Robert Plant, the legendary lead singer of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin, has remained an active musician since the group disbanded in 1980 following the tragic death of drummer John Bonham. Now in his 70s, Plant continues to tour and perform around the world both as a solo artist and with his current band, The Sensational Space Shifters.
Brief Background on Robert Plant
Robert Plant was born on August 20, 1948 in West Bromwich, England. As a teenager in the 1960s, he began playing music professionally and joined a few small bands before being recruited as the lead singer of the then-new band Led Zeppelin in 1968. With his powerful, wailing vocals and dynamic stage presence, Plant was crucial to establishing Led Zeppelin’s blues-infused, eclectic rock sound. The band achieved immense commercial success throughout the 1970s, releasing eight studio albums that showcased Plant’s diverse vocal talents and pioneering hard rock influenced by folk, blues, and world music genres. Some of Led Zeppelin’s most acclaimed songs featuring Plant’s iconic singing include “Stairway to Heaven,” “Kashmir,” “Whole Lotta Love,” and “Immigrant Song.”
Plant’s Post-Led Zeppelin Solo Career
After the 1980 breakup of Led Zeppelin following Bonham’s sudden death, Plant was unsure if he wanted to continue making music. However, he found new inspiration in 1982 when he released his debut solo album, Pictures at Eleven, which was a critical and commercial success. Throughout the 1980s, Plant established his solo career separate from Led Zeppelin by exploring different musical styles and collaborating with various artists. He achieved a major mainstream comeback with his 1988 album Now and Zen, which spawned the hit single “Tall Cool One.” Over the next several decades, Plant released over a dozen solo studio albums covering genres like classic rock, blues, country, folk and world music. His solo career has earned him additional critical praise and awards, cementing his status as one of the most respected veteran rock singers still performing.
The Sensational Space Shifters
In 2002, Robert Plant formed a backing band called the Strange Sensation to support his solo tours and albums. After changing their name to the Sensational Space Shifters in 2012, this band has become Plant’s regular touring and recording group for the past decade. The Sensational Space Shifters includes guitarist Liam “Skin” Tyson, bassist Billy Fuller, drummer Dave Smith, keyboardist John Baggott, and violinist Seth Lakeman. Playing a diverse mix of rock, folk and global music, the band allows Plant to recreate Led Zeppelin classics as well as showcase his wide-ranging solo material in new live arrangements. Plant has released two albums with the Sensational Space Shifters: 2014’s lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar and 2017’s Carry Fire, both of which were accompanied by international concert tours.
Plant’s Recent and Current Tours
Even as he advanced in years, Robert Plant has maintained a steady touring schedule and regularly performs at major venues and festivals around the world.
2010-2011 Band of Joy Tour
To promote his rootsy 2010 album Band of Joy, Plant assembled a new group of Americana musicians and embarked on an extensive world tour from 2010-2011. Playing smaller theaters and halls, the shows focused on stripped-down, folky renditions of Plant’s back catalog along with blues standards and new solo songs.
2012-2014 Sensational Space Shifters Tour
After forming his new band, Plant took the Sensational Space Shifters on the road in support of his 2014 comeback record lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar. This critically praised tour saw Plant and the band play a diverse setlist of reworked Zeppelin classics, blues covers, and folk-rock originals at over 50 dates across Europe and North America.
2015-2016 The Pagan Tour
In late 2015, Plant launched a new tour with the Sensational Space Shifters dubbed The Pagan Tour after a song on lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar. During this tour, Plant began including more Led Zeppelin songs such as “Black Dog” and “Going to California” that hadn’t been performed on previous dates with his current band. The Pagan Tour comprised over 25 shows across Europe.
2017 Carry Fire Tour
Plant’s most recent tour supported his 2017 album Carry Fire, which continued his globetrotting, folk-rock exploration with the Space Shifters. Playing theaters and festivals in Europe and North America throughout 2017 and 2018, the well-received Carry Fire Tour saw Plant energized as he approached his 70th birthday, with reviewers praising his still-powerful vocals.
2019-2020 Digging Deep Tour
In 2019, Plant embarked on a new tour dubbed Digging Deep, which included a complete performance of Led Zeppelin’s untitled fourth album for its 50th anniversary. Although some dates were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Plant managed to play several Digging Deep shows in Europe, the UK, and North America throughout late 2019 and early 2020 before the tour was cut short.
Is Plant Still Touring in 2023 and Beyond?
Currently in his mid-70s, Robert Plant has not announced any major concert tours for 2023 as of October 2023. However, he remains active in music and has hinted at plans for new records and live shows after releasing Digging Deep, his latest album of reworked Zeppelin classics, in late 2022. Fans can likely expect Plant to return to touring once the COVID-19 situation improves, as he has shown no signs of slowing down his live performances despite his age. With longtime bandmates the Sensational Space Shifters still backing him, Plant seems poised to continue taking his eclectic musical catalog on tour for the foreseeable future.
Upcoming Performances
While Plant has no extensive tour currently scheduled, he does have a few live shows and festival appearances coming up in 2023:
- March – Headlining performance at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia
- June – Scheduled to headline the Black Deer Festival in Kent, England
- July – Set to perform at the Mad Cool festival in Madrid, Spain
Plant is also rumored to be planning a short European festival tour for late summer 2023, though details are still unconfirmed. Based on his touring patterns over the past decade, fans can reasonably expect Plant to continue performing selective concerts and festivals annually even as he advances deeper into his 70s.
Setlists: What Songs Is Plant Playing Live Now?
While his tours in recent years have featured new solo material and an eclectic array of cover songs, Robert Plant always makes room in his setlists to perform a handful of classic Led Zeppelin tunes that highlight his legendary voice. Some of the Zeppelin songs he rotates through on current tours include:
- “Black Dog”
- “Going to California”
- “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”
- “Whole Lotta Love”
- “Rock and Roll”
Plant also aims to reinvent and reimagine Led Zeppelin tracks with fresh arrangements when playing them live with the Sensational Space Shifters, often incorporating elements of world music. Beyond the obligatory Zeppelin numbers, Plant packs his live shows with songs spanning his entire 5-decade career, including solo hits like “In the Mood,” “Tall Cool One,” and “Calling to You,” mixed with blues covers and selections from his last few albums.
Why Plant May Keep Touring Indefinitely
There are several compelling reasons why Robert Plant seems intent on continuing his touring career well into the foreseeable future:
- He still possesses remarkable vocal power and range despite his age, allowing him to capably recreate his challenging Zeppelin repertoire in concert.
- Touring and live performance seems to reenergize him and keep him engaged with creative growth as an artist.
- He clearly still enjoys collaboration with his current band, the Sensational Space Shifters.
- Plant remains as passionate as ever about exploring different musical styles, evidenced by his eclectic studio albums and live shows over the past decade.
- He has built a sizable fanbase as a respected solo artist separate from Led Zeppelin that motivates him to continue touring.
As long as his health permits and his adventurous musical spirit thrives, Robert Plant will likely keep touring well into his twilight years, delivering powerful performances for nostalgic longtime fans and newer listeners alike.
Conclusion
While his days of massive Led Zeppelin stadium tours are behind him, Robert Plant has proven he still has plenty left to offer in his live shows as he grows older. Touring regularly with his trusted band the Sensational Space Shifters over the past decade, Plant continues reworking classic Zeppelin songs alongside his eclectic solo material to great success in theatres and festivals worldwide. Despite having nothing left to prove, Plant’s evident joy in live performance suggests he will keep touring as long as he is able. For devoted fans of Led Zeppelin eager to see the legendary frontman live, Robert Plant remains a must-see concert act well into the 2020s.