Brian Wise, host of “Off the Record” on 102.7 Triple R-FM took in the Austin City Limits Music Festival. He writes:

The sound was brilliant too, interrupted only occasionally by Beck’s band. After an acoustic number, Plant said, “That was hard to do, especially with The Village People in the background.” I don’t think he was impressed.

With T Bone Burnett leading the band and Buddy Miller on guitar, it is certainly a formidable outfit. The songs came from the acclaimed Raising Sand, the Led Zeppelin back catalogue and even O Brother Where Are Thou? The set list included ‘She’s Got the Money,’ ‘Leave My Woman Alone,’ ‘Black Dog,’ ‘Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us,’ ‘Fortune Teller,’ The Battle Of Evermore,’ ‘Down To The River To Pray’ and Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Nothing.’ Burnett got to lead on his own song ‘The Rat Age’ (‘You never thought you’d hear that.’) and Krauss performed ‘Wildwood Rose.’ The show concluded with a stunning version of ‘Gone Gone Gone.’

While there are still rumours of a Led Zeppelin reunion sometime next year, I have no doubt that Plant is finding this tour very satisfying. No one can accuse him of lack of generosity as he often defers to Krauss. (Also, he doesn’t have to live up to ridiculous expectations). Perhaps the most important aspect is that he is singing better than ever – not over-singing as he sometimes did (and was sometimes demanded by the Zeppelin songs).

Johnathon Updegrove, writing for freepresshouston.com, caught Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. He writes:

Plant’s and Kraus’s voices mesh surprisingly well, but that’s not where the mash up stops. Their backing band managed to bring the two styles of classic rock and bluegrass together quite gloriously. Trust me; you haven’t lived until you’ve heard a fiddle being played like Jimmy Paige. It made for an all around good show, and it was pleasing to see that Plant still had his microphone tricks up his sleeve.

Austin360 writers picked out their favorite moments from the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Several included Robert and Alison at the top of their list:

Joe Gross:
1. “Nothing” written by Townes Van Zandt, performed by Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and band Saturday night. One of the most complete acts of rock music I’ve ever witnessed. Contained distortion, sex, bass, regret, guitars, mumbling, singing, anger, love, hate, fear, bliss, power, weakness and a slow, rhythmic undertow tough as the tide going out. Fantastic; everything else was a distant second, third, 45th.

John T. Davis:
1. Alison Krauss singing “Through the Morning, Through the Night” during her and Robert Plant’s set Saturday night — meltingly lovely, with Plant taking a gracious backseat to offer understated harmonies.

Kathy Blackwell:
1. Robert Plant/Alison Krauss: Beautifully crafted, incredibly sensual set was one of the best I’ve ever seen at any ACL Fest.

Valerie Hill, writing on ocolly.com reviewed the Austin City Limits Music Festival appearance:

Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and T. Bone Burnett created an aura Saturday night that was nearly unmatched by any other band.

Accompanied by a back-up band, Plant and Krauss performed songs not only from the T. Bone Burnett-produced “Raising Sand,” but also classics from the Led Zeppelin catalog and the soundtrack to “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”

The combination of Plant’s road-weary voice, Krauss’ smoky and velveteen harmonies and Burnett’s superior production skills combined to give Austin City Limits a performance that will not be soon forgotten.

An achingly smooth and slow rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog,” with boisterous accompaniment from the audience, was a welcomed surprise.

While in Austin for the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Robert was spotted shopping at a local music store. Cliff Brown, Jr. took a moment for a thank you:

“After he bought his items at the counter, he stood outside against the wall, alone, so I walked up and said thank you for all the wonderful music you’ve done then shook his hand and that was my Robert Plant moment.”

Michael D. Ayers of Billboard on Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at the Austin City Limits Music Festival:

Plant explained to the audience that he’s been a pupil of American music his entire life, and is now discovering the sounds of Mississippi and the Appalachia region via his work with Krauss on last year’s “Raising Sand.” The pair breezed through several cuts from that album, including “Killing the Blues” and a rousing “Gone Gone Gone,” while the traditional folk song “Down to the River To Pray” was done a cappella. The Led Zeppelin catalog was also dipped into in the form of “The Battle of Evermore.”

Blastro.com is giving away two VIP tickets to the Austin City Limits Festival on September 26 - 28, 2008. The tickets include access to the VIP lounges which feature free lunch and dinner buffets, drinks and even mini-spa treatments. The tickets are valued at $1800.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss will appear at the festival on September 27, 2008 at 8:15 pm local time.

To enter, register and leave a comment saying why you deserve to have the tickets.