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Eric
Clapton
Last Time
Around?
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....
..
....Will this really be the last time? That's the
question that will be on many fans' minds when Eric Clapton pulls into
Sacramento Arco Arena for his Reptile tour. Old Slowhand has threatened to
retire from the arena spotlights before--stretching as far back as the '60s, up
to as recently as 1998. And every time he's wound up right back again Clapton
will likely continue to tour "on a smaller scale" in the future, and
he may still play "one-off' shows at major venues like London's Royal
Albert Hall, where his current trek in support of "Reptile" his new
CD tour started in February.
......Overall, the evening was
an intriguing balance of material from his most recent album, Reptile, as well
as songs covering everything from Clayton's early years with Cream and Derek
and the Dominoes, to a powerful version of delta bluesman Muddy Waters'
"Hoochie Koochie Man." A five-piece band backed him up and performed
on an uncluttered stage underneath a multi-functional, four-tiered lighting
rig. ......
.....Getting really up-close
photo's was impossible, he instructed photographers to shoot five hundred feet
away. The reason always the same no distractions of cameramen running around in
front, fighting for that god almighty awesome shot. And some Rockstar's getting
older hate the way they look close up. A
.....Clayton's first
five songs were received with enthusiastic applause rather than tail shaking,
standing ovations. It was only when Clapton strapped on a sunburst-pattern
Fender Stratocaster to play "Change the World" that the band and
audience seemed ready to break a sweat. It was not until full bore guitar solos
sprinkled through "Layla," "Wonderful Tonight" and
"Going' Down Slow." that the crowd woke up. Maybe they thought time
stood still and being on the road doesn't tired one out? Maybe when a fan pays
big bucks for concert tickets they want a performer to jam all night long.
.....But what was different
about this version of the man who practically defined the concept of guitar god
was the way he seemed to offload much of the burden for carrying this show to
its musical high points. Instead of ripping out one mind-boggling guitar solo
after another, instead of pleading into the microphone and defining the
emotional impact of his beautifully written songs, Clapton seemed satisfied
with letting keyboardists Billy Preston and David Sancious perform neat tricks
with the upper ranges of their instruments as a substitute for using his guitar
and voice to propel this band to extraordinary heights.
..... In past concerts, Eric
Clapton put more energy if not talked to the fans just to make the atmosphere
feel more like Rock n Roll show. ...Maybe it would
be great if Clapton only played material that still excited him. I expected
more drama and emotion out of last night's Sacramento show.
By Randy Cohen
........This is the Official Rock Publication Web Site
All photos and written material courtesy of Rock Publication
.Copyright © 2001
E-mail at
Rockpub@aol.com
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The band line
up : for Part I of Clapton's North American tour includes Eric Clapton,
Andy Fairweather Low (guitar and vocals), Steve Gadd (drums), Nathan East (bass
guitar and vocals), David Sancious (keyboard and vocals), and Paulinho Da Costa
Set List :
Key to the highway (Acoustic, EC solo)
Reptile (Acoustic)
Got you on my mind (Acoustic)
Tears in heaven (Acoustic) Bell
bottom blues (Acoustic) Change the world (Acoustic) My father's eyes
River of tears
Goin' down slow
She's gone
I want a little girl Badge Hoochie coochie man
Have you ever loved a woman
Cocaine
Wonderful tonight
Layla
Will it go round in circles (Encore, Billy Preston
vocals) Sunshine of your love
(Encore) Somewhere over the rainbow (Encore)
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.....8/10/01
Sacramento