[Slowhand] Post-Dispatch review of STL show last night

Jeff French jfrench67 at yahoo.com
Tue Sep 19 15:40:25 EDT 2006


Sparks fly at Clapton concert
By Daniel Durchholz
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
Tuesday, Sep. 19 2006

Eric Clapton long ago may have disavowed the famous London underground graffito
declaring "Clapton is God," but he brought a little slice of heaven to guitar
lovers Monday at Scottrade Center.

An incomparable instrumentalist, the triple Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoree
often is driven to greater heights when spurred on by other talented players.
The formidable lineup backing him on this tour -- which includes guitar
slingers Doyle Bramhall II and Derek Trucks, plus opening act Robert Cray --
virtually assured that sparks would fly.

They did. Clapton was generous with the spotlight, allowing the others to shine
throughout the concert. Still, he was seldom topped as he reeled off one
jaw-dropping solo after another.

The two-hour set was well-paced and featured songs from throughout Clapton's
solo career as well as highlights from his days with Cream and Derek and the
Dominos. The hard-charging rock of "Motherless Children" mixed well with the
fluid balladry of "Wonderful Tonight," the slow blues of "Little Queen of
Spades" and the reggae riddims (provided by drummer Steve Jordan and bassist
Willie Weeks) of "I Shot the Sheriff."

A four-song mini-set, played seated, if not exactly unplugged, broke up the
show's full-on electric display. On "Nobody Loves You When You're Down and
Out," Trucks, who is also member of the Allman Brothers Band, showed his
considerable prowess on slide guitar.

Though the concert concluded with requisite readings of "Layla" (played in its
full version, including the gorgeous, soaring coda), "Cocaine" and
"Crossroads," the highlight came much earlier. Cray joined the band for "Old
Love," a solemn blues dirge on which Clapton unleashed a wrenching, volcanic
solo, then backed away, turning the stage over to Cray.

How, one wondered, could Cray -- or anyone, for that matter -- follow that?

Amazingly, he found a way, starting his solo with a foundation of long, low
notes, building slowly and steadily toward a blazing finish. Audience members
leapt to their feet, knowing if anyone could be said to win this particular
duel, it was them.

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