| From www.ocreloaded.com: Eric Clapton at the San Diego Sports Arena |
| Written by Paul Lyons |
| Tuesday, 08 March 2011 07:21 |
 On October 20, 1968, Eric Clapton walked on stage at the two-year old San Diego Sports Arena for the first time to perform with his band, Cream. Among the songs played that night was a cover of the old 1937 Robert Johnson blues song "Crossroad Blues", (renamed "Crossroads" when the band released a live version of the song on their LP, Wheels of Fire). Over 42 years later, Clapton returned to the San Diego Sports Arena (now called the Valley View Casino Center) Sunday night to play "Crossroads" once again for an adoring crowd... Touring behind his latest release...simply titled, Clapton, Slowhand performed an engaging 17-song set which served as a tribute to the great songs and musical styles that he has loved and recorded over the years. From Mississippi blues to New Orleans jazz to sweet ballads and good old rock and roll...Eric Clapton played from the heart, yet never let his guitar playing overshadow the songs... Opening with an uptempo version of the old Big Bill Broonzy number (and Derek and the Dominos track) "Key to the Highway"...Clapton arrived on stage with his turquoise Fender Stratocaster guitar already strapped around his shoulder...ready for action. Within just a few minutes, the San Diego audience was enraptured by the first of many Eric Clapton guitar solos. This was soon followed by the pop arrangement of St. Louis Jimmy's song "Going Down Slow," as heard on his 1998 album, Pilgrim. Going for a triple header of bold songs, Clapton next brought out his great version of the classic Willie Dixon/Muddy Waters song "Hoochie Coochie Man"...as heard on his 1994 album, From The Cradle. What followed was, for my money, the highlight of the concert... "Old Love" is a soft and somber song that Eric Clapton co-wrote with Robert Cray for his excellent 1989 album, Journeyman. The studio version is strong, yet as played at the Valley View Casino Center on Sunday...the song came truly alive, and was stretched far beyond its original recording. This was where Clapton choose to break out of his pensive shell and really shine through breathtaking solos that truly excited the crowd.  Better still,"Old Love" highlighted the strength of his band...a who's who of master musicians. On drums, there was the legendary Steve Gadd...one of the greatest drummers alive, who kept the beat steady...and often underplayed in order to serve each song. On keyboards there was Chris Stainton, who's worked with Joe Cocker and The Who, and has been playing with Clapton on and off for over 30 years now. Willie Weeks on bass guitar is another legend...who’s worked with everyone from David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder and lots more. Newcomer Tim Carmon practically stole the show with his incredible keyboard solos that often sounded like Eric Clapton guitar solos from the 60's and 70's. Punctuating the sound, the band was graced with two backing vocalists...Michelle John and Sharon White, who added extra depth to Clapton's songs...especially the next song: Bob Marley’s ”I Shot The Sheriff”...Clapton’s 1974 number one hit from his 461 Ocean Boulevard album. On this song in particular, Clapton choose to hang back a bit on most of the choruses...letting Michelle John and Sharon White do the heavy lifting with their pristine vocals. After the peak of "Old Love" and “I Shot The Sheriff”, a chair was brought out and placed on the large Persian rug that sat below Clapton's feet, and a classic body maple acoustic guitar was handed to the maestro. Thus began the 6-song, unplugged sit-down segment of the concert. First on the agenda was a muted rendition of the bluesy Johnny Moore's Three Blazers song from Pilgrim..."Driftin." Next came a rollicking, sing-a-long, upbeat piano-heavy version of Jimmy Cox's "Nobody Knows You When You Are Down And Out"...completely different than the painfully heartfelt traditional blues arrangement he played on the 1970 Derek and The Dominos album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. If I had a complaint, it would be that Eric Clapton did not play more songs from his eclectic new album, Clapton. He only offered only two selections from the disc Sunday night...a good version of the JJ Cale song, "River Runs Deep" and a not-so-good version of the old Fatts Waller song, "When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful." Of the latter song, it lacked the joy and vibrancy of what Clapton originally recorded. Instead, Clapton choose to underplay the song's up front, happy tone in favor of a low-key performance...  