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…..