Concert Review: Robert Plant & Saving Grace Feat. Suzi Dian, KC’s Kauffman Center For The Performing Arts 9/19/26

*Picture of rock legend Robert Plant taken by the Rock Chick (as is the second picture below of Saving Grace)

Robert Plant brought his latest band Saving Grace to the Helzberg Theater at the Kauffman Center For the Performing Arts last night and they put on a folk performance that blew the roof off of that elegant venue. This was a sensational show.

Plant began collaborating and playing with this new outfit, dubbed Saving Grace in 2019. Covid and then his second Plant-Krauss album Raise The Roof (2024) got in the way until finally last year they released their debut album, an eclectic collection of covers, also called Saving Grace. Plant and Saving Grace just released a song to streaming from their only-vinyl RSD 2026 release All That Glitters, “Two Coats,” but didn’t play that one.

I skipped the opening act – I know, I shouldn’t do that – and was drinking a glass of wine (it was the Kauffman Center after all, “Stay classy.”) and I ran into two “dudes” who were ready to “rawk.” I felt bad for them. If you’re coming to the Plant/Saving Grace hoping for “The Immigrant Song,” you’re going to be disappointed.

Saving Grace is, as Plant kept referring to them, a group of folk singers. The band is made up of: Co-vocalist Suzi Dian – who was a lot younger than I realized and who dressed like a young Stevie Nicks; Oli Jefferson (drums), Tony Kelsey on powerful yet subtle electric guitar; Barney Morse-Brown (cello) who plucked the strings more than bowed the instrument to great effect and Matt Worley on acoustic guitar, vocals and banjo. I should mention on a few tracks his banjo sounded like a sitar.

Here is a photo of the whole band, also by the Rock Chick:

The band is built, as you would expect from a folk group, around the harmonizing of Plant, Dian, and Worley. I can say, without fear of being too wrong, that Plant is having a blast. He loves singing with someone, typically a woman, and it shows. You can tell he’s committed. He still does the wonderful hand gestures as he sings… he’s got this one where it looks like he’s rolling a bowling ball and I love it!

Each of the singers I mentioned – Plant, Dian and Worley – all take turns on lead vocals but I’d tell you Plant is out front 80% of the time. When he’s not he’s laying down either a harmony or backing vocal and on one tune he blew a little harmonica, which thrilled me.

The evening is an interesting mix of songs from Saving Grace (only 3, which surprised me), Plant solo tracks, Zeppelin songs, and a few covers not recorded yet, as far as we know. Plant and Suzi would fade over to the side of the stage during instrumental breaks and then slowly close in on the microphones at the same time. That’s as close as you’re gonna come to choreography at a Plant show!

It was approximately 8:57pm last night when the lights went down and the band took the stage. Last to the stage was of course, Robert Plant. He was dressed in grey leather trousers and a black tuxedo style shirt. He had a beaming smile and a devilish wink in his eye. I knew we were in for a good time.

They started the show with a personal favorite, a solo Plant song called “Down To The Sea” (which yes, I just included in my Playlist: Songs About The Ocean/Sea) and it was fabulous. At one point the instruments died and it was just Plant and Dian harmonizing, which happened a lot and it was rapturous.

In keeping with the roots music vibe, they then did “Win My Train Fair Home” which Plant did on the sensational album Dreamland. It was a perfect fit. But then the band ripped into “Ramble On” from Zeppelin and it was even better than when he did it on Colbert before the regime silenced that comedian.

After that they did two tracks from Saving Grace, “As I Roved Out” and Higher Rock” and the harmonizing sounded exactly like the record. Plant does employ the occasional echo effect on his vocals but not on those songs.

Worley then took over the lead on “There Ain’t No Grave Gonna Hold My Body Down.” I loved it but couldn’t help but think…uh, that’s Robert Plant on backing vocals, maybe switch places with him Matt. I shouldn’t say that as it was a great song but I am who I am.

They pulled a slight obscurity from Plant’s solo record Mighty ReArranger, “Let The Four Winds Blow” but it just worked! Dian takes the lead vocal on “Orphan Girl” a Gillian Welch cover, but that one lost me a little bit. She’s better harmonizing than singing lead. But then I can’t even sing in the shower.

Next up was “Friends” from Zeppelin III. At that point I’m in rock Nirvana. That was where the banjo sounded like a sitar and I’m thinking, how does he do that? They did a fabulous, stripped down version of “Calling To You” from Plant’s Fate Of Nations. 

They did the traditional track “Cuckoo” which I think Dylan did once. And then the weirdest part of the evening Dian took the lead vocals on Neil Young’s “For The Turnstiles.” I was not expecting that one. They did a nice job. It was weird hearing Plant lend a harmony on the words, “All the bush league batters
Are left to die on the diamond.” And Morse-Brown did a cello solo… very cool.

Then – just to elevate me farther into the stratosphere – they launch into the Joan Baez cover from Led Zeppelin, the first Zeppelin LP I ever bought, “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You.” It was goosebumps time. It was simply put, sensational. That ended the main set.

Plant hadn’t left all his magic in that main set however. He comes out for the encore – as he usually does, with a beer in hand… work is over, the party has started, have a beer! – and goes into “The Rain Song” from The Song Remains The Same. You could have heard a pin drop as Plant squeezed every bit of emotion out of every word. It was stunning. I was speechless, and that’s saying something.

They wrapped the proceedings up with a Saving Grace tune, “Everybody’s Song” which continued the fabulous harmonizing between Plant and Dian. As they took a bow, Plant said, “We’re a folk group and we come from the land of the ice and snow… it’s fucking hot.” And that was funny, because it’s true.

I have so much respect for Plant being true to his muse and doing this folk singing thing rather than cash in like the greed heads want him to and doing a Zeppelin reunion his hearts not in. People are bummed by that but I think the man is happy and is doing what he wants. His voice is still spectacular. It’s not the banshee wail of Zeppelin II but he hasn’t sung like that since Physical Graffiti. 

I’d love to see this show again. I’m already looking at flights to Chicago. Plant and Saving Grace will be touring through mid-October in the American West and Midwest and if they come anywhere near you, my advice is to buy the ticket, see the show.

What a week… I started it off at a Billy Idol concert and ended with Robert Plant and Saving Grace… it’s like having musical whiplash!

Cheers!