[Slowhand] Trucks or no Trucks

[Gourlay.David at tbs-sct.gc.ca]

I saw 3 shows this tour - 2 in Central Canada (Ottawa and Toronto) in Sept 2006 and then Calgary in late March without Derek Trucks. There was a noticeable difference for sure and this should not be a huge surprise given Derek's focus on the slide and the style it resonates in contrast to Eric or Doyle's. However, Trucks's absence did not take anything away from the Calgary show, in my opinion. These are different styles and as has been reported in the reviews and on here from many of us, Eric is now confident and assured enough that he is choosing to highlight the "up and comers" in blues guitarists through his tour and the maximum exposure he will get as Sir Eric ! 
 
It seems to me his priorities are different and that is his family and life - as they should be. I recall when he was here and played the "sit down" set that "Back Home" really came through with feeling and if you know the lyrics to that, there may be a message there. 
 
d  
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Marchman [mailto:susbastille at msn.com]
Sent: April 22, 2007 4:05 PM
To: slowhand
Subject: [Slowhand] Trucks or no Trucks
 
Sammy wrote:  "so this leads me to the next question: anyone who went to both columbus (which was supposedly a great show) and an earlier "derek show", which did you prefer?"
Of the many shows I saw this tour, only two were Truckless, Detroit and Columbus.  I think Trucks absence did give Eric a little more play, but from what I saw, Eric didn't really take up the lion's share anticipated, as he ended up relegating more to Doyle and Tim.  
 
Eric's performance in Detroit (though still good, still beautiful, still my favored way to spend a couple of hours) was not as inspired comparing it to other shows I attended on the tour (let's leave out past glories.)  I saw many shows where he gave a little more than he did that night.  Were the previous shows better because of Truck's presence, pushing and inspiring Eric to up the ante when it came Eric's turn to solo?  Were they better prior to Detroit because EC was a little under the weather at the Palace and the show timed out minus a few minutes off the norm?  I don't know.  
 
I do know that the following night in Columbus minus Trucks was probably the most stunning Eric I saw from tour's start to finish, with a greater occurrence of more intense solos throughout the show than the standard '06/'07 performance.   That night was somewhat comparable to another late-in-the tour show, San Diego, which was a Trucks show; Eric seemed to soar a little higher, a little more often that night as well.  
 
So, San Diego with Trucks and Columbus without Trucks were standouts to me among many nights (from RAH to MSG to the South to the West and Midwest) where there were always magic moments, if not a bone-chilling Clapton solo.  San Diego could've been the result of EC feeling compelled to raise the bar in front of the cameras (and with Cale in the house), and Columbus could've been a final night blowout in his adopted hometown--or could've been that he was just really feeling it despite those outside factors.  Whatever.  The question of Trucks or no Trucks turns out to be relative after all, in my experience anyway.  Not that it matters much, as Ron C. said, "Hey, EC's concerts are like sex, any shows a good one, some are just better than others!"
 
cheers! 
susan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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