New Robert Plant Video Upload

Robert Plant's official YouTube page in recent weeks uploaded Sensational Space Shifter performances of Spoonful and Black Dog. Today's addition is Tin Pan Valley.

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters

Robert Plant's official YouTube page has released a couple of videos from Robert Plant's South American/Australian tour this past winter.

Here's Spoonful



And Black Dog

Robert Plant North American Tour Confirmed

Robert Plant, with his band the Sensational Space Shifters, has announced a North American tour. The tour begins on June 20th in Dallas and ends on July 27th in Brooklyn. A tour trailer video has also been released.



The Sensational Space Shifters are guitarist Justin Adams, keyboardist John Baggott, African ritti player Juldeh Camara, bassist Billy Fuller, Dave Smith on drums and percussion and Liam Tyson adding more guitar, vocals.

Here's the confirmed dates:

June 20: Dallas, TX - Palladium
June 21: Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
June 23: Austin, TX - Moody Theater
June 26: Los Angeles, CA - Shrine Auditorium
June 28: Santa Barbara, CA - County Bowl
June 29: Berkeley, CA - Berkeley Greek
July 2: Jacksonville, OR - Britt Festival
July 4: Quincy, CA - High Sierra Festival
July 6: George, WA - Jambase Festival
July 7: Portland, OR - Portland Blues Festival
July 10: Morrison, CO - Red Rocks
July 12: Chicago, IL - Grant Park
July 13: Memphis, TN - Live In The Garden
July 14: Louisville, KY - Forecastle Festival
July 17: New Orleans, LA - Mahalia Jackson Theater
July 19: Atlanta, GA - Verizon Amphitheatre
July 20: Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre
July 22: Vienna, VA - Wolftrap
July 24: Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
July 25: Boston, MA - B of A Pavilion
July 27: Brooklyn, NY - Prospect Park

Review Week - Day 4: Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters Live in Curitiba, Brazil

I had heard that Robert Plant had, in his own words, "found his big voice" during his fall shows with the Sensational Space Shifters (SSS). Not knowing for sure what that even meant, it was time to listen to what the Golden God was up to. All the shows from the South American tour the SSS are available for legal download at Livedownloads.com. I chose one randomly and wound up with Curitiba, Brazil on October 27th.


Plant sounds in very good voice on this night and his interaction with a lively audience is fun to listen to. Clearly the audience was in to it, and the Sensational Space Shifters gave them an uptempo set sprinkled with songs mostly from Plant's solo and Led Zeppelin career.

Unlike other tours, Plant stays fairly true to the originals, making arrangement changes for the instruments in use but not to the basic song itself. Rock and Roll, for instance, which was given a reworking into a rockabilly yawn-a-long, is back to being a solid rocker. Whole Lotta Love is recognizable as such while Black Dog is weirded out musically. The vocal line in the latter, however, is not much changed from the recent Celebration Day release.

Highlights include All The Kings Horses (during the intro of which someone yells, "beautiful man, beautiful"), Going to California and the aforementioned Rock and Roll. But outside of the opening song, Tin Pan Valley, there's nothing in this set that's not excellent. It has been a long time (been a long time, been a long time) since I've enjoyed listening to new Robert Plant music as much as I did this show.

That leaves us with one question: has Plant found his big voice? The answer is unquestionably yes and, having combined it with the half octave harmony vocalist he has learnt to be the last five years, he is effective and dynamic singer fronting a solid and entertaining band. One hopes Patty Griffin has more solo tours lined up in the next couple of years.

Setlist

• Tin Pan Valley


• Another Tribe


• Friends


• Spoonful


• Somebody Knocking


• Black Dog


• All The Kings Horses


• Bron-Y-Aur Stomp


• Enchanter


• Four Sticks


• Ramble On


• Freedom Fries


• Whole Lotta Love

-- Encore --

• Going to California


• Rock and Roll

Robert Plant Goes "Into the New World"

A video was released yesterday on RobertPlant.com for the "Into The New World 2012" tour by his Sensational Space Shifters. First thought was a North American tour may be coming, but it may be a be a promo for the currently running South American tour. Here's the video:



Meanwhile, in Argentina Sunday night Plant was jumped onstage by a fan. As the band was ending the show a fan ran onstage and directly toward Plant. Plant saw him at the last minute and jumped out of the way, but not before the fan did make contact with a falling Plant. Security then made the exuberant fans night somewhat less than fun. Watch the video here at about 4:30.



Meanwhile, all the South American shows up to Sunday nights is now available for legal download via LiveDownloads.com.

