of “Oh What a Beautiful City,” “Wade in the Water,” and Led Zeppelin’s “In My Time of Dying” (which that group “borrowed” from Blind Willie Johnson’s “Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed”). They also displayed it on another Band of Joy track called “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down.”

Plant performed songs written by some overlooked folk and roots legends like “House of Cards” by Richard Thompson, “Angel Dance” by Los Lobos, and during the encore “Harm’s Swift Way” by Fort Worth’s own star-crossed Townes Van Zandt. Plant’s generosity to feature other songwriters extended to his own bandmates as he sometimes receded to the rear of the stage to sing backing and play harmonica during their turns at the front. He no doubt still believes in the ideals of the '60s when he started his career and showed his hippie roots by performing barefoot on a Turkish carpet.

One of the more unlikely visions of Plant was his turn playing the washboard during a new song called “Central Two 0 Nine” and ending it with an over-the-top flourish – probably not as good as a real Zydeco musician, but performed with a lot of chutzpah. When he did perform one of his more popular solo songs it was a controlled version of “Tall Cool One” from his Now & Zen album.

The crowd’s greatest applause was for the Led Zeppelin numbers that the Band of Joy performed their reinterpretations upon. The lovely “Thank You” from Led Zeppelin II brought out a number of lighters (actually cell phone LCDs) and showed that Plant’s paean to his first wife still could hit the heartstrings and worked well with pedal steel accompaniment. “The Houses of the Holy” from Physical Graffiti displayed some more fire with more chopped electric guitar work by Buddy Miller. Darrell Scott’s ancient looking banjo and very traditional playing style (not the rolling 3-finger Earl Scruggs’ Bluegrass type but the plucked, almost Civil War-era type) fit perfectly into “Gallows Pole,” which closed out the main set of music.

During the encore, the classic Led Zeppelin “Rock and Roll” was played with rockabilly instrumentation and attitude. Plant displayed his love for all song traditions that led to the beginning of his career and some that he probably picked up along the way. His talented Band of Joy helped his musical voyage into more uncharted territories.

Note on opening act Bettye LaVette:

This somewhat obscure (at least in America) rhythm & blues singer performed a very entertaining set of songs written for her and a number of interpretations of well-known rock and country songs. She has the type of voice that has a natural, knowing grittiness and passion like Tina Turner. She excelled in reinterpreting George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity?” from All Things Must Pass and The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me” from Quadrophenia. LaVette also sang a song popularized by George Jones called “Choices” with lyrics about the twists and turns in life we make and living with the consequences. She made these songs fit her voice like a glove.

LaVette’s career is on a roll considering she just released her “... third album on the same label!” and was nominated for a Contemporary Blues Grammy in 2008 for The Scene of the Crime. Amazingly, she’s been in the business as long as Plant, but it has taken 40 years for her to reach a crest. She certainly deserves her success and is a study in perseverance.

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