Onstage Thursday night at Cat's Cradle, Alejandro Escovedo told a very funny story about asking his teenage son Paris what he thought of his old man's music. "It's old music," Paris reportedly replied, "for old people."

Well, maybe so. But you still can't find a better example of rocking gracefully on into one's later years than Escovedo, who turned 60 years old this month and is still out there offering rocked-up pearls of wisdom. That anecdote introduced the song "Down in the Bowery," a fatherly prayer with one of my favorite lyrics from last year: "I hope you live long enough to forget half the stuff that they taught you."

In contrast to some of his lavishly orchestrated bands of tours past, Escovedo's current band is a streamlined four-piece featuring lead guitarist David Pulkingham. Long stretches of Thursday's show featured noise, glorious noise, with Escovedo and Pulkingham trading salvos of feedback on a set mostly drawn from Escovedo's 2010 release "Street Songs of Love"; they also fired up the riff to Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog" at one point (and I was only sorry that he didn't actually sing that one).

Still, my favorite part came when they switched over to acoustic guitars for a couple of songs, the instrumental "Fort Worth Blue" followed by the beautifully dreamy majesty of "Rosalie" -- a  sweet song of love. Can't wait for him to come back...

(photo credit: Alex Howard)

For most musicians, meeting a member of Led Zeppelin would be a certifiable big deal. But not for Sara Watkins, who was playing in Nickel Creek when she met the legendary English band's bassist, John Paul Jones -- who would eventually produce her self-titled solo album. In fact, Watkins admits she had barely even heard much Led Zeppelin before that.

"I definitely did dig into Led Zeppelin after meeting him, because I'd not paid much attention," Watkins says now. "I grew up in bluegrass and I was familiar with a handful of their tracks, but I'd not studied them before. I just did not like the sound of rock 'n' roll until I was 18 or so -- and they were nothing but rock 'n' roll, so it took me a while. And I have to say, my favorite part of that band is the drummer and the bass player."

For more on Watkins' album, and details on her Friday night show in Carrboro, see the interview in Friday's paper.

When I interviewed Robert Plant back in July, he was absolutely unequivocal: Led Zeppelin would not be getting back together anytime soon -- no way, no how. Plant was quite happy singing with Alison Krauss, he said; and he claimed to have no interest in revisiting the past again for any amount of money.

"You know, I work and work and work and work and work, and I have good intentions," Plant said with the slightest hint of testiness. "And sometimes, it's very simple, the way the media will manipulate an idea or a story. In the end, a lot of artists are moved into spaces they do not need to go by the force of others' opinions. Every dog has his day... But right now, this is what I'm doing, and it's spectacular and a joy. In my time and my career, joy is the greatest commodity that I have."

He was adamant enough that I believed him. But that resolve apparently lasted all of two months. According to a report out of England, Plant will reunite with his old Zeppelin mates for a U.S. tour next summer. No word yet on dates or cities; but it will no doubt be huger than huge.

(Thanks, Dana.)

ADDENDUM (9/29/08): Not so fast, says Mr. Plant.

SECOND ADDENDUM (10/27/08): Mr. Page responds.  

I never got to see Led Zeppelin back in the day, but I've been working my way through each surviving member individually. I caught John Paul Jones at South By Southwest a few years back; and Jimmy Page with the Black Crowes. And after tonight, I'll be able to cross Robert Plant off the list when I see him with Alison Krauss, a most unlikely pairing.

I even got to interview Plant last week, in rather amusing
circumstances. At his publicist's behest, I dialed the number of a
hotel in Phoenix and asked for "Mr. Fish."
Next thing I knew, Plant was on the line. He was completely charming,
except on the subject of whether or not his old band would ever do a reunion tour. See the interview in Friday's paper, a package that also includes brief chats with various sidemen plus multiple recaps of other musical odd couples through history.

While I'm at it, click through to see a 2000 interview/review from that Page show in Raleigh.