My thoughts on Robert Plant Presents Saving Grace feat Suzi Dian – Royal Festival Hall London last Thursday December 11 2025:
Set list:
The Very Day I’m Gone, The Cuckoo, Higher Rock, Ramble On, Soul Of A Man, The May Queen, Orphan Girl, Four Sticks, It’s A Beautiful Day Today, Down To The Sea, As I Roved Out, For The Turnstiles ,Friends ,The Rain Song Everybody’s Song
Everything about this gig was pure perfection:
Every lighting effect, every guitar lick, every bango strum, every double bass embellishment, every drum shuffle, every harmony and every vocal nuance.
The venue, the sound ,the set list and the performance – it was all sheer perfection…
This was my 13th occasion of witnessing Robert Plant with Saving Grace featuring Suzie Dian first saw them live supporting Fairport Convention at the St. Albans Arena back in February 2019. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to see them at the Hackney Empire and in Wexford, Cardiff, Birmingham, Peterborough, Cambridge, the London Palladium. Royal Albert Hall and The Circuit in Kingston upon Thames three times.
Gig 13 was far from unlucky – it was absolutely stunning.
They opened proceedings with late traditional singer Addie Graham’s The Very Day I’m Gone (from her Songs of Addie Graham album). A brooding compelling delivery and from then on, it was just an awe inspiring experience.
Cuckoo set the template as Robert and Suzi’s duel vocals melded into one. Higher Rock from the Saving Grace album upped the tempo with Robert on harmonica. Ramble On was the first Zep excursion delicately performed. Soul Of a Man with Matt Worley on vocals was a another delight – as was a return to active duty for The May Queen from the 2017 Carry Fire album.
Throughout the set the superb dual guitar and banjo talents of Matt Worley and Tony Kelsey constantly impressed . Matt’s steely banjo lines set the scene for many a song while Tony constantly added free flowing fluid and intricate lead guitar work. Drummer Oli Jefferson alternated between a laid back jazzy feel often employing brushes as opposed to sticks and then switches to a harder rock feel when required.
Gillian Welch’s Orphan Song (from her1996 album Revival) captured Suzi Dian at her absolute best while Four Sticks with Suzi on accordion worked beautifully. Moby Grape’s It’s a Beautiful Day was yet another highlight while a stunning Down To The Sea from the 1993 Fate of Nations album perfectly encapsulated the band’s ability to push the dynamics to the limit.
As I Roved Out and yet another peerless performance. Then a compelling version of Neil Young’s For The Turnstiles (from his 1974 On The Beach album). Matt’s banjo picking setting the scene with Suzi taking the lead vocal role and Robert on maracas. A virtuoso cello solo from Barney Morse Brown was the icing on the cake.
Zep II standard Friends was a suitably celebratory close to the main set. They were back on for The Rain Song which was just exceptional and then Low’s Everybody’s Song – yet another excellent exercise in light and shade.
So there it was – Saving Grace and merrily on high indeed.
As for Robert Plant – he really has found his muse yet again with a band of musicians who meld so effectively around him.
A word on the set list – it’s evident how rich in depth the Saving Grace repertoire has developed. They have a pool of songs to draw from – of the ten songs on their album, only five have been performed so far on this tour. No doubt others may re appear – the Gillian Welch and Neil Young cover versions were also new to me.
It’s worth noting that in the current issue of Uncut magazine, their preview of what’s new for 2026 includes a report of a possible second Saving Grace album with the likes of Cuckoo yet to appear on record. Nothing is officially confirmed but it would of course be most welcome – oh and while we are at it, can we have a Saving Grace live album for next year’s Record Store Day?
Sitting next to me watching this invigorating Royal Festival Hall gig was my good friend Richard Grubb.
Commenting on Robert Plant’s performance, he astutely remarked
To which I might add – what a way to grow old with him…
Dave Lewis – December 16 2025
Pics above via Krys Jantzen.
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This on the spot report from Jonathan Taylor…
Robert Plant and Saving Grace with Suzi Dian: Symphony Hall, Birmingham 14/12/2025
Set list:
The Very Day I’m Gone/The Cuckoo/Higher Rock/Ramble On/Soul Of A Man/The May Queen/Orphan Girl/Four Sticks/It’s A Beautiful Day Today/Down To The Sea/As I Roved Out/For The Turnstiles/Friends
Encore: The Rain Song/Everybody’s Song
In his song “The May Queen”, Robert Plant sings of “the dimming of my light”. With the remarkable Saving Grace tonight at Birmingham’s excellent Symphony Hall, that light is nowhere near dimming…it shines and burns as brightly as it has ever done.
