Robert Plant & The Band Of Joy – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl
SETLIST (from memory)
Black Dog
Down To The Sea
Angel Dance
Black Country Woman
House of Cards
Monkey
Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go
All My Love
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 Plant & The Band of Joy’s April 25th appearance in Santa Barbara was very special for a significant reason…as Stephen Humphries reports for TBL:
The lovely Santa Barbara Bowl is a great venue to see any act perform because there’s not a bad seat in the 4,500 capacity amphitheater.
Despite a lovely afternoon, there was a significant sea breeze by early evening making for a brisk evening. Indeed, Robert’s opening remarks were, “Tonight, the Band of Joy is starring in a Neil Young music video because of this fucking wind!”
Virtually the same setlist as Saturday night in Los Angeles. Plant was rearing to go with great energy during the first couple of numbers and plenty of vamping and microphone stand twirling. Perhaps he was moving around to keep warm since he was only wearing a T-shirt while the rest of the band wore jackets.
“Black Dog” sounded really great and the audience call and response much louder and more effusive than it had been two nights previously. That seemed to spur the band on. Once again, “Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down” was a highlight and I love how Plant changes it up every night. This time he used added reverb during the climactic holler at the end so that he was singing over the lingering echoes of his voice. “Somewhere Trouble Don’t Go” received a great response from the audience, especially during Robert’s ripping harmonica solo.
But what made the show really special: Robert Plant sang “All My Love.” Unless I’m mistaken, it was the first time Robert has performed the song since July 7, 1980. It was a beautiful version with Darrell Scott’s pedal steel mimicking Page’s guitar melody lines. Patty Griffin and Buddy Guy each played electric guitar and Miller added a lovely solo to the end of the song. Wow! As Plant commented afterward, “That was a first…”
I had great seats near the front but the concert experience was slightly marred by three very drunk people in the row in front of me. They barely paid any attention to show while they conducted a raucous discussion with baying laughter. Why pay all that money to be so close and squander the experience? Some people… Fortunately during “Houses of the Holy,” several people streamed down to the front of the stage and the security guards were too overwhelmed to stop the flow. So my friend and I headed to the very front of the stage, too. We were very close to the band because there was no barrier between us and the stage. Now I was really up close to Plant for “Ramble On.” By now, a largely seated audience were on their feet and the front of the stage was a mass of people. The band loved this sudden stage rush. Plant let rip with a couple of long wails during this set highlight and it was an even better version than the previous show.
The band returned for a bouncy”Harm’s Swift Way” followed by “Gallows Pole.” A much better version than Saturday night with Plant’s voice stepping to the fore several times as the band brought the song to its boiling climax.
I’m not sure what the final song of the evening was supposed to be but I’m guessing it was supposed to be “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall.” Buddy Miller had an autoharp at the ready and Darrell Scott had an acoustic guitar but when Patty started singing something went horribly awry and the band stopped playing and couldn’t stop laughing and giggling. So, instead of starting over, they decided to instead close the show with the a-capella “I Bid You Goodnight” but Plant and Griffin had a hard time keeping a straight face and not collapsing into fits of giggles.
An historic night and a fun show.
Reveiw by Stephen Humphries
Video of All My Love here (thanks to James Bonal on FBO for the link):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlTAnbte3Z8
WOW!! THE SHOW IS/WAS incredible… So cool to see this…First time he sang All My Love?? Wow–I remember the strange guy next to me flipping out….I thought it was quite appropo
I was in the front dancing stage left…when all those people rushed,,,I just looked at Percy n Patty…two goldfish in a bowl…and I couldn’t join in
I think I royally blew it too, cuz before the show started, I got thru 3 layers or so of security to get to his nice italian assistant–handed him my little package, he’s assuring me Mr. Plant will receive it, I’m telling him to tell Robert “Please read the Letter”…walking away….he yells at me to “come back at half time” and if Robert wants to meet, he’ll take me backstage…
there was no half time!!! I kept thinking everyone was gonna take a break for 10 minutes or something and that I would walk back..instead Mr. Plant left mid way for a while and then came back..but the band played on…
guess I blew it..but good to know he sang that song…and at half time
It sounds like it was a fantastic show…great review…oh wish Id been there!!!!
All My Love,
Lorraine ♥
Sounds like an excellent show. With All of my Love getting an airing, perhaps Robert is getting more relaxed about his back catalogue. Would be great if All of my Love made it on to You Tube.
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