Robert Plant and the Middle Eastern Metal Blues

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Stadium shows are all well and fine, in the sense they provide fans a momentary sense of solidarity. It doesn't matter that you're packed in with thousands of complete strangers, or that the stage is light years away from you, or that the sound is so dissipated it might as well be a Martian broadcast. What matters is the event, and the "I was there!" bragging rights, along with the raggedyass tee-shirt you paid four prices for, and which dates you forever within a week of that drunken purchase. We've all been there, and we'll proudly proclaim 'til our dying breath, "That (fill in appropriate band) show was the best freakin' concert I ever saw!"

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To really appreciate an artist, though, you have to see them in a more intimate setting. Clubs, where the nuances of the music interact with audience reaction most intently, are the ideal venue. Smaller halls, particularly those with amphiteatre-style seating aren't quite as personal, but the acoustics in those environments, coupled with their casual atmosphere, nonetheless leave you with the sense you've witnessed a performance. And that stays in your memory a lot longer than a stadium show ever will.

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Robert Plant, especially during his Led Zeppelin days, did a lot of stadium shows. That's why Robert Plant and the New Sensation, his first-ever solo DVD release, is an unexpected pleasure. Originally aired 29 June 2006 as an installment of PBS's Soundstage concert series, this is a seamless performance that showcases Plant and his latest band, the Strange Sensation, in a relaxed environment.

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Plant and the band ease into the show with a Middle East-inspired version of "No Quarter," heavy on accoustic, dreamy percussion and loping rhythms. If it comes across as a bit stately, it's because it quietly sets the tone for the rest of the concert. This is a show that moves at its own pace, unfettered by preconceived expectations. Sure, the obligatory Zeppelin tunes are in there, but sprinkled judiciously between tunes mostly from his Mighty Rearranger album. The version of "Black Dog" here sounds familiar, but the arrangement takes the song into new territory.

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At heart, Plant has always been a blues singer, and throughout the concert, he works that aspect of his talent into all of the material. While some say he can no longer hit the high notes he did in Zep's glory days, I'm inclined to believe his voice has evolved into something closer to the source influences. Either way, he can still belt out a tune better than most. He no longer need to hit the high registers to prove a point--his stylings are rife with authority. A listen to, say, "Gallows Pole" will dispel any doubts to the contrary.

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A singer is only as good as his band, though, and the Strange Sensation may be the best group of musicians Plant has worked with in his solo career. Clive Deamer (drums) and Billy Fuller (bass) are a formidable rhythm section, often enhanced by Justin Adams on the darbouka. Adams, like Plant is fascinated with the music of Northern Africa and the Middle East, and is largely responsible for the dreamily exotic sound inherent in the show. He balances it with some amazing blues guitar riffs, especially on the intro to "Whole Lotta Love." John Baggot (keyboards) and Skin Tyson (guitar) counterpoint the exotic with straight out, unabashed rock runs.

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Ultimately, what this DVD does is paint a portrait of Robert Plant as an artist who is not content to relive his past triumphs. Sure, he acknowledges them with a respectful wink, but the focus of his solo work has always been to landmark new musical territory. His interest in Moroccan rhythms, coupled with his Celtic and blues influences, set him apart from most of his contemporaries. While Rod Stewart may be content to recycle questionable classics, Plant is more akin to Peter Gabriel in his approach to his music. Like Gabriel, Plant , with each new work, attempts to redefine his previous boundaries. And while he may not always be wholly successful, the journey is never anything less than interesting.

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Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation is a rarity in concert videos. Largely because of the Soundstage format, the viewer has a sense of closenes with the performers. But it's Joe Thomas's direction that enhances the "live" aspect of the program. A total of eleven cameras, including a gib mount and a steadicam, film the entire event, and Thomas intercuts the various angles with an artisan's eye.

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If I have any complaints at all, it's only that, at 66 minutes, it ends too soon. But what an incredible 66 minutes! I highly recommend it.