Robert Plant And The Sensational Shape Shifters Live In New York

Written by: Geoff Tischman

Robert Plant and the Sensational Shape Shifters played Forest Hills Tennis Stadium the other night and it was one of the most captivating and compelling rock and roll experiences I’ve had.

It’s not news that Plant is one of the most riveting musicians to ever grace the stage–he’s like the Olivier of popular music–but what’s important to point out is that time hasn’t diminished his wattage, his intensity or his charisma. Plant doesn’t possess electricity, he is electricity and he lit up the stadium with blinding elegance.

Sure, he did a few Led Zeppelin numbers (“Going To California” and “The Lemon Song”) and they were fabulous, but he also knocked out a Joan Baez cover (“Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”) as well as Bukka White’s “Fixin’ To Die” and both were stunning examples of Plant’s ability to embody a song with what can only be described as possession.

As for the encore–a dreamy confluence of “Bring It On Home”/”Whole Lotta Love”/”Santianna”–it was a breathless blast of swaggering, bluesy bliss.