Allison Krauss and Robert Plant were the opening act, and were definitely the highlight of the show -- we would definitely see them again. For example, their interpretation of "When the Levee Breaks" was darker, more predatory and menacing that Led Zeppelin's version. Drew had seen them a couple of times before, so I sort of knew what to expect, but they exceeded my expectations and we would definitely see them again.
I saw Bob Dylan once in college (ca. 1988) and he's not exactly a showman. I mostly enjoyed his show here, even though he purposefully did some of his most obscure songs. His set fit the bar room, honky tonk aesthetic of this tour, but I certainly would have appreciated at least a couple more of his classics.
Since Willie was still too ill to perform, Lukas played his set. He looks and sounds like a lot like his father, and they made the best of the situation. We enjoyed the set, but we couldn't quite shake the feeling that we were watching a Willie Nelson tribute band.
Even with the limitations, we enjoyed the concert and it was an evening well-spent (even though it was a million degrees). But the song that I am choosing to mark the event is not one that they performed, but one that we heard in between sets. It is a cover of Pearl Jam's 2009 "Just Breathe", a single from their 2009 LP "Backspacer", a late-career "hit" for Pearl Jam that I always enjoyed. I did not know until that evening that Willie Nelson and Lukas Nelson did this as a duet for Willie's 2012 LP "Heroes". It's a great song, and they turn in an inspired cover, and I could not help but think of Johnny Cash's work with Rick Rubin.
Pearl Jam: Just Breath (studio), Live at Austin City Limits (2009)
Willie Nelson (Featuring Lukas Nelson): Just Breathe (studio), Live at Farm Aid (2012)
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