Staying seated, Clapton brought out a black Fender Stratocaster electric guitar for the 1985 Behind The Sun track, “Same Old Blues.” Unlike the lively and bombastic original recording, Clapton choose a low key arrangement, keeping with the mellow tone of the sit-down set. Ending the set was the classic Derek and The Dominos song “Layla”...as played in the same slow arrangement on the 1992 Clapton album, Unplugged. Of course, the crowd went crazy for this, and sang along. Keeping the energy high, Clapton stood up and grabbed his turquoise Fender Stratocaster to play a rousing version of his song from the 1969 Cream Goodbye album, “Badge.” Of all of the songs from his days in Cream, “Badge” is the one that Clapton seems to love to play the most...as he’s been performing that song on tour for many years now. Perhaps it’s because “Badge” was co-written by his old pal, the late great George Harrison. Another Eric Clapton concert standard, “Wonderful Tonight,” was performed next. The sweet and gentle song from 1977’s Slowhand album has touched many people over the years. Little do they know that it was a song not written out of love, but out of anger. According to his excellent 2007 book, Clapton: The Autobiography, “Wonderful Tonight” was written as a response to his girlfriend, Patty Boyd, taking too long to get ready for a party. Restless and mad at having to wait for her...Clapton wrote the song. Switching gears, EC and the band brought out a track from the Journeyman album...Bo Diddley’s 1957 classic “Before You Accuse Me”, which got many people in the crowd on their feet. Switching gears again, Clapton then broke out a song from his 1994 Robert Johnson tribute album Me and Mr. Johnson...”Little Queen of Spades.” The blues is where Eric Clapton feels at home...and you can really hear him in his element when he performs an old blues classic... From Johnson to JJ Cale...Clapton closed his show with the beloved 1977 crowd pleaser...”Cocaine.” The audience in San Diego did not exactly match the enthusiasm of the excitable crowd heard on the famous live version of the song on Clapton’s 1980 album, Just One Night...yet they appreciated “Cocaine” just the same. Times have changed and so to, audiences have changed. At 65 years old, Eric Clapton no longer performs in front of rapturous crowd of teenagers and 20-somethings. Sunday’s audience skewed older, with the majority of the audience preferring to sit down, as opposed to standing up to dance, clap and cheer... After a brief break, EC and the band returned for an encore...coming full circle by performing the Robert Johnson classic he first played at the Valley View Casino Center back in 1968...”Crossroads.” Foregoing the classic fast arrangement he performed back then with Cream, Clapton instead choose the slower version he’s played in concert over the last 23 years or so...as heard on his 1999 Blues album. Sunday’s version of “Crossroads” was short and sweet (or at least felt that way), with Clapton playing one last solo before saying goodnight. EC and the band took their final bows...and at 10:30pm, the 110 minute excellent concert was over. Eric Clapton is not just one of the greatest guitarists of all time; he’s also the most generous...and modest. Instead of showing off his many skills to the nearly 15,000 people at the Valley View Casino Center Sunday night, he instead choose to come forward, and also step back...giving ample opportunity for his band to shine. In particular, Clapton gave a large amount time for both Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon to perform lengthy solos in several songs...even allowing Carmon to upstage him at times. Yet that’s exactly who Eric Clapton is...a man just as happy to hang out in the background as he is to stand in the spotlight. He doesn’t need to be the center of attention all of the time. Clapton knows full well what he is capable of doing on the guitar, and whether or not he chooses to show you all he’s got is not really a question he struggles with. If anything, Clapton plays for the music...putting his ego aside in order to serve the song...as if to let everyone know that great guitar playing is not all about flash and indulgent soloing...it’s also about finesse, dynamic and heart...with a bit of technique thrown in for good measure. Eric Clapton has it all...and most certainly made his mark on San Diego once again. EC was here indeed... Opening the show was the great band Los Lobos...who played a strong set filled with some of their best known songs such as “Don’t Worry Baby”, as well as great covers such as “Bertha” by the Grateful Dead, and Richie Valens’ “La Bamba.” The three-guitar attack of Louis Perez, Cesar Roses and lead singer David Hidalgo was in full force Sunday night, creating a large and exciting sound. These guys have been around since the 70’s, and they still sound terrific... setlist: Key To The Highway , Going Down Slow, Hoochie Coochie Man, Old Love, I Shot the Sheriff, Driftin', Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, River Runs Deep, When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful, Same Old Blues, Layla, Badge, Wonderful Tonight, Before You Accuse Me, Little Queen of Spades Cocaine. Encore: Crossroads |
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