Review: Robert Plant at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
The night of April 1 felt electric before a single note was even played.
When the music finally began, breaking through the chatter in Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, it truly did feel like magic filled the air. This sensation was immediately followed by a swell of cheers that set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Rosie Flores took the stage first with a youthful glow that seemed to lift up the audience and help them forget the problems of the world outside. Joined by her band The Tailsmen — Michael Archer (bass), Chris Sensat (drums), and Mike Molnar (lead guitar) — their set transported the crowd back in time to when rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll reigned supreme. From originals like “Mean Mean Man,” to such covers as The Everly Brothers’ “So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad,” Flores and her band captivated the audience and got them in the mood for the main event.
Then it was time for Suzi Dian, Robert Plant, and their band Saving Grace, and their chemistry proved key to an incredible performance.
A shift in the air came when Plant started the iconic Led Zeppelin song “Ramble On,” which earned a full standing ovation. As the house lights briefly lifted, you could see clearly this wasn’t just a crowd enjoying a concert — it was a room experiencing their youth once again, or for the first time in their lives. That connection only deepened as the set unfolded.
The cover of Claude Ely’s “Ain’t No Grave” introduced a striking shift in texture, with Matt Worley, the band’s string player, adding a raw and enticing layer that beautifully grounded the song.
A softer moment came when Dian stepped to the microphone and beautifully covered Brevard-based singer/songwriter Sarah Siskind’s “Too Far From You.” What added a layer of warmth and sincerity to this dedication was that Siskind was in the crowd to hear this outstanding performance.
Between songs, there were flashes of humor and authenticity — most notably a candid remark by Plant that seemed to resonate with the crowd: “If you can’t sing a folk song in this fucking town, what are you gonna do?” It landed perfectly, grounding the grandeur of the performance in something real and human.
A haunting cello solo by Worley under a blackout spotlight created one of the night’s most intimate moments, drawing the audience into complete stillness. And then, seamlessly, the energy surged back in a celebratory performance of Led Zeppelin’s “Friends” that had people dancing in all corners of the auditorium, fully surrendered to the music.
As the band exited the stage, the crowd sustained an uproar for an encore. Happy to oblige, the performers returned to the stage for a few more songs, and the audience stood — embracing, singing, and dancing as they approached the end of the night.
As the show came to a close, the stage lights dropped while the house lights turned outward, illuminating the crowd instead of the performers, offering a subtle but powerful shift. It felt like a final acknowledgment: this experience wasn’t just for the artists but belonged to everyone in the room.
(Photos by Olivia Thomas)
Rosie Flores
