Robert Plant may shy away from talk of a full-fledged Led Zeppelin reunion, but his recent performance at the Pinkpop Festival proves he’s still very much in touch with the spirit—and power—of that iconic band. In a riveting nine-song set, now available on the festival’s official YouTube channel, Plant, backed by his longtime collaborators the Sensational Space Shifters, delivered a masterclass in blending past glory with contemporary edge.
The set is pure gold for fans both old and new. It opens with a haunting, dynamic rendition of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You,” setting the tone with a familiar yet reinvented feel. Plant’s voice, aged but commanding, doesn’t chase his younger self’s highs—he transforms the songs into something rawer, more lived-in. Backed by the Space Shifters’ organic instrumentation and genre-blurring sound, the performance finds a perfect middle ground between nostalgia and evolution.
Plant doesn’t hold back on the Zeppelin material. The band tears into “Black Dog” with a ferocity that feels fresh. Rather than mimicking the thunder of the original, this version grooves with more swing, underpinned by funky guitar licks and syncopated rhythms. “Going to California” offers a quieter, more intimate interlude, its pastoral beauty intact, with Plant delivering the lyrics with a storyteller’s grace. “Ramble On,” another fan favorite, blends mysticism and rock with subtle electronics and percussive textures that give the classic track a new sheen.
The set’s climax, unsurprisingly, comes with “Whole Lotta Love.” It’s sprawling, primal, and inventive. Plant channels the bluesy roots of the original while weaving in psychedelic twists and experimental flourishes, proving he’s never content to simply replicate. The Sensational Space Shifters, as always, rise to the occasion—Justin Adams and Liam “Skin” Tyson’s guitar interplay is both feral and sophisticated, while Juldeh Camara’s presence on ritti (a one-string African instrument) adds a wild, unexpected texture.
While Zeppelin classics dominate, the rest of the set is no less compelling. “Spoonful,” the blues standard originally written by Willie Dixon, gets a hypnotic rework. Plant’s love for the blues is evident here—not just in reverence, but in how he and the band mold the song into something uniquely their own. “Little Maggie,” a reimagined Appalachian folk tune, pulses with a trance-like energy, further highlighting the band’s wide-ranging influences.
Solo standouts like “Tin Pan Valley” and “Funny in My Mind (I Believe I’m Fixin’ to Die)” round out the set, reminding listeners that Plant’s solo career is filled with bold sonic explorations. “Tin Pan Valley,” in particular, is a highlight—lyrically self-aware, musically confrontational, and emotionally complex. It’s a moment where Plant seems to address the legacy hanging over him, singing, “My peers may flirt with cabaret / Some fake the rebel yell,” with a knowing smirk.
What’s clear from this performance is that Plant is not merely trading on past glories. Instead, he’s reshaping them, reinterpreting them, and pairing them with new influences. This set is no museum piece—it’s a living, breathing reinvention of a legendary catalog through the lens of an artist who refuses to stand still.
For fans longing for Led Zeppelin’s return, this might be as close as it gets—but it’s more than enough. It’s not about recreating the past; it’s about channeling its energy into something that still matters today. At 75, Robert Plant continues to push boundaries, proving that great music—especially when played live—can transcend decades, genres, and expectations.