The Misty Shores of Albany

[Ed Zeppelin <grab1196@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 "It's true, there are no Egyptians, no orchestras, just four guys and Phil."
                       -Robert Plant, Albany, NY, July 11, 1998

 Let's see if I can do a show review without using the phrase "on fire."

 Well, Robert and Jimmy were really on fire last night! (damn) 
 They opened with The Rover and In My Time of Dying, then played the entire
new album from start to finish, plus half of Physical Graffiti and all of
the Who's Quadrophenia as a second encore. 
 Ok, ok, the setlist was the same old same old, Thank You instead of BD,
Down By the Seaside during HMMT.
 Details? Well, Natalia and I managed to trade up our seats about 15
minutes before show time, getting an interesting view from the side of the
stage. Before we found our seats, we wandered around behind the arena and
spotted the cellist and guitarist from Lili Hayd's band standing outside
having drinks. We chatted with them for a few minutes - both very cool
people. They were both very interesting and happy to talk with us. Jerry
(Geri?) the cellist said that any Lili/P/P jams on stage are unlikely
because of Page and Plant trying to distance themselves from the whole
orchestra thing. The guitarist has only been with Lili since two weeks
before the tour began!
 Lili's set was good, but Lili didn't seem to be playing as well as in
Cleveland. I've enjoyed seeing Lili both times - her music comes across
live almost like prog rock. When she starts trading solos with the
guitarist, watch out!
 
 The Main Event - Jim, Bob, Mike, Chuck, and Phil hit the stage and blasted
through the first 3 rockers. One thing that demands attention: Robert's
voice. Whatever else you may have to say about this tour, Robert has not
sung better since mid-1972. He hit that final scream to close Wanton Song,
that eerie howl that fades out on the studio version. Amazing!
 Things were smoking along right through No Quarter, with Jimmy stretching
his solo and interacting a lot with Michael Lee. 
 However, once the acoustic set started, Robert and Jimmy both seemed to
tire a bit. During GTC, Robert hit about half the high notes, trying to
sing the "Throw me a line" line in its original glory instead of the lower
melody he usually does. He managed it, then dropped down, then tried again,
then finished it low. The voice is there, it just seems that he doesn't
have quite enough confidence in it. Also, Robert struggled with feedback
all night.
 By the time HMMT began, the fatigue was gone. Jimmy danced throughout the
show (you have to watch the darkened stage carefully, but you can see him
dancing around right before Wanton Song begins) and Robert bent his mike
stand while flinging it around the stage. The bow solo and Down By the
Seaside were smooth and cool, and when they went back into HMMT, Robert
sang the barrelhouse lines as if he were 19 again. I mean, he hit those
notes, no falsetto, no wimpy whine, he belted it out with the same
intensity as 1969!
 I'd like to make an observation about Most High - it's a great song and
sounds good live, but it seems like it's about 50% drum loops and triggered
keyboard tracks. That second Arabian solo isn't actually played by anyone
on stage, as far as I could tell.
 WLL was the highlight. What a theremin solo! My god! And Robert's wailing
scream of "You need...Looooooooooooooove!" was mind blowing. 
 The encores were enthusiastic and exciting. Let me say it again, Robert's
voice was wild. Rock and Roll was sung like the studio version, high and
clear. Michael's ending solo is a great finale, especially with the great
effect they use on the video screen, switching camera angles with lightning
speed as he pounds the cymbals.

 Fashion report: my god there were a lot of scantily clad women. There was
this one girl...er, nevermind.

 Security: None on the way in, but once inside, the Pepsi Arena Gestapo
almost ruined the show for us. Every two minutes there was a security guard
walking up and down the aisle, and they stopped and bothered everyone,
putting out every cigarette, making people move over if they were even a
few inches standing in the aisle, actually asking people who were sitting
if they wanted them to make people standing in front of them sit down!
Christ, if no one's being bothered, leave everyone the hell alone! All this
needless activity was really distracting and annoying.

 Overall, it was a great time. The performance was there, no doubt about
that! If Page and Plant can pace themselves and keep from tiring, then they
can put on a scorching show every time out.

 The sweetest sound my ears have ever known,
 Ed Zeppelin