Mar 11 Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa Oklahoma
Mar 13 Bricktown Events Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

by Roberts Siren
Just got back from Oklahoma and what a trip. I saw the shows in Tulsa and Oklahoma City this weekend and they were both amazing!

To the best of my recollection, this is the set-list for Tulsa:

1 Win My Train Fare Home
2 Heartbreaker
3 Freedom Fries
4 Black Dog
5 Darkness Darkness
6 Shine It All Round
7 That’s The Way
8 All The Kings Horses
9 If I Were A Carpenter
10 Morning Dew
11 Tin Pan Valley
12 Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
13 Mighty Rearranger
14 Tall Cool One
15 When The Levee Breaks

Encore
The Enchanter
Whole Lotta Love

Set-list for Oklahoma City:

1 Takamba (I think, not entirely sure)
2 Heartbreaker
3 Freedom Fries
4 Morning Dew
5 Black Dog
6 Darkness Darknes
7 That’s The Way
8 If I Were A Carpenter
9 No Quarter
10 Shine It All Around
11 Tin Pan Valley
12 Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
13 When The Levee Breaks
14 Tall Cool One

Encore
The Enchanter
Whole Lotta Love

Robert’s voice is still as powerful as ever, truly amazing. Skeptics who think Robert has hit the wall, or is past his prime, or is too old to rock and roll are going to be in for a shock. He plays rock and roll as if he invented it.

He’s also very witty when introducing his songs. In Oklahoma City his buzz phrase was “Shut up”. Not sure what that was about, but still amusing. Everyone would applaud and cheer after a song and Robert would say “Shut Up” with his little sexy grin.

And Randy Added:
My brother and I flew from our homes in Florida to Okalahoma City to see Robert and the Strange Sensation. – looking for a weekend of great music and the chance to get caught up with each other without work and family issues. In other words a weekend without responsibility. The day of the show we had a free afternoon and after having lunch and a couple of beers we decided on walking down to the events center. While others started to gather outside the front we noticed a tour bus in the back alley –and more importantly the back bay door to the center was up and open. Opportunity struck – we stepped inside! We were near the kitchen and met someone working who pointed down the hall to an approaching gentleman. They mentioned that he was in charge. We decided to be upfront and said we were huge Plant fans, had flown from Florida to see the show and asked if they are going to have a sound check. We also asked if we could stay?

We were told to be quiet, don’t stick out or get in anybodys way, and that yes in about 40 minutes there would be a sound check. We both could not believe our luck and took a seat at one of several table clothed tables near the stage. We had another dilemma -the show started in several hours and we had no beer. Not wanting to move and draw attention to ourselves we sat and talked. We both agreed that Robert would not appear at the sound check because someone with his experience has people that do everything for him. He just appears at showtime and sings. What happened next is what made my brother and I respect Robert and The Strange Sensation even more than we had –if that was possible. On stage out walks Robert (it’s him!) and the band. They huddle, talk for a few minutes, and then Robert grabs the mic and starts singing the first few verses of the title track Mighty Rearranger. The band then gathers again together (I kept thinking of a football huddle) and they make several adjustments to their equipment and continue playing bits and pieces from different songs. Robert has his crew light incense and place them around the stage after complaining about the smell of broccoli coming from the side table where caterers had set up some food. He remarked about how he wanted to give the audience a “cosmic psychedelic experience” and could not do so if the hall smelled of broccoli! Drummer Clive Deamer leaves the stage and walks out into where the audience will be and listens to the band, later Robert does the same. These guys took the sound check very seriously. It could have been so different but how wonderful to see musicians who really care about the audience and what they will hear –not just collecting the concert revenue. Whenever I think of the Grammy’s and other musicians what always comes to my mind is my first hand observations of Robert and how much he really cares about his music and the show he will deliver to his fans. I have seen a lot of bands, several soundchecks by others, and it was the absolute highlight of the day to learn that my favorite musician “cares.” My brother and I wanted very much to get up, walk over to Robert and say hi but decided not to bother him -understanding we were lucky to just be there. Lifelong Robert Plant fans we both looked at each other and then Robert and his band playing on stage 20 feet from our table and became speechless, it was so surreal, a dream come true -our own private Robert Plant concert! Seeing us smile when he walked by, the event center manager paused and asked how we were doing. “Wonderful” we replied and pressing our luck asked “was there any beer available?” A minute later two large plastic cups of beer were delivered to our table – the best keeps getting better. There were at times 8-10 other people in the center during this soundcheck and all of a sudden the warm-up band Soundtrack of our Lives walks over and sits at our table. We both discussed afterwards how we must have appeared to them to have been VIP music producers or recording executives. They reached over and shook our hands. Nice guys. One funny recollection of meeting Soundtrack…. their marketing guy, the guy who sold their cd’s and tee shirts advised everyone that he was hungry, didn’t want what was out, and left to go get some food. He came back a half hour later with a take out bag from Hooters. We asked him after he had his meal how it was, he replied “fair” My brother remarked with a chuckle that Hooters is not known for its food or as place where one orders take out!

