Keith's Page

Alison Krauss/Robert Plant Review
Red Rocks
06/21/08

Saturday night's Alison Krauss & Robert Plant concert at Red Rocks amphitheatre was easily the best event this year. Although the crowd was a little quirky and not as friendly as most concerts here, the event itself was well above average. Perhaps the problem with the crowd was two worlds colliding. The wine-and-cheese elitist yuppies were aghast to see scraggly, long-haired Zeppelin fans and hillbilly bluegrass die-hards in muddy Jeeps parking next to their beloved Mercedes and eco-centric hybrids.

We arrived at about 6:30 p.m. and were fortunate to find parking in the upper north lot. This saved us the exhausting task of climbing a zillion steps just to get inside and fight the crowd up another zillion steps to find our spot. Anyone familiar with how this natural amphitheatre is laid out knows what I'm talking about. The 40 or so steps up to the top gate were quite enough for us!

The parking lot was quite humorous. My wife was calling it the 40 to 80 crowd, implying that since she is a mere 37, I was an old fart along with the rest of the crowd. This theory was quickly disproved when a group of dirty, shirtless, stoned teenagers stumbled their way past our vehicle, giggling uncontrollably at something only they could understand.

Then there were some of the usual suspects. The old hippie guy who walks around selling his unique brand of hemp ice cream and the guy with the briefcase full of custom hand-blown glass pipes. Although I have no use for that sort of thing, it was fun to watch him bribe the security guard. When he was told that he could not peddle his goods, he simply offered the guard a free pipe. The security guard happily picked one out of the felt-lined briefcase, looked over toward me and said, "I guess bribes work. I tried to be mean, but I'm not very good at it." As this figure of authority turned away, they stuffed their new possession into their front pocket and walked into the crowd with a bit more spring in their step.

Then there were the inebriated jocks a couple of cars over who were feverishly cooking on their gas grill. Burger after burger was thrown on until every square inch of cooking surface was covered. One could only laugh once the meat was cooked and they realized there was more food than they could consume. "Free cheeseburger, anyone? How about you? Cheeseburger?" was being drunkenly bellowed above the ambient sounds of radios, laughing and car engines.

We began making our way in at about 7:30. On our way in, the view was as breathtaking as usual, with the Denver skyline rising starkly in the distance before the seemingly endless expanse of the great plains. We saw a couple of monks as we made our way toward the gates and a mule deer appeared from out of the brush, giving us a cautiously quizzical glance before heading along one of the hoof-worn trails into the hills.

Security at the gates was much more relaxed than other shows, such as the Grateful Dead, Tool or Neil Young. I think this is the first time I didn't get patted down on my way in. The security guards at the gate looked a lot younger than usual, too. Then again, maybe I'm just a lot older.

Once inside, I headed straight for the top railing to scope out the scene. Although the seating is reserved, we never sit in our assigned seats. I was on a mission. A mission to find ourselves one of the tree covered planters lining the sides of the arena. Success. One right near the top. Easy access to bathrooms, food, beer and the multitude of swag one collects when attending an event at this marvelous venue.

We threw open our tarp and settled in, grabbing a beer and a hard lemonade just as the opening act, Sharon Little, began to play. Her voice had the same haunting bluesy feel that Joan Osborne is so gifted at. It brought back memories of the Dead reunion tour when Joan sang songs previously performed by Garcia well before her birth.

It turns out Sharon Little and her entire band are from Philadelphia, PA. They reacted exactly the same way everyone else does the first time they see Red Rocks... overwhelmed; and the spirit of the venue consumed them for the duration of their short but sweet set. For an unknown opening act, I have to say I was entertained.

Alison, Robert, T-Bone and crew took the stage just before 9:00 p.m., opening with "Rich Woman" from their Raising Sand CD. It was well rehearsed and tight, played note for note and identical to the studio recording. The crowd livened up when they heard the opening riff to Zeppelin's anthem "Black Dog," which was done in a strange, spacey style. Song after song, the energy rose. The sound improved and the crowd got to it's feet. I was concerned that this show would be a snoozer and lack the kind of energy I enjoy, possibly leaving me wishing I had stayed home and listened to the CD, but that was not the case.

The drumming was rhythmic and tribal, again bringing back memories of Mickey Hart's style and those strange Dead days. And Alison... What can I say about Alison? This woman is just incredible. Her voice is bittersweet, with the emotion of an angel's single tear of joy falling into still water and rippling straight through to our souls. So beautiful. So enchanting. No one can do what she does as effortlessly and naturally as she does. Her violin work is equally impressive, combining that earthy bluegrass style with the technical ability of Mozart or Stravinsky.

Robert Plant was pretty much what I had expected. He wasn't the screaming, open-bloused hippy throwing his pelvis around that he was in those dark and glorious Zeppelin days. He was subdued and dressed in black, with long blond curls and what appeared to be facial hair. One thing that would have been nice is if he would have talked less. He came across as a bit pompous, but he also knew that this was Alison's crowd and stepped back to allow her to glow without clouding the light she so naturally shines. Respect.

"Black Country Woman" was a hoot. I even enjoyed the usually annoying "I'm In The Mood" from Plant's 1980's solo effort. It was done with much more enthusiasm and creative spark than the original version. After a few songs from T-Bone Burnett, Alison again graced the stage. Her a capella rendition of "Down To The River To Pray" emptied the concession and smoking areas as folks scrambled to get a glimpse of this very special moment. The crowd hushed as Alison soulfully made her way through the first verse, then as if on cue, the breeze picked up and people began singing along. It was powerful and moving, bringing smiles to faces, tears to eyes and bodies together in loving embraces. Way to go, Alison. That just doesn't happen any more.

Another highlight that I need to mention... "The Battle Of Evermore." Very, very cool rendition. Better than Zeppelin's. Robert was right on the money, as was Alison and the rest of the band. Excellent use of dynamics, while maintaining the original integrity of the song from Led Zeppelin's 4th and most renowned album.

The encore ended up being "Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson," again from their Raising Sand collaboration and a fun "fishing" song. Everyone expected "When The Levee Breaks." They did not play it. And you know what? I'm glad. The show was perfect the way it was. Overall, I must say that this concert exceeded any expectations I may have had. The evening was perfect and I feel privileged to have been a part of this event. Getting out of the parking lot took over an hour and the drive home was long, but I could still hear that sweet, soulful voice in my head. "Down to the river to pray..."

Keith L.