Robert Plant's Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian performs Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, where the group kicked off its first-ever U.S. tour. (Photo by Eric Ayres)

WHEELING – Robert Plant’s Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian kicked off the band’s first ever U.S. tour on Thursday in a seemingly improbable yet most fitting location – Wheeling, West Virginia.

Tickets to the show at the historic Capitol Theatre went on sale in July and sold out immediately. Many eager fans in the crowd came not knowing exactly what to expect from the living rock icon and his new band, and what they got was a treat. The band seemed to feed off of the energy of the excited audience and sent it right back with an electrified vibe, leaving fans wide-eyed and more than satisfied.

Although Saving Grace has been considered a relatively “new” project, the group has been touring for the past six years all across Europe. The band’s first album, the self-titled “Robert Plant’s Saving Grace With Suzi Dian,” was just released this fall on Sept. 26.

“They recorded informally in a barn setup and sometimes outdoors,” the announcement about the new release described. “Across the album, the band incorporates elements of hypnotic, droning grooves, Malian desert blues and psychedelic folk, with sounds that can seem mysterious, melancholic and foreboding.”

That spot-on description was brought to life Thursday night to the delight of a packed house in Wheeling.

The album cuts and the selections for the live shows are all covers – from traditional blues and spiritual numbers to unique renditions of deep tracks by artists ranging from Moby Grape to Los Lobos, Neil Young and a handful of more obscure artists. And of course, the band wisely peppers in a decent helping of Led Zeppelin favorites with a very cool and swaggering folk roots twist.

“We ride with the name of Saving Grace, and that’s what we try to do in the band. We start off small – and look what’s happened,” Plant told the capacity crowd at the Capitol Theatre. “We’re going to do some songs, and most of them come from way, way back in time.

“I hope you have a wonderful evening, and it’s great to be here.”

Fronted by Plant and Dian providing vocal harmonies, the band consists of an eclectic assembly of distinguished musicians – including Oli Jefferson on drums, Tony Kelsey on guitar, Matt Worley on banjo and various stringed instruments, and Barney Morse-Brown on cello. Dian also plays the accordion on several numbers.

The group uses earthy instruments to conjure up a celestially moody ambiance. Their musical stamp adds a laid-back, bluesy flavor seasoned with elements of world music to each unique version of the songs they play.

Robert Plant plays the harmonica during a performance with Saving Grace on Oct. 30, 2025 at the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling. (Photo by Eric Ayres)

Saving Grace’s debut U.S. tour takes the band to several major cities this fall, but the opening date in the heart of rust-belt Appalachia turned out to be the perfect launch point. In fact, Robert Plant and the band were in town all week leading up to the opening night performance. They had quietly arranged to use the Capitol Theatre as a rehearsal space to prepare for the U.S. tour and have been working long hours at the theater for several days.

A couple of surprised passengers on a commercial flight from London to Pittsburgh on Monday had shared posts on social media of selfies taken with Plant at the baggage claim. With no tour buses or semi trucks parked outside the Capitol during the week to tip off the general public of the rock legend’s presence, life for unsuspecting passersby in downtown Wheeling was business as usual while Plant and the band secretly rehearsed right under their noses all day Tuesday, Wednesday and early before the show on Thursday.

“It’s been amazing,” said Kelly Tucker, executive director of the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority. “He has loved being in Wheeling. He’s been talking very highly of the Capitol Theatre and the staff, and he’s just thrilled to be kicking off his tour here.”

The show drew tons of local rock fans of all ages, as well as some people who came in from all over the country.

“I talked to people today that have come from Texas, from Florida, from Chicago – even though he’s playing in Chicago, they decided to come to Wheeling and spend a few days here,” Tucker said. “So it’s bringing in a lot of different people – and it’s wonderful for the community.”

Plant told the audience this was a “virgin flight” for the band, which ended up dropping by local independent record store Nail City Record in downtown Wheeling before Thursday night’s concert. Jon and Molly Napier of Nail City Record shared a group photo with themselves, Plant and the entire band in their record store. Plant re-shared their photo on his official social media platforms.