In the back the beer counter was now being set up. Feeling confident that having been observed in the hall for hours and therefore looking like we belonged, we got up and walked over to fill our cups again. We made small talk with the lady in charge of the beverage stand and learning that her college aged son loved Robert and had wanted to come but the show was sold out. We told her she could have one of our tickets, since we no longer needed them. She called her son on her cell phone and invited him -he made the hour drive in 45 minutes. Happy to help a college kid, remembering how it was ourselves back then. We ran into Clive Deamer and spent some time speaking with him. We asked what music he was currently listening to and he recommended the band “GoldFrapp” to us. I have since bought one of their cd’s “Black Cherry” and do enjoy it. We spoke about finding a bass player for the Strange Sensation after Charlie left and he explained how happy they were to find Billy. Most bass players who auditioned played as hard and as loud as they could but never quite got what they were really about –until Billy came along. Clive was a real professional and genuinely nice guy to have spent time before the show with us.

As we got ready for Showtime we walked up front center stage and hunkered down for the rush of fans. Now we were faced with the question –with all the beer we were drinking how were we going to make it to the back restroom and get our place back? We decided to make friends with the front center section and offered to bring back an extra beer every time we made a trip. It worked and since we were now drinking free beer we made many trips. Since my brother and I are over 6’tall we let everyone shorter than us step up front so as not to block their view. This put us about 3-4 rows back with even more friends…

Robert, The Strange Sensation, and the show were wonderful. During “If I were a Carpenter” my brother noticed a couple just behind us hugging each other and slow dancing….the woman had tears of happiness in her eyes. My brother a sentimentalist parted the front area so Robert could see the couple, and he smiled.

After the show we stopped by a club that Soundtrack happened also to be at and listened to more live music…..what a great evening.

We both thought our story was now over but it was not. At the airport, in the Delta concourse, the next morning my brother was on his cell phone with a business call and I looked up and saw Robert walk by on his way to the gift shop. Wow! My brother dropped the call (I am sure blaming it on bad airport reception). Not wanting to bother him while he was in the shop good luck again came our way. Clive Deamer came out from the restaurant/bar area and stood near us. Since we had spent some time talking with him the night before we made eye contact and walked a few steps over to him. Robert observed us with Clive and came over and we shook hands. We had our unused ticket and Robert was gracious to have signed it for us. Looking back we should have asked Clive to do so too, and we were upset with ourselves afterwards for not giving him the same attention. My brother told Robert he was the one that parted the front section during “If I was a Carpenter” so that he could see the hugging couple with tears of happiness in their eyes. Robert replied as he walked away to his gate “I hate to see a woman cry…..”

Oklahoma City –we will always remember our concert trip there and our once in a lifetime meeting with Robert and the Strange Sensation. Unfortunately the Florida shows were cancelled but we did fly to New York to see both shows at The Beacon Theater –also fantastic.

Robert thanks for not only making the music but for thinking of the fans.