Robert Plant and Alison Krauss offer a magical evening in Chicago

“Isn’t that amazing?” Robert Plant asked rhetorically on stage Wednesday night at the Ravinia Festival, about 25 miles north of Chicago in the suburb of Highland Park, Illinois. “It’s amazing how two voices can sometimes sound like I never imagined,” he continued, noting his performance alongside singer and violinist Alison Krauss. “It’s been a long, strange journey to get here… I think.”

In 2005, Plant released his eighth solo studio album Powerful rearranger. It’s an apt title that perfectly sums up the solo career he’s had since 1982, subverting familiar songs in the best way possible as he continues to push forward into one of the most creative and impressive second halves of the rock.

Following the release of Raising sandtheir platinum 2005 collaboration with Krauss, the duo has teamed up again for 2021 Raise the roofon tour ever since.

“I’m blessed,” Plant said late in Wednesday night’s performance. “I really am. I’m so lucky to be in the presence of this wonderful woman and her magnificent art,” he continued, introducing Krauss.

With temperatures reaching 90 degrees on Chicago’s North Shore, Plant and Krauss provided a magical evening of live music, beautifully accompanied by a wonderful five-piece band for about an hour and a half.

Wednesday was just the seventh concert of this outing for the duo, a tour that will run through the summer and conclude September 1, 2024 in Vail, Colorado, before an October tour of Italy for Plant.

Opening act JD McPherson was on double duty Wednesday, joining Plant and Krauss on guitar throughout, stealing the opening number “Rich Woman” as Plant turned left to soak it up.

A stunning silver backdrop supported the band with small screens flanking each side of the stage, a performance devoid of contemporary concert trappings that placed the focus squarely on the live music being performed.

Krauss took his first lead vocal of the evening shortly after, with “The Price of Love” also serving as the first of three Everly Brothers tracks of the evening.

Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” is one of the best examples of Plant’s continued desire to shake up his catalog, with multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan’s violin combining with Krauss to lead the song’s opening moments. Violin largely replaced an opening guitar solo on a slightly slowed down but equally rock version of the classic piece. Plant spread his arms wide as McPherson launched into a late solo, shuddering as he turned to Krauss for the song’s patented “ooh yeah,” kicking it up a notch with a patented late moan as the impressive take was coming to an end.

From Raise the roof“High and Lonesome,” the album’s only Plant-penned original, shined, with the crowd taking it upon themselves to clap along in the intro with gusto.

“Last Kind Words Blue” almost stole the show with the combination of Duncan on resonator guitar and McPherson steering the ship electrically while the mandolin gurgled underneath.

Duncan functioned Wednesday night as the group’s secret weapon, switching to ukulele for “Trouble With my Lover,” written by legendary New Orleans songwriter Allen Toussaint. Plant picked up a pair of maracas and watched with a smile as Krauss sang.

Flipping his lion’s mane with both hands, Plant dove into a uniquely expressive version of his own “In the Mood,” defined largely by the accelerated dueling violin work of Duncan and Krauss while McPherson provided a singing accompaniment groove.

Banter was at a minimum Wednesday night, but Plant took a moment’s break after a sprightly, bouncy version of “Gallows Pole” that brought the Ravinia crowd to its feet organically with several numbers to play before the encore of the band.

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“Many years ago, I said something like, ‘It feels really good here,’” Plant said, taking stock of his surroundings upon his return to this unique outdoor venue. “But it really is. This is one of the best interludes of my life,” he said, soon introducing each member of the group. “Please, folks, welcome here – you know who he is – Robert Plant, everyone!” Krauss said, gesturing to the left.

Although solid throughout, Wednesday’s show really started to hit its stride late, with Zeppelin’s “The Battle of Evermore,” featuring an electric mandolin, giving way to “When the Levee Breaks.”

Radically reworking the otherwise familiar number, Plant looked content, nodding to his right while smiling and clapping, captivated by the sound as the band sped up the montage, with McPherson’s tremolo-soaked guitar wailing over the song in a whole new way. Waiting patiently, hands on hips, Plant finally delivered the penultimate lyric of the song, as the crowd roared in approval: “Going to Chicago!”

“Thanks for Champaign, Illinois!” said Plant, referring to Krauss’ hometown, about three hours south. ” So funny. We’ll see each other. Somewhere,” he said after the group’s final version of the Everlys’ “Gone Gone Gone.”

Putting a ’50s spin on Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life,” McPherson gave a shoutout to Chicago’s longtime adult alternative station WXRT, which he called the first station in the country to play his hit from 2010’s “North Side Gal”.

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. This is the third year for us with Robert,” said the singer and guitarist, during his opening performance, setting up a reverb-saturated version of “On the Lips.” “It’s quite a spectacle!”