Robert Plant and his new 'Band of Joy'
Robert Plant appeared in Albuquerque at the outdoor Sandia Casino Amphitheater on Sunday, July 18, 2010.
He did not sing this song ("Great Spirit, come") but it would've been highly appropriate on the Sandia Pueblo lands nestled in under the Sandia Mountains with lightning, thunder, and rain to start things off. "Great Spirit" was there in spades.
"Great Spirit come - Great Spirit come
Who has chased away the moonbeams?
Who has pulled a blanket across the sky?
Who will sing in celebration
Throughout this land that's bound to die?
Oh - that's bound to die
Who will put an end to all this sadness?
Who hears the Earth that cries beneath the burning rain?
All truth reduced to piles of greed and madness
The accident remains the same
It remains the same
Robbery and evil and the stealing
From the body and the mind for the healing
Of the spirit and the pride and the will of the land
Grace and courage, honesty and love
There's evil, there's evil, there's evil going on
I love my brother - I must share the seed
That falls through fortune at my feet
The fate of nations and of all their needs
Lies trapped inside these hearts of greed
Grace and courage, honesty and love
Great Spirit come - come on, come on
It's the will of the land
Great Spirit - Great Spirit
The will of the land
We'll sing in celebration"
Dang telephone photographs leave a bit to be desired...but we had great seats...Even while a bit bored during the 'rain delay'...
Deb and Jeff take it all in
Plant's new band is fantastic. Includes mandolin, washboard, banjo, and voices of plaintive Patty Griffin who is a step up from Alison Krauss or maybe a step in a different more floating direction. Turns out the NEW band is really the OLD band in which Plant played for two years preceding the flight of Led Zeppelin. They are a self-proclaimed, "British blues-roots psychedelic band".
The 61 year old Robert Plant rocked and moved and grooved smoothly with this band of gypsies. He seemed to truly be enjoying himself as they played Hangman, A Satisfied Mind, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, and 2 covers by Duran Duran and Townes Van Zant. There was a magnificent version of Gallows Pole with mandolin and banjo and of course electric guitar. She's Got the Money, Nobody's Fault But Mine, and All My Love also hit the night's playlist.
And once they started, the rain stopped falling however lightning flashes in the mountains added some true psychedlia. And as the rowdy fellow next to me kept shouting, Plant is truly a LEGEND, one whom I am glad to have finally seen 'live'.
If the songs they played in the lightning storm are any indication, this cd should be a blast!...Available for Pre-order at Amazon...BAND OF JOY
Hey Jeff,
ReplyDeleteThat was quite a show at the Sandia, wasn't it? We sure felt lucky to see the Band of Joy, too. They were so good, we got a "wild hair" and went to see them in Tucson, too. Both nights were great, though I liked the version of "Satisfied Mind" at Sandia a little bit better. We're eagerly awaiting the new album, coming soon to a mailbox or a Best Buy near you.......
By the way, the rain followed Robert & Co to Tucson, as well, though not as strongly as it was at Sandia.
Glad to get your new blog, too. Looking good......
Mark
PS: I'm posting this as Anonymous, as I'm not signed up on the others.
Well of course the rain followed the Band of Joy from one desert to another. This is the time of year to heartily water the Robert Plant. (Imagine maniacal laughter here: hahahahahahahaha!)
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