No Time to Ramble On: Robert Plant and Saving Grace Deliver an Unforgettable Minneapolis Performance
On Wednesday night at the sold-out State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, Robert Plant demonstrated exactly why he remains one of the most vital figures in rock history. While it would be easy for a legendary frontman of his stature to coast on the monumental legacy of Led Zeppelin, Plant refuses to live in the past. He is a restless musicologist who always wants to be challenged, diving headfirst into uncharted folk, Americana, and world music.
This time, his vehicle of choice is Saving Grace, a collective he began assembling in 2019. After being shelved for the pandemic and his spectacular Raise the Roof run with Alison Krauss, the British ensemble finally dropped their debut album last year. Seeing them live, it instantly clicked that this isn’t just a group of hired guns backing a rock god. This feels like a true band.
The absolute revelation of the night was Suzi Dian. Officially billed alongside Plant, she was given more prominence as a soloist and harmony singer than I’ve ever seen him give even Krauss or Patty Griffin. Dian, a 30-something Brit with a voice that is at once sweet, warm, and deeply expressive of heartache, absolutely stunned the room on Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl.” Her accordion playing also breathed a gorgeous, earthy new life into “Ramble On”—the first of five Zeppelin tracks Plant tossed in to satiate the die-hards who haven't quite moved on.
The absolute revelation of the night was Suzi Dian. Officially billed alongside Plant, she was given more prominence as a soloist and harmony singer than I’ve ever seen him give even Krauss or Patty Griffin. Dian, a 30-something Brit with a voice that is at once sweet, warm, and deeply expressive of heartache, absolutely stunned the room on Gillian Welch’s “Orphan Girl.” Her accordion playing also breathed a gorgeous, earthy new life into “Ramble On”—the first of five Zeppelin tracks Plant tossed in to satiate the die-hards who haven't quite moved on.
But the true magic lay in the unfamiliar. Plant and his five bandmates wove a tapestry of songs from the Saving Gracerecord and his solo catalog. Looking around the theater, it was clear many in the crowd didn't know every tune, but it simply didn't matter. The musicianship was staggering. The a cappella harmonies shared by Plant, Dian, and vocalist/instrumentalist Matt Worley at the end of tracks like "The Cuckoo" were nothing short of arresting.
Throughout the night, Plant was in remarkably high spirits—joking, dancing a bit to the groove, and clearly feeding off the crowd's devoted attention. As I walked out into the night, I overheard a fellow fan say, “That was truly incredible and proudly epic.” I couldn't agree more; without a doubt, this will rank among my top 5 concerts of 2026. It was one of the most enriching live music experiences I’ve had all year, perfectly capped off by Plant delivering a beautiful and masterful rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Going to California” and “Everybody's Song” by Duluth's own Low. It was truly an unforgettable night.