Clapton on sale @ HSBC Arena 07/09/04

[TimmyB]

Clapton tickets went on sale this morning for Buffalo.

ERIC CLAPTON

HSBC ARENA

FRI JUL 9, 2004 7:30PM

WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND

Tickets are avaliable at www.tickets.com and range from $55.00 to $75.00 American, plus service charges.

If you can't make this gig, he's also playing Toronto at the Air Canada Centre on WED JUL 7, 2004.

The band is:

Eric Clapton - Guitar, Vocals

Nathan East - Bass, Vocals (Has been with Clapton on most records and tours since 1985. And has also toured with Phil Collins and many others)

Chris Stainton - Keyboards (Started with Clapton on the 'From The Cradle' album in 1994, a great blues keyboardist)

Steve Gadd - Drums (A fantastic drummer that has been with Paul Simon and many others)

Doyle Bramhall II - Guitar, Vocals (Came to fame as a young guitar gunslinger out of texas in the band ARC ANGELS in 1992. He along with another young Texan guitarist, vocalist Charlie Sexton joined with DOUBLE TROUBLE, Stevie Ray Vaughan's old rhythm section. Double Trouble consisted of Chris Layton on Drums and Tommy Shannon on Bass and along with Doyle and Charlie the Arc Angels was born. Due to substance abuse problems the band didn't last too long and Bramhall had to take a break to recover. In 1999 Doyle released an album called 'Jellycream' on RCA and his come back began. Many took notice including Roger Waters who subsequently had Bramhall play lead guitar on Waters' 'In The Flesh' tour from 1999-2000. Clapton also was a fan using two Bramhall songs 'Marry You' and 'I Wanna Be' on Claptons colaboration with B.B. King on their record 'Riding With The King' which was released in 2000. Bramhall also appeared on that record and Clapton's next album 'Reptile' in 2001. Where Bramhall cowrote 'Superman Inside' with Clapton and Susannah Melvoin.

Every Clapton tour from '89 on has had Andy Fairweather Low as the second guitarist until now. Not to take anything away from Andy but Bramhall will put some edge to Clapton's playing that we haven't seen in some time)

Billy Preston - Hamond Organ, Keyboards, Vocals (Billy Preston made famous for performing with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones has also had a successful R & B career. Clapton performed on on of Billy's albums in the seventies. Billy toured with EC on the 'Reptile' tour in 2001 and luckily for us has returned.

Sharon White & Michelle John - Backing Vocals (I don't know these two ladies, so I have nothing to say about them. I don't think they've toured with EC before)

I've seen EC five times over his last three tours, starting with the 'Nothing But The Blues Tour' in 1994. And this will personally be my favorite set of material that I'll be seeing Slowhand do.

Here's the set from his latest show at NEC, Birmingham, England 04/30/04.

1. Let It Rain (Eric Clapton/Bonnie Bramlett)

2. Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon)

3. Walk Out In The Rain (Bob Dylan/Helena Springs)

4. Bell Bottom Blues (Clapton)

5. I Shot The Sheriff (Bob Marley)

6. Milkcows Calf Blues (Robert Johnson)

7. When You Got A Friend (Johnson)

8. They're Red Hot (Johnson)

9. Kind Hearted Woman Blues (Johnson)

10. Got To Get Better In A Little While (Clapton)

11. Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Billy Myles)

12. Badge (Clapton/George Harrison)

13. Wonderful Tonight(Clapton)

14. Layla (Clapton/Jim Gordon)

15. Cocaine (J.J. Cale)

Encore:

16. Sunshine Of Your Love (Jack Bruce/Pete Brown/Clapton)(with Robert Randolph)

17. I Got My Mojo Working (McKinley Morganfield AKA Muddy Waters) (with Robert Randolph)

About the set:

'Let It Rain' is off of Eric Clapton's debut solo album that was self titled and released in 1970. It was released before DEREK AND THE DOMINOS 'Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs' the very same year. The song is cowritten with Bonnie Bramlett who Clapton was introduced while Delaney And Bonnie were opening for Blind Faith in 1969. Eric loved the duo so much he ended up touring with them as their lead guitarist after the Blind Faith tour, which is documented on the Atlantic/Atco 1971 release DELANEY & BONNIE WITH ERIC CLAPTON 'On Tour'.

Interestingly enough Clapton did not want his name on the album so predominantly, he tried to continue the attempt at anonymity with the name DEREK AND THE DOMINOS, repacing ERIC with DEREK.

Husband to Bonnie, Delaney Bramlett convinced Clapton to record a solo record where he sang lead vocal on a whole record for the first time. The Delaney And Bonnie tour was Clapton's introduction to the members that would soon be on his first solo record and the members of DEREK AND THE DOMINOS. Bobby Whitlock on keyboards and vocals, Carl Radle on bass and Jim Gordon on drums. The original recording of 'Let It Rain' also had Delaney and Bonnie, Leon Russell on keys, Bobby Keys (of Rolling Stones fame) on sax, Rta Coolidge, Sonny Curtis and Jerry Allison on vocals and finally the great Stephen Stills on guitar and vocals.

'Let It Rain' is one of my favorite song off Clapton's debut record and I'm looking forward to hearing it for the first time)

Unfortunately I just got an emergency phone call and have to attend to a family member in the hospital. I will finish writing my 'About the set:' overview when I return home.

[TimmyB]

I'm back.

