A quick survey of the Riverside Theater lobby at Monday night's Robert Plant and the Band of Joy demonstrated the central divide among his fans: those that listen to NPR and those that listen to GNR.
But the weathered roadie looking types clamoring for a lasting Led Zeppelin reunion and soccer moms who fell in love with Plant's Grammy Award-winning collaboration with bluegrass-country singer Allison Krauss all had reason to smile at a show that covered a wide swath of sonic landscape.
Dressed in blue jeans and gray T-Shirt, the 62-year-old singer and his band took the stage to a standing ovation as they launched into a slowed down and spaced out take on the Zeppelin classic "Black Dog."
Again and again Plant demonstrated why he may be reluctant to return to being Led Zeppelin's singer, why would he when he could be that and so much more with his versatile backing band which featured veteran touring guitarist and solo artist Buddy Miller, Grammy winner Patty Griffin and veteran Nashville songwriter and session musician Darrell Scott.
From the gypsy folk turned explosive rocker "Down to the Sea" off his early '90s solo record "Fate of Nations" to a dusty and sparse spin on Zeppelin's "Black Country Woman," Plant seemed to revel in wrapping his still formidable yelp around a set that flirted with every style and sound in the American songbook.
Plant and the band played several covers during the set, none more surprising or inspired than their takes on the chilling track "Monkey" from Minnesota indie rockers Low, and the dusty desert rambler "Silver Rider" off Low's 2005 album "The Great Destroyer."
But the Band of Joy was most certainly a band with Plant handing the reins over to Miller and Griffin at times as he faded into the edges of the spotlight to accompany on harmonica. And Scott's drew a standing ovation with his stunningly powerful take on the Porter Wagoner tune "Satisfied Mind."
Plant talked about the influence of black American music on him and his English brethren growing up between the stomping gospel tune "Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down" and a rockabilly spin on Rev. Gary Davis' "Twelve Gates to the City."
The biggest response of the night came when Plant bookended the set with another Zeppelin tune as the band launched into a version of "Ramble On" that took on an interesting flamenco indebted interlude.
The band returned to uproarious applause for a nostalgia soaked encore that ended with a cover of Dylan's "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall." It was a fitting end to a night that proved Plant and his iconic voice could be all things to all people, exploring sounds new and old in a timeless era he jokingly called "1962011."
Show openers North Mississippi Allstars put on a southern blues and rock clinic stirring the crowd with a slew of instrumental jams and no frills rock flush with jaw dropping guitar solos.
