[Slowhand] Cleveland Rocks! Cleveland Rocks!

[Shannon Turner]

Report from the third row:

Everything was lovely. This is the first show I've seen on the tour,
other than the Crossroads Festival, and the first time I've been in the
first few rows, and it was a definitely different perspective. It was
marvelous. I think Doyle challenges Eric where Andy is more or less just
follows Eric, not that that is a bad thing, but it may be more fun for
Eric to have a bit of a challenge for a change. Nice to see Chris and
Steve Gadd in person. And Billy Preston! Very fun. The girls, while
talented, can go, in my opinion. He doesn't need them. 

For me, the highlights were "Let It Rain," "Got to Get Better in a
Little While," the acoustic bit and oh, my, "Have You Ever Loved a
Woman." The solos were other-worldly, so exciting, from everybody except
maybe Chris. His solo was very good, but his was the only one I didn't
quite believe was as blue and in as much angst as all the others. The
other men seemed as distraught from loving their woman so much that they
"trembled in pain" that you thought that they might fall down and die
right there from it all, if you believed what you heard in their solos.
It was spine-tingling.

I have never had the opportunity to sit close enough to witness the
actual relationship Eric has with his guitar as he plays, and he doesn't
exhibit it throughout his concert. But in the acoustic set, while Doyle
would take a solo or something, Eric would lean over his own instrument
and concentrate and seem to be letting it read his thoughts, and vice
versa. That's a little goofy, and I don't really know how to explain it,
but I'm sure many of you get what I'm trying to say, anyhow.

At any rate, it was all very awesome, and it was great in the third row.
Robert Randolph and his band was very fresh and enthusiastic as an
opener, as well, and Eric brought him out for a part of his encore, and
it was a lot of fun. He's a refreshing and genuine talent, and I can see
why Eric wanted him on board the tour.

That's it for me - check out the tour if you can make, that's all I can
tell you!

Best to all,

Shannon Turner