December 21, 2000 Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton

Report by Sali

Setlist: A House Is Not A Motel / Lazy Me / Bummer In The Summer / Bluebird / As Long As I Have You ( including ‘Houses Of The Holy and Break On Through) / If I Were A Carpenter / Darkness Darkness / Flames / Hey Joe / Chevrolet / GLORIA / Baby Please Don’t Go encore - Season Of The Witch / Thank You / Song To The Siren. 2nd encore - We’re Gonna Groove

The Moroccan ’space troupe’, I think that’s how Robert described them, (Momo) did a great job in helping us to forget all that and get into dancing mood and their own dancer was mesmerising.

The DJ (!) who has been announcing the titles of the various Northern Soul Reggae numbers introduces Mr. Robert Plant and The Priory Of Brion. This is what this crowd has been waiting for and the roar of welcome is very loud as the band comes on stage and Robert approaches the microphone stand with its Wolves scarf bearing the legend ‘Pride Of The Black Country. ‘It’s immediately clear that he is playing on home ground. He looks good in his blue shirt. Everyone on stage looks happy and relaxed. A Wolves supporter nearby (RC) told me that this band is ‘Bloody good’ as Robert is dancing, moving as if he can fly. I’ve been very restrained all year while writing these reviews but this is the last one this year and the band has come so far since those early days that I might let rip a bit here. RC tells me Robert is ‘A Bloody good guy’ and I have to say he’s also bloody gorgeous.

There are three guitars on stage building and building towards a climax against the tapestry of Andy’s powerful, accurate, driving drums. Kevyn is waving his guitar about while Tim plays ‘Frere Jaques’, Robert claps as only Robert claps and, with a half smile, bows. The crowd have got into team mode and chant in unison, something which I take to be related to football. A smiling Robert introduces a song from the time “When people dreamed in colour” warning us that it’s going to be “Bloody Loud” as Tim moves to the keyboards for ‘Bummer In The Summer’ and his hand is in the air, presumably requesting more volume, while Robert’s hand is moving snake like. It’s not just loud, it’s fast.

Now he is telling us that this is their “Christmas do” then talks about the time he joined Jimmy Page (roar of approval) for the tour of Scandinavia and joined Atlantic Records, and openly acknowledges his good fortune in this regard in a genorous and quip-free way. The rest of the band are well trained, standing quite still just the odd blink of an eye from Tim as Robert talks about the West Coast Scene “Which is what this is all about” then it’s ‘Bluebird’ followed by ‘As Long As I Have You’ once Tim has got back to the keyboards - no wonder he’s losing weight! I couldn’t see Andy from where I was standing but I could certainly hear his cracking contribution. We are dancing as we get into the reggae. The rhythm section is really tight and Robert is dancing. I can hear the bass guitar and percussion absolutely together, one of the advantages of not being in the front row is that I can hear everyone’s contribution even though I can only see Kevyn when he steps forward. Each number has its own climax and ‘Break On Through’ certainly helps build this one. (My notes say “Wow! wow! wow!).

Tim is back on keyboards, building, building, Robert gives us a wonderful “Oooooh” and the crowd goes wild. He then thanks the DJ “just before the raffle” and mentions the pantomime season. A voice near me calls out “He’s behind you” and there is much laughter at his reply “He’s nowhere near me mate!” before talking about a time of stomach pumps and people with very large pupils which somehow leads into “If I Were A Carpenter”. RC says “Bloody brilliant” and “sounds supreme”. Robert’s singing is extra forceful and he hands the job over to the audience saying “You do it” as he dances so well.

‘Darkness Darkness’ begins, calm and steady. Robert sings with passion with an echo effect on his voice then it starts to build up to a bit of classic Kevyn Gammond guitar work and the rest of the band is right there with him. The percussion work is varied and packed with energy. Guitar hands over to keys and Tim moves between sitting and standing at keyboards smiling as he plays a passage on the very top notes - we are heading for another climax. At the beginning of ‘Flames’ Kevyn steps forward and I can finally see him as he waves his guitar about. Robert introduces ‘Hey Joe’ with the words “A desperate song, for desperate people in desparate times. A dangerous story of everyday country folk… a bit like ‘Gallow’s Pole’ with a New Searchers introduction”.

We get the ‘three guitars’ version of the Priory Of Brion. It is clear that this is not a crowd easily swayed into silence and the number gets more and more powerful with Kevyn firing wild shots with his guitar and it goes wild with a loud “1,2,3,4″ and a wonderful wail from those majestic vocal chords. No, this crowd doesn’t do silences but Robert tames them a little and Paul’s bass guitar can be heard. It looks as if Tim is going back to the keyboards, but no he stays on guitar for ‘Chevrolet’ for which Robert whips out the harmonica to great roars of approval from the crowd. Paul is having fun with some strong bass chords tightly linked to ……. ‘Wow!’ that drumming. No wonder Tama are sponsoring him! More sexy harmonica licks to end on before GLORIA with plenty of audience participation which Kevyn enjoys immensly and Tim’s back on keys giving us a nice little run into ‘Hoochie Koochie Man’. Robert encourages Kevyn with “Go on, go on” - he does and the rest of the band are right there with him. They launch straight into ‘Baby Please Don’t Go’. This is also loud and fast and the bass is wonderful. There is some interplay between Kevyn’s guitar and Robert’s vocals and “Bbbbbbb baby” builds up the tension again. This is wild and it works - we go wild with it.

