July 23, 2006 Colours of Ostrava, Ostrave, Czek Republic

Set List
Intro (Shine It All Around Remix)
Win My Train Fare Home
Freedom Fries
Seven & Seven Is
Black Dog
Going To California
29 Plams
Friends
Tin Pan Valley
Four Sticks
Gallows Pole
The Enchanter
Whole Lotta Love

by Devy
CoO Fest is a event that is spread in 4 days and it’s devoted to world music (mr. Plant was according to himself “promoting english music”). Just before Strange Sensation hit the stage we watched and heard Cheikh Lo (moody ethno-jazzy music from Senegal, worth seeking out). Mr. Plant was reported to spend few days in Ostrava attending saturday’s Salif Keita concert (he mentioned it during the concert) and some Strange Sensationists were wandering around fest area minutes before concert took place.

The concert started around 9 pm (local time, GMT +1) and it took around 90 minutes. Mr. Plant was very relaxed and pleased with the place and the crowd, which reacted emotionally on every note.

First song (ususal WMTFH) set the mood for the night (with Mr. Plant suprisingly appearing from behind the drum set). Freedom Fries was bit rebuilt (as compared to studio version) longer with exteded noise-solo, that song really fried, burned and scared. After few nice words about festival and audience and they hit into Seven & Seven Is. It seems that Mr. Plant likes this song (I’ve heard it back in 2001 when they played gig in Warsaw) and that song sounded vivid and gave us big kick of energy. Then crowd pleaser Black Dog (complete with funny call-response middle part). Going to Cali’ opened “acoustic” set, reediton of 29 Palms was to put it simple groudbreaking (and very touching), Friends followed. After that Tin Pan Alley and Four Sticks (and we were back with screaming guitars, screaming Mr. Plant and screaming audience). At the end of main set, Gallows Pole with lyric excerpt of Dylan’s “A Hard Rain A-gonna Fall” at the very begining.

Then they came back on stage to finish with magnificent The Enchanter and soon-to-become classic version of Whole Lotta Love. Crowd was crazy screaming for more but it was really over.

Last words from Mr. Plant: “See you soon, be happy…”

There was no one who wasn’t happy, we was in heaven…

July 10, 2006 Somerset House, London, UK

by Sweetjane96
Although it’s been over a week since this concert we’re still buzzing from it. We arrived at the grounds of the venue about 6 pm and heard (and saw) the band doing their sound check which gave a flavour of what was to come. The gates opened just after 7.30 and we managed to get right at the front leaning on the safety barrier just right of centre stage. The support act were interesting with a lot of ethnic sounds.

Robert and the band arrived on stage around 9.15 and the crowd went berserk but there was no shoving or pushing just pure enthusiasm. Set List (not necessarily in order) Tin Pan Valley, Black Dog, 7 +7 Is, Let the Four Winds Blow, 29 Palms (very different and much slower the original), When the Levee Breaks, The Enchanter, Friends, Four Sticks, Morning Dew, Going to California, Gallows Pole and Whole Lotta Love.

It was clear that Robert and the band were very relaxed and were thoroughly enjoying themselves. The whole band were excellent and the crowd showed their appreciation. Unfortunately I didn’t reach the set list which was thrown off the stage so no souvenirs unlike the Glasgow Barrowlands concert on 29 Oct 2005 when Billy threw his hand towel straight at me (complete with sweat).

The Somerset House gig was pure magic. The setting was great and the people we met were so genuine and really into Robert and his band.