Now aged 75, the legend in leather trousers still has a strong, gravelly, rather sexy voice and the on-stage demeanour of a rock star. There is something about sixties icons – the Plants and the Jaggers and the Rod Stewarts (though of course there is only actually one of them) that like ancient Greek buildings have an eternal quality.
Robert Plant with his long grey hair and wrinkled face looks like Father Time but he sings like a god.
Stage one on Friday night was jam-packed, rammed full, not another fag paper could have got in. Not that we smoke of course. This wasn’t actually the sixties though in other ways it took us back there.
Every song came over as an anthem – powerful, melodic, totally captivating. This latest chapter in Plant life is presenting the group Saving Grace, a collective with Oli Jefferson on percussion, Tony Kelsey (mandolin, baritone and acoustic guitars), Matt Worley (banjo, acoustic and baritone guitars, cuatro) AND the absolutely supreme voice of Suzi Dian.
Her duets with Plant were sublime. There were some belters and some exquisite close harmonies – and she also plays the accordion. It’s a sheer genius combination. Some of the music has the sudden, final crescendos reminiscent of Fairport Convention, who Saving Grace have supported.
Earlier in the day, guitarist extraordinaire, Tommy Emmanuel had mesmerised the same stage on a sunny afternoon. He can play three guitar parts at once.
A fellow critic was looking for two other guitarists hidden at the side of the stage before he realised that one man could sound like a group of instruments. Emmanuel invited the audience to sing, and he accompanied them.
Thousands of people were in effect doing karaoke.
Described in the festival programme as a child prodigy, it says Emmanuel was “tearing it up” on stage when he was six, until the Australian authorities thought he probably should go to school.
Meanwhile, competing with Emmanuel over on Stage two were singer-guitarist Dean Owens and The Sinners. Now here is a band which makes you glad you have lived long enough to see.
The Sinners are double bass, drums, guitar and absolutely soul stirring trumpet. Owens (partly Italian) has a strong and melodic voice which lifts the spirits to hear. It is at the same time, rousing and balm for the soul.
Dean Owens from Leith, Edinburgh looked around him and said: “It’s weird playing in daylight.”
Later he told the audience: “I thought we’d start with melancholy and work our way to pure misery”. That got a laugh, but none of it is miserable. Everyone was dancing, the music is so full and upbeat.
At times the guitars reminded me of The Shadows. With a title like Raining in Glasgow you might not expect much but the tent was bopping along.
Later he said: “I wrote this song for Willie Nelson” – then added: “He hasn’t heard it yet.” We had though and it was wonderful.
Cambridge Folk Festival continues on Sunday, July 28
