SETLIST (from memory)

Black Dog

Down To The Sea

Angel Dance

Black Country Woman

House of Cards

Monkey

Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go

That’s the Way

A Satisfied Mind

Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down

Ocean Of Tears

In The Mood

Please Read the Letter

Houses of the Holy

Ramble On

Harm’s Swift Way

Gallow’s Pole

And We Bid You Goodnight

Robert and the band, as usual, sounded spot on. “Down to the Sea” and “Angel Dance” were both very dynamic and smoking hot. “That’s The Way” was gorgeous and gentle, and Darrell Scott’s pedal steel was a great touch. “Please Read The Letter” a-la Page/Plant in 1998, but also some touches of the Raising Sand version. A nice compromise. The crowd went crazy with the first notes of “Ramble On.” Not too many Plantisms, he just simply played a great show.
Review by David Higgins

The Band of Joy has somehow taken its game up to a whole new  level since the great show I saw in Dallas last year. Robert’s vocal  performance was the best I’ve heard from him in several years—and that’s a very  high bar to clear!— ranging from the most tender passages to full-throttle
attack.

Robert has always been a joyful performer, of course, but he’s never seemed  happier. He was clearly enjoying each musician’s performance. The many smiles  he exchanged with everyone else on stage seemed to warm the chilly night under  the open stars of the beautiful Greek Theater, which is nestled on the hillside  of Griffith Park.

The selections from the Band of Joy album were largely unchanged and, once  again, I marveled at how the band has stretched the live versions and added  fresh dynamics. Once again, “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down” was  a stunning highlight. Last time around, the band played Zep numbers such as  “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Tangerine,” “Thank You,” and  “Over the Hills and Far Away.” This time, the only two Zep songs that  they repeated from last time were “Gallows Pole” and “Houses of  the Holy.” Plant opened the show with “Black Dog” featuring a  Buddy Miller guitar riff that reminded me of a droning didgeridoo and we were  also treated to a straightforward arrangement of “Black Country  Woman.” The surprise of the night was an exquisite “That’s the  Way” which featured a delicate and heartfelt vocal from Robert with some  lovely banjo and pedal steel guitar. (I think it’s the first time the latter  been played on the tour.)

“Tall Cool One” had, sadly, been dropped from the set list which is  too bad because their version was so good. But in its place was a terrific  version of “In the Mood”—I had a huge smile on my face during that  one. “Down to the Sea” and “Please Read the Letter” were  better than ever. But the song of the night was “Ramble On.” The Band  of Joy version closely patterns the original Zep version but, then, midway  through it takes an unexpected ethereal turn. Darrell Scott played what  appeared to be a Greek Lute as the song detoured into sublime prog-folk  territory as Plant opened his pipes for a spine-tingling  “OOOOOOOOOoooooooh”! During the show, Robert mentioned that the band  has been writing songs during soundchecks and, given the inventiveness they  displayed in concert, I cannot wait to hear the next studio album.

My 20th Robert Plant show since 1990 and it was so good that I’m going to Santa  Barbara tonight for my 21st!

Reveiw by Stephen Humphries