June 29, 2005 Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN

Set List
No Quarter
Shine it all around
Black Dog
Freedom Fries
Darkness Darkness
That’s the way
Tin Pan Valley
Heartbreaker
Mighty Rearranger
Gallows Pole
Encore:
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
The Enchanter
Whole Lotta Love

by Plantme
We saw Robert last night! What a great show! The Ryman Theater is a very lovely old building. Robert looked great. He had the beard and it is very, very becoming on him. He looked really happy and like he was truly having a ball on stage. He laughed and made lots of gestures (sticking out his chest) in response to a rather well-endowed young lady in the audience. I was adding up the Robert shows I have been lucky enough to have attended last night and I believe this was show 15. I have to say in all the times I have seen Robert perform, he seemed like he was having more fun at this show than any other time before. He and the Strange Sensations did a little “chorus line” dance at the end too. He was in a very silly mood and everyone enjoyed him so much. The theater was rocking. I looked around me during the concert and in one section saw about five young teenage boys, around 13 or so, head-bobbing and having a blast. In another section were older couples who were dancing and singing along. It was great to see so many different ages and types of people just grooving on Robert. I wrote down the set-list but somehow misplaced it. I hope some other MN person will have it. Robert had on some jacquard tonal print pants and a black tuxedo shirt. It appears that he is letting his hair grow out a bit. Whatever he’s doing, I hope that he keeps it up because he looks so joyful and lively, not to mention VERY handsome.

Robert did indeed play the harmonica, during Mighty Rearranger if memory serves me correctly.

He mentioned Alison Krauss several times and of course, he remembered Elvis being at the Ryman. He also spoke of the misty mountains, but there was so much screaming that it was hard to hear exactly what he was saying, but I did get that much. I heard that Frank Melfi was there making some photographs, but as I don’t know the gentleman, I can’t say for sure who it was, but there was someone taking pictures. Robert said quite a few things that I didn’t hear well, but I can understand the enthusiasm of the audience and can’t hold that against those who were a bit vocal in their appreciation! While I love the songs from Mighty Rearranger, I have to admit that When the Levee Breaks is one of my favorites. Darkness, Darkness is also one of the songs I love to hear Robert sing, though he could sing the phone book and I’d be happy. As others have posted, there is so much true, friendly interaction between Robert and the band, it just makes you smile to watch them. Robert did mention that Skin was their person who spoke with Mars and other cultures (or something to that effect). Robert’s voice is so, dare I say, “sexy” when he sings Darkness, Darkness that it just takes me away! He and the band several times waved at someone and held up beverages in a toast of sorts, but I have no idea if it was anyone special or just the audience in general. As I was off to the side, I can say for sure it wasn’t me. I never went upstairs where the merchandise was being sold, but I saw people with what looked like signs or something. They were all folded over and I could just see that it was some kind of large paper object, so there may be something new added to the Robertbelia. Being a history buff, I was trying to look at the building and the materials during the wait times. The opening act, Soundtrack of Our Lives was really good. It’s so hard for me to sit patiently while waiting for Robert that they must have been good, because I found myself listening to them and not checking my watch!

And Betterwithbob Added:
As for the show, it was fabulous. With tickets on the main floor and me being short I had a real hard time actually seeing Robert. I did get to see Justin and Clive quite well though. Robert was in quite the silly mood - maybe it wasn’t tea in his cuppa. It was truly hard to hear or understand all his quips, etc. It could have been the acoustics, but what do I know. One thing I got a kick out of was when he was singing Whole Lotta Love - he kept saying that “Grandad needs it!”. He was definatedly unshaven. He smiled a whole lot and just looked like he was having a ball. I think that The Enchanter was one of my favorites of the evening. I just love the music and the whole ambience of that one. He did strut around in parody of his earlier days toward the end of the show. And he pretended to rip his shirt open but really only undid one more button. He wasn’t wearing boots but some sort of a thick-soled black shoes. I practically had to stand up on a pew to get a quick glimpse of the footwear. The Ryman used to be a church and before the show I actually caught myself looking around for a pencil in a pew rack so I could write down the set list - what a wacko - no pencil - no pew rack.