1. 'Let It Rain' charted at US # 48.

2. 'Hoochie Coochie Man' written by Willie Dixon made famous by Muddy Waters. Eric recorded this song for 'From The Cradle' '94 and performed it live that same year. At the CONCERT FOR NEW YORK CITY in 2001 Clapton performed the song with BUDDY GUY and it ended up on the compilation album.

3. 'Walk Out In The Rain' Is one of those rare songs that Bob Dylan has given away without releasing it himself. Dylan has done this a few times for Clapton with songs 'Sign Language' off of '(no reason to cry)' in 1976, 'If I Don't Be There By Morning' and 'Walk Out In The Rain' both on 'Backless' released in 1978. Other Dylan songs that Clapton has performed are 'Knockin' On Heavens Door' in 1974, 'Don't Think Twice, It's Alright' and 'My Back Pages' in '1992, and 'Born In Time' in 1998.

I'm a big Bob Dylan fan and look forward to seeing this song performed live as I will likely never hear Dylan do it.

4. 'Bell Bottom Blues' the amazing self penned track that originated on 'Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs'. This song the Trey Anastasio Band performed during his first tour as a solo artist.

The last Clapton tour he performed 'Bell Bottom Blues' acoustically, and it will be nice to see it performed electrically with Doyle Bramhall II on second guitar.

5. 'I Shot The Sheriff' the Bob Marley song that originated on Marley's 1972 album 'BURNIN''.

Eric Clapton put Bob Marley on the world map when he recorded 'I Shot The Sheriff' in 1974 for his comeback album '461 OCEAN BOULEVARD'. The debut single off of '461' 'I Shot The Sheriff' ended up hitting #9 in the UK and was a number one hit in the US.

Marley didn't chart in the America until his third album 'NATTY DREAD' which was a half year after Clapton topped the charts with Marley's tune.

I've seen EC perform this song several times and it's always well received by the crowd.

6. 'Milkcows Calf Blues'

7. 'When You Got A Friend'

8. 'They're Red Hot'

9. 'Kind Hearted Woman Blues'

All the above songs are written by the King of the Delta blues Robert Johnson. They all appear on Clapton's latest release 'ME AND MR. JOHNSON' released this year, as a tribute to Clapton's favorite artist of all time.

Those who know Clapton know that he's performed Johnson tunes his whole life. The first song that Eric sang lead vocals on was the Johnson tune 'Ramblin' On My Mind' on JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS FEATURING ERIC CLAPTON released in 1966.

Johnson tunes I've seen Clapton perform live are 'Malted Milk', 'Sweet Home Chicago' and of course the classic 'Crossroads'. I'm not sure but I don't think Eric has ever performed these Johnson tunes until this tour.

10. 'Got To Get Better In A Little While' a relatively rare track that I never though I would see Clapton perform live. It has been released on DEREK AND THE DOMINOS 'IN CONCERT' album in 1973. It was re-released as 'LIVE AT THE FILLMORE' by Polydor's Chronicles label in 1974. The studio version of this song is avaliable on Clapton's CROSSROADS box set released in 1988.

Slowhand hasn't done this song ever night and I really hope to hear it in Toronto or Buffalo.

11. 'Have You Ever Loved A Woman' a song that Clapton has performed several times and has ended up on many records. Most famously on 'LAYLA'. I've seen this performed mutiple times, it never changes much from tour to tour, EC has perfected it long ago.

12. 'Badge' A song that Clapton was forced to record to contribute to the final CREAM album fittingly titled 'GOODBYE' released in 1969. Clapton cowrote it with his good friend the late great GEORGE HARRISON. Who performed many times together throughout their careers.

I have never seen 'Badge' live in concert and I can't wait to get it this time. It hit UK #18 and US #60.

13. 'Wonderful Tonight' the hit song off of the hit album 'SLOWHAND' in 1977. The song was written for Patti Boyd, who I'll speak more about later. It hit #16 on the US charts in 1978 and has been performed at nearly ever Clapton tour since.

14. 'Layla' Eric Clapton's signiture tune. Written for Patti who was George Harrison's wife at the time. She would end up leaving Harrison and marrying Clapton and divorcing him as well. 'Layla is the title track off of my favorite Clapton album DEREK AND THE DOMINOS 'LAYLA...'. It was not initially released as a single but later became a classic radio track, charting years later in 1982 in the UK hitting #4.

15. 'Cocaine' another hit off of 'SLOWHAND' reaching #30 in the US in 1980, backing 'Tulsa Time'. Eric has also performed J.J. Cale tunes through out his career. Songs like 'After Midnight' on Eric's debut in 1970, which was re-recorded for the 'CROSSROADS' box set in 1988. Clapton's also recorded 'Travelin' Light' on his 2001 'Reptile' record.

16. 'Sunshine Of Your Love' the rock classic off of CREAM'S 'DISRAELI GEARS' which hit #5 in the US in 1968. Often in the encore and on this tour every night Robert Randolph performs on this tune with Eric. Eric often performs this CREAM classic.

17. 'I Got My Mojo Working' the Muddy Waters track is also performed with Randolph during the encore. I've never had this one and it will be a nice way to end the show.

I hope this helped people who were on the fence on whether they would see EC or not fall the way of going to the show. He is one of those few players that can make you cry hearing just one note from a guitar solo. I hope these shows won't be my last, and I see Clapton years and years to come.