[Slowhand] EC at the Bowl random notes

[Scott Wallenberg]

First off another huge thank you to Art Arias for his wonderful generosity
for the ticket drawing. It was a pleasure to meet Art and his lovely
girlfriend and my friend Rick and I enjoyed watching the show with them.

The show....
Boy did Robert Randolph suffer from the opening act sound blues. The
difference between his set sound and the encore was so night and day! I look
forward to seeing him in a club sometime.
People watching at an LA event is also very trippy. As Art mentioned we were
just behind Melia, Ruth and the toddlers. It was fun to see them jump up and
down when Daddy hit the stage.
John Mayall was in attendance as I saw him as we were leaving our seats.
It was all you really could ask for in an Eric show. Song
selection..pacing..performance..the JBL sound system was unreal...every
instrument and vocal from where we sat was clear as a bell. The lack of big
hall bounce back from an outdoor venue certainly helped. Outdoors does lack
intimacy and playing for the "I'm tooooo cool" LA crowd can also be tough,
but EC pulled it off very well.

Eric was so less uptight than in the past and it really showed in his
attitude, demeanor and vibe. He is comfortable with his role of being a
guitar hero and that was what made this show so neat.
Doyle is an amazing player! I was not impressed with his opening act in 01
but as a sideman to EC he really showed what he can do with great
material.Was he holding back..probably and that is a testament to how good
he is and what a great support man he is as well.
Doyle was wearing an EC North American tour T-shirt from 1980 that was one
size too small but very trippy just the same. Looked like a Bootleg shirt to
me. I think the shirt maybe as old as him!

My good friend and guitar buddy Rick joined me for the concert as Sherry was
not about to leave the newborn of course. Rick loves Eric and he pretty much
learned to play by learning EC licks with the record player slowed to 161/2
speed back in the 70's..... but he has been so dissillusioned over EC's
recorded output for the last 10 years that he hasn't been to a show since I
took him to the House of Blues 94 show.
His line after this show... "I have restored my faith in 'God' again!"

OK..gotta go change a diaper now!

Scott