[Slowhand] Reply to ToeKnee

[Matthew Brown]

I don`t get you`re arguement here, excluding the NBTB tour the band and show for the 2004/6 tours is clearly the best Clapton has played in years (excluding one off shows/guest spots etc..).  The variety of setlist, musicians hes working with his own health/wellbeing just shines through.  Having caught this tour already it just has to be better than the drunk stuff in the 70s/80s and the Phil Collins to 24nights era (don`t have first hand experience just recordings as I`m 28 so happy that people who were there may disagree).

The shows better yet ticket sales decline means his fan base is losing uneducated and ignorant members, good ridence to those not attending it just increases the chance the WT will eventually be dropped!

If you like the blues, good musicianship or Clapton even a little bit then you are a total fool to miss this tour it is awesome!

I attended the Nottingham show.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Whitney 
  To: slowhand at planet-torque.com 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 2:08 AM
  Subject: [Slowhand] Reply to ToeKnee


  My friend, I am unsure whether you just don't get it or just don't want to get it. For his entire career, Clapton has played shows that commanded top ticket prices. While, you may regard a $75 ticket on the last tour to have been high, or maybe $90 this time to be exhorbitant, these tours charged what the market allowed for their time. It has always been that way with Clapton. You have never seen him play for anything below the market of the day. The reality is that he has always sold out both of the Midwest venues - Chicago and St. Louis - for every show for the past 20 years. I know of no exception. Clapton tickets in the Midwest have always been a hot item. On this tour, Clapton is playing a bit below the market. Check it out: CSNY, Eagles, Madonna, Rolling Stones, McCartney, Pearl Jam, DMB, Coldplay, Radiohead, all play to sold out crowds at top ticket prices. Clapton does not. You can devise all the excuses you wish. The reality is the same. It is not the price of tickets that has kept fans away. The artist has accomplished this on his own. His popularity has declined. And, he has caused this himself. DN is absolutely correct. Clapton has not challenged himself to play the music he is more than capable of playing. His attraction to Climie and the milk-sop of programmed drums and ill-conceived electronics was an easy choice for him. He is now genteel, and good for him. Some of us may yearn for a return to the axe of yesteryear, but it likely will not be delivered. I am going to the St. Louis show and expect to see a nice show. Recently, I saw BB again. I paid more than I did for Clapton. I expected some degree of sweetness. After all, he is on his 80th birthday tour. BB stroked all the licks. He still is a musical genius and continues to play that way. BB will probably pass away without being genteel, and good for him, too. But, BB still sells out most shows and challenges himself most every night.

   

  John

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