Anybody go last night? An interesting evening as it was the first time I'd see him not on a blues night. A mixed set so a few for the MOR people - acoustic Layla, You look wonderful tonight etc - and some stonking blues. As someone learning to play I now appreciate the man's limitations a bit more - I recognize the notes and the scales and the repetition of same to a certain extent - but, bugger me, he can't half play.
Only one pedal on the stage too - some sort of wah thingie - which was only used twice to very good effect. Perhaps some assistance at the mixing desk, I don't know? But the sounds he got out of a single Strat (OK two when a string broke) were quite something and testament to the man's skill.
I know he's a bit marmite on here but, as I said, he really can play and if he isn't the most original player in the world now - aged 70 - does that actually matter? Do what you're good at and doing it well seems like a good maxim.
Billy Preston, Chris Stainton, Nathan East in the band too.
Save a cow. Eat a vegetarian.
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As I've often said before - I'm a massive EC fan. He might have a limited vocabulary in terms of harmonic knowledge - but few have expressed so much from so little.
The greats seem to transcend their instrument - what comes out of their amp is somehow an expression of their soul - as B B King proved so often.
Those are the players that 'get me' - there is an emotional reaction from me as a listener. On that basis, I'll take EC over pretty much any other player.
Tonight will be interesting - my guess is that B B King's passing will fire him up.
I'm really sorry I've not been able to get to these shows. Money is just too tight unfortunately.
There's things I've had, there's things I wanna have"
MK was the consummate side-man and looked like he enjoyed being part of a band rather than the centre of attention.
Nathan East on bass and Greg Philingaines on keys - awesome players.
EC was on blistering form.
True. however, if there hadn't been a well-known name like Clapton promoting the blues I suspect I (and many others) might never have discovered earler bluesmen such as Freddie King, Albert King, Robert Johnson, etc. Also for many of us born in the 50s there is a very good chance that it was Clapton who first inspired us to pick up a guitar and fumble our first pentatonic licks. I simply don't see anybody, and paricularly anyone well known) around now championing blues music with the same fervour that the likes of Clapton, John Mayall, etc were doing back then.