Robert Plant and the entire Saving Grace band dropped by Nail City Record in downtown Wheeling this week before their show at the Capitol Theatre. From left are Saving Grace members Tony Kelsey, Barney Morse-Brown and Suzi Dian; Nail City Record’s Molly and Jon Napier; Plant, and Saving Grace’s Matt Worley and Oli Jefferson. (Photo Provided by Nail City Record)

In the week leading up to the show, the GWSEA crew that was helping with accommodations for the band at the Capitol had requested help from Nail City Record.

“They asked if we could set up a turntable and some speakers, and bring some records,” Jon Napier said. “We were like, ‘absolutely!’ So we picked some records from our personal collection, brought them down, set up a system, and as soon as they got here, apparently one of the first things they did was dig through the records that we brought. They found a lot of cool stuff that we chose for them, and they had to come to the store.”

Napier noted that they actually showed up at the store early – before the time they had arranged. But when it comes to rock icons, you gladly roll with the punches.

“He was really excited, and we were really excited about it – and about everything that’s happening here,” Napier said. “We’re so glad he made it to Wheeling.”

The band went through the store’s massive collection and signed several copies of the Saving Grace album – which are actually available for the general public to purchase at the store.

“They all found some cool records to take home,” Napier said. “They signed 39 and kept one copy for themselves – Suzi Dian kept a copy. The copies that they signed are the limited edition indie exclusive variant on fruit colored vinyl. They’re unavailable unless you have an independent retail record store.”

Robert Plant’s Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian performs Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, where the group kicked off its first-ever U.S. tour. (Photo by Eric Ayres)

The Napiers were among the many fans on hand Thursday night picking up souvenirs at the merchandise booth at the show and enjoying the concert.

“This is me having an opportunity to say to you how good it feels to be here – this is our first show in America,” Plant told the crowd between songs.

Dian said the Wheeling audience was probably one of the most enthusiastic crowds they had seen since touring.

The group’s set consisted of several tracks from the new album – from “Higher Rock” to “Soul of a Man,” “Too Far From You,” “It’s a Beautiful Day Today,” the energetic clap-along “As I Roved Out” and the harder-rocking “Everybody’s Song.”

Also included in the set was a version of “Let the Four Winds Blow” from Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation’s 2005 album “Mighty ReArranger,” as well as a cover of Neil Young’s “For the Turnstiles” from 1974.

The sold-out crowd was brought to its feet many times during the show, but the Led Zeppelin cuts were the ones that brought the house down. Opening strains of “Ramble On,” “The Rain Song” and “Friends” had the charged-up fans all standing, many with their phones out to record a snippet of the fleetingly rare occasion – a true rock classic being performed live by the man himself.

Not only was the sound in the Capitol Theatre absolutely perfect, Plant’s voice – at age 77 – sounded as great as ever. Carrying a much more seasoned vocal timbre than he did in his 20s when Led Zeppelin was conquering the world, Plant’s voice soared to the ceiling of the historic theater, with some flawless high notes and that signature rock ‘n’ roll howl that several times during the show triggered a jolt of knee-buckling nostalgia for most of the fans in the crowd.

Thursday night’s encore was all Zeppelin. A re-arranged “Four Sticks” was followed by an extended version of “Gallows Pole” with quotes of “trying to find the bridge” from “The Crunge” and verses from “Black Dog” woven in for good measure.

Cuts from the Led Zeppelin catalog understandably are what thrills the crowds, and Plant seems to know this and came to terms with it long ago. But one thing that made Led Zeppelin great was its trailblazing character and willingness to think outside the box by honoring the past while still forging ahead without looking back. Plant has continued to do just that throughout this career. From his solo work in the 1980s and ’90s, to his different avant-garde and experimental ensemble bands and his award-winning collaborations with Alison Krauss, Plant has continued to push the envelope – and fans who are open to something new may likely find a refreshing favorite from a tried and trusted source that seems like an old friend.

Saving Grace’s U.S. debut was undeniably great, and if Thursday night’s performance was any indicator of the tour to come, fans in other cities across the nation will be in store for something they won’t soon forget.

Robert Plant’s Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian performs Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, where the group kicked off its first-ever U.S. tour. (Photo by Eric Ayres)

Robert Plant’s Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian

(Photo by Tom Oldham)