Robert Plant Wolverhampton Civic Hall

THEY'RE a varied mix to say the least at a packed Wolves Civic to pay homage to the Black Country's very own godfather of rock.

Some are old enough to be my parents; others are (just!) young enough to be my kids. I guess this is what they mean by middle-aged...

More to the point, it proves Plant's continued ability to carve himself a niche in the fickle and ever-changing world of rock and roll is undeniable.

His latest reincarnation sees a wealth of North African influences and marks this year's Mighty Rearranger album as arguably his finest solo work to date.

And judging by the reception the 57-year-old received from a sellout Civic he's still a long, long way from being put out to pasture.

This is more than just another gig at the end of a gruelling 97-date world tour - it's a homecoming and the intimacy between Plant and his devoted followers bears testament to the fact.

There's a fair outing for most of the Mighty Rearranger material as you'd expect, but it's the old reworked Zep classics that really steal the show.

Black Dog and When The Levee Breaks among others are given a contemporary makeover and sit comfortably alongside recent musings such as Let The Four Winds Blow and Shine It All Around.

A stunning cover of Hendrix classic Hey Joe is a storm but it's encore finale Rock and Roll which really brings the house down.

Above all Plant has the look of a man enjoying himself.

He may be nearing retirement age but he's looking and sounding right at the top of his game and his music remains as bang up to date and challenging as ever.

Form, as they say, is temporary. Class is permanent.

Pete Wallace