Robert Plant Live Downloads

Last July, Robert Plant made his Sensation Space Shifters HMV forum show in London available for online download. The experiment on online marketing seems to have been a success. Plant is making the shows on his current South American tour available to purchase via Live Download.com.

Last nights show on Rio De Janeiro is already available for download in a number of formats, including CD - which is not an option for the July show. Songs are also available for individual download in MP3 format.

Here's the setlist for last nights Sensational Space Shifter show in Rio:

• Introduction


• Fixin' To Die


• Tin Pan Alley


• 44


• Friends


• Spoonful


• Somebody Knocking


• Black Dog


• Bron-Y-Aur Stomp


• Enchanter


• Another Tribe


• Ramble On


• Witchdoctor


• Who Do You Love? > Whole Lotta Love > Steal Away > Bury My Body
  ENCORE:


• Going to California


• Gallows Pole


• Rock and Roll

Robert Plant Writing Again

Is Robert Plant set to release two albums in the upcoming year or so? That seems to be the logical conclusion as Plant tells The Telegraph's Paul Sexton that he has almost completed an album with The Sensational Space Shifters.

This comes on the heels of telling The Independent that he had completed a new Band of Joy record, "with psychedelic pedal steel and all sorts of stuff."

Besides recording two new albums, Plant appears to be writing songs again, as he told Sexton of the Space Shifters recording:

12 tracks (completed), 11 originals and no sentimental stuff.

If true, the album will be Plant's first album with new, original material since 2005's Strange Sensation album Mighty ReArranger. Last year, Plant told Rolling Stone that he was through writing new songs and hadn't written anything since "Tony Blair became a Roman Catholic (Dec 2007)".

I have contacted Plant's management to verify whether he actually has two new albums coming up, but they have so far not responded to my emails.

Brazilian Space Shift

On the back of Robert Plant's announcement of a South American tour earlier this week, Plant today announced that The Sensational Space Shifters will do a number of shows in Brazil in October before heading to Argentina, Chile and Peru in November.

The new dates announced are:

1. October 18 - HSBC arena
   Rio De Janero
   www.livepass.br
   


2. October 20 - Mirante Olhos D'Agua
   Belo Horizonte
   Ingresso Rapido
   


3. October 22 - Espaco das Americas
   Sau Paulo
   www.livepass.br
   


4. October 23 - Espaco das Americas
   Sau Paulo
   www.livepass.br
   


5. October 25 - Nilson Nelson Arena
   Brasilia
   www.ingressorapido.com.br
   


6. October 27 - Teatro Positivo
   Curitaba


7. October 29 - Gigantinho
   Porto Algere

South American Space Shifters

Robert Plant's official website today announced five South American concerts in November for his Sensational Space Shifters. From November 1st to November 9th, the Sensationals will play three shows in Argentina, plus one each in Chile and Peru. Here's the full listing:

1. November 1, 2012 – Luna Park
   Argentina, Buenos Aires.
   www.ticketportal.com.ar


2. November 2, 2012 – Luna Park
   Argentina, Buenos Aires.
   www.ticketportal.com.ar


3. November 4, 2012 – Orfeo Superdomo
   Argentina, Cordoba
   orfeosuperdomo.com


4. November 7, 2012 – Arena Movistar
   Chile, Santiago
   www.feriaticket.cl


5. November 9, 2012 – Jockey Club
   Peru, Lima
   www.teleticket.com.pe

Robert Plant and his Walk Into Birmingham

Robert Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters brought their show to the US last week for a 2 shows, including Birmingham Alabama Sunday night at the Alabama Theatre.

While I've kept in touch with what the singer is doing enough to have a reasonable expectation what fans could have expected, I'm not on top of how well they performed, or how the performances went over. Thus, I use reviews to figure out how the night was. According to Alabama.com, Sunday night went exceedingly well, getting 5 stars out of 5:

When you're the 63-year-old lead singer of one of the most legendary bands on the planet, you can pretty much do whatever you want to.

That's why, while his homeland of England was showcasing U.K. rock 'n roll groups during the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, Robert Plant rode through Alabama in the midst of a brief U.S. tour with his newest group, Sensational Space Shifters...

Right from the start, it was clear that this performance would be one that avoided being pigeonholed into a specific genre...

Robert Plant may not be as young as he once was. He may not be able to hit the highest levels or hold out the longest notes. And he probably didn't trash whatever hotel room he stayed in.
But the fact that the singer can continue to conjure new projects and mesh well with just about any musician is proof: he's still got it.