The encore begins with a story about a man in a brown cord cap who sold Robert a car in Lowestoft. The car had a burned out clutch. The man was Donovan and the song is “Season Of The Witch” . I was pleased enough that this number had been reinstated to the set list but the fact that Robert plays guitar has made it even more special. The crowd loves it as he bends the strings. He is getting his licks together and is playing more fluidly. This is great. He hands the guitar to Tim who passes it on taking the bass from Paul who moves up front for an excellent lead in ‘If Six Was Nine’. He retains his cool, laid back appearance while playing some electrifying guitar which is much more audible than it was in Crewe. It’s wild but he makes it look effortlessand executes some unison bends more than reminiscent of Hendrix. It’s a fantastic arrangement. Robert gets the sound up on his voice for a superb wail and the sudden ending is perfect.

Robert introduces the band by their real names and over the opening chord he dedicates the song to Colin Lee ( ? Leigh ? sorry that’s football ) which the crowd seem to appreciate, especially as we recognise and sing along with ‘Thank You’. Now his magic is even beginning to still the audience and ‘Song To The Siren’ is beautiful. Tim’s keys swell building on the power generated by drums and bass and an echo on Robert’s vocals enhances the effect. At the end he bows deeply and I notice how much slimmer he is, in fact they all are. They have certainly worked hard this year and deserve a rest. RC (Wolves supporter) tells me “This surpasses the lot” and I’m inclined to agree.

This audience is not going to give up easily and although a few people are beginning to move away Robert reappears to ask “One more?” He says “We’re white guys but we can swing …….. one way.” and they move into ‘We’re Gonna Groove” and groove they certainly can, leading us up to one last orgasmic wail. It has been a great year. Thanks to Kevyn Gammond, Andy Edwards, Paul Wetton. Paul Timothy and Robert Plant for the music and thanks to everyone who works behind the stage to bring it to us. Please keep up the good work. Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.”

article courtesy Sali, who allowed the contents of her Calling to You website to be added to ManicNirvana.com.

December 14, 2000 Victoria Community Center, Crewe

Report by Sali

set list: I’ll do my best to remember but I can’t promise it’s accurate: A House Is Not A Motel / Lazy Me / Bluebird / If I Were A Carpenter / Darkness Darkness / As Long As I Have You / Hey Joe / Flames / GLORIA / Baby Please Don’t Go / If 6 was 9
encore: Season Of The Witch / Chevrolet
2nd encore: Thank You / Song To The Siren

Live music doesn’t come much better than this. This band just gets better and better. The musicianship was so good, responsive to each other and to the crowd, intuitive, creative, powerful, sexy, and so much fun.

Robert was smiling and playful. His hair is longer, he seemed slimmer, the voice was mighty fine, totally in control and going wherever he wanted it to. He made passing reference to the huge stadiums…”Been there, done that…………” Kevyn was incredibly animated in what he described as ‘Dennis the Menace mode’. Everyone on the stage appeared relaxed, confident and happy. The R&B has moved over to make room for something more demanding and exciting - and it works. They seem to be developing the art of the dramatic pause and this was demonstrated superbly in Darkness Darkness, at the end of which Robert knelt to receive a spray of red roses. OK OK I’ll admit it - it was me with the roses.

As Long As I Have You was the best I have heard it because of the excited, dramatic collective frame of mind. Baby Please Don’t Go was very fast, led by an inspired and unrelenting intensity by Andy on the drums. While the main set had an intoxicating atmosphere of excitement and anticipation. The encore was positively electrifying. Robert went to the side and got his guitar, Kevyn leapt up by the drums to encourage the audience and Robert prodeeded to play some very confident, flowing improvisation. He was having so much fun the number had three false endings. Chevrolet, a new number, one of those Northern Missippi songs that ‘everyone’ did, took my breath away when Robert turned his back on us only to swing round with a harmonica to his lips playing classic Robert Plant blues licks. This was wonderful and received a fantastic response.

I think the crowd felt it had experienced a full evening’s entertainment by now and were surprised by the band’s reappearance for a second encore. Robert called back the people who had drifted towards the exits virtually over the top of the ‘Old Man River’ type track with which the management had tried to bring things to a close. Thank You was very well received - I don’t think the audience could believe their luck. Song To The Siren demonstrated that Robert’s voice is still the best with a long passage of Egyptian style singing alongside Tim on keyboards. They held the audience beautifully.

This was a perfect Priory Of Brion evening during which every member of the band contributed to the whole which was magically more than the sum of its parts. I can’t end without mentioning Andy’s percussion which had an extra edge this evening including an intricate passage using the rim and shell of the drum. Another memorable moment was when Tim took Paul’s bass stepped back and really got into the groove while Paul took Robert’s black Gibson and, looking totally cool, played an overdriven solo alongside the manic Kevyn.

We were lucky enough to talk to the band after the show and they told us some interesting facts:
Chevrolet was notably (for Robert!) performed by Donovan.
English audiences, with the exception of a few nutters at the front, are the least responsive. (We should do something about this shouldn’t we?)

article courtesy Sali, who allowed the contents of her Calling to You website to be added to ManicNirvana.com.