Plant takes root at Elvis’ former digs

Spencer Patterson

Friday, July 15, 2005 | 8:17 a.m.

The hotel that once housed Elvis Presley will play host to another of rock 'n' roll's best-known voices this weekend.

On Saturday night Robert Plant stops at the Las Vegas Hilton, which was known as the International in Presley's day.

The ex-Led Zeppelin frontman and backing band Strange Sensation are touring behind their May release, "The Mighty Rearranger," which has drawn some of the strongest reviews of Plant's 20-plus-year solo career.

"The Mighty Rearranger" is the British vocalist's first collection of original material since 1998's "Walking Into Clarksdale," a collaboration with one-time Zeppelin partner Jimmy Page.

Plant's last solo disc, 2002's "Dreamland," was comprised of cover tunes, such as reworkings of Bob Dylan's "One More Cup of Coffee" and Tim Rose's "Morning Dew."

Of course, the 56-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is best known as the wailing lead vocalist on such Zeppelin rock anthems as "Stairway to Heaven," "Kashmir" and "Whole Lotta Love."

Blues musician Little Axe (real name: Skip McDonald) is slated to open Saturday's show.

Who: Robert Plant.

Where: Las Vegas Hilton Center.

When: 6 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets: $65, $80, 110.

Call: 732-5755.

Opening act: Little Axe.

Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals), John Baggott (keyboards), Cliver Deamer (drums), Justin Adams (guitar), Skin Tyson (guitar), Billy Fuller (bass).

Latest release: "The Mighty Rearranger" (May, Sanctuary Records).

Album feedback: "Plant and Strange Sensation have painstakingly and energetically crafted an album that takes his full history into account, yet offers something living, breathing and actually new. (All Music Guide, four stars); "More than any other time since 1994's 'No Quarter' with Jimmy Page, Plant's inner black dog is howling again." (Rolling Stone, 3 1/2 stars).

What to expect: Don't plan on hearing Plant's back-catalog solo work such as "In the Mood," "Little by Little" or "Tall Cool One." He's been basically sticking to the new album -- playing about five cuts from it per night -- and to material from Zeppelin, mixing in some of his favorites from that era.

Recent set list: NTELOS Pavilion, Portsmouth, Va., July 4: "Heartbreaker," "Shine it All Around," "Black Dog," "Freedom Fries," "That's the Way," "Tin Pan Valley," "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," "Mighty Rearranger," "Gallows Pole," "When the Levee Breaks." Encore: "The Enchanter," "Whole Lotta Love." (fansite www. robertplanthomepage.com).

Tour feedback: "He could have coasted on charm, but Plant's greatest asset remains his expressively dynamic voice. Although age no prevents him from reaching upper-register highs, his banshee wails, prolonged moans and honeydripper soul boiled with carnal suggestiveness." (Chicago Tribune); "With all the psychedelic dancing and long jams, this show felt more like a Phish show than a rock 'n' roll feast, but no matter how you look at it, you can't go wrong watching a legend like Plant perform." (Chartattack.com, Toronto).

Previous Las Vegas appearances: May 12, 1995 (MGM Grand); Sept. 23, 1998 (MGM Grand); Sept. 13, 2002 (The Joint).

Says Plant: (Regarding his attempt at karaoke in China) "I said, 'Let me do, "It's Now or Never" by Elvis, so I can really bring the house down!' But this guy from Taiwan was better than me, He did "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" by Tony Orlando and Dawn. When he was done I thought, '(Expletive) me!' I was outdone by a Taiwanese guy singing Tony Orlando." (Rolling Stone, May).