Reaction from Clarksdale on Saturday was similar. While in Clarksdale, Plant was honoured with an induction into the Mississippi Delta Blues Hall of Fame.

New Band of Joy Album Due Next Year

In preparation for The Sensational Space Shifters show at the HMV theatre in London tomorrow, Robert Plant sat down with Tim Cumming of Britain's The Independent, Plant reveals that his next album (first mentioned here) will be a Band of Joy album, and that it is complete:

...Buddy Miller and I created Band of Joy... and we've recorded a new record that's far, far out with psychedelic pedal steel and all sorts of stuff.

The album is set for release next year according to the article.

As for the Sensational Space Shifters, "So long as it feels good, I'm not trying to break the bank..."

Sounds like Band of Joy has a future, and The Sensational Space Shifters will be Plant's side project for a while.

Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation-al Space Shifters

[caption id="attachment_1762" align="aligncenter" width="267" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

Robert Plant introduced his latest project last night at Guildhall in Gloucester last night as the Sensational Space Shifters played to the 400 or so people who were lucky enough to get tickets.

[caption id="attachment_1763" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

The Space Shifters lineup consisted of Plant, Patty Griffin (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Juldeh Camara (ritti), Skin Tyson (guitar), Justin Adams (guitar), Billy Fuller (bass), John Baggott (keyboards) and Dave Smith (drums). Minus drummer Clive Deamer, this is virtually the line up for Plant's Strange Sensation when he recorded and toured on Mighty ReArranger.

Here's a setlist, lifted from a picture of the stage setlist:

1. 18 hammers


2. Tin pan valley


3. 44


4. Four sticks


5. Hey joe


6. Bron-y-aur ( perhaps Bron-y-aur stomp)


7. No bad news


8. Standing


9. Black dog


10. Somebody knocking


11. Witch doctor


12. WLL/bury my body


13. Satan or Siren


14. Gallows pole

[caption id="attachment_1764" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

They did play Song to the Siren, but it's unclear whether Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down was also played. The setlist consists of old Plant and Zeppelin numbers, some old blues pieces and one number by Patty Griffin (No Bad News). Reports are that the show was "awesome," and the few clips that have made their way online give the impression that Plant was in good form.

Here's Song to the Siren from last night's show to judge for yourself.



Thanks to Wyatt Brake for much of the information on the band and for his work in referencing the songs, and to Dawn Atherton who allowed me to publish her pictures from the evening here.

[caption id="attachment_1765" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1768" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1769" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1770" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo by Dawn Atherton - Used by Permission"][/caption]

Robert Plant to Unveil the Sensational Space Shifters

Looks like Robert Plant is going back to the Black Country, as he's announced his new band, The Sensational Space Shifters, will play the Guildhall in Gloucester on May 8th. This is the earliest of the announced concerts for the Sensational Space Shifters. They are also scheduled to play Womad Festival in Malmesbury, Wiltshire on
July 29th and the Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival in Clarksdale, MS in August.

The Sensational Space Shifters feature Plant and his "wife" Patty Griffin, Justin Adams, who played with Plant with Strange Sensation Days from 2001 - 2007, Adams collaborator Juldeh Camara, and bassist Billy Fuller, also formerly of Strange Sensation.

Tickets for the Guildhall shops go on sale this Friday, April 20th (maximum of 4).

Ramble On Radio Episode #14

Jimmy Page is releasing Lucifer Rising and Other Sound Tracks, Robert Plant's Sensational Space Shifter's is coming together, John Paul Jones plays avant-garde and I discuss it all in this St. Patrick's Podcast.

Also, I review Glenn Hughes book "Glenn Hughes: An Autobiography From Deep Purple to Black Country Communion."

Get Episode #14 here, or subscribe via iTunes, and never miss another episode.

Robert Plant to Unveil New Band

Robert Plant announced today, via his website, that he is launching a new band in July. Plant will unveil the Sensational Space Shifters at the 30th anniversary of the WOMAD Festival in Wiltshire, July 27-29.

The Sensational Space Shifters will consist of members of his former band, Strange Sensation including guitarist Justin Adams and Adams former collaborater Juldeh Camara.

The Sensational Space Shifters are being described by UK Festival Guides as "a heady brew of blues, gospel and psychedelia inspired by the roots music of Mississippi, Appalachia, Gambia, Bristol and the foothills of Wolverhampton. "

In 2009 Plant took the stage of WOMAD Abu Dhabi with Adams and Camara to perform Funny In My Mind (I Believe I’m Fixin’ To Die) from Dreamland, possibly an indication of what's to come:



No word on whether the Sensational Space Shifters will record or tour.