Set-List:
Win My Train Fare Home/ Shine it all around/ Black dog/ Another Tribe/ Heartbreaker/ That’s the way/ Tin Pan Valley/ Takamba, Gallows pole/ Mighty Rearranger / When the Levee Breaks
Encores: Babe I’m gonna leave you, Enchanter, Whole lotta love

Reviews:

This from Tuija Takala
What a night! What a band! And that man and his voice! It is difficult to think how the gig could have possibly been any better. The sold out venue witnessed a superb gig.

Robert was rather talkative between the songs, introducing, for instance, jokingly ‘Heartbreaker’ as a Deep Purple classic. Takamba was preceded by a few political remarks regarding Blair and the upcoming elections in the U.K.. Another interesting intro to a song was when instead of the first chords of ‘Babe I’m gonna leave you’ Justin Adams decided to pick the
notes starting ‘Stairway to heaven’. This prompted a few words and looks from Robert, but all was done laughingly. Robert played harmonica in ‘Mighty Rearranger’.

This was the third time I’ve seen Robert and the Strange Sensation within the past two weeks (Liverpool, Helsinki and this) and the act just seems to be getting better. And Robert seems to enjoy being up there more each time. The ‘I’m gonna give you every inch of my love’ was still missing from ‘Whole lotta love’s’ lyrics, but this time Robert did not blush when singing ‘I wanna be your backdoor man’. Also in terms of hitting the high notes and playing with his voice he has given more each time. I’m so sorry for not having any more Robert and the Strange Sensation dates in my diary.

This from Toivo Peppanen
This night has been waited for so long. I’ve seen Plant twice before (Pori Jazz 2001, Finlandia House Hall, Helsinki 2002) so I certainly have my expectations flyin’ high. This time I’ve also convinced my little brother to join me although he’s not that much of a fan of Zep.

When we arrive to Tullikamari the atmosphere feels truly magical. Pakkahuone is sold-out (around 1500 persons) and we have to fight our way to the front row (via the bar of course). We make it right in time because the warm-up band is just about to begin. The crowd gets to hear some soft ballads performed by a finnish singer, Sansa, and her band. She has a truly beautiful voice and her looks aren’t that bad either.

After Sansa begins the oh so familiar roading for Plant: the red arabian carpet, the burning incenses, the hypnotic Middle-Eastern music… Suddenly the music breaks into a fierce rave mix of the new single “Shine It All Around”. The lights go down and the crowd begins to howl. In walks the band and starts to play. And finally, from the shadows, steps in the Man himself. Clapping his hands rhythmically he dances to the microphone and starts to sing: “If I ever get lucky baaaaaaabe…”. His voice is truly shattering this night and the people just stand hypnotized. Pure joy fills my heart: how do I truly love this man!

After “Win My Train Fare Home” follows “Shine It All Around”. (This version is way better than the single.) First Zep-song of the evening is expectedly “Black Dog”. “This is an old Deep Purple song”, Plant states. The crowd explodes when they recognize the somewhat altered riff. Every single soul in the hall joins in the “ah ah” parts. Next “Mighty Rearranger” song is “Another Tribe”. The ethnic vibe makes this piece truly enjoyable. Plant is quite cheerful and talkative between the songs: “This next song we wrote there at the backstage in six weeks…” and in kicks “Heartbreaker”.

The air starts to get hot and sweat is running. Luckily we get a little rest while Robert and the band decide to give us an enchanting version of “That’s The Way”. This surely has to be one of the highlights of the evening for me although the oldish drunken guy behind me keeps shouting “More talk, more talk!” during the instrumental parts. Soon his mumble drowns into the thunderous “Tin Pan Valley”. “Like this…”, cries Robert with all his mighty. (That song has a definite Zeppelin-sound within to say the least.)

This is an evening of politics too: “Takamba” is dedicate to Blair, who, according to the song, has “pocket full of secrets” and “a belly full of lies”. “And then there is Dick Cheney”, Plant proceeds. Dick gets his share with “Gallows Pole”. It’s easy to see that Robert and the band are enjoying themselves. Glances are swopped, smiles exchanged and the playing is just as it should be, tight but loose.

Next we get too see something quite exceptional. During “Mighty Rearrager”, the title-song of the upcoming album, Robert picks out a harmonica and gives us a thrillingly groovy solo. (This man truly has the blues in his blood.) The trip to the delta culminates to “When The Levee Breaks”. Some 1500 people harmonizing together and Plant singing: “Cryin’ won’t help you, prayin’ won’t do you no good” hurries us to the cotton fields in no time. A drum-sample from the original John Bonham driven track kicks in and we have reached the climax of the evening. The band leaves the stage with a standing ovation from the audience.

But the show isn’t over yet. Applauses go on and on forever. Finally our persistence is rewarded and The Strange Sensation with it’s headman returns back to the stage. For a moment my heart stops for the guitarist, Justin Adams, begins to pick the first notes of “Stairway”. But Robert gives him a quick look and states in a good-humoured way: “Oh, I really hate that a-minor-chord”. Instead we get to hear a beautiful and haunting version of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”. (The song sounds harder than ever and Percy hits all the high notes, though Skin Tyson’s acoustic guitar solo is quite lame.) It is followed by “The Enchanter” which has the quality to become the possible epic of the “Mighty Rearranger”.

The journey finally ends with “Whole Lotta Love”. Robert sings a piece of “Hoochie Coochie Man” for opening and then starts the ferocious eruption. The middle part has a long psychedelic theremin and bongo performance by the band. Plant’s divine voice combined with the greatest riff of all times concludes the evening. The singer and the band gives us a long bow and a warm smile and then they’re gone.

The perfect evening turns into night by listening to another “warm-up” band, Sapattivuosi. (They play Black Sabbath with Finnish lyrics.) Before the song “Kännin Piikkiin” (a.k.a. “Sweet Leaf”) guitarist Janne Halmkrona tells us a charming story about how he got to assist Mr Plant by delivering him salmiac koskenkorva vodka, traditional Finnish drink.

On the way home my little brother announces that he’s going to buy the “Mighty Rearranger” as soon as it comes out and that perhaps Led Zeppelin isn’t that bad for a band after all. Rock’n’Roll!
This from Rickard Andersson
Well u never get disapointed with Robert.This was my fifth concert with Robert(fourth with Strange sensation) and it was spectacular. Robert sounds as good as ever and so does the band .The new material was something else,a mixture of Zep,Marocco,Africa and something i havent figured out yet,maybe just Robert or The Strange sensation.
As i sang along on Thats the way i think he was watching me for any mistakes, but then again i think it was my imagination flying high.I loved When the levee Breaks but missed Four sticks,but then again u cant have it all can u.
Thank u for a lovely evening and hope to see u soon,cheers