July 19, 2008, Sommet Center, Nashville, TN

Set List:
Rich Woman
Leave My Woman Alone
Black Dog
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us
Through the Morning, Through the Night
Goodbye and So Long To You
Fortune Teller
In the Mood/Matty Grove
Black Country Woman
Bon Temps Rouler
Trampled Rose
Wildwood Flower
Down to the River To Pray
Nervous Breakdown
Nothin’
Battle of Evermore
Please Read the Letter
Gone Gone Gone
You Don’t Knock
Killing the Blues
When the Levee Breaks
One Woman Man
Your Long Journey

from theenchanter:

I don’t think I can gush enough over just how spectacular this show was! It was great to see how the show has evolved from its onset until now. The energy of all of them coupled with the audience’s enthusiasm was beyond words. I expected the crowd to be more Alison fans given it’s her hometown (not to say Robert doesn’t have a big following there too) but I have to say that whoever they came to see, they truly embraced Robert’s contributions to this project wholeheartedly! I was really pleased to see they get that he’s not a one trick pony.

So many great moments. I must say that hearing the two new songs was pretty exciting. Alison’s voice is so angelic yet really powerful. Watching her go from sharing harmonies with Robert, to a more fun, upbeat song like Wildwood Flower (which she told the audience T Bone suggested a new song the day before and she was quite nervous about it!) to really filling the entire arena on Trampled Rose. Nervous Breakdown was an absolute blast! Robert sang it a la Elvis and was having a hoot as was the audience. They loved it (what’s not to love). Nothin’ is one of my faves off the album and always spectacular to hear Robert really get behind the depth of the words as he does. Reminds me of how he really took Hey Joe to an entirely new level. Townes Van Zandt’s version is much softer. Other standouts this show were You Don’t Knock and Killing the Blues. At one point Robert started doing a country western type dance and Alison gave him a look, smiled and shook her head. It was very fun and playful.

There is a lot of joy and smiles in the whole band. You can see Robert watching the other musicians and smiling at what they were doing. It’s pretty spectacular. And this is why I find it sad that there are those who wish Robert to be going down a road already traveled. I simply can’t understand that when to watch his eyes light up and see him get impy and basically smile the entire show, it’s clear this is exactly where he belongs. He’s always been about getting out there and trying something new. He’s found a whole new area to explore and his enthusiasm only mean we’ll have a lot more Robert in the future. The way it should be.

from Randy:
Could not have said it better! It is tough to be back in the real world after watching both Lexington and Nashville…next trip I’ll be sure to wear a Manic Nirvana T-Shirt and plan a social with all this sites friends.

-Robert did look the happiest I have seen him in years…..

from Blue Eyed Mojo:
I too was at the Nashville show and it was crystal clear that Robert, Alison, TBone and the Band had the time of their life! It was a stellar show and several photos on my office wall are of Robert grinning from ear to ear! Laughing He is so happy and proud of this new venture…. as he should be…. I gather he’s doing this for himself and no one else…. as it should be!

This collaboration is about exploring roots and expanding upon them…. they are all brilliant musicians….genius…. pure genius!

July 18, 2008 Rupp Arena, Lexington, KY

Set List:
Rich Woman
Leave My Woman Alone
Black Dog
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us
Through the Morning, Through the Night
Goodbye and So Long to You
Fortune Teller
In The Mood/Matty Groves
Black country Woman
Bon Temps Rouler
Trampled Rose
Wildwood Flower
Down to the River to Pray
Nervous Breakdown
Nothin
Battle of Evermore
Please Read the Letter
Gone Gone Gone
You Don’t Knock
When the Levee Breaks
Your Long Journey

From the HiBob:
Wow! What a fantastic show. I’d heard it via bootlegs and seen the videos but nothing can really capture the fun and musicianship in the “Raising Sand Revue” as Robert introduced it.

It was clear that everyone was having a great time, and Robert, Alison and T-Bone smiled the whole time.

Some reviewers have been panning the addition of In the Mood to the set but it was an outstanding treatment of the song, and Maddy Groves fit right in the middle perfectly. They start the song off with dual violins and Robert got a huge grin on his face watching them.

I also enjoyed T-Bone’s one song, Bon Temps Rouler. The crowd seemed to agree with me and were up and dancing and clapping throughout. I wish he’d done two songs as he had been in the earlier shows.

Robert really rocked the house with Nothin’ and Fortune Teller, dancing and gripping the mic stand and delighting all of us in the first few rows.

Robert sounded great. After In the Mood he dedicated it to “Ronnie Wood and his misgivings” There wasn’t too much talk in between the songs. Robert introduced Alison as the most spectacular voice in America today. Alison spoke about Lexington being special to her because she had played many times at the Bluegrass Festival which is held here every year.

At one point, Alison reached over and smacked Robert on the rear with her violin bow. He thanked her and she paddled him again! At the end of the song he thanked her profusely.

The crowd seemed to be a good mix of Alison’s fans and Robert’s fans. It was great to see Alison’s fans getting into Robert’s numbers, too! And likewise, I saw some Robert fans finding themselves mesmerized by Alison’s crisp, clear voice.

I didn’t see one mis-step in the entire show. The band was spot on, the vocals were top notch, and everybody was enjoying every moment of it.

This is a fantastic show. Put aside any preconcieved notions you have about any of the principals and just go to see a great musical Revue.

And a big hello to a dweller who traveled all the way from Florida to see the show.

more in the blog

Addendum:
Wildwood Flower I think was added for the benefit of Alison’s fans. She said “I think you all will know this one” and they all cheered when she started. It’s a bluegrass standard.

Nervous Breakdown I’m not that familiar with either but it’s an Eddie Cochran song. Robert delivered it in a very Elvis kind of way.

Robert gave credit to T-Bone for putting the Revue together. If he meant the stage show as well as the record he certainly applied a deft hand. It went off without a hitch. Even with people leaving and coming back there was never a sense that you were waiting for something to start. It was just a a solid two hours of music.

I think Wildwood Flower was a substitute for Green Pastures as they didn’t do that one.

I was wondering how the Revue setup would work with people rotating around like that but it certainly does. But I guess by this time in the tour they’ve got it all down pat.

A few stage comments:

Robert said it was good to be in Lexington to “kick some ass”. He was making some other comments and people kept yelling out “I love you Robert” and he goes “Shh!!! I told you not to say that. Shhh!”

Alison was about to make some comments and some guy shouted “I want to marry you!” She replied “Well thank you for that but I’m sure you’d change your mind after a few days.”

Before his song T-Bone made a comment about how the highways were getting mighty expensive so we had to be sure and protect our waterways which drew a big round of applause.

from Randy
-the concert was excellent and so was meeting HiBob!
Thanks for your friendship and all the work you do to keep us informed on Robert’s Music…..