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Led Zeppelin rock legend Robert Plant announced a North American tour on Tuesday (May 7).
And it includes a bunch of dates in the Western half of the United States, but none actually in California. These dates fall in the late September and early October time frame
That’s very significant.
All of this leads us to believe that Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters band could be performing at the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, which runs Oct. 4-6 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Check the dates (listed below). The last announced stop on the tour, at least thus far, is Oct. 3 in Bend, Oregon, which is just up the road a spell from Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. It certainly seems possible that he’s “Going to California” for a set at Hardly Strictly on Oct. 4, 5 or 6.
Plus, Plant seems to really dig this festival. He’s played it twice before, back in 2011 with his Band of Joy and in 2008 with Alison Krauss. So, 2019 seems like an ideal time for a three-peat, right?
Also, Plant and his Sensational Space Shifters are already playing a few festival dates: Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada (September 13), Outlaw Music Festival in Indianapolis (September 20), and Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville, Kentucky (September 21). Hardly Strictly Bluegrass would make it four.
Of course, all of this is just speculation at this point. The festival won’t start naming names until July, which it does, in part, with a series of artist medleys posted on the website www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com. And Plant’s publicist says there’s no word of the rock star performing at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass at this time.
Still, fans can hope, right? And there seems to be some very good reasons to be hopeful.
Robert Plant tour dates:
SEPTEMBER
13 – Fredericton, NB – Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival
17 – Philadelphia, PA – The Mann Center
20 – Indianapolis, IN – Outlaw Music Festival
21 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond Festival
23 – Clear Lake, IA – Surf Ballroom
25 – Moorhead, MN – Bluestem Center For The Arts Amphitheatre
27 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater
29 – Spokane, WA – First Interstate Center For The Arts
OCTOBER
1 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater
3 – Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater
