A few days ago, I had the chance to see Clapton live at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome. The whole concert is up on youtube, you can check it out here. It was a great night, but it almost didn't happen: I bought the tickets three years ago. Originally, the concert was to take place in June 2020. Then the pandemic hit, so the show was postponed for June 2021. But that year the pandemic was still in full swing so the concert was postponed for yet another year. In the meanwhile, Eric had a severe reaction to the anti-COVID vaccine, which made him panic about permanently losing motor function of his hands and being unable to play guitar. And then, only a few months after the lockdown was lifted and he was able to play in front of an audience again, he contracted COVID - less than 3 weeks before the Amsterdam show. Understandably, I was a bit apprehensive as to whether his famous guitar mastery would still be intact, or impacted by his age (77 as of now), sickness, or 2-year-long absence from live concerts. It turns out that his ability has been only slightly diminished by time: after a perfunctory start, things warmed up with a great solo during "I Shot The Sheriff". Then it was time for the acoustic segment, which I enjoyed more than I anticipated: I'm not a big fan of his Unplugged CD, but he gave a very warm and skillful performance for a session including traditional blues as well as his own "Layla" and "Tears in Heaven". The second electric set found Clapton in even better mood. The audience was happiest to hear his classics ("Badge", "Wonderful Tonight", "Cocaine") but his guitar playing was best during the two blues covers. The encore consisted of one song, "High Time We Went". The whole band sounded elevated on it, but none more than pianist Chris Stainton who initially wrote this song with Joe Cocker, 50 years ago! Another veteran in the band that left very good impressions was Paul Carrack on organ and occasional vocals. 2nd Guitarist Doyle Bramhall II was a great supporting player who also took the spotlight on many occasions, while the band also included bassist Nathan East, drummer Sonny Emory, and backup singers Sharon White and Katie Kissoon.
Just One Night was the album I chose to play in the car on the way to the concert and back. It wasn't recorded in one night, as the title would suggest - rather, the performances were culled from a two-night residency in Tokyo's Budokan Theatre. Some of Clapton's biggest solo hits up to that point are here: his most popular ballad "Wonderful Tonight", J.J. Cale covers "Cocaine" and "After Midnight", as well as his own (successful) attempt at writing a J.J. Cale-like country blues "Lay Down Sally". "Cocaine" is notable for a long solo that completely distinguishes it from the studio version, as well as the enthusiastic audience participation. "After Midnight" for its tempo, which is much faster than the original. Other covers by contemporary artists include Bob Dylan's "If I Don't Be There by Morning" (never recorded by the writer himself), and "Setting Me Up" from Dire Straits' then-recent debut. Both relatively unknown songs, but with a laid-back Southern rock vibe that suited Clapton's style well. Other country-tinged songs include the Rick Danko co-write "Our Past Times" and upbeat Danny Flowers cover "Tulsa Time". There are a number of slow blues ("Early in the Morning", "Worried Life Blues", the "Rambling On My Mind"/"Have You Ever Loved A Woman" medley, Otis Rush's "Double Trouble") that showcase Clapton's emotive guitar playing. It was, after all, his uncanny ability to play the blues that gave Clapton the nickname "God" when he was only 20, and that is the kind of material he really excels in. Funnily enough, his own composition "Blues Power" isn't really blues, but a bouncy rock'n'roll number with lots of boogie-woogie piano by the very same Chris Stainton whom we enjoyed earlier this week in Amsterdam. Albert Lee perfectly compliments Clapton on guitar, and sings lead on "Setting Me Up". It's nice to see how Clapton enjoys playing together with other guitar virtuosos rather than antagonize them: his bands have on occasion included Duane Allman and Mark Knopfler, and of course he curates the Crossroads Guitar Festival which gives him the chance to play with the best. Dave Markee (bass) and Henry Spinetti (drums) complete this tight ensemble. The album closes with a spirited performance of "Further On Up the Road", a Bobby Bland R&B number that Clapton has appropriated and recorded numerous times. Just One Night is considered to be among the best of many Clapton live albums, and I wouldn't disagree: I'd be hard pressed to find a better showcase for his guitar playing, which at the time was at its apex. Singing was never his strong suit, but it's also on the money here. The live sound is phenomenal for its time. I guess kudos should go to the Japanese sound engineers - it's no coincidence that so many live albums have been recorded in that same venue. If I have to find a flaw, it'd be the absence of Cream, Blind Faith, or Derek And The Dominos material. No "Sunshine Of Your Love" or "Layla", no hard rock, folk, or psychedelia. We only get electric blues and country, with a side dish of pop in "Wonderful Tonight". Also, compared to other E.C. live albums, the band is rather basic: no horns or strings, no backing vocalists or fancy guests. All those can be found elsewhere (24 Nights comes to mind). But maybe it's this sparse setup that allows for Clapton to shine ever more brightly. If you like the electric guitar, you're bound to love this album!
**** for Tulsa Time, Early in the Morning, Lay Down Sally, Wonderful Tonight, Worried Life Blues, After Midnight, Double Trouble, Blues Power, Rambling On My Mind/Have You Ever Loved A Woman, Cocaine, Further on Up the Road
*** for If I Don't Be There by Morning, All Our Past Times, Setting Me Up
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