I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that in Saving Grace, Robert Plant has assembled a group of supremely talented musicians who have such remarkable empathy with his vision and musical beliefs. Tonight is yet another demonstration of their collective phenomenal ability to express and realise the songs they cover and interpret. Tony Kelsey (guitars and mandolin), Oli Jefferson (drums and percussion), Matt Worley (acoustic guitars, banjo, quatro and vocals), Barney Morse-Brown (cello) and Suzi Dian (vocals and accordion) are now a hive mind, a collective consciousness that enables them to measure, weave and spin their musical threads into sonic cloth of wonderment and joy.
As ever with the wandering inclinations of Plant there are fresh additions to the Saving Grace repertoire, as they open tonight’s set with a gentle take on Addie Graham’s “The Very Day I’m Gone”, and late in the set there’s an expansive, emotive version of Neil Young’s “For The Turnstiles” featuring an atmospheric cello solo from Morse-Brown, reminiscent of the beauty of whale song. The other newcomer to the Saving Grace songbook is Suzi Dian’s sublime version of Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl”; Suzi’s voice, so clean and pure, suits this plaintive song so well.
There’s so much to savour in tonight’s spectacular Saving Grace show; powerful takes on Plant’s “The May Queen” and “Down To The Sea”, thrilling interpretations of the Led Zeppelin classics “Ramble On”, “Four Sticks”, “Friends” and the heart-meltingly beautiful first encore “The Rain Song”, illuminated by Dian’s sumptuous accordion.
Set staples such as the spirited “The Cuckoo” and an ever-evolving, reflective “As I Roved Out” are always more than welcome.
The final encore is the drama of Low’s “Everybody’s Song”, long a highlight of Saving Grace’s shows and such a wonderful high on which to close tonight’s gig, as Plant and Dian’s vocals soar and dovetail with glorious finesse. Robert is singing as well as he’s ever done, and in Suzi he has a perfect foil, a voice that complements his so wonderfully well.
In all my many years of Plant watching, I’ve honestly never seen him so relaxed, so evidently at ease, on such imperious form.
It feels like he’s thoroughly enjoying this path to new adventures that Saving Grace pave.
Jonathan Taylor
Birmingham photos courtesy of Jules Herrick-Cooper.
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TBL Archive Special:
Golden Lion Reunion 44 years gone…
December 15 – that is a date that always revives memories of the first public reunion of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones for which I was lucky enough to be in attendance.
Here’s the story:
Back in the early months of 1981, Lynn Sizemore who was PR to the Golden Lion Roadies Charity For Children Association, the charity formed from the Fulham pub often frequented by the Zep / Swan Song entourage, approached me to publicise in the next issue of TBL, a children’s charity raffle being held in December.
I was only too willing to help and we began planning how this would all work. The raffle was duly featured in TBL issue 6 which came out in the late summer of 1981. I had a few meetings with Lynn during this period including one memorable occasion at the Golden Lion pub in Fulham. Robert’s sound man Benjii Lefevre was in attendance and I was introduced to John Bindon the notorious London character who had been with the Zep entourage on the 1977 tour and involved in the infamous Oakland fracas. Robert and John Paul Jones had already promised to attend and give prizes out on the night set for December 15th, so it was always going to be a special evening.
Even more so after the call I made to Swan Song the week before the event. Sian at Swan Song informed me that Jimmy was also due to attend. It duly turned into something of a grand Swan Song reunion – in true Zep style.
On the night itself, Peter Grant arrived with Jimmy around 8.30. A combat attired Robert and smartly dressed JPJ were already in tow. Various roadies, Swan Song employees and guests (including Cozy Powell) were there as was John Bindon again. Tom Locke and I spent a memorable night in the pub as Jimmy, Robert and JPJ mingled by the bar and duly got up on stage to present the prizes of Jimmy’s Yamaha acoustic guitar (wonder where that is now?) and a set of personally signed albums. The main winner was an American guy ( pic above) while runner up was, Steve Simmons, a TBL subscriber from Bristol. Here’s a pic below of Steve on stage receiving his prize.
Jimmy looked in slightly better shape than he had in Europe the previous year and told me he was working on the Death Wish 2 soundtrack. As a Christmas present I gave Robert a copy of a large format History Of The Blues book (wonder if still adorns his book shelf?) to which he acknowledged with the classic “Eye Thank yew” catchphrase so prevalent on the Over Europe tour. I took the opportunity to tell Peter and Atlantic’s Phil Carson of my plans to write a major reference work on the band’s music though it would be another eight years on in the Marquee (at a Jason Bonham gig) when I was able to tell the pair of them that the book (Led Zeppelin A Celebration) was soon to be a reality.
It may have been a strictly non playing role, but this unexpected Led Zeppelin reunion was full of warmth and good cheer. Underlying all that though was the definite feeling that they now all had separate plans – Jimmy with the soundtrack, Robert with the in progress recording of his debut album and Jonesy who wryly informed someone at the bar that he was now on permanent school run duty for his daughter’s back in Devon. It would be another eleven years before all three appeared in public together in the UK again to attend the 1992 Q Awards to collect the outstanding achievement award, and another 26 years before they played together on that night of nights in December 2007.
Fast forward to August 29th, 2013 and the Colston Hall Bristol.
As we were making our way into the arena for Robert’s Sensational Space Shifters show amazingly enough I bumped into Steve Simmons for the first time since that night at the Golden Lion back in 1981. Steve was carrying a photo book of the pics he took back then – we had a good old chinwag about how he had been the runner up in the competition and the signed albums he was presented with on that night all of 42 years ago. The first, but not the last grand reunion…
Dave Lewis – December 17 2025
DL Diary Blog Update:
Thursday December 11:
Friday December 12:
Aside from last night’s incredible Robert Plant Saving Grace with Suzi Dian gig at the Royal Festival Hall there was an extra thrill before the gig. Berni Bulow spotted Paul Weller in the downstairs area as we came in.
Robert Plant appeared on Paul’s last album El Dorado and the pair obviously have a bond. We went over to chat and Paul was very amiable and posed for some pics with us. I had a quick chat with him and mentioned how good the album was ”Thanks mate” he said and I told him I was looking forward to his appearance next summer at Bedford Park.
All in all it was such a thrill to meet one of my all time heroes – and what a top man he is – thanks Berni and Mick Bulow for the pics!
Friday December 12:
With the TBL crew prior to last night’s fantastic Robert Plant Saving Grace with Suzi Dian at the Royal Festival Hall with Kam Assi, Richard Grubb and Berni Bulow and Mick Bulow– what a night!
Friday December 12:
Great to catch up with Richard Grubb , Simon Pallett , Dave Fox, Kam Assi and Dave Linwood before the brilliant Robert Plant Saving Grace with Suzi Dian gig at the Royal Festival Hall last night…
Saturday December 13:
At the always excellent Empire Records in St. Albans today I came across a piece of Bedford 1980s musical heritage – for there at the front of a box of 12 inch singles was the four track 12 inch single by the Bedford based band Actors And Famous People released in 1984 – what are the chances ?!
Back in that era I wrote a fair few rave reviews about this band and saw them live on numerous occasion’s. Their inventive brand of modern rock was much acclaimed and they recorded a Radio One session. They never quite got the breaks they deserved and eventually split.
I’ve not seen this 12 inch single for years with it’s sleeve design my future TBL designer Mick Lowe. I of course invested for a bargain £5.99 and am looking forward to a nostalgic listen.
I also could not leave a copy of the recent Led Zeppelin Trampled Underfoot single issued for Black Friday – you can never have too many!
Saturday December 13:
Always great to pop into Morgan Howell’s SuperSize art gallery in St.Albans and admire his amazing replica record singles artwork – including this Led Zeppelin beauty – Whole Lotta big Love!
Monday December 15:
Great to meet up with Derek Whitworth, Dave Bunting, Shaun King and Geoff Klein ex Wallbangers FC team mates and good friends for over 50 years for our pre-Christmas coffee. We also had a facetime chat with another esteemed team mate over in Ireland Mr. Dec Hickey – Merry Christmas chaps!
Tuesday December 16:
The first Beatles singles I owned was I Want To Hold Your Hand which I had for Christmas in 1963.
Some 62 years later I have taken receipt of my latest Beatles single, the new Free as a Bird/Real Love coupling featuring the new 2025 Jeff Lynne mixes as featured on The Beatles Anthology 4 set. Limited Edition milk white vinyl pressing and very nice indeed.
Tuesday December 16:
Great turn out tonight at the pre Christmas Pete Burridge record club at The Castle with Pete Trevor Lee Abrahams Philip Broder Jez and gang- top night indeed!
Wednesday December 18:
Christmas playlist – these will be amongst the seasonal selections here in the coming days…
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass – Christmas Album CD
Jimmy Smith & His Orchestra – Christmas Cookin’ CD
Diane Krall – Christmas Songs – CD
Miles Davis – Blue Christmas LP
The Partridge Family Christmas Album – The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones, featuring David Cassidy LP – no apologies for this rather quirky one –it’s a top Christmas selection…
The Beatles – From Then To You Complete Christmas Fan Club Records – CD
Update here…
Busy here on all the usual pre Christmas stuff – it’s been great to be out and about and seeing a few friends for a pre Christmas meet – and of course there was the truly fantastic Saving Grace gig at London’s Royal Festival Hall. I would have loved to have got to one or two others on the tour but could not fit that in – suffice to say, if you are catching one of the remaining UK dates you really are in for a treat…
Thanks for listening
Until next time…
Dave Lewis – December 17 2025
TBL website updates written and compiled by Dave Lewis
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