Robert Plant may reject the idea of a Led Zeppelin , but his affection for the band's legacy lives on in his performances. Proof of this is the recently resurrected performance on the official Pinkpop festival YouTube channel, recorded in 2014 in the Netherlands. In the show, Plant and his band The Sensational Space Shifters delivered a nine-song set, including five tracks immortalized by his former group.
In order, the setlist included “Babe I'm Gonna Leave You,” followed by “Black Dog,” “Going To California,” “Ramble On,” and the classic “Whole Lotta Love,” closing his performance with full force. In addition to the Zeppelin anthems, the singer also included Willie Dixon's “Spoonful,” the traditional folk song “Little Maggie,” and two tracks from his solo career: “Funny in My Mind (I Believe I'm Fixin' to Die)” and “Tin Pan Valley.”
The performance, now officially available in high quality on YouTube, shows that the spirit of Led Zeppelin lives on, even if in a slightly different style. Watch it:
Robert Plant and The Sensational Space Shifters
Since 2012, Robert Plant has been accompanied by the Sensational Space Shifters. This collective of musicians blends rock, blues, African music, and electronica into a rich and inventive sound. The band includes names like Justin Adams (guitar), John Baggott (keyboards), Juldeh Camara (traditional West African instruments), Billy Fuller (bass), Dave Smith (drums), and Liam “Skin” Tyson (guitar).
With this group, Plant released two studio albums: Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar (2014) and Carry Fire (2017), both well-received by critics. His most recent work was marked by intense live performances, in which Plant weaves together his solo career with tributes to the Zeppelin era, breaking the expectations of fans who anticipated a conservative sound.
The last Led Zeppelin reunion
The last time the remaining members of Led Zeppelin shared the stage was in 2007, during the tribute to Ahmet Ertegun , founder of Atlantic Records , at O2 Arena . The historic show featured Plant, Jimmy Page , and John Paul Jones , as well as Jason Bonham , son of original drummer John Bonham , on drums.
Since then, calls for a reunion have been constant. However, Plant has remained firm in his decision not to revive Led Zeppelin through tours or new projects. Even so, moments like Pinkpop 2014 show that the band's spirit has never completely left